Formula

R1 Disc Brake

Go faster with better brakes. It's a concept we never really grasped until we fell in love with the Formula Oro Puro brake. It represented the pinnacle of braking performance offering an unparalleled combination of premium modulation and stop-you-dead-in-your-tracks power. With oodles of power, and supreme control, we slowed down less in corners, and had to work less exiting them. And at 341g for the system, it was light and it was sexy. It brought together the best of all worlds.

But that was then, and this is now. And now, Formula has engineered the next generation of disc brakes, distancing themselves once again from their peers with the release of the R1 disc brakeset. It's the lightest disc brake ever made. And it's not even close. The R1 tips the scales at approximately 270g for an entire post mount assembly with a 160mm rotor. That's roughly 70 grams lighter than the Oro Puro, or about 1/3 of a pound savings if you use the R1 for both wheels. And that's using the stock aluminum hardware. Upgrade to titanium rotor bolts, and you could shave another 12 grams. Go ahead, have some cheese on those fries.

But the R1 isn't just light, it performs. It features the same 22mm diameter pistons as the Oro Puro -- the same Puro that stole our heart on that first ride with its unparalleled modulation and power. But the R1 uses a larger pad in it's forged caliper, an aluminum backed version of the Mega/One brakepad, to enhance power and provide longer brake pad life. It uses a polyester braided hose with aluminum crimps and banjo fittings. Like the carbon/Kevlar hoses used on the Puro, they work to prevent hose expansion when the system is under extreme compression, but complements the sleek industrial aesthetic of the R1.

Did we say "aesthetic?" Yep. Formula tended to every detail, right down to the red anodized brake lever assembly bolts. Unscrew these and the lever can be removed from the bar without touching your grips or shifters. The flip-flop design of the brake levers allows for you to run them on either side of the bars. And, they've designed an R1-specific Mixmaster (sold separately) enabling one to unite SRAM trigger shifters into one tidy (and lightweight) package.

So, the Formula R1 disc brakeset is lighter and performs better than the previous champion of the line (and the world?), the Oro Puro. That begs the question, "how'd they do it?" In short, forging. The R1 is the only disc brake with a forged master cyclinder. Formula engineered the minimalistic master cylinder of the R1 to shed incredible weight, but produced one that was stronger as well. The forged aluminum R1 master cylinder and forged magnesium lever blade pass all of the same tests as their One and Mega gravity-oriented systems. So let's go ahead and add "stronger" to that list of superlatives.

The Formula R1 disc brake represents the pinnacle of disc brake performance. The price reflects all the parts, save the rotor, for a single wheel. Rotors are sold separately with the appropriate adaptor -- choose between one piece 160mm or 180mm, or the slightly lighter and much sexier two-piece design in 160mm or 180mm. Formula uses DOT 4 brake fluid, which is less temperature-sensitive than mineral oil. 270g for an entire front disc brake assembly with a 160mm rotor.

Please note: almost all hydraulic brake lines need to be cut to size before a bike is properly shod with hydraulic disc brakes. You'll need a quality cable-cutter like the Park CN-10 and a spoke to first cut and then de-crimp the housing.