Brake Stories

This time, I'd like to talk about brakes, specifically disc plates.

You often hear about floating discs, and we have them in our product lineup as well.
So, what exactly is a floating disc?

First, the term "floating." In the context of brakes, its antonym is "rigid."
In lure fishing, the antonym of "floating" is "sinking" (lol).

Floating discs serve two main purposes.
1) Thrust (axial) direction → left and right when viewed from the front of the bike, i.e., in the direction of the axle shaft.
The purpose is to effectively handle variations in the left and right movement of the caliper pistons.

2) Radial direction → the radial direction of the disc when viewed from the side.
The purpose is to effectively handle thermal expansion due to hard braking.

As for current trends, purpose (1) is becoming less common.
It's a well-known fact that replicas from the 80s and 90s, such as the NSR250R, had such a degree of float that you could move them by hand.
Why is it no longer used?
Because if the disc moves in the thrust direction, there's a concern that the piston might open, which leads to a deterioration in lever feel.

On the other hand, purpose (2) is the current mainstream.
The inner and outer rotors are not physically fixed in the radial direction, creating room for movement.
This accommodates thermal expansion caused by the overheating of the disc plate due to repeated braking operations.
It goes without saying that even with floating discs, it's crucial for the caliper and master cylinder to be in good condition.
While floating discs for 4mini bikes are designed for this, they also feature a larger diameter to improve braking performance.

For brake customization, here's a recommended 8Ft approach:
① High-performance brake pads
② Braided hoses
③ Large-diameter floating disc
④ Radial pump master cylinder
⑤ High-performance caliper

When you get to ⑤, you'll want a suitable front fork.
And you'll also need high-grip tires that match.

Customization truly runs deep; it's often said that you can fall into the "customization沼" (customization沼 - "customization swamp").