ANALYSIS OF THE RENEWED BIREL ART FREELINE BRAKING SYSTEMS AND THE NEW I25X2 RR EVO FRONT BRAKE CALIPER

Giacomo Mantovani

21 March 2024 • 16 min. read

On the occasion of the 2022 approval cycle (dedicated to fairings, chassis and braking systems), the Italian manufacturer's sector/brand involved in kart accessories has introduced several innovations: the most interesting, without a doubt, concerns the Shifter configuration which has completely renewed caliper/pad assemblies at the front, in the production processes and in the structure of the components; but that's not all, because for the elements in continuity with the past (such as the RR-I32-FL01 and RR-I25x4 rear calipers and the 22SRR master cylinder) the process of selecting manufacturing materials has been improved. The purpose of these evolutions? Giving more braking power and... Read on!

In recent years, the development of braking systems has been one of the most "lively" sectors in karting in terms of technological innovation. In fact, on several occasions there have been several manufacturers who, in one way or another, have aimed to innovate the management of kart braking, launching products on the market with unprecedented functions and features. However, in contrast with this trend, FreeLine systems (the brand/sector of the manufacturer Birel ART dedicated to accessories) have evolved in terms of continuity. This choice was based on the desire to offer all users reliable and easy-to-use products, as well as superior performance compared to previous components. Precisely in this sense, the good news is that even the elements that are new compared to the past (such as the new I25x2 RR Evo front caliper) are fully compatible with the current braking systems and those in the process of approval. In this way, kart drivers who own karts with a FreeLine braking system will be able to update their "old" systems by mounting only the new components, without being forced to buy a completely new system. In fact, being able to count on excellent starting points, such as the RR-I32-FL01 rear calipers (dedicated to the Single-speed classes) and RR-I25x4 (mainly used in the Shifter configuration) as well as the 22SRR brake pumps, FreeLine's research and development department has been able to concentrate all the technological evolutions in relation to targeted improvements, which have materialized in two directions: a new selection of alloys used for the production of all plant components and, above all, the development of a new component, the I25x2 RR Evo front calipers. Let's take a closer look at all the elements of FreeLine braking systems, seeing what has remained unchanged compared to the past, what have been the improvements and what the absolute novelties are.

Editor's Note
To better appreciate the topics covered in this "Focus Tech", we recommend reading the article "Technique | Kart braking system: the different technical and manufacturing approaches compared" which provides a complete overview of the main design choices in karting and will help to compare them with those undertaken by FreeLine.

The I25x2 RR Evo front brake calipers are the most important innovation, introduced on the occasion of the 2022 approval cycle. Compared to the past, these components have been totally renewed from various points of view, both in terms of production and structure. The renewal process also involved the front brake pads, which have been enlarged and have a bite designed to maximize the braking capacity of the disc, caliper and pad assembly.