I'm finally putting a Commencal Supreme V5 together for 2025. I've picked out most of the parts, but I'm having trouble deciding on brakes and rear shock.
For brakes I've narrowed it down to Trp Dhr Evos and Sram Mavens. I've already ridden Trp for a season and like the feel. My only problems with Evos so far is the one piece non-repairable lever body (I've broken one and bent another) and lack of contact adjust. Otherwise have loved the feel of Trp Evos. On the other hand I don't want to miss out on the Mavens because they seem to be doing something drastically different and going in a direction I like. I recently got a chance to hop around in the parking lot with some mavens and was surprised at how hard it was to pull the lever and how hard the brakes bit. As someone who accidentally drags brake here and there, would I be able to get use to the mavens and benefit or should I stick with the evos? If I do stick with the evos, how soon till Trp releases the new dhr evo and I feel like I wasted my money?
Now for the shock I'm deciding between the fox x2 or dhx2 (paired with fox 40). I've ridden a dhx2 for a whole season on another bike and like that but it did take me a little while to setup and a few coils to find the right one. How much feel am I loosing out on if I just skip the hassle and get the air shock. Also I've seen that new fox shock and heard it was coming out soon; anyone know if that's worth the wait. (maybe vivid touchdown competitor).
I'm getting the feeling that I'm putting together this bike at the perfect time so that when its done all the parts will be old versions.
My feedback is in the shock choice. The V5 is very progressive, I’d use a coil shock and get a stiff/fast valving set up.
The Vivid air will be much too soft initially with the touchdown tech and soft initial leverage rate. X2 can work with no volume spacers but it’s going to increase the ramp of the leverage ratio.
New TRP levers have been spotted many times by now, I'd guess they're getting released this spring (again, guessing).
I've got a lot of time on Mavens now with them on two bikes, but I just can't develop the feel for them. Plenty of power but at the cost of control. TRPs were fine when I tried them, but felt a bit numb to me. At this point I'm taking Hayes Dominions over any other brake.
I second the Mavens being too difficult to get along with if you like a light feel and somewhat sensitive modulation. I couldn’t keep the rear wheel from breaking loose when trying to drag them in flatter turns. Modulation during manuals was also near impossible, so I ditched them and went with my go-to, which is the Formula Cura 4. I’ve also been using the Dominions on a Santa Cruz Vala, and hate to say that I actually like them. I’ve been shitting on them for a long time because they seem kinda cheap. Modulation is really good and the lever feel might actually be too light if that’s possible. It too early to tell how well they hold a bleed, but I feel my rear one could use a firming-up after 7-8 rides. No comment on the frame or shock, I’ve not ridden the Commencal.
Although I totally agree that Mavens and TRP's are awesome, I would highly recommend the Hope T4 V4's if you're looking for an amazing brake with loads of spares available. If you can get your hands on a Vivid coil, I would pick that over the DHX2 as the Hbo and touchdown is amazing
this april i will have owned/used/raced my DRH-Evo's for 4 years (basically the day they came out) been running them with cascade brake adjusters since they came out a few months back, pretty snappy!!
in the beginning they were by far the best brake I've ever used. and it took years to change my mind, recently i built a 5010 for my wife and I, i got Dominions for it and dang... they're so freaking good, exactly how you'd want a brake (lever) to feel. just hate DOT fluid... argh.
so, long story short i just ordered some Intend Trinity's last wednesday haha.
but I'd stick with mineral oil over DOT any day- TRP is an easy brake to own and has been around longer to prove its consistency and reliability. make sure to use trp fluid and pads of course. the new race rotors are pretty sweet too, but either 2.3 rotor works good. Selling my TRP's once intends show up...
Dale stones channel is really good data as well although he hasn't ridden trp's yet. can confirm sram will deliver mad arm pump, no bueno for racing!
When Frameworks was on TRP initially neko was running them w saint hoses and shimano oil and ive been on that. Firms up the feel a little. I dig it.
yep, been running saint hoses for a while myself, for sure added bonus!
EXT Arma V4 for the shock. TRP for the brakes. Simply dialed.
The arma is the best shock I have ever ever owned. I have the mx version on my jedi and its straight stupid how good it is. I tried a fox coil (DHX2) on the enduro rig recently. Lasted two months on it hated how it felt and bought an ext for it. The fox damping just feels clunky compared to the ext honestly. HBO is also the bomb.
Brakes, I am an old hope whore but, trp or dominions are never a wrong answer.
Dominions all day long. Have any other brands even bothered to try to match the modulation range of those brakes yet?
I have ordered the Vorsprung Telum shock for my rig. Always custom tuned equipment on suspension for me as I weigh 230 lbs and factory is always tuned around average weight riders so runout of adjustment range on typical factory tunes. Have the TRP and recently added the Cascade upgrade. Now I await some ride time after the shock arrives in a couple of weeks. Fork is a Fox 40 Avalanche setup.
Telum looks great in that one can fine tune and see the results on graphing. All that and new Schwalbe radial rubber to dial in with the Raaw Yalla adjustments as only have a few days on the frame as well.
Had Intend brakes in the basket on the one go around. Missed out during the payment potion.
maybe consider some magura's? Vital just gave them the WIN in their most recent brake comparison and the MT7's just so happen to be on sale at JensonUSA right now lol I bought some for myself recently just to try them compared the TRP Dh-Evo's that I've been running lately.
If its raw power and ability to service have you thought about hope v4s ? They got crazy power . I got some dominions on my new bike, after going from hope to them i struggled with the lack of power and how ugly they are. They are however excellent brakes but they do fade on long runs tho. Riding forrest tech i would take the dominions but on big uplift days when you're out of your comfort zone, maybe dragging your brakes abit, you cant beat the bang of a Hope.
I know you asked for help choosing between A or B, but have you tried C, D, E, F, G, H, or I?
I haven't ridden A or B but I came here to say you should really think about C, D, E, F, G, H, or I.
haha my thoughts as well LOL,
I have very, very limited time playing with the Mavens, but I prefer the feel of my TRP DH-R EVOs. I've been on them for a few years now, and I've found them reliable and easy to get a good bleed.
I have been waiting a bit to replace hoses and fluid with Shimano stuff, but will be doing that this spring.
I haven't ridden TRPs, but if you're already comfortable with them and have no real complaints, that seems like the obvious, safest choice.
Nevertheless I'd like to throw my support behind the Mavens. Once I got used to the power of the one set I've had, I found myself feeling slower on my other bikes without them - having to start braking earlier for corners, or managing my speed more carefully on steeps. Its possible you might find yourself not being as reliant on dragging brakes if you had more braking power in reserve.
It took a little getting used to but I find the power and modulation to be perfectly manageable, especially with organic pads. I haven't found the lever pull to be a problem at all, not something I notice or think about at all while riding.
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