At Interbike last year I previewed the technology behind the Hayes Prime brakes, particularly the virtues of the poppet cam and new reach adjusters. This summer I finally got a chance to thoroughly give these brakes a go and this is my review.

Tech

The Prime Pro brakes represent somewhat of a departure from other Hayes components with a host of new features not found in the rest of the current line-up. The poppet cam technology inside the brake master and the re-designed lever / detented adjuster really sets the Primes apart from simple piston / reservoir systems. Here you’re getting a complex, scaled down version of a braking system that you would find on some sport bikes.

Checkout the video from Hayes below to see the poppet cam and how it adjusts the dead stroke.

Poppet cam

In addition to the poppet cam, Hayes includes a bunch of other great features that make the Prime a truly premium brake. For starters, the Pro kit features titanium and anodized aluminum bolts to shave weight plus you get a two piece rotor (with the Pro sets) made from an aluminum center and stamped stainless steel brake surface.

The caliper is a redesign that is very user-friendly with an easy-to-remove bridge pin holding the two pads in place. With this system you can remove the pin and pull out the pads for a quick service or change without having to pull the caliper off.  The higher placement of the two caliper bridge bolts and corresponding placement of material also makes for a stiffer caliper design.

Installation

These Prime brakes screamed out for abuse so I installed them on my DH rig. The brakes feature burly construction which makes them a natural choice on AM – DH bikes.

Installing the Primes on my Banshee Legend took about 40 minutes. Both hoses were long enough on my medium frame that I still needed to trim the brake lines a good 6 – 8 inches each. Don’t worry – Hayes supplies you with hose ends to do this operation. All you need is a proper brake housing cutter (a Park CN-10 or similar) and you’re golden.

After trimming the hose I installed the levers and calipers. It’s important to tighten the lever clamp top bolt so that there is no space left; torque the bottom clamp bolt at 3.4Nm. The caliper itself takes a bit more work to dial in but a tool like the Hayes Feel’R gauge makes life easy. Set the caliper squarely over the rotor and check the spacing using a gauge or two business cards on each side of the rotor; with the brake applied, tighten the caliper down to 9Nm.

Double check for leaks and proper torque before burnishing the pads with some safe stops (about 30-50) at medium speed. After that it takes a little more riding to really get the lever reach and contact points adjusted properly. I found sitting on the bike standing still is not good enough – I needed to hit the slopes to get a realistic feel for the levers. With the levers dialed I adjusted the contact points.

Performance

How well did the Prime brakes perform? After some serious trail time I have to say these are right up there with the other brands I have played with. Hayes comes out on top in terms of adjustment characteristics and the poppet cam works very well. The detents on the reach adjuster are easy to dial with positive feedback with a nice click between settings. All of the adjustments can be done with gloves on and without any tools needed to make things move.

The Primes offer roughly the same power as the Avid Codes and modulation that’s comparable to the ONE from Formula. I did notice that I needed a bit more finger force on my end to stop the bike than with other brakes I’ve tested. But stop they did. Even on the hardest courses at Blue Mountain, which are notorious for burning up brakes (Shot Glass and O-Chute), the Primes fared well. I did get some noise near the bottom of the runs but I didn’t get any fade. I definitely got these brakes super hot, so much so that the rotors changed to a blue color, which is a good indication of the amount of heat involved.

The Primes modulate very well and by playing with the contact point you can adjust how they engage. The brakes will ramp up faster if your contact point is closer to the bar, more slowly as you move away from the bar. By moving the lever out at the same time you can get the brake to work virtually any way you want it to work. I tend to set up my brakes to have the maximum pressure (fully engaged) with the levers parallel to the bar with about an inch in between the two. I have seen other people set their brakes so the lever touches the bar on maximum pressure (a big no no but who am I to say), and although I am sure you can do that, I didn’t. Throughout my tests with the Primes I always had consistent feel and no change in force through the braking stroke.

Having tanked my bike more than once (I broke my ankle and played ping pong with the bike down a slope), the Hayes Primes didn’t show any signs of damage – the levers survived and nothing was bent. As with any bike part, you will have to service these brakes. After every few rides or so I tend to pull the pads (easy with the Primes) and retract and extend them, just to make sure the pads don’t stick due to accumulated dirt and dust (doing this also keeps the seals moist). Checking up on your equipment also gives you a good indication of how much pad is left, leaving you enough time to order a new set if necessary.

All in all I think Hayes did a great job bringing a powerful and reliable brake to a highly competitive market.  So for about $260 a wheel, try out a set and I think you too will be impressed.

Thanks to Joel Richardson and the folks at Hayes for sending down the brakes for review.

It’s always fun stopping by and chatting it up with the guys from the Hayes group because there’s so much to talk about – both bike and non-bike stuff. At Interbike last week I spoke with Richard Travis, Joel Richardson, Tom Porter and last but not least, Scott Boyd.

Starting off with Manitou we discussed the success of the Dorado Pro. Based on feedback from pro and amateur riders alike, it looks like this fork is on its way to becoming a classic. The Dorado will not see any changes for 2011 which isn’t surprising – it’s already super dialed.

The new Marvel fork from Manitou is intended to replace the Minute and it’s a redesign rather than simply a name change. With a new one-piece lower that’s designed to be a bit stiffer, the Marvel also features more clearance for high volume tires. The fork crown has been redesigned to accommodate a tapered head tube and is stiffer to make sure those stanchions remain pointing in the right direction. An Absolute+ damper cartridge and an air spring on the right fork leg round out the package.

The hotly anticipated Prime brakes from Hayes were on display in both white and black. Up close these brakes definitely look like they mean business. You’re getting 26mm pistons and a high tech poppet cam within the master cylinder that can be adjusted to open at different positions to dial in the stroke. The Prime brakes also feature a nice positive detent on the brake lever for adjusting lever position. Speaking of the lever, it felt great in my hand and my brake finger fit nicely in the curve of the blade. With all the right hardware and trick parts, expect a full review in the near future.

Answer continues to expand its line-up with a stem that drops the center of the bar 20mm instead of raising it as well as a new AM stem called the Rove. On top of that, Answer has an ultra cool anodized bar that’s not actually in production – though one day it may be, depending on demand. So if you like the skull & bones bar pictured below let Answer know by dropping them an email. Heck you never know – after all that’s how some of the coolest cars came to be. Answer has also added a new winter glove (rated to 25°F) to the two gloves in the current line-up.

Take a look at these cool looking carbon rims from Sun Ringle below (there is just something about a carbon rim that makes me feel all fussy). Only available in 26″, the Carbon SRD rims are mated to straight-pull spokes and the same hubs as the Charger Pro wheels with 24 spokes and a decent 1555 grams in weight. These wheels are good for your XC – AM rider with various adapters to accommodate nearly all the widths and fork configurations out there. Along with those wheels, Sun Ringle has also introduced a new rim for the DJ market called the Estate rim. At 600 grams and 34mm wide double walled construction, these may be worth considering when you taco your current set.

Check these products and more at the Hayes websites.

One of the last things cross country mountain bikers often think about is their brakes – after all, we spend most of our time putting energy into the bike rather than taking it away. But every now and then we get surprised by a harsh turn or low branch and it’s then that we’re counting on our brakes to provide smooth and controlled deceleration before we hit the pedals again. Sure, you can get by with your old mechanical disc brakes but if you’re looking for a lightweight hydraulic disc brake system with unparalleled modulation and stopping power, the Hayes Stroker Gram is the brake for you.

At just 355g including the hose and rotors, Hayes has clearly done their homework and weight weenies will appreciate the results. We’re told that much of the weight savings over other Stroker models comes from the removal of all the non-structural material inside the master cylinder (the thing attached to your handlebars). Plus the carbon levers and titanium hardware inside both the master cylinder and caliper doesn’t hurt either. All told the Stroker Gram may not be the absolute lightest hydraulic brake set on the market but it’s easily the most powerful and durable in its weight class.

Installing the Stroker Grams is a cinch and even a mechanical dunce like me can get it done within 30 minutes or so. The great thing about hydraulic brakes in general is that there’s no cable tensioning to worry about – just bolt the levers, rotors, and calipers on and go! These brakes went on especially easily thanks to the quality build from Hayes and the easy to follow instructions included in the box. Just don’t forget to burnish your pads before you take the bike out on the trail; otherwise you’ll drive yourself crazy with the grinding and squealing sound of fresh brake pads.

Hayes decided to go with white for the Stroker Gram brakes, including the hoses, master cylinder, and calipers. If you’d asked me a year ago what I thought about white components I would have said they’re not for me but I gotta say I’m a big fan now. White makes it easier to see excess brake dust generated from overuse and/or misaligned pads plus it screams hot sh!t on the race course. The purple anodized reach adjuster dial gives the system a single pop of color and makes it easy to identify other Stroker Gram riders on the trail.

The Stroker Grams come with Hayes aluminum-backed, semi-metallic pads installed and feature the patented tool-free pad retention system. The included rotors are machined to ultra-tight tolerances and like the rest of the package, are lightweight and high strength.

If you haven’t ridden with a high hydraulic brake system before it’s hard to explain the vastly superior hand-feel you get with the Stroker Grams. Each squeeze of the lever applies uniform pressure throughout the stroke giving the rider exceptional modulation and control. For me this translated into smooth decelerations when I wanted them and occasional quick, sudden stops to avoid monster obstructions. Stroker Gram stopping power was more than adequate for me and I loved the whisper quiet operation of this high quality, dialed-in brake system.

One feature that I hadn’t anticipated using is the ability to adjust the brake lever reach without needing a tool. On a recent ride a friend remarked about my lever positioning and I realized that mountain bikers have wildly different ideas about where their brake levers should be positioned. I like my levers extended out (guess it’s my long fingers) and pointed at about 30 degrees below horizontal. After long descents, however, I find that my fingers do get tired sometimes and the ability to bring the levers in a bit makes a huge difference. Plus when my buddy and I switch rigs just for fun during a long ride it’s easy for him to get the levers into a comfortable position.

If you’re a cross country or even an all-mountain rider who pedals uphill, you’ll definitely appreciate the lightweight, high performance Hayes Stroker Gram disc brakes. With smooth, consistent modulation, easy installation and maintenance, and a well thought out feature set, the Stroker Gram is easily one of the best hydraulic mountain bike brake systems on the market.

Thanks to Hayes Disc Brake for providing the Stroker Gram brake system for review.

The cat is outta the bag so to speak now that Hayes has revealed the internals of the new Prime MTB brake system. If you recall my previous article, I mentioned that some of the technology was borrowed from motorsports and as you can see, this unit features a high tech moving master cylinder that can change its position relative to the cam (brown). This allows the rider to adjust pad position without loosing stroke. Below is a video with the Prime cam in action showing you the movement of the unit.

As you can see there is a lot going on in that small master cylinder. The video below includes a good explanation about how the master cylinder works and talks about some of the features of the Prime braking system.

One of the big innovations with the new master cylinder design is the improved flow of fluids within the system. For those who like to ride fast and hit the brakes hard, the improved flow keeps the brake fluid cycling regularly, preventing it from heating up too quickly and reducing the chance of expansion. Brake fluid expansion causes the pistons to move towards the rotor which in turn causes the pads to drag. Dragging pads slows you down slightly and builds up heat in the system (making the problem worse). Bottom line: the Hayes Prime “brakes” the hot fluid cycle.

Prime brakes also do away with the traditional port timing hole which is used to allow fluid to return to the reservoir and compensate for pad wear. The new design, due to the absence of the timing holes, increase seal life. On most brakes, the delicate seals on the timing holes wear over time – basically every time you squeeze the brake lever. With the holes gone there is a smooth bore, thus a longer seal life.

You’ll also notice that the master cylinder piston is hollow – this is what enables increased brake fluid flow. To top it all off, the good folks at Hayes even included an updated and redesigned titanium push rod to further reduce side loads on the piston (increasing piston life).

Well folks that’s all I got for now. As always, if there’s anything new and exciting I will keep you posted – cheers!

It’s that time of year when I get to call up my good friends in the industry and see what’s up and coming and possibly squeeze out some interesting tidbits about new products. I recently got a chance to talk with with Joel Richardson, Production Manager at Hayes Disc Brakes, which is always super fun and exciting. I enjoy talking with Joel because we speak the same language – “Techish” – and he’s a person who is super stoked to talk about new products in development.

Joel managed a bike shop in Wisconsin from 1994-1998 and as things go in this kind of business he ended helping Len Cabaltera (the original Hayes guy) with development of the Hayes Mag brake back in 1996.

“Len would come into my shop and ask for design and feature feedback on the prototypes.  We had no idea what it would lead to. He hired me straight out of College in 1998 and I started in tech, hand bleeding brakes and answering phones.”

Joel moved around the company a few times before landing in his current position as the brake Product Manager.

Our conversation started out with a bit of small talk, chatting about the usual challenges riders have with disc brakes and set-up. It’s during conversations like these that new ideas are introduced and Joel and I actually came up with a few good ones – perhaps you may even see one or two in the near future, you never know. Anyhow getting into it, we talked a bit about technology and key product characteristics Hayes will carry forward and improve upon and even touched on some of the new stuff under development.

Above: a Hayes design that never went into production but got some serious consideration. Back in 2002 Hayes came up with a two piece rotor for Shimano’s centerlock hub design.

One of the most exciting new products at Hayes this year is the Prime braking system. Prime is the name of the eventual replacement for the Stroker brake line-up and the Prime Pro and Expert take all that is great about the Stroker – forged calipers, compact master cylinder design, and tool free reach adjustment – and make it even better. Prime brakes feature a new caliper design that can withstand a set of bigger pistons and allow you to change up the pads without removing the caliper thanks to a top-loading design. The new brakes also throw in a floating two-piece rotor for the icing on the cake.

The new Prime master cylinder design was put under heavy scrutiny during the design phase. Keeping the basic Stroker design, Hayes tilted the cylinder 10 degrees to maximize finger positioning and changed up the master cylinder internals to allow for easy position adjustments and pad placement. As if that weren’t enough, Prime brakes features a new hose design that minimizes expansion and improves feel while sporting a plethora of exotic materials to reduce weight – now that’s Prime!

A good bit of motorsports technology was put into the Prime brake design. These brakes will outperform all of the present systems that Hayes produces thanks in part to the largest pistons they have ever produced @ 26mm. Many hundreds of hours were needed to develop a brake that would feel consistent under the tremendous forces generated in the caliper. Early in the product development Hayes decided that the calipers needed to be forged to achieve performance expectations (just like the previous model Strokers).

Hayes takes product testing very seriously and one of the tools they use is a Dynamometer capable of testing real world situations such as high speed/high input and wet conditions, shock, and vibration, while monitoring hydraulic pressure, force, speed, torque and temperature. After the dyno test, Hayes slaps the brakes on real bikes rigged with data capturing tools for actual testing on the dirt.

Here’s more from my conversation with Joel.

So when can we expect the Prime for sale to the public?
Everything is pointing to a June 2010 release date.

How powerful is the Prime and where does it fit in the line-up?
It surpasses the power of the Stroker Ace 4 piston brake by 23% on average.

There are two versions here, are we going to see another model or two in the future?
You bet, we are investigating the possibilities for a carbon version.

Are you planning on matching the finish on the brakes to other components produced by Hayes group of companies?
Maybe you can find the ANSWER.

I noticed there are no weights listed yet, any clue as to how light these units will be?
You’re looking at about 385 grams for the Pro and approximately 415 grams for the Expert, give or take a few grams.

On the new Prime brakes I noticed Hayes is going with a two-piece rotor. How long has that been in the making? I recall there were rumors that you were thinking about that…
Back in 2002 there was consideration and work on a two-piece rotor but for various reasons it never made production.

Along with Prime, what other things are changed up for 2010?
The Stroker Gram now comes in all white with a white brake hose. The Stroker Ace has a revision on the friction material making it easier to burnish the brake pads while the caliper and brake lever now come in black. We also started selling the Stroker Ace tool kit as well as the Feel’r gauge to set up your brakes. In 2010 the familiar HAYES logo is back on our brakes as well.

Well folks, stay tuned for a product review or two of the new 2010 Hayes brake offerings. I’m not sure about you but I’m stoked to give the new Prime brakes a run for their money!

Hayes Company History

1972 –  Schwinn 200E Series bicycle disc brake
1993 –  Production of DiaCompe Speed Check Disk Brake
1997 –  HFX Mag
1999 -  Cable Actuated Hydraulic
2000 -  Redesigned flip-flop Mag MC 2 piece clamp, G1 Caliper 74mm post mount
2001 -  HMX-1 Mechanical
2002 -  HFX-Comp, HML Mechanical Levers
2003 -  HFX Mag Plus, HFX Nine MC, G2 Caliper
2004 -  HFX Nine Carbon, MX-1 Mechanical, MX-2 Mechanical, Wave Rotors
2005 -  El Camino, Sole, , BFL Levers, V-Series 6 & 8″ Rotors
2006 -  MX 3, V7(180mm) Rotor, SRL Lever
2007 – Stroker Trail / Ryde, Stroker Carbon/ V9 (224mm) rotor
2008 – Stroker Ace / Stroker Gram/ V5 (140mm) rotor
2010 – Now the PRIME

Hayes firsts

• Flip/Flop universal lever design with 2-piece clamp master cylinder body

• Three layer hose construction

• Tool-free brake pad change

• Magnesium master cylinder bodies

• Bladder/cartridge master cylinder design

• Ball socket caliper pistons

• Flip/Flop radial master cylinder

Hayes industry standards

• 74 mm post mount calipers with slotted mount feet

• 203 mm rotor size

• 10 mm quick release hub rotor offset

• 15 mm 20mm thru and rear hub rotor offset

• .070” thick rotors

• Forward arcing rotor splines for thermal capabilities and strength

• T25 low profile disc screws

Holidays are just around the corner and Hayes has introduced some new products for use with their MTB braking systems. Check these out: the new Pro Bleed kit, the Stroker tool kit, and my personal favorite, the brake pad spacer called the Feel ‘r Gage. Each item is sold individually and certainly won’t break the bank. In fact, these tools can help you save in the long run by avoiding costly repairs due to poor maintenance. I have personally used and found each of these items very useful, particularly the Feel ‘r Gage. I cannot say how much time that tool alone has saved me since I started using it.

The Pro-Bleed kit (PN # 98-23572, $30 MSRP) is the most comprehensive kit out there that is made for Hayes brakes. It covers all models that Hayes has made over the years and all the adapters and hoses are included. Once assembled all you need to do is select the correct fitting for your brake lever and you’re good to go. Brake fluid is included along with two bottles which allow you to do the job drip free.

Next up is the Stroker tool kit (PN# 98-23971, $39 MSRP). This kit is only for the Stroker Aces, but will make the job of rebuilding the brakes a non-issue. All the tools as well as instructions are included in this pouched kit. The kit contains the piston bore tools as well as the multi-function piston alignment tool plus spare seals.

Finally, check out the pad/rotor alignment tool called the Feel ‘r Gage (PN# 98-23972, $15 MSRP) which is super easy to use and gives you perfect alignment every time. The Feel ‘r Gage is designed so that you can insert the steel shims on either side of the disk to get the correct pad spacing as well as make sure the caliper is parallel with the rotor. The Feel ‘r Gage also can be used as a pad spreader.

Coming up shortly, a video on rebuilding a Stroker Ace caliper using all these tools.

Thanks to the folks at Hayes for providing these products for review.

So this may be a bit on the late side but seeing that most of this stuff still hasn’t hit the stores yet I thought I’d share these pics. What I have here is a compilation of my favorite photos from the show with some brief commentary so sit back and enjoy!

By far the coolest frame set I saw (next to the Banshee Legend) is the Intense 951 pictured above. I found myself just staring at this bike for far to long and almost missed my next appointment. Up close to this frame set you can see the quality work that went in to making this one of the most desirable DH frames around. With 150mm G3 rear axle spacing, one point five head tube, and over 8 inches of travel provided by an ohhh so nice Cane Creek double barrel rear shock this bike looked delicious.

Above, the same Intense 951 in red. Still nice, and this one was built up with Shimano Saint components and an Industry 9 wheel set with a Fox 40 RC2 up front and a DHX RC4 in rear. Can you say Sweet?!

Here is something that I personally want and not just for the red and orange anodized finish. The Ellsworth Rogue is a freeride bike with attitude. Not only does it look great but I had a chance to test ride one like this at Bootleg and it was super fun (the only down side – the run was too short). With 8 inches of rear travel and the Fox 40 RC2, this bike is a kick-butt machine.

It was hard to stop looking at Intense with all their models so close yet oh so far away. Here we have a pair of Uzzi frames. The Uzzi in blue has a Fox DHX Air 5 and the Red has the standard DHX 4 coil. You can also get this bike with the Cane Creek double barrel, at a cost of course.  For those who plan on taking big hits and hitting the park all day long you may not need look any further than the Uzzi.

This Ibis above boasts builds in the 25 pound range with 5.5 inches of DW link rear travel for those who want a quicker, snappier ride on a bike that won’t punish you too much after riding all day long. The Ibis can be ordered in various trim levels from Sram XX or X-9 group parts to Shimano XTR, XT or SLX.

I love cut-aways of bike stuff and there were plenty at Interbike to ogle. Here you can see a cut-away of the Fox RP23 with boost valve technology on your left, the new improved DHX AIR RC4 in the middle, and a 32mm F series front fork with Fit technology (borrowed from the 36 and 40mm forks) on the right. The Fit damper now allows the engineers to further save weight on the 32mm line-up by reducing the amount of fluid needed in that damper housing. Get close to a new 32mm fork and you will also notice that the engineers changed up the way the fork works as well by placing the rebound adjuster on the bottom (previous models placed the lock-out on the bottom). Check out FoxRacingShox.com for further information.

Walking around Interbike you couldn’t help but notice the Mavic display. Looking at the line up for next year they have really improved the wheels, especially for the trail and enduro riders out there. The new Crossmax ST wheels are even lighter than before, now at just 1615 grams. Mavic also changed up the graphics on the rims.

The new Deemax Ultimate at 1915 grams a set is absolutely crazy light for a full-on DH wheel set. These wheels come with all the bells as whistles to make them both strong enough and light enough for the demands of the DH circuit. The Deemax wheels also sport my favorite ITS4 cassette body and ISM (inter spoke milling with central spine) which reduces mass on the rim without loosing strength.  Check out Mavic.com for more info on these and the rest of the line up.

Here is just a random photo of the new carbon Ellsworth Enlightenment. What caught my eye here is the fine machine work on a part that just holds the brake and rear wheel. This attention to detail is second to none.

This bike was another one of those that you had to stop and drool over for a while. The Banshee Rune pictured here was shown in flat black and bright orange components. The Crankbrothers Iodine AM wheels along with Race Face AM cranks and bars (not shown) really made this bike and the components just added to the already awesome construction of this frame. You have to check out the Banshee website for more information on this bike as well as the rest of their line-up.

Hubba hubba… umm sorry. But just in case you have no clue what this is, this is the new aluminum version of the Dorado DH fork from Manitou. I am dying to do a review on this unit. This fork has everything a racer would want: high and low speed compression, rebound, and top-out and bottom-out control. To top it all off, these forks are assembled right here in the States. With 36mm stanchions and an inverted design this fork will take a kicking and keep on bouncing.

Answer is back with all new products this year. New thin and stout pedals, super wide 780mm DH bars, and 720mm AM bars are also available. The bars will come in two versions: a one-inch and two-inch rise for the AM Bar and half-inch and one-inch rise for the DH bar. A direct mount stem for the Dorado allows you to change the reach from 45, 50, 55mm while providing a strong grip to the bar with its wide face plate.

Sun-Ringle has totally revamped the line-up with new hubs, rims and colors that promise to impress everyone. The hub shot above gives just a taste of what you can expect to see in 2010. Straight pull spokes, anodized hubs and aluminum cassette bodies.

What’s not to like about the new Hayes Stroker Ace look for this year? Now in jet black with bronze-ish piston covers, this is one great looking, high performance brake set. Along with the Stroker Ace the entire line up now boasts new graphics and now the Stroker Grams come in all white.

Well that does it for my list of favorites from Interbike – hope you enjoyed the pics!

Hydraulic disc brakes have many of the same components as mechanical disc systems with some minor but important differences. For one thing hydraulic disc brakes rely on fluid to push the pistons while mechanical brakes use a cable under tension pulling a lever to activate a cam device with a piston attached. Second, hydraulic brake lines have fluid in them under pressure when activated and cannot be damaged in any way (kinks, bulges, or leaks can render them ineffective).

Most hydraulic systems that are on the market today are dual piston (more powerful systems can have up to eight pistons), though a few entry level brakes operate similar to mechanical brakes with one piston that moves and one that is stationary. For systems that utilize two or more pistons, you will get more braking force, better modulation, and little or no drag and both pads will retract from your rotor after you apply the brakes. By using hydraulic fluid instead of a cable, there is less total drag on the brake system which gives a more crisp braking experience. With hydraulic disc brakes you are less likely to encounter problems in the long run compared to mechanical discs.

In this article we will follow the steps necessary to successfully service your hydraulic disc brakes:

Tools and equipment needed

Brake caliper inspection

Brake lever inspection

Brake hose inspection

Brake bleeding procedure

Brake pad replacement

Cleaning, assembly, torque, and adjustments

Tools and Equipment

Before we get started servicing hydraulic brakes it is necessary to have all the tools and supplies needed. When inspecting your brakes, make sure you have all the right tools like these bellow.

* Bleed kit specific to your brake which usually contains clear hoses, fittings to your caliper and lever, and squeeze bottles or syringes.
* Fresh brake fluid. Note: I highly recommend a good quality DOT 5.1 for Avid, Formula, Hayes, and Hope brakes. DO not use DOT 5. Use the mineral-based factory fluid for Shimano/Magura brakes. Do not use the mineral oil that’s sold from a drug store.
* Brake line wrenches, 8mm.
* Torque wrench.
* Allen sockets usually 4,5,6mm.
* Wrenches for bleed screws, usually a 6mm or 8mm.
* Torx wrenches (for bleed screws on brake lever usually T7,T8,T10).
* Torx wrench for rotor, T25.
* Alcohol used for cleaning up spills on the rotor surfaces.
* A lint-free cloth to wipe down your parts.
* Your brake manufacturer’s instructions (Avid, Magura, Hayes, they all have instructions which are available for free online).
* Bicycle repair stand that swivels.
* Spare parts as required for your service: Brake pads, stripped worn hardware, hoses, hose fittings…etc.

Brake Caliper Inspection

The first thing you need to do when servicing your hydraulic brakes it to remove the wheels and clean dirt and grime off the brake caliper. I use a worn out toothbrush, which does an excellent job. After you have cleaned the caliper, remove the brake pads.

Remember that your brake pads may have a return spring (placed between the pads), a cotter pin or a bolt that holds the pads in place. Sometimes there is not enough room to remove the pads and it may be necessary to carefully press/ pry the pads into the brake caliper using the pad separator that came with your brake set ( if you don’t have one just visit your LBS – they usually have dozens kicking around). A wide screwdriver may work here in a pinch.

Once the pads are in all the way you can carefully remove the pads one at a time by pulling them out with a pair of pliers. Once the pads are removed inspect the caliper for leaks around the pistons which now can been seen clearly. If the caliper pistons are not all the way in use a 10mm or 11mm wrench and pry the pistons all the way in, carefully avoiding the center post that usually resides in the middle of the piston. Prevent any oil from getting on the surface of the rotor or brake pads – the oil can ruin your brake pads permanently.

With the pads removed squeeze the brake lever 2 – 3 times and make sure the piston extends and retracts; this also helps lubricate the seals. After making sure your pistons move and both move the same amount, make sure that you retract them all the way in again using the 10mm wrench as before. If the pistons don’t move it’s time to get a rebuild kit (Avid, Hayes, Shimano) or a new caliper (Magura). Rebuilding a caliper is a bit involved and beyond many home mechanics’ skill set so I am excluding this procedure from this article.

Brake Lever Inspection

At this time you will now inspect your brake lever. First thing to do especially if you were involved in a accident is to check the lever and body for cracks or damage of any kind. If the lever feels loose it may be that the pivots are worn and need replacement; most manufacturers sell a pivot pin kit. Visually check and feel for leaks where the push rod meets the piston assembly. If it leaks it’s a good time to get the rebuild kit, or have your LBS take it from there. To finish the inspection get the torque wrench and check the torque of the bolts that hold the brake lever in place, and more importantly look to see that your bar has not cracked in that area (especially important for those riders who had a bad fall or own a carbon bar).

Brake Hose Inspection

Now is a great time to inspect your brake hose. Look along the entire length for any bulges, wet spots, or abrasions. If any of these signs show, it is time to replace your hose. Check the connection that goes between the hose and the caliper / lever; an 8mm wrench will usually help you tighten the hose in place.

Some manufacturers use a banjo fitting on the brake caliper. Take hold of the banjo fitting and see if it is tight by trying to move it by hand. If it moves it is loose and needs to be torqued once again. Finally, bikes with full suspension go through a lot of movement so visually inspect the hose to make sure the hose has not become worn in those areas.

Bleeding Brakes for Hydraulic Systems

At this point you may be wondering how air gets trapped in a hydraulic brake system anyway. If you open your system or shorten a hose, air can get introduced and must be removed. When this happens, the air is removed using a process called bleeding.

Hydraulic braking systems use a non-compressible fluid (such as DOT 3, 4, 5.1 or Mineral oil) to transmit force that squeezes the brake pads against the rotor. There must be no air trapped  in that system for the fluid to work properly. If air is in the line, considerable energy will be lost to compressing the air instead of operating the brakes.

I will use a hybrid method that Avid and Hayes recommend which is a sure shot way to remove air and eliminate future leaks.

Fill a syringe halfway with brake fluid and add your hose and all fittings required to attach it to the caliper. Tap the syringe and slowly squeeze it to remove the excess air (you know, like the surgeons do on ER). Once that is done, attach the syringe to the bleeder screw (on Hayes you need to place your bleeder wrench 6mm first). On Hayes brakes you can leave the bleeder closed for the next step; for Avid brakes you’ll need to clamp the hose with the red clamp provided. Slightly pull back on the syringe plunger to create a small vacuum then tap the side of the syringe. This step will de-gas the brake fluid, removing the absorbed air in the brake fluid (a great trick).

Now to the caliper lever. Attach the fitting provided from your manufacturer using a partially filled syringe (or bottle as shown) of brake fluid. Remove the bleeder port and then attach it to the bleeder port with the necessary fittings and hoses. If it’s a system like Magura/Shimano you will need to open the reservoir at this point. It may also be necessary to rotate the bike on your stand or rotate the brake lever to get the proper position to remove all the air. For Shimano and Magura you need to have the brake levers parallel to the ground.

To prevent the pistons from extending out of your caliper, use either a folded piece of cardboard or a specific tool from your manufacturer to prevent the pads from extending. Now squeeze the syringe (or bottle) at the caliper and crack open the bleeder screw using the correct wrench. Wait for fluid to flow into the brake lever. Look for bubbles at the syringe / bottle near the brake lever and tap the brake hose, caliper, and lever to shake free the air bubbles that may stick to the inside of your brake system (Magura is notorious for that). Once the fluid is entering the syringe is free of air bubbles (syringe at the brake lever), close the brake bleeder screw (brake caliper) and squeeze the brake lever a few times.

The lever should travel about halfway through its stroke. If it’s OK, close the bleeder screw port on the brake lever ( Magura / Shimano – cover the brake cap and reset the brake lever). Clean up any small spills and use some alcohol to clean off any spills on the brake lever and caliper.

Brake Pad Inspection

With the pads removed, inspect their thickness, looking for a minimum of 1mm of friction material or a total pad minimum thickness of 3mm ( Hayes/ Avid), or 2.5mm for Magura. While you are at it, inspect the spring and clips to ensure they have enough spring strength to retract the pads.

Brake pads that have friction material thicker than 1mm may not need replacing but should be cleaned and deglazed. Lay medium close coat sandpaper flat on a table and with a circular motion lightly rub the brake pad on the sand paper until the pad surface is flat and uniform. Before you reinstall the pads quickly check that the thickness is still greater than 3mm. If your brake pads are less than 3mm thick, install new pads.

Remember that your brake pad may have a return spring (placed between the pads), a cotter pin, or a bolt that holds the pads in place. Otherwise your system has a retaining spring on the back of your pad so make sure it clicks firmly into place and your pads are flush to the pistons.

Inspecting and Cleaning Rotors

The next task is to recondition the rotors by removing any glaze that may have accumulated on them. Remove the rotor if it is attached with T25 torx bolts or a Shimano centre lock. You can service the rotor while still attached to the wheel if you don’t have the tools to remove the rotor from the hub – just be careful to keep your fingers clear!

Fold medium sandpaper around a straight block to create a flat sanding surface. Rub the sand paper tangentially on both sides of the rotor’s braking surfaces. Now the rotor looks new and has cross hatching marks, or scratches at 33 degree angles from one another.

If necessary, reinstall the rotor and make sure you torque the bolts back at 55 – 60 inch pounds. When applying torque to the bolts, it should be done evenly and not in a circular pattern. Finally, clean the rotor off with a clean cloth and alcohol to remove any oil or fine metal particles. Replace your wheel and check the operation of the brakes.

Torque Inspection

Once you have the pads adjusted, the rotors and pads cleaned, and your cables lubricated, apply the correct amount of torque on your entire braking system, caliper bolts, caliper adapters, and the brake levers using a torque wrench and adjust if needed. Always follow your specific brake manufacturer’s recommended torque settings.

I hope this guide helps you with checking your brakes. This information will be great as a guide for those who already have a decent working knowledge of their bicycle and for those who are getting into repairing their own bike. Please have your owner’s manual handy for specific information regarding your brakes.

I would like to thank Gino Sena the owner of Cyclepath North York for the use of his shop and a few of his bikes for some of the photos in my article and also the good folks at Opus bikes, Hayes and Avid for some of the products that were featured here.

For those of you who are weight weenies, (you know who you are) here’s something for you.

Using titanium bolts, aluminum-backed brake pads, and carbon levers, Hayes has the perfect brake for gram counters everywhere. Hayes stripped away all the unnecessary fat from the levers and calipers using finite element analysis – basically high powered computers that can simulate forces – to see where the redundant material could be removed from their workhorse brake system, the Hayes Stroker.

I have used the Stroker Trails for quite some time and was curious how well these new Stroker Grams would perform and if they are worth the extra coin for the weight reduction (nearly 100 grams). Let’s face it – if you’re racing and every gram counts then cost isn’t a big issue. At an MSRP of $273 each these are not cheap by any means but they look oh so good.

These kits come with everything you need minus the adapter for your axle type, so remember to order the adapter at the same time. In the kit you get the caliper, hose and lever all ready to go and you also get the rotor and all the hardware in titanium. The kits are available in 5″(rear only), 6″, 7″, and 8″ with 900mm and 1500mm hoses (front and rear, respectively).

Out of the box it took about 30 minutes per wheel to install these brakes. Just make sure you follow the installation instructions on these brakes – titanium does not like to be over torqued, nor do the carbon bars that you may have (after all they look so nice together). Be sure that you set the brake calipers so that the pads are parallel with the rotor (I have seen people mess this up one too many times) to prevent any possible vibration and noise.

Barreling down the trails with the Stroker Grams you will instantly feel the brakes working for you, with great modulation and instant “on” torque, as well as a quick release of torque without any residual drag. I did notice that the pads do generate a touch more noise that the Stroker Trails, but nowhere near the amount that the Stroker Aces that I reviewed last month. The Stroker Grams get good initial bite with no real growth of torque, and they do not fade until you release the lever again.  Overall these brakes performed very nearly as well as the Stroker Trail brakes – but with 3/4 the weight.

I did notice there is a bit more flex in the brake levers themselves, perhaps due to the lightweight design of the carbon lever. I don’t think the flex will pose to much of an issue – most likely the levers will snap in a big fall rather than bend like the aluminum levers do. Of course that’s total speculation since I haven’t fallen on them … yet.

Final verdict on the Hayes Stroker Grams: If you can afford them and are looking to loose some fat off your bike, these brakes are a great choice – they will not let you down. The Stroker Grams will be right at home on any XC racer or long legged trail bike and you won’t have to worry that they’ll fail to deliver the power. These are not the lightest nor the prettiest of the lightweights but overall a very good buy with no worries of finding replacement parts.

Cheers!

For those who like to ride fast down a steep downhill or if you live life on the edge waiting to hit your brakes at the last possible minute, Hayes Stroker Ace brakes may be perfect for you. Hayes has upped the ante once again with the Stroker Ace brakes; these babies have a slightly larger and thicker brake lever than the otherwise identical master cylinder of the original Hayes Strokers and an all new mono-bloc forged 4 piston caliper (like a F1 brake caliper). I just finished testing the Hayes Stroker Ace brakes and these new features plus the larger brake pads have delivered an eye popping experience.

The Stroker Aces advertised brake system weights of 440g (6” rotors) and 520g (8″ rotors) are slightly less than my measurements of 452g (for my 6” rear rotor) and 552g (for my 8” front rotor). Installing the new brakes was pretty straight forward and there was even enough hose for long travel bikes. I have tried riding with a 7” rear disc and found the braking was too powerful back there for my riding style. The 6” rear disc works well for me and it even saves some weight!

Now on to how well the Stroker Aces actually performed on the trails. It took a few runs to break in the pads and two caliper adjustments to finally get the Aces set up just right.  During my testing, I evaluated several aspects of the brakes performance including noise level, rotor and pad durability, brake modulation and release, biting force, torque, and fade.  The following chart is a summary of my observations.

I was really impressed with the modulation of these brakes and gave it a high rating of 9 out of 10.  The Stroker Aces really had a lot of control despite the large pad size and four pistons.  There was moderate braking torque when first applying the brakes.  After subsequent applications of the brake, the forces built up and I gradually had to back off the amount of braking required.  Usually when you keep applying brakes they tend to fade or need more force, but these do the opposite.  After changing the brake fluid to DOT 5.1, I found the brake actuation to be a little better.

I rated the silence of these brakes a six out of ten. It was a very wet day when I noticed the rotors and pads generating some noise that was difficult to remove.  The noise was at slow speeds and did not occur at high speed application of the brakes.  Last, the rotors and pads held up well to my testing, there was hardly any sign of wear on either part.  I’ll be keeping the Stroker Aces on my rig to see how they do in the long run though.

Overall, these brakes work extremely well and if you have a long legged all mountain, black diamond or DH mountain bike, get yourself a set of Hayes Stroker Aces and you won’t be disappointed!

Whenever my friends ask about brakes there are always two that are mentioned: Hayes and Avid. Today I am going to run a head-to-head comparison of  the Hayes Stroker Trail and the Avid Juicy 7, each considered the “do-all” model for their brand. Depending on who you ask you will get different opinions about these disc brakes, some based on fact, others based on hearsay and it can be difficult at times to differentiate between the two. I’ll do my best to give facts and skip the hearsay.

Out of the box both kits come with everything you need to install your brakes: mounting brackets, bolts, a complete caliper hose lever assembly, and of course a rotor. Both kits give you ample hose length to fit all bikes out there – just remember they are sold as a front and rear brake sets.

In the photo above you can see the Hayes Stroker master cylinder is integrated within the body and makes for a sleek design. The Juicy, on the other hand, has its master cylinder jutting out a bit and the overall size of the Juicy Seven is a bit larger as well.

Both braking systems work well and stop well out of the box , however you can always make them better. For example, one thing you can do that will make the Hayes Stroker modulate just as well as the Avid is to change the brake fluid in it – I recommend a good quality DOT 5.1. Just visit any motorcycle shop and look for Motul 5.1 or a similar DOT 5.1 with a high boiling point. Another upgrade that can shave some weight is changing the bolts over to titanium which can save close to 60g per set. The photo above shows a Stroker Trail that has had its fluid changed over to a DOT 5.1 as well as the bolts changed over to titanium. On the Stroker caliper there are 6 M6 bolts and installing or replacing these bolts is pretty easy – just follow the instructions carefully.

There a few things you can do to improve the performance of the Juicy Seven as well but the biggest thing is to make sure your installation is correct. Make sure you slowly tighten the bolts that hold the caliper to the frame/fork and pay attention to the CPS hardware during installation. If you’re replacing the brake pads it’s a good idea to replaces the spring at the same time. Upgrading the 8 caliper bolts on the Avid Juicy Seven to titanium you will save about 70gm per wheel – pretty big savings for such a minor tweak!

With both braking systems it’s important you torque all bolts properly and check them regularly. Over time you may decide to upgrade your rotors and both brake sets are compatible with rotors from various manufacturers. The Hayes set-up pictured above is using a Magura Venti rotor.

As you can see, both the Avid and Hayes hydraulic brake systems have their pros and cons and depending on your needs or riding style you may find one better than the other. Don’t just settle when it comes to choosing a braking system for your mountain bike – keep experimenting until you find the best set-up for you!