Anyone know anything about disc brakes?

If you're aligning the caliper using the squeeze lever and tighten technique I've found it can often be a little off. I tend to do mine by eye.

Take off wheel, put a clean flat head screwdriver in and pry the pads apart.

Also, use your phone! turn a white background and put it behind the calipers, this is so much easier to see if it's centered perfectly.

I've found it can often be a little off.

So did I, usually because the bolt often move the calipers when tightening up, which is a bit annoying.

a tiny dabs of copper slips between the washer and bolt work reasonably well.

I got mine on ebay for £84 for 2 brand new. They came from China with no packaging but are definitely the real thing. Buying from a UK seller just gets you a nice box and some rotors you dont need. Would arrive quicker though

They came from China.

You didn't get caught out?

I aligned it by eye first, rub was worse. Then did it by caliper squeeze and it was mostly better...

Careful prying things apart with the pads in if you want to use them again, can easily chip bits off.

Decathlon are giving away spendy Shimano metal pads for £8 that are £14 at Wiggle/CR

Actually it was Hong Kong. The listing I used is still up actually:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SINGLE-TRP-SPYRE-REAR-NO-DISC-disc-brake-Dual-Side-Actuation-road-bike-/272443358798?hash=item3f6ee3be4e:g:BM8AAOSwA3dYItyu

Arrived within a week, no customs charges or postage paid.

Good shout, especially around the edge.

Nice find, also found this;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Juin-Tech-R1-Hydraulic-Cable-Disc-Brake-Set-Dual-Side-Actuation-Road-Bike-Cycloc-/282123916976?var=&hash=item41afe556b0:m:mVUfBsbXvTauqh3_nw6ECAQ

Actually not that much cheaper, at all since they're £150 in the UK.

Another vote for only using Shimano rotors. I have used Avid, Hayes and others, but the Shimano RT-99 Freeza are head and shoulders above the others.

Not overheating the front rotor coming down Honister, Hardknott and Wrynose pass is a testament of how good these are

Yeah the Shimano rotors are very good.

They are the only ones I've had on a bike long enough to actually wear them out.

Yeah the Shimano rotors are very good.

That, and the SRAM centerline rotor which are equally good (IMO).

Are the freeza/dura ace ones worth the premium over the normal ice tech ones?

Considering that all rotor wear out eventually, I personally don't think so.

If road and 140mm I'd go freeza personally - more from an insurance perspective.

Depends... the 50 degrees reduction in temperature Shimano claim is realistic IME... I smoked other pads/rotor coming down some steep descents in the North, but never the Freeza. It depends where you ride, to be honest

Still trying to decide on rotor sizes.

Likely 160 front and and back but bike plus rider will be in excess of 100kg and planning on alpine descents on this bike so I want as much insurance as possible

Cheers, have ordered the RS4 's today and those Freeza' s look great. Going to order some now.

160mm front definitely, 140mm rear most definitely.

140mm is way too powerful for the rear as it is.

Where did you order the RS4 from? Evans seems the only one, but no choice of colour

Tredz. Their website was set up in such a way to instill confidence that they could get me what I wanted.
http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Hope-RS4-Front-Hub-Centre-Lock-Disc_101842.htm

I'd heard 160f/140r was a good combo... i'm a little worried it'll look silly but I suppose the bike is for riding, not for looking at.