A few days ago my friend Mehedi noticed that his brake is not working properly while he was just cycling from the slop! By God, he was doing great cycling maintenance but he had to take this matter seriously after the riding. When he took his MTB to our renovation arena, he understood that it need to change the brake hose. And I said that your brake hose is an SRAM brake hose, but we have a Shimano brake hose here. So, you have to wait a few minutes. Because I have to bring an SRAM brake hose.
Mehedi said, why are you going to bring another one? Can’t I use the Shimano brake hose on the SRAM brake? Then I described the matter briefly to him cause he is a master of cycling too. But here I have discussed in-depth bike brake hoses, their types, similarities & dissimilarities, and whether you can use the Shimano brake hose on SRAM brakes for your better understanding. To know more about this, please read this article carefully.
Bicycle Brake Hoses And Types
The brake hose is a vital part of the braking system. It helps to transmit braking force to brake pads through brake fluid and hydraulic pressure. It carries fluid from the master cylinder to the brake caliper to help the cyclist to ride and brake effectively.
Types of Bicycle Brake Hose
There are two types of brake hose: Rubber brake hose and Stainless brake hose.
Rubber Brake Hose: The rubber brake hose is made of rubber that’s why it is flexible. It can provide good performance in high temperatures and pressure.
- It is used in disc brakes, air brakes, drum brakes, and many places.
- It is inexpensive and affordable.
Despite having so many advantages, it has some disadvantages too.
- Rubber hose wears out due to prolonged use.
- Also, it leaks fluid.
Stainless Steel Brake Hose: Stainless steel brake hose is made of steel. That’s why it is very strong, and durable. But it is expensive.
- It is used in disc brakes and drum brakes.
- It is very popular for its strength and good performance.
- Although sometimes it creates noise at the time of riding.
So, The Question Is Which Type Of Brake Hose Is The Best?
It is not correct to say that a particular brake hose is the best, both are best from their perspective. And which one you should use, depends upon you.
- If you have a low budget and you can change the hose after a few years, then you should use a rubber brake hose.
- But if you want a brake hose that is durable and able to provide a long-time service, then you can use a stainless-steel brake hose.
What Is Shimano Brake Hose?
Shimano brake hose is a product of Shimano Corporation. Shimano is a Japanese bicycle equipment manufacturing company. It has been producing cycling components for 100 years.
- It Manufacturers all types of components like cassettes, chainrings, gears, derailleurs, brakes, and so on.
- It is trustworthy and popular among consumers because of its standard quality and performance.
Specifications Of Shimano Brake Hose:
- It is available for Road bikes, Trial bikes, Enduro bicycles, Gravel bikes, and so on.
- It is thick and durable.
- The Shimano brake hose comes with a banjo connection.
- It usually has a two-year warranty.
- Shimano’s diameter is 5mm.
- It is affordable.
- It is easy to install.
And What Is An SRAM Brake Hose?
SRAM brake hose is a product of SRAM company. It’s an American company. It has been providing service for more than 35 years.
- It makes bicycles and related components.
- It is well known for its good quality products.
Specifications Of SRAM Brake Hose:
- It is available for disc brakes and road rim brakes.
- It has a long hose length.
- SRAM’s diameter is 5mm.
- Provide the best riding.
- It is also easy to install.
- It is expensive.
Similarities Between Shimano And SRAM Brake Hose
Shimano brake hose and SRAM brake hose come from two different platforms. There are many similarities among them in the midst of many dissimilarities. Let’s see what similarities they have:
- They both have a 5 mm diameter.
- Both are durable and strong.
- They provide the best riding experience.
- They are easy to install.
Differences Between SRAM And Shimano Brake Hose
Now we have known about the similarities between the two different types of the brake hose. Let’s know about the difference between them.
| Dissimilarities | Shimano | SRAM |
|---|---|---|
| Available | Shimano brake hose is available for all types of bikes like road, trial, enduro, gravel, and so on. | SRAM brake is available for disc brakes and road rim brakes. |
| Price | Shimano brake is affordable. | SRAM bike is expensive. |
| Banjo fittings | It comes with banjo fittings. | It comes with banjo and non-banjo fittings. |
| Hose length | Shimano hose length is shorter than SRAM. | SRAM hose length is larger than Shimano. |
So, Can You Use Shimano Brake Hose On SRAM Brakes?
No! You can’t use the Shimano brake hose on SRAM brakes. You already have seen there are many similarities and dissimilarities between them. Though their diameter is also the same and that is 5mm. Interesting thing is that, instead of having many similarities, you can’t use a Shimano brake hose on SRAM brakes. Let’s dive deep to find out the actual reason.
- A brake hose has various components like olives, bard, fluid, and so on. SRAM hose olive and bard is different from Shimano brake hose. Their shape and structure are completely different. So, you can’t put one into another.
- Besides, they use different types of fluid. Shimano hoses are designed for Mineral fluid. On the contrary, SRAM hoses are designed for DOT fluid. Do you know what DOT fluid is? DOT means Department of Transport. And it is different from the mineral fluid. It is used to transfer force on your brake.
- There are four types of DOT fluid. They are DOT 3, DOT 4, DOT 5, and DOT 5.1. As the fluids are different so you can’t put one into another.
Finally, after analyzing from different perspectives, we can conclude that we shouldn’t use the Shimano brake hose on SRAM brakes in a normal situation.
When You Have To Change Brake Hose?
A brake hose is an important part of the braking system. If it is damaged, the brake will not work properly and you may get into an accident just like my friend Mehedi. So, you should always keep a careful eye on the brake. If you see some symptoms like the following points, you need to change the brake. And the symptoms are-
- If the brake hose leaks, the fluid will not reach the brake pads properly. And then the brake will not respond properly.
- If the brake is broken or rusted, the brake must be changed.
- Due to prolonged use, the brake wears out, then the brake does not work properly. In this case, the brake should be changed.
Conclusion Of Shimano And SRAM Brakes Hose Discussion
Shimano and SRAM brakes are from different companies. They have a lot of similarities and dissimilarities. And you shouldn’t use the Shimano brake hose on the SRAM hose because their fluid is different. Therefore, you should use the same type of brake hose on your bicycle when there is a need.
