Formula R1 Brakes

We are pretty used to seeing either Avid or Shimano brakes (and to a lesser extent Hayes); they are popular, commonly available and come spec’d on most good quality mountain bikes. Whilst not as common, Italian brake specialist Formula has always been there, and with increasing spec on new bikes as well as a dedicated Australian distributor, we are now seeing them with greater regularity.

With this in mind we recently spent some time using the latest version of the R1 brake to see how they stacked up. This is their range topping XC brake and for 2012 they come in two versions; the regular R1 (reviewed here) and the lighter R1 Racing. Whether it’s a high-end brake like the R1 or a more affordable model like the RX (which we’ve seen on a good number of new bikes in recent times), the first impression is invariably one of quality. The finish on all of their brakes is first rate with highly polished forged alloy pieces, anodised colour highlights, laser etched logos and svelte looking levers that make most others appear bulky and ungainly.

You can also enhance the cool looks by opting for their new two-piece rotor with its red or black anodised alloy inner spider. This design is meant to reduce warping of the brake track due to heat build-up and produce more even pad wear. Most of our testing was done with the standard one-piece rotors and we had no issues at all with them.

Overall, the latest version of the R1 appears very similar to its predecessors. Beyond the new polished black finish, there are a few functional differences for 2012. The master cylinder (lever) has a larger fluid reservoir, the tool-free reach adjust now comes as standard spec and most fittings have been swapped from torx style to the more commonly accepted allen key type. You can also order the 2012 brakes with their Feeling Control System (FCS), which allows you to change the amount of free stroke in the lever before the pads engage on the rotor.

Over the years Formula brakes have been a popular choice with gram counters, as almost every model they do is at the lighter end of its relative market. Our standard R1 weighed 299g including a 160mm rotor and mounting hardware (post mount front). The FCS adjusters add 12g per lever taking the R1 weight front brake weight up to 311g but that’s still around 22g lighter than a 2012 Avid X.0 brake for example. With a carbon lever blade, all titanium hardware and no tool-free reach adjust, the ‘Racing’ version is supposed to trim a further 28g from this figure (it should be around 271g). This puts the R1 Racing in close competition with the Avid XX World Cup for the ‘lightest brake’ billing.

Whilst it’s pretty easy to see why these brakes are popular with weight weenies, it’s not worth much if they are lacking in performance or reliability. We kicked off our review with the R1s in their most basic format; with the tool-free reach adjust but without the FCS dial.

Formula brakes have a distinctly different feel to most other brands. There’s very little free-stroke, and when the pads contact the rotor, they feel rock solid and firm at the lever. Once fully bedded in, the stopping power comes on thick and fast, and it happens almost as soon as the pads contact with the rotor. Such abrupt power application for minimal lever movement can come as a bit of a shock and modulating these brakes requires some relearning if you aren’t used to the ‘Formula feel’.

With a solid lever action and plenty of initial power the R1s don’t feel like a weight weenie brake—yes they may be light but the stopping power isn’t compromised. With 22mm pistons they produce similar stopping power to their ‘RX’ model which is pitched as an affordable all-mountain brake. Fit some bigger rotors and their performance wouldn’t be out of place on a longer travel trail or all-mountain rig.

While some may love the minimal lever pull required to reach the pad contact point, the lever sat too far away from the handlebar for my liking. This was helped by fitting the FCS adjusters. With more free-stroke dialled in, the contact point was brought in closer to the grip, which I found less fatiguing on long and steep descents. I also found that moving the lever a fair way inboard (around 30mm in from the grip) helped, as this ensures that you are pulling the very end of the lever and gaining the best leverage possible. It seems my personal preference lies with brakes that offer a softer and spongier lever feel but this really comes down to individual taste. If you like your brakes to be rock-solid at the pad contact point, then Formula makes the brakes for you.

Overall the R1s provided trouble-free performance. The pad retraction wasn’t as pronounced as on Shimano’s current offerings but it was certainly on par with most of the competition. Take a bit of care with the initial setup and they’ll offer enough rotor clearance for drag free operation. They were also reasonably quiet; the only time they became vocal was in the wet and with the first few application when cold. Once ‘warmed up’ the noise ceased and the power seemed to increase when they were up to operating temperature. With almost continuous application on a super-steep 10-minute long descent, the lever did pump up a little but the feel returned to normal as soon as the system cooled. I never encountered any heat induced brake fade and there were no sticky pistons, resonate vibrations or any other issues.

The R1 is clearly a premium quality brake and this is reflected in the price. You’ll pay around $329 per end for the lever and calliper, plus an extra $45-50 per rotor (or $90 each for the two-piece rotor). With its titanium and carbon extras the R1 Racing sells for $399 per end without rotors. If this is all too much, you’ll get the same power and lever feel from the base model RX which goes for $190 per end (that’s about the same as an Avid Elixir 9 by the time you buy the rotor).

Formula has been in the MTB disc brake game since 1993, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that they’ve got a pretty dialled system on offer. The R1 delivers good consistent stopping power in a XC-light package and stands as a worthy competitor to the more commonly seen brands in the MTB market.

EightyOneSpices (08) 8388 3581 / www.eightyonespices.com.au