SwissStop Catalyst Rotors 140mm

SwissStop's Catalyst Rotors are superb, offering quiet stopping power and very good durability in the tough conditions of cyclo-cross and winter riding.

It says a lot about the silent performance of a test product when you forget that it's on your bike. The SwissStop Catalyst rotors have been silent through what has been an incredibly muddy cyclo-cross season, and when I've taken the CX bike out on the road they've provided plenty of stopping power on steep descents.

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Disc brakes, typically, will really let you know if they're a bit dirty. The howl from contamination is really annoying, so finding a setup that deals with mud, sand and water without even a hint of noise is great.

The only time that I could get a squeal from these was after some particularly muddy pre-race practice laps. Washing the bike off between these laps and the race start is always a bit of a rushed job and a bit of soap tends to find its way onto the rotors. It wasn't an issue for long, though – a few sharp squeezes of the brakes in the car park and the noise was gone. And while racing I've had no noise issues at all.

> How to look after your disc brakes

Resisting too much wear from the gritty combination of mud and sand is also pretty important in cyclo-cross. SwissStop has used SUS410 stainless steel for the brake track and it's holding up very well. I can see these rotors easily lasting two race seasons and possibly even stretching to three. That makes the £56.99 investment for each rotor a little easier to stomach.

The 140mm rotors were the perfect size for me. I'm only 63kg and too much stopping power on slick mud is a recipe for locking up. I found the rotors offered good control both when riding CX and when on the road, though I can't say there's a huge performance upgrade from the Shimano Ultegra Ice-Tech rotors that these replaced. If you want to go bigger, there are 160mm, 180mm and 203mm sizes in both Centerlock and 6-bolt fittings, with prices slightly lower for the 6-bolt options.

Heat build-up doesn't seem to be an issue, though winter temperatures and short braking periods of cyclo-cross isn't the best testing ground for this. I've had no brake fade on longer descents while on the road.

> All you need to know about disc brakes

Shimano's Ultegra RT800 rotors are a bit cheaper at £49.99, but I've found the SwissStop Catalysts to be quieter and that, with the low wear rate, makes them worth the extra in my book.

My only tiny gripe would be that they don't come with lockrings. That said, you can just reuse your old ones. For me, the lack of noise in wet and muddy conditions, paired with the resistance to wear, makes these a decent performance upgrade for your cyclo-cross bike.

Verdict

Quiet and robust, an excellent upgrade for your cyclo-cross or winter bike