Are braided brakes worth it?

[EazyDuz]

Recently did a brake fluid change as well as took the caliper off, thoroughly cleaned and lubed the sliders etc. Brakes felt better but they're not brilliant.
The brake line is OEM rubber, now 14 years old (Unless changed before my ownership but no record of it). No signs of cracks or any weathering.

Would I notice a difference changing to braided, or would that money be better off spent on some 'sports' pads instead? I've read mixed opinions, with some arguing that braided lines only feel better because you're forced to change the fluid at the same time, which is the reason for the better performance.
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[Easy-X]

There's a faint possibility that, although the pipe looks good i.e. no cracking, that it's weak in some spot. As you squeeze the brake lever there's a fair bit of pressure in the fluid and this weak spot might "balloon" slightly.

At 14 years it's probably 8 or 9 years past when you should have changed them anyway!
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[Confusion]

[Fisty]

[WD Forte]

Its bit like chains and weakest links

If your master cylinder seals are leaky or its bore worn and scored, then the efforts from your grubby wee fist
wont be efficiently translated to pressure on the disc/s

Even slight ballooning of old rubber lines will waste pressure too so braided hoses
or good new rubber ones will help.
If they're really knackered you can feel them swell as you apply the brake.

Sticky corroded old pistons will resist movement.

The slightest amount of air trapped in the system will waste efforts too.

Crap disc pads wont help either, but expensive pads on a poor system are waste of time and money
where decent affordable pads on a good sytem will be better.

Badly worn and grooved discs will reduce contact area

what fookin bike?
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[andym]

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

I was disappointed when I changed mine after a similar amount of time, done as part of a general bike refurb. In hindsight, unless the old hose was visibly ballooning I don't think I'd notice a difference.

OE is no longer available and I'd be hard-pressed to find a non-braided aftermarket kit unless I wanted to make a set from scratch.

Steel braid looks nice but is probably more abrasive if it rubs on mudguards, and you can't inspect the rubber for damage.

OE hose is reinforced internally with nylon. I don't know or sure but I would guess that aftermarket suppliers use cheaper rubber hose and sheath it in stainless steel for the same effect.

[Derek Noakes]

[Nobby the Bastard]

Some users find braided pipes to give a wooden feel (attributable to lack of flex on the pipesl but I've never noticed a difference. Newer is better in any case.
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[Teflon-Mike]

This is a perenial; but so many that advocate braided line over ~OE rubber, have a skew perception, having swapped out perished crap OE lines for nice new braided... how much of the 'better' is the fact that the lines are nylon and coated in shower braid, and how much 'just' cos they is new!

Having done a back-to-back swap... promted by waking up one morning, climbing on the bike and thinking "That's odd?!" when the brake lever came back to the grip, and discovering 'some-one' had half inched my brake hose.... even more curiously, they removed the brake hose, and put back not just the banjo-bolts on the caliper and master cylinder... they put the copper washers back too! A contientiouse tea-leaf that!

But, fitting brand new Braided, after pretty much brand new OE rubber... yes, there is a pretty big difference; B-U-T, a lot of it is in the sharpness of the brake, doesn't necesserily make it any more powerful.. and would that be a good thing anyway? If it lock the wheel, it will lock the wheel... and that's not usually a good thing, but book-ends the power of the brake you might use. The difference is mainly in the 'feel' and the take up not being so wooly feeling like the effect is more imediete and doing something faster.

For where your at... and I assume this be on a cruiser... where you don't necessarily need or want, direct nerve ending response or feel, the change would probably be no bad thing, if only 'cos it would beg a brake flush and overhaul, and a new hose, of either kind.

A-n-d after-market braided lines are often cheaper than OEM rubber... so pays your money and takes your chances.
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[ThatDippyTwat]

Yes.

BUT...

You really need to rebuild your master cylinder at the same time. No point getting rid of lines that expand etc it your master can't build pressure properly.
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[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

I recently replaced the lines on my v-reg zx9r w/ Hel braideds and so have had cause to reflect on this question.

The difference isn't night and day - that's the first thing I'd say. Secondly, it may be that a decent bleed (by a mechanic who's got decent equipment to do this) is the main reason for the improvement I'm feeling.

Thirdly, I'd estimate that the improvement in the front is between 5 and 10%, and the rear around 20% (somewhat marginal gains - but in the context of an important function).Suffice to say, I wish it was the other way around!

This is w/ the original 6 pot tokicos still installed. I recently bought a pair of newly refurb'd nissin 4 pots for £160 - and am hoping these will provide stronger stopping power at the front.

I don't want to think how far into this bike's brakes I am, quids-wise. I already replaced 24 seals and twelve pistons on the original toks. That was a dear do.

The irony is I don't really have an issue with the bike's brakes as such - because I don't actually use them that much. Or try not to. I mean, I only ride on the road. If I find myself braking hard it's invariably because I've cocked up. However, when I compare the bike's brakes to almost every other bike I've owned, I know they can and should be better.
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Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[redeem ouzzer]

New rubber hoses are better than braided PTFE in my opinion, but OEM hoses cost a bloody fortune. Also most twin calliper setups use a splitter in standard form so changing to braided is a good excuse to ditch the splitter and save a bit of weight.
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[RhynoCZ]

[chris-red]

I've recently goen from an 02 TDM with 100k miles on it that has had braided line for 80k miles. To a 07 TDM with 60k miles and what I assume are the original OEM Rubber lines. The braided lines gave much more feeling. The 02 bike had setup suspension a power commander and many other upgrades. The first thing I will be swapping is the braided lines.
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[Islander]

I'd say it depends on the condition of the brake lines, master cylinder and calipers of the system you're planning on changing. If everything is in good condition and the system is properly bled then you're not going to notice any significant difference in normal road use. If the brake lines have started to degrade then you'll probably notice an improvement.

I have braided lines on three of my bikes - one I did myself and thought it was a massive improvement. But then it would have been as the pre-existing lines were obviously badly degraded (in the end one of them actually disintegrated internally and blocked the system completely, hence the replacement).

If they're cheaper than replacement OEM I'd say go for it.

[pepperami]

Hmm?
After doing a brake refurbishment on any of the bikes I have owned, I have always changed the hoses to braided.
I can only speak for myself, but the brakes always felt better and with more bite.
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[Kawasaki Jimbo]

[MCN]