Most mountain bikers by now are probably aware of Dirty Dog MTB disc rotors due to their eye catching laser cut designs. Hoping to branch out to even more riders, Dirty Dog has launched their new Web rotor which employs a more traditional stamping method which results in a rotor that is designed for performance, built to last and priced below its laser cut siblings.
Between the new Web rotor, and the other laser cut designs, there is a good chance Dirty dog has a rotor for you, whether it is for replacement or upgrade.
What do these two Dirty Dog rotors weigh in at? Find out after the break!
One thing to consider when purchasing a pair of Dirty Dog rotors, is that not all of the rotors are currently offered in each size. I requested a 185mm for the front, so I was sent a Dragon rotor, which in addition to the Skull rotor are the only two offered in 185mm. Note that it is 185 as well, so you will have to use an Avid 185 brake adapter or similar, as none of the Dirty Dog rotors are offered in 180mm. All Dirty Dog Rotors are a standard 6 bolt mounting pattern.
The Dragon rotor is one of the laser cut models, which is just about the only way you could produce a rotor with so much detail. The Dragon is offered in 160,185, and 203, with the 185 shown here on the scale.
With weight of 186g, you won’t find many heavier rotors, but you will be hard pressed to find the same quality. Once the rotors are laser cut from a giant sheet of high quality stainless steel, the rotors are heat treated to 1000 degrees, then precision ground to 0.070″ thick. All rotors go through strict quality control and are then heavily tested before getting the Dirty Dog seal of approval.
In your hands, the rotors do feel incredibly nice, if not a little sharp. The Dragon rotor is definitely not a rotor you want to be anywhere near when it is spinning but that goes for just about every rotor, right?
The Web rotor on the other hand, marks a departure for Dirty Dog as it is their first stamped instead of laser cut rotor. The Web rotor features a scalloped braking surface with plenty of metal contacting the pads for dependable breaking while still offering plenty of cutouts to improve cooling. Integrating the web design into the rotor not only decreases weight, but serves to keep the rotor stiff and prevent warping.
Like the laser cut Ace rotor, the Web rotor is currently only available in 160mm. Weight wise, the Web rotor comes in at 113g (109g claimed), which is two grams lighter than a 160mm Avid G2 rotor.
The Web rotor retails for 39.99, which is substantially than the laser cut equivalents.
We’ll have these on a bike soon, with a full review in the near future!
