First Impressions: Kettle Cycles SiCCC SFL Carbon Disc Brake Rotors & More News!

Is there any indication that the initial bite is going to improve? Any info for those of us who love the larger rotors and nose wheelies?? At 180lbs without gear and a penchant for razing trees and rocks on my trail bike: am I more or less likely to die while riding these versus the Maguras I have now??

I’ve had mine on for a week, they seem to be a hair thicker than what I had and I also have a little rub front/rear. One of my pet peaves is to have rub and it annoys me that they can’t manufacture these perfectly flat.

I did the recommended break in, jog pace, slow but not stop repeats for about 10 minutes and then went into the woods a couple times. I had a little squeel at first but it quickly went away. Breaking improved a lot over the first hour after they got the glaze layer.

I used semi metalic jagwire mountain pro pads. I raced this past weekend and never gave a though to the additional brake effort needed although for certain it was there. I could slow when I needed to even at a warp-speed corner at the bottom of a rockin descent.

don

My 160mm Formula solid (cheap) rotors weight only 25g more each and performance is flawless… need to say more?

I WILL get a set once they release some SiCCC pads. So get on with it! 😀

My take (although I have not even seen these in person, let alone ridden them): a huge longevity advantage – no more bent rotors post a crash. Similar advantage being seen in carbon rims. The material properties of carbon allow it to ‘bounce’ back once deformed. (Disadvantage if the product does not start ‘perfectly’ round/flat/true.)

Train = resin

I did the kickstarter campaign and weight was not the primary motivation. I’m converting to disc for CX and was looking for durability to impacts and the lack of venting holes (which current theory is the reason people were going through sets of pads in a single race in WI).

Based on dry performance this past weekend they offer more than enough stopping power, need to put them through the paces in mud/wet before making the final call. I’d like them to be perfectly flat for the $’s.

don

Silicon Carbide not Silicone Carbide!!!
These things matter.
Silicon = hard
Silicone = soft

Leave the modulation to the brakes? Other wheeled forms of transport need complicated ABS systems for that, this sounds like a cop-out to me. Want to learn to corner faster? Yeah, crappy brakes will do that. So will riding a single speed. I have spent enough years riding with crappy brakes, I like having the power on tap when I get into trouble — and as someone who threshold brakes hard and late, I find myself appreciating being able to bring the front tire right to the threshold at least a few times per ride. This product sounds like a crap sandwich that has been well marketed, definitely not for me. For all you gram-counting roadies that just ride your brakes down every descent while MTB’ing anyway, have at ’em.

There’s more than just weight savings to be had. If Kettle Cycles’ claims are true, thermal capacity, conductivity, and emissivity are better than standard metallic rotors, leading to better brake performance when the competition heats up. No warping, minimal heat transfer to other brake components, and faster cooling. Let’s not be so negative of a new product that they are still perfecting with new pads.

@Samuel J., exactly. I “left the modulation to the brakes” when I installed 35 inch tires on my jeep and kept the stock brakes. I can no longer lock up the brakes and I learned to corner faster too…until I realized I have to start braking earlier. Braking earlier does not equal faster.

I was really excited about these, but the reduced braking power has made them a no go for me. If I wanted to reduce braking power I could go back to cantis….

With a premium price I’d expect at least premium quality and performance. I just don’t see why to pay $124 per 160mm rotor if they’re rubbing and provide less brake power. The SiCCC rotors might be a nice and innovative project; it’s just not worth the price.

Any word on making them in different colors?

I’ve got 2 sets 180/180

I love them would never go back to steel

need to use organic pads, sintered were really bad

To one previous poster, I did try these on a proper mountain with big descents. I was racing in a multi-day, multi-format event where the same bike was used for all. I more or less held my own in the XC races although I did lose a spot due to getting caught on a descent near a finish line on one stage due to poor braking. I also lost minutes over a 4-hr enduro/super-D stage due to braking issues and lack of confidence. They did not melt but I did experience lack of power and fade on the super-D (approx 20min with repeated high-speed to switchbacks). I was in the top-10 in the elite field throughout the event and I can confidently say the issues were the brakes not fitness or competence related.

I was on the fence on doing these on Kickstarter, but after hearing the reviews I think I will have to pass. I normally would try a product before dismissing it but at that price it’s not worth the risk

All very interesting. I may just wait out this generation though!

Using organic pads. Avid Elixer CR-SL. 160mm front/rear on a FS XC rig. Very little rub. 50 miles to fully bed in. Before/after stopping tests indicate 90% as good as previous set-up…less than the difference noticed when replacing pads or after doing a full bleed.

Rode Counting Coup this past weekend…no issues, no lack of brake power. 44 miles and 8k+ of elevation with a 5 mile 3k single track descent at the end with occasional hikers coming up the trail.

They work better with a little heat, and do not fade or tattoo legs.

Hey Goats,

Silicon carbide is not actually that popular in the auto industry. Especially not in the high end. If you’re talking about brakes, you’re thinking of carbon ceramic or carbon-carbon, not SiC. SiC is used for ball bearings and stuff like that.

This report is more a condemnation of BikeRumor’s integrity than an opinion on a product.

Does BR have any integrity whatsoever?

How can you take a product that in the end saves the weight of a small cookie but destroys the safe operation of a critical component (brakes) and make so many excuses for it’s failures?

Let’s see-They aren’t straight and rub. Gee, I hardly noticed them rubbing because I so mesmerized by the 50 g weight savings and I was so terrified I couldn’t see straight anyway? Why was I so terrified?
Because they don’t stop!!!!!
How awesome,but I still saved 50g.
Unbelievable!

@cj. My thoughts exactly. Would any reviewer say such a thing if the new XTR performed as poorly as this? You’re basically paying more for worse performance. It doesn’t matter if its made of crushed diamonds and moon dust, crappy brakes are crappy brakes.

I have two 160’s for sale. $100. 30 miles on them.

It never pays to be an earlier adopter!
Happy that I kept my money in my pocket on this one. Trust your gut!

sounds like you may as well run cantis

All of this sounds oddly familiar. Anyone ever try to save weight and use Ashima’s PCB brakes? I built a custom bike for a guy at my shop and had piss poor performance. It was something new, lightweight and had compromised brake performance. Other shops in the area tried the same brakes and now you’ll see plenty of bikes on the local trails with the Ashima rotors and XT brakes. I don’t think you can sugar coat this review enough to cover the bitter taste from those crap Ashima brakes. Sorry, I’ll wait until someone figures out how I can do a nose wheelie before I consider the SiCCC rotors.