The most powerful and responsive brake and designed for the most demanding conditions in the world can't also be precise and respond to the finest touch.
Submitted by
avbcon12
a Weekend Warrior
from Philly, PA, USA Date Reviewed: October 25, 2009
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
Swap meet
Strengths:
Amazing braking power with excellent modulation. a truly one finger system. bleeding is a breeze, I have no idea why people complain about avids bleed process. Way more power than anything else ive run.
6" travel bike with 180mm front rotor and 160mm rear rotor.
Bottom Line:
Great product, I got it new from a swap meet for $100 for the entire front and rear set. I couldnt pass it up, well worth that kind of money. at the average $230/per, its still a good buy for the power and modulation they provide. Still cheaper than Gustav's
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
dusttrails
a Downhiller
from germany Date Reviewed: September 15, 2009
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Power, modulation, design.
Weaknesses:
The box seals - which should let the pads "0 position" creep inwards giving the same lever travel as the pads wear. I think codes dont do that so well.
Thats (partly) why so many people say the have to keep bleeding them - and keep pumping in extra fluid - to pump the pads across a bit.
My tip - dont, the resevior is big enough - back the adjust off and then squeeze really hard or take the wheel out and clamp something 1.5mm thick... the seals will slide across and your bite point range is back where it should be.
Mine need that too after cooling down from a hard long downhill run
Bottom Line:
The guys at Sram really put some thought in.
I would like the reach adjust on the fly, so I can change it when my finger gets tired - but thats a very small point
gernally A1.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt Schisler
a Downhiller
from London ON Canada Date Reviewed: September 2, 2009
Favorite Trail:
autobhan
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
Cambria Bike
Strengths:
looks great, lots of stopping power, great modulation, pad contact adj. is nice to have
Weaknesses:
took me a long time to set em up. because the caliper is really lond i had trouble setting the caliper to the disk so they wouldn't rub.
another would be the factory bleed job. like, ARE YOU SERIOUS???
Similar Products Used:
nine's, aces, rydes, trails, so1es, mono, mini moto, list goes on
Bike Setup:
07 bighit, 08 zocchi 66, 09 DHX 5.0, 07 codes, 09 mavic 729 laced to 09 chris king's
Bottom Line:
these brakes are sweet if you take the time to set em up. they can be really expensive depending where you get them from. and YOU NEED TO BUY A BLEED KIT!! because the factory bleed sucks balls.
if you get these brakes and install them yourself, take time to read the instructions and take time to set them up.
(ill update this review in a few months)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
nibbiotto
a Weekend Warrior
from Italy Date Reviewed: August 27, 2009
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Jenson
Strengths:
Good braking power when they work.
Weaknesses:
Levers always go soft also after bleeding. I replaced one after 3 months but with the same softy problem. I also disassembled the levers changing o-ring but in vain.
Similar Products Used:
Avid Juicy,Shimano XT,Formula Oro
Bottom Line:
I mixed avid code caliper and Juicy 7 levers. Now they are working with strength and modulation.Simply perfect.The best ones i've ever tried. Maybe i'm just unlucky with the original Code.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
collisionman
a Weekend Warrior
from toronto, canada Date Reviewed: June 18, 2009
Favorite Trail:
donvalley single track
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$520.00
Purchased At:
cycle soloutions
Strengths:
when adjusted properly and bled, they work like a dream, absolutely no fade, great modulation, no noise, no drag, works the same wet, dry, or dirty, stop on a dime no matter what.
Weaknesses:
a little pricey, and had a hell of a time setting them up to the way i like my brakes until i bled them
a little pricey but has to be the best investment i made for my bike. i would say that every hard core rider needs these brakes. they feel and work great, buy the brakes and a bleed kit and your golden.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Viv92
a Racer
from Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaMassively powerful. Date Reviewed: June 17, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Illinbah
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
Toodles
Strengths:
Decent power and good adjustability. Lever bearings give a nice smooth feel and keep the levers slop free. Good lever feel, magnesium one's are a decent weight.
Weaknesses:
Really inconsistent. You need to bleed them way too often, every month or so. The lever goes soft and spongey way too fast and the lever travel changes on it's own.
Similar Products Used:
Formula The One, Avid Juicy 3, Elixirs, 09 Saints, 08 Saints, XTs, most major brakes on the market.
Bike Setup:
Izimu with Boxxer teams, Formula the Ones, Pro II/MTX wheels, X9
Bottom Line:
Way too unreliable. The performance is decent when they are working, but that's rare. They still aren't as powerful or as well modulated as The Ones are. Skip the Codes and get The Ones, best DH brake on the market for sure, even for the money. Codes are pretty expensive too.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
downhillrider1
a Downhiller
from Sparks, Nevada, USA Date Reviewed: April 22, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Gypsy
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
pricepoint.com
Strengths:
Amazing strength and modulation, Work great wet, Just amazing brakes, Best brakes I have ever used.
Weaknesses:
Little bit on the expensive side, but if you got the cash, buy them. It's worth it.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes Strokers, Hayes HFX 9, Shimano Saints, Magura Louise.
Bike Setup:
2000, Azonic Worldforce With a manitou xvert carbon fork, and fox vanilla shock.
Bottom Line:
Buy these brakes if you got the cash. They're amazing.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jon C
a Weekend Warrior
from Birmingham UK Date Reviewed: April 4, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Brechfa The Raven
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$230.00
Purchased At:
ChainReactionCycles
Strengths:
Massively powerful.
Weaknesses:
NO modulation what so ever!!!!!
Similar Products Used:
Juivy 5, Elixir, Formula The One
Bike Setup:
Nicolai Helius FR, 36 Van R, DHX Air, SRAM X9.
Bottom Line:
Stupidly powerful, but there is NO modulation - this renders it useless in the UK; there is either no real braking, or your locked up. For Alpine riding it does start to make sense. Order some Formula The One's and bear with the delivery date - they are stunningly modulated and powerful.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Richard Beller
a Weekend Warrior
from Fort Collins, CO USA Date Reviewed: February 9, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Cowboy UP
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
EBay used
Strengths:
Incredible power, fade-free performance, and excellent modulation; no maintenance yet
These brakes are addictive. I started with the Codes on my downhill bike and Avid Juicy 7s on my all-mountain bike. After a few rides with the Code, I replaced the Juicy 7 with Codes. The Juicys heat up and fade on long fast downhills, but the Codes are fade-free. The modulation on the Codes is also significantly better than the Juicy 7. You can slam on the Codes and get an instant stop without skidding. The Juicys (which are still very good) skid easier.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
sunshynjunky
a Cross Country Rider
from Colorado Date Reviewed: January 30, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Commando Loop
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Strengths:
Extremely powerful, quiet, easy and effective adjustment, excellent serviceability,
Weaknesses:
None so far
Similar Products Used:
Earlier Codes, Hayes of various models, shimano
Bike Setup:
Turner RFX, I9 wheels, XO group, Totem Solo Air set to 6" front, RP23 rear
Bottom Line:
These brakes are awesome. To install them you need to cut lines and stuff like that, as with any hydro brake. If you follow the instructions, set up is a breeze. Especially with the bleed kit.
The "feel" is great. you can make them "soft" with lots of modulation or, like I like them, little lever movement and On like Donkey Kong!
All of the adjustments are well thought out. The contact is easy to do even while riding. The lever throw takes a little allen key. You only do this adj once anyway.
I wanted to address the meat head that posted one or two down from me about Sram CS. Those guys have been freakin great with me.
I ordered a new XO group, Totem, Codes, Red Cassette. I put my bike together. I could not get it to stop jumping in the rear. They sent me a new cassette, new chain, and a new shifter with return prepaid packaging to make my life easy.
Then a little oil leak developed on my Totem. They were all over it. New mission control, return prepaid packaging, the works. turns out the mission control was just a little loose too, not broken. They still hooked me up.
All new stuff can have problems. That is why all new cars have warranties. The guys and gals at Sram/Rockshox have been there for me every time.
Their products rock. After the initial bugs on a new bike were sorted, There are Zero function issues.
Also their tech notes are an amazing resource.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
SantaCruzzer
a Downhiller
from Germany Date Reviewed: December 25, 2008
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$540.00
Strengths:
reliability, good power, ergonomic levers, reach and wear adjustment
Weaknesses:
pads are getting worn more on the opposite side of the hose connection, I had to turn them around every day, otherwise it gets expensive!
the wear adjustment knobs need a little too much power and can be getting stuck
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
VP-FREE, Demo 7 II 2008
Bottom Line:
the brakes are good and I had only the two written problems,
I would recommend them for weights about below 200 lbs, I am heavier and will try the new Shimano Saint BR-M810 that should have more power.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
fscwb3
a Downhiller
from girdwood, ak usa Date Reviewed: November 25, 2008
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$380.00
Purchased At:
online
Strengths:
Excellent brakes (when they work)
Weaknesses:
They are very tempermental
Bad seals
HORRIBLE customer service
Similar Products Used:
Hayes, Avid Juicy
Bike Setup:
SX Trail, Avid Codes
Bottom Line:
I bought these and used them for about 3 months of fairly light freeride/all mountain. Within that time they started to fade and needed frequent bleeding. I complied (with the Avid bleed kit) and they would work better for awhile but quickly faded. During bleeding I noticed a lot of black particles in the fluid which i later learned was the remenants the internal seals breaking down. I returned the brakes to Avid and after about a month of wondering what was taking so long I got word today that they are sending back my original brakes (unchanged) along with a new bleed kit and internals for me to fix them myself! If I knew their service would be this bad I would've bought the internals and fixed them myself long ago, thus saving myself from more than a month of not getting to ride. Needles to say I am more than dissapointed in these brakes and more so in Avid/SRAM as a company.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
CrashPanda
a Weekend Warrior
from Chengdu (Sichuan, China) Date Reviewed: November 7, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Local hills
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$450.00
Purchased At:
UniversalCycles
Strengths:
Lever action, ease of adjustment (once bled properly!!), modulation, serious power.
Weaknesses:
Standard hoses.. Picky on caliper alignment on rear. Factory bleeding.
Before ranting about bleeding; Good Brakes. And now to the not-so-great -part...
Read all the available reviews, listened to the comments, bought the brakes... and hit nearly all the listed bleeding-related glitches. More air than (contaminated)fluid in the system out of the box. Doing things with Avid bleeding kit by the book isn't exactly enough, to my experience. In order to get the air properly out from the system, turning & tapping the calipers to avoid air pockets does the trick, along with using both bleeding screws to properly bleed the caliper. No issues with banjo or levers. Although, checking the proper installation of reservoir diaphgram & bolt tightness of reservoir cover is a good idea. Also, to get the best out of the pad contact adjustment, bled the system with adjustment dialled fully in - contrary to the manual -> able to adjust into really 'tight' setting with short reach.
Adjusting the front was a no-issue. No drag, just power. Rear was a little more tricky; the pad contact has to be spot-on in order to avoid the cry of the wild pigs. Required some riding, tweaking, more riding and some more tweaking.
Once set, I nearly forgot that I even have brakes. I just think about speed, distance and line. Power is rather impressive, and luckily, so is the modulation, although I expect the modulation to become a bit 'stiffer' once I change the hoses to Goodridge ones. The standard hoses are... well, crap for reasons too numerous to be described here.
A special mention about the levers. Once everything was done, the feeling was nearly as good as with Formula brakes, which usually have more or less excellent feel. Code standadrd lever is wider, though, which has proven more comfortable on longer downhill sections (using 1-finger braking).
5 chilis for working set-up, 4 overall for all the bleeding to get there.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
taw69
a Weekend Warrior
from Israel Date Reviewed: October 21, 2008
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$320.00
Purchased At:
beyondBikes
Strengths:
extreemely powerfull! But with great modulation once you get used to there power.. Levers are verry well desinged-and strong! Contact adjustment is great too. Look RAD!!!
Weaknesses:
Arrived new out of box - with air in system(despite claiming to be pre-bled)Constantly need bleeding! somehow air keeps getting in them - no matter how well I bleed them, by the book!
Similar Products Used:
Mech.disk,and mostly Hayes nine.
Bike Setup:
Kona Coiler, and Kona Stink Supreme
Bottom Line:
Read the reviews before I bought them- said to my self,bleed problems? I'm A mechanic- no problem will bleed them properly and then have no more fuss...
But problems started as soon as i installed them! didnt shorten the hoses to be safe, but still they were soft(lever to the bars)right out of box!!! so I got A bleed kit- followed the instructions on Avids site - and they worked amazingly!...for one ride. then were soft again.
Now I have to bleed them every weekend before i ride. not what I expected of such A quality product to say the least..
Bottom Line: if your not mechanical minded-or have a lot of money to spend at your LBS, get something more reliable!!!
I'm still looking for A solution to these problems, as otherwise i love these brakes...will update review if i find one.
1 chili for value - as I feel cheated....
4 chilis for overall - as they are great when they work!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Stu
a Downhiller
from Chapel Hill Date Reviewed: October 12, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Powerline
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Strengths:
Once you bed them in, they stop you ridiculously well. These things are like the Mercedes of brakes; kiss arm pump goodbye, because you'll never have it again! Aside from some HOPE 6-piston brakes (who needs 6 pistons to stop, anyway??), you're not going to find better brakes out there. They look cool, too. Even if you think white won't look cool on your bike, it will. It makes them stand out and actually provides a neat contrast.
Weaknesses:
*BLEED THESE THINGS THE FIRST TIME YOU GET THEM!!* Save yourself a lot of frustration and just have your local bike shop bleed your brakes or just do it yourself. My front brake had lever reach problems every time I tried to adjust the brake to stop rubbing. Whenever I would do that, the brake lever would be all the way at the handlebar and wouldn't even be stopping me. I took it to the bike shop to find that there was a huge bubble of air in my system. Once he got that out and re-bled them, the front brake was amazing! It won't rub at all and I barely even need to squeeze it to get my bike to stop (which is the way I like it). Once you bleed your brakes, every problem you'll have with these will be gone.
Also, the brake lines are relatively big, especially the front. You'll definitely want to be cutting them down. I forgot to cut mine when I got mine bled.
Bottom Line:
Get them! Just bleed them when you get them. You'll never regret it! I gave these a 4 for overall rating because you have to spend more money and bleed them :(
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Iceman2058
a Weekend Warrior
from Israel Date Reviewed: August 31, 2008
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$450.00
Strengths:
Awesome power, great lever feel, easy to set up and maintain.
Weaknesses:
Slightly grabby.
Similar Products Used:
Avid Juicy 3, Juicy 5, Hayes Nine
Bike Setup:
Enduro SL, Halo Freedom Rims, Minion DHF/R, Truvativ Shiftguide, RaceFace bash, SRAM PC990/991 cassette/chain, Hope Pro II rear hub
Bottom Line:
If you are looking for a very powerful brake that won't fade or overheat, look no further. The lever feel is very solid, the adjustability is great, although the modulation can be a little bit too much on the stop-go side (but you get used to it quickly). They are also very easy to set up. I got lucky with the factory bleed...no issues here, 3 months down the line.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
bikemuscle
a Downhiller
from Los Alamitos, CA 90720 Date Reviewed: August 25, 2008
Favorite Trail:
A Line Whistler
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
stopping power
Weaknesses:
they heat up, I burn through pads in about a month in the summer when I'm doing a lot of DH trips.
Pads ware unevenly, and they are noisy.
Bike Setup:
2008 V10 888 RC3WC, Sunline direct mount stem, Dirty 30 bars, DT440/EX729, Nevegal 2.7 front 2.5 rear. Sram XO OCT, LG1 taco, DHX 5.0, Pure V seat/cromo rails. Thomson seat post, pd-m647 pedals 43lbs
Bottom Line:
This review is for the 07 model.
I'm buying the 09 saints as soon as I get the cash. I already sent these in for warranty and Sram simply sent me a new set but I had to go through my bike shop. If you send something to them next day they will return it to you the same way. My new set is doing the same thing, and I'm still going through pads too quickly. I guess my weight of 230lbs and my bikes weight of 43lbs is too much for these. Also I tried calling Sram for a small pin the other day and they said I must go through my shop. Get these if your a little guy or for cross country. High maintenance for a heavier DH rider.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
kjahn
a Weekend Warrior
from Lawrence, KS Date Reviewed: August 20, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Moab-Fruita
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
online
Strengths:
all the stopping power you need
Weaknesses:
must be bled and aligned perfectly
Similar Products Used:
avid juicy
Bike Setup:
'05 Santa Cruz VP-Free
Bottom Line:
These are great brakes but you must bleed them (even if new) and align them perfectly. I had the same squeal and lever to the bar probelms until I did this. Watch the vid on youtube for the bleed process. Put your bike in a stand for caliper alignment so you can spin the wheels really fast. No problems now for the last 10 months.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
willi droppants
a Downhiller
from montreal Date Reviewed: August 14, 2008
Favorite Trail:
bromont
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$225.00
Purchased At:
local hustler
Strengths:
galiper lever looks
Weaknesses:
the copany itself the hose is is the cheapest on the market
Similar Products Used:
grimeca basano system 16
Bike Setup:
none of your bizz
Bottom Line:
top perfomanc top price if money is not an issue then this should doo just fine olthought organic pads use up much quicker they provide a sticky feel as of the metal pads gives more of a glide feeling they also last longer and cost more but they can also bee noisi all in all very good braks only the hose is the disapointement i guesse it represents the company values
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
lojack13
a Weekend Warrior
from Ohio Date Reviewed: July 22, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Alum Creek P1 & P2
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$375.00
Purchased At:
Bike Doctor
Strengths:
Extremely easy set up, awesome stopping power, no squealing, great through the muddy stuff.
Weaknesses:
None so far.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes HFX 9, Avid BB7, Hayes El Camino
Bike Setup:
07 Mongoose Black Diamond Triple, Fox DHX 5.0, Totem Solo Air, Avid Codes, Azonic Outlaw wheels, super sick, do everything, bike.
Bottom Line:
I have tried several other hydro brakes and they all have been O.K. But the Codes are bar none the best damn brakes I have ever put on my bike. I keep seeing people writing about the crappy brake pads, I have put about 100 miles of all-mountain and downhill on these and they are still fine. I also read that people are whining about the hoses, again I don't see any problems with them. The contact pad adjustment and lever reach is awesome, and they DO work and stay in place unlike the hayes el caminos adjustments. These brakes never squeal, when you go through soupy stuff the make tad bit of noise and then they're right back to normal in seconds. Easy set up as mentioned above, Hayes brakes suck on set up, they always rub in one spot no matter what you do. The Codes are a little pricey, but well worth every penny. I would recommend these brakes to anyone, from the XC biker to the Downhiller. If you're getting any brakes set, I would recommend sticking with Avid.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Auryn Zimmer
a Weekend Warrior
from bay area, california Date Reviewed: May 5, 2008
Favorite Trail:
most of them
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
jenson
Strengths:
when they are working, they are great. good modulation, big range of adjustability, good power. super easy to install
Weaknesses:
bad seals. weak looking hoses. fragile organic pads. avid's customer service policies suck!
Similar Products Used:
Hope Mono Minis
Bike Setup:
ventana el saltamontes with vanilla fork and dhx 5 coil shock.
Bottom Line:
I had to return both front and rear on different occasions. The brakes are very sensitive to change: either atmospheric, temperature or something. They will feel fine one day on the trail and the next day the lever will go right to the bar, requiring reach/pad contact point adjustment and/or lots of bleeds. I had to return the rear brake when I could no longer bleed it. apparently it got some obstruction somewhere in the system between the caliper and the lever, and fluid could not be pushed up to the lever from the caliper. If your brake is all spongy AND you can't bleed it to fix that, you're SOL - waited 3 weeks for Avid to send me a new one. additionally once they get up to heat they change again. once they are at normal running temperature they seem to work consistently.
recently I went to test out bike pre-ride and the front lever went all the way to the bar - when I messed with the pad contact adjustment, my hand came away all wet with brake fluid. To test my theory that the seals had failed, I started to bleed it. The fluid coming out of the caliper was black and and endless stream of air came out - no longer a closed system... since I have noticed some degree of black stuff in the fluid coming out of the system on all bleeds I have to conclude that the seals in the brakes are crap and they have been slowly degrading into the fluid the whole time until the front one finally totally failed. So now I have to send that back to Avid and wait around to ride off road.
furthermore, Avid's policies concerning customer relations are very dissatisfying. They refuse to deal directly with the end-user, only with the retailer. And they badmouth the consumers - making comments about my supposed lack of mechanical skills or understanding. How can you say something like that to someone you don't even know?
For a set of top of the line brakes that cost over $500, I am very disappointed. bad seals are probably due to some manufacturing error from cutting costs in some chinese factory. perhaps this is just my bad luck and I happened to get 2 of a batch of brakes that got the wrong seals. cheap, thin plastic hoses that don't look like they could withstand more than 1 crash - for $500 I'd like to see some braided stainless lines or at least kevlar reinforced. I have to say, that while the Hope brakes I rode in the past suffered from their own set of problems (way too little power for my riding style, tendency to overheat and fade, incredibly frustrating to install with no concave/convex self centering washers), as far as quality goes - they were top notch. and they came with some really nice stuff like braided stainless lines, floating disc rotors, etc.
hopefully Avid can do something to improve my opinion of them, especially since they are part of the whole SRAM/rockshox/Truvativ group. When they look bad, they make all of those other products look suspect to me.
who should buy this product? I'm not sure. Maybe I just had bad luck? If so, people who should buy this brake are people that need a lot of brake power and resistance to fade. ie: if you are riding a lot of long sustained descents. otherwise they are overkill. I think the reason I got them was because my Hopes suffered so much from fade/overheat problems (which also lead to very noisy squealing) that I wanted to make sure that never happened again. Which admittedly is my fault for riding cross-country brakes on trails that require something bigger. I don't care how much the brakes weigh as long as they work quietly and consistently. So far this has not been the case.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brad M
a Weekend Warrior
from Durban - South africa Date Reviewed: April 15, 2008
Favorite Trail:
The Whiffles
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$525.00
Purchased At:
Melville
Strengths:
4 piston calipers without a doubt. The stopping power is incredible, and modulation is excellent. Dot 5.1 fluid changes all this for the better, over the 4 standard. The lever bearing setup is a winner. Grab any good brakeset levers after a year and see how much play there is in the lever pivot pin, with codes you can change bearings and adjust the tension, no sloppy levers, sure it makes them a bit heavy, but worth the precision. Levers are a bomb proof design and shape for resisting impacts.
Weaknesses:
The 'generic'pads supplied with the initial purchase literally disintegrated in the first few rides. while replacing them i noticed that the rear of the pads were not marked as per the aftermarket Avid pads. The hoses supplied with the initial kit were skinny ass junk, you could literally see them expanding when pressurised. I changed to Hayes hoses (with a few compression nut, hose barb and comp fitting experiments) and the difference was immediate. I dont know whether this was just a product cost cutting exercise on SRAMs part, but either way a crappy addition to a good product. The replacement pads are still good months down the line, with even wear! This system DOES NOT LIKE AIR - any air! If present the brakes pump or fade as they see fit, modulation is impossible to dial continously making consistent riding impossible. If you can't invest in the proper bleed kit then get your LBS to do it,only if the guys are familiar with Avid. I re-bleed at least once every 2 months to maintain consistent braking. Fussy system that work WELL only if maintained. The levers and internals need to be cleaned too, carefully, as there are still no service downloads available for Codes yet, only component exploded views. My rear caliper seized 2 pistons on opposite sides, which had to be drilled and chipped out before replacement, took hours so as not to damage the chambers.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano - although no similar 4 piston caliper systems have been available of late.
When these are cared for they WORK. No doubts! you will outride your mates because of the awsome quick stopping power and adjustability. If you dont like fussing with your bike, or aren't mechanical, these aren't for you. Go SAINT rather. 4 Hot ones for the system. the fifth was lost because of SRAMS cheap add ins which cost me moolah to sort! Expensive brakes here, but you get what you pay for (or you SHOULD get what you pay for - SRAM!)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jan Meyer
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney, NSW Australia Date Reviewed: April 8, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Oxford Falls
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$450.00
Purchased At:
ebay store
Bottom Line:
This is just an update of my previous review. Bike setup hasn't changed much except for some bling parts.
I have still to change the pads from my original pads. I have done a bit of downhill on some seriously steep hills and a lot of riding at my local freeride track. The freeride track doesn't require nearly as much braking as the downhill runs, but I do get out there very often (twice a week at least).
I haven't re-bled it yet either, but my friend did his. He rides a bit less and after a period of not riding for a month his brakes seemed very snappy. The bleed fixed it and all is good, but it could be some effect of the fluid they use that doesn't like to stand for too long without use.
All in all, I am still 100% happy with this purchase a year on and will buy them again if something went wrong. As far as noise goes, I do occasionally get it to be noisy, but it's always because of excessive dust and a couple of brake taps sort it out quickly.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dominik
a
from Port coquitlam Date Reviewed: April 6, 2008
Favorite Trail:
triple crown,galloway,flywheel
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
used
Strengths:
Will stop you really fast and hard to overheat
Weaknesses:
You need to buy a syringe set to change the oil.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes 9,avidd bb7,
Bike Setup:
shore 2
Bottom Line:
If you put a little bit of copper compound they are the best brakes out there.It stops the squeeling if you dont like them so strong put a little more then usual just dont put to much.I really recommend it it also stops them from overheating and slows down pad wear.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gavin
a Weekend Warrior
from Vancouver Date Reviewed: March 13, 2008
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
very strong and precise
Weaknesses:
weight
Bike Setup:
2008 sx trail, custom
Bottom Line:
These are amazing brakes. These were my first pair of hydros I've had and they blew me out of the water. When you sqeeze the lever, you are stopping for sure. They are a little on the heavy side, but the new ones look like they shaved off those pounds a bit. Definitly get these brakes!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jake
a
from pawcatuck, ct, usa Date Reviewed: March 10, 2008
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
light weight, powerful as anything, modulation modulation modulation!
Weaknesses:
none that i can see!
Similar Products Used:
avid bb7's and juicy ultimates, everthing hayes
Bike Setup:
2004 enduro, completely rebuilt with 2008 components..one mean slopestly/urban bomber!
Bottom Line:
these are my first pair of hydros. I have always run BB7's on my DH bikes (i'm a light guy!) with no issues, but i wanted to try em. These brakes are awesome. Not only could they stop a tank, but they feel great. The modulation owns! I only faceplant if I want to :D And did i mention they are less expensive then comprable brakes?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Josh E
a Downhiller
from portland, OR Date Reviewed: December 27, 2007
Favorite Trail:
stub stewert
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
amazon.com
Strengths:
everything, lighter than i expected.
Weaknesses:
the reach adjust is hard to get to, the avid code 5s do not have a pad adjust which means ur reach adjust is the only bet.
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
2007 mongoose firebal, SRAM x.7 drivetrain
Bottom Line:
if you get used to it theese brakes rule. no problems what so ever! it takes forever to learn how to not skid on them. its tricky. but it can be done. theese are my first hydros and i love em, they stop me so fast! i can barely scweez the lever and have a friend try to spin the back tire as hard as he can and he cannot make it budge, theese are beasts. but be warnd. when purchosing. make sure it says "avid code" instead of "avid code 5" very easy to miss. 5/5
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason Koplin
a Cross Country Rider
from COLORADO Date Reviewed: December 5, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Commando loop
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$300.00
Strengths:
Excellent feel, totally adjustable, wide range of adjustments, very powerful, very easy to set up, well thought out and easy line alteration, excellent bleed system( I would buy again just for the bleed kit), quiet,
Great brakes, as I listed before, all the good stuff you would want in a brake none of the bad. I must say, the bleed kit is a thing of beauty. not a drip, no bubbles, excellent system. I will recommend Juicy's and Codes just for the bleed kit. No hoses popping, fluid on the floor/frame, no missed bubbles, no doing it over. These brakes are great quiet, powerful, excellent modulation, no lever play at all yet very smooth due to the bearings. I am quite pleased. I bought a front set to replace my busted Hayes, thinking I would get the rear when my rear hayes died. Once installed, I quickly ordered a rear Code. It was such a drastic difference. Anyway, by 'um, you will be happy, get the bleed kit too. Happy trails
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ken
a
from Boulder, CO Date Reviewed: November 21, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
* Power * Power * Modulation * Adjustment * Nice bleed system * Power
Weaknesses:
* Setup/alignment of rear caliper can be a pain. * Organic pads wear fairly fast.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes, Magura, Hope
Bike Setup:
Intense Uzzi VPX - DHX5, Totem, Hadley's, etc.
Bottom Line:
These brakes have more modulation and stopping power than any non-motorized bike will ever need. I'm 250+ with gear and these things consistently stop with ease through a long day of running the lifts.
My only gripe is alignment. The tri-alignment system gives you plenty of flexibility, but can make it easy to have things just a little "off" on the rear. I thought I had mine dialed but was still having issues with vibration and brake howl. I tried new pads, a new rotor, cleaning and sanding but still couldn't get the thing to quiet down. After quite a bit of tinkering it all came down to caliper alignment.. Once I got it _perfectly_ aligned then it started working like a dream. Overall I'm still firmly convinced they are the best brake on the market right now. True one-finger braking even on the steepest rollers.
I'm not sure how anyone has had issues with adjustments?? The dial adjustment is great for fine tuning and there is still an allen head adjustment in the lever for the initial reach setup.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Weekend Warrior
from Bothell Date Reviewed: November 17, 2007
Favorite Trail:
911
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Incredibly powerful with modulation. Sweet looking. I have the 2007 codes which are black.
Weaknesses:
None if you use them for what they are intended.
Similar Products Used:
Avid BB7
Bike Setup:
2006 Santa Cruz Nomad. Fox DHX shock with ti spring. Saint/XTR components. Fox Van RC2 36 fork. Deemax.
Bottom Line:
If you like to go fast these are the brakes for you. Up at Whistler you can wait until the absolute last moment to brake for the corner and these bad boys will slow you in a second. Not only are they powerful but you can dial in how firm they feel at the lever. I like to ride moto style with the front brake on the right and these levers are ambidextrous.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Downhiller
from Munich Date Reviewed: November 8, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Evil Eye
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$450.00
Strengths:
Modulation is perfect Strength Weight is good for the power on mine (2008 model)
Probably the best out there I definitely recommend them to anyone freeriding or downhilling
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paul
a Downhiller
from Vancouver BC Date Reviewed: November 5, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
privately
Strengths:
build quality, finish, overall feel and design.
Weaknesses:
Although I know how to do it, no instructions on how to shorten brake hoses or accessory tools to do it.
No instructions on how to bleed the system.
I hate using D.O.T fluid, would prefer a mineral oil, open bath system
Similar Products Used:
Magura Louise FR, Hayes Mag, Shimano Deore
Bike Setup:
07 SC Bullit, DH setup.
Bottom Line:
These are the new 2008 codes with stock organic pads
Because I weigh 200lbs and ride alot of steeps I was looking for a more powerful 4 piston brake and these deliver. First ride in the wet and muck and overall very pleased. No brake squealing like everyone else seems to harp on about.
I really like their positioning system of concave washers, really smart and they are easy to setup.
Think of your Saints with more power and the same modulation.
Nice lever feel and adjustability and they look just killer.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lindsay MacQueen
a Downhiller
from Orange, New South Wales, Australia Date Reviewed: October 30, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Mt. Canobolas - all of 'em!
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$420.00
Purchased At:
Torpedo7.com
Strengths:
As I have only recieved the brakes and set them up today, I haven't had much time with them. However, from the short ride around the block I had, they had awesome power and modulation, and they aren't even broken in yet! Everything is easy to set up and get running also.
Weaknesses:
None yet, but I may find some when I have ridden and used them a little more. Price possibly?
Similar Products Used:
Hayes HFX-9, Avid Juicy 5
Bike Setup:
2006 Norco Shore 3, Mag 30s laced to Axiom hubs, X-7 shifter and derailleur, Oury lock-ons, Kenda Nevagals, good bike overall...I like it
Bottom Line:
As already stated, I have only received these brakes this arvo. therefore have not had enough time to test them in depth, overall so far they are tops, no problems yet.
My only problem so far is the price maybe, but I got mine for a stupidly low price on special, so no worries...
I will write a more in depth review in a couple of months after a few shuttle weekends and races hopefully.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
rob
a Weekend Warrior
from Phoenix, AZ Date Reviewed: September 29, 2007
Favorite Trail:
National
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Slippery Pig
Strengths:
Great modulation, and stopping power.
Weaknesses:
None if you break in the rotors properly
Similar Products Used:
Hayes 9, Shimano XT, Saint, XTR, Magura Julies,
Bike Setup:
Turner Sultan 29er built for all mountain use
Bottom Line:
The brakes are great, anyone who complains about the vibration, did not take the time to brake them in properly. they are vibrating because there is not a consistant amount of material left on the rotors (usally from overheating durring brake in period). If you ride them around your neighborhood streets for a few miles, and feather the brakes, instead of stopping hard, they will not overheat, and the surface will receive a consistant amount of residue from the pads. They are vibrating because when the pads hit a part of the rotor with proper pad residue, they grab, and when it hits a part of the rotor with no residue, it slips (like when you run your finger on top of a crystal wine glass and it hums). Avid will send you a new rotor if you ask for one. I will give 5 chilies for value (you get what you pay for), and 5 chilies overall because they are great brakes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt Kuhl
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego, CA Date Reviewed: September 13, 2007
Favorite Trail:
San Diego anywhere
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
Brute stopping power, FANTASTIC modulation
Weaknesses:
We'll see if they are maybe TOO much out on the very dry trails in San Diego
I think these could stop my motorcycle in a respectable distance. I swapped the stock Juicy7's from my Remedy onto my 3900 and was amazed at the difference from mechanical to hydraulic and then I got these on my Remedy and I almost went over the handlebars on my first stoppy. I haven't done a "real" test on my fave downhill rides yet, but I am glad I tested these on the street first!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David
a Downhiller
from Oceano, CA Date Reviewed: September 5, 2007
Favorite Trail:
The Ridge
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
Cambria Bike
Strengths:
Adjustability, Color, Break away levers
Weaknesses:
Not very strong, The rear brake squeals like a dying animal, and vibrates my entire bike
Similar Products Used:
Hayes
Bike Setup:
Trek Session 10, Stock except for I-Beam seat, and hayes brakes, and firm spring for the Travis
Bottom Line:
I have been riding mountain bikes for 17 years, and really love it. I'm a big guy(240), so I put equipment to a test. I could not belive how loud these brakes were, along with the vibration. I thought they would break in, or that I had installed them wrong. I took them to the shop I purchased them at, and they were cool enough to look at them, and give me a free brake bleed. Still could not stand to use the rear brake. The front did not have as much power as my Hayes. I called Avid and spoke to a tech there, he had a good point, it may just be a certain harmonic that is set up with my bike. I just can't stand it and have read similar stories. If you wiegh less, or have a different bike set-up they may be great. Expensive to try out though.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kaya
a Downhiller
from Lakewood, CA USA Date Reviewed: September 2, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Flow
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
The Path
Strengths:
Adjustable Pad Contact & no brake fade.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Shimano Saints & SRAM Juicy 7's
Bike Setup:
Iron Horse Sunday, Code Brakes, 888's, Fox Coil ( about to get rid of them ), etc...
Bottom Line:
It works and you'll stop when you want to. Good brakes for gravity assisted riders.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
travis westerkamp
a Downhiller
from hamburg nj Date Reviewed: August 25, 2007
Favorite Trail:
diablo freeride park
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
cycleworks
Strengths:
strong! NO plastic! easy to find parts for them. affordable
Weaknesses:
COLOR!
Similar Products Used:
hayes,shimano,magura,hope
Bike Setup:
giant faith 2
Bottom Line:
nice brake! nice desighn. strong and reliable. i definitly recomend them to dh/fr bikers and maby enen trials
if you can find them get them!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jan Meyer
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney, NSW Australia Date Reviewed: August 8, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Oxford Falls
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$450.00
Purchased At:
ebay store
Strengths:
Plenty of braking power, unbelievable adjustability and modulation. Rock solid feel and super consistant.
Weaknesses:
For me... none
Similar Products Used:
Hayes 9, Hayes 9 Mag, Avid juicy 5, El camino (friends bike)
Bike Setup:
Giant Faith 1, 888RC, 2.7 minion front, 2.5 minion rear with X9 and of course Codes!
Bottom Line:
If you want a brake that will perform every time you use it, then get these babies. Honestly the best brake I have ever felt by far. I look at people riding with other brakes (excluding hope or magura) and I feel pity. It is consistant, very, very adjustable so you can tune it the way you like to ride and it has enough braking power to stop even the biggest riders out there solid. From all the upgrades my bike has undergone this will have to be my favorite and most dramatic change. I really cannot say enough how happy I am with them. They are stock with organic pads and plastic hoses.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brad
a Cross Country Rider
from Bellingham, WA Date Reviewed: July 22, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Retarded Awesome
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Powerful
Weaknesses:
Organic pads do not last very long Rear brake is noisy Pad contact adjustment dial bottoms out adjustment before it reaches the point I want it to, and only gets worse as the pads wear.
Similar Products Used:
Formula Oro Bianco, Hayes Mag, Juicy
Bike Setup:
Bottlerocket
Bottom Line:
This brake is spec'ed with an organic brake pad that only lasted me 3 weeks before both front and rear were worn to the metal. This is total BS, as I had not even done any shuttle runs yet. Upon contacting SRAM, they said it was to make them grippier, and that the organic pad worked well for "most" users. The guy then insulted my braking technique. Maybe you guys over there at Avid should get out of Chicago for awhile and come and ride some steep trails. I bought these because I thought they were the best for freeride. Why do 4-piston brakes need grippier pads? I complained enough to where they sent me new brake pads, but they sent organic ones again. Lame. I bought some metallic ones, the feel of the brake is the same, they are now just noisier. The technique to changing pads is to pry the old pads apart (to push the pistons back) which cracked one my piston heads. This is totally lame. The rear brake changes feel often. I have bled, rebled, rebled, new pads, new rotors, it's inconsistent just like the Juicy 5's. The pad contact adjustment is pretty much useless. It's maxed out and I still want it to contact closer. SRAM tech support is garbage, the guy I spoke to knew very little about the product.
Dear Avid, you innovation is great, but try using some hacks to test your new products instead of pro dh'ers that never use their brakes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt Jones
a Downhiller
from red deer, alberta, canada Date Reviewed: July 19, 2007
Favorite Trail:
C.O.P.
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
sport chek
Strengths:
great stopping power, i love the feel and the pad contact ajuster dial, easy to set up.
Weaknesses:
the back brake vibrates the bike so bad it goes through my knees and is soo loud and wont shut up. i have called every bike shop i can think of and none have been able to help me figure it out. i called sram, wich is linked with avid and they couldent help me either, i have tried everything and i am starting to wana return it. ill leave anouther comment if i figure out how to fix it.
Similar Products Used:
hayes
Bike Setup:
norco six, 90% upgraded
Bottom Line:
good brakes if they work right.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Huck_This
a Downhiller
from Canada Date Reviewed: June 25, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Eddy Cycle
Strengths:
Amazing stopping power. No fade what-so-ever. Amazing control and modulation. So easy to adjust to your riding style. You can also swap the fluid for DOT 5.1
Everything is beefy and really solid. You can also adjust your pad engagement point while riding.
Weaknesses:
None so far.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes
Bike Setup:
2004 Iron Horse SGS DH with a 05 Boxxer team fork and 06 Manitou 6 way
Bottom Line:
My confidence level went way up and I am actually riding faster. I recommend these brakes to any downhiller out there.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Royce
a Weekend Warrior
from Asheville, NC USA Date Reviewed: June 19, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$375.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
amazing braking, good looks, nice rotos, and the box they come in is amazing. What makes them so nice for me is that they can stop you anywhere, but the control and modulation you have is unbelievable. Also, I think that they are a good price for what you get (bought front and rear on ebay for $375)
Weaknesses:
they are a little heavy, but that just means that I will have to pedal harder
Similar Products Used:
had Hayes HMX-2 mechanicals on there before, total crap
Bike Setup:
'05 P.2, stock except Lo Pro Mag pedals, Holy Rollers, and now awesome brakes
Bottom Line:
if you don't count every gram and want some amazing brakes, look no further. They are super easy to set up, and you can adjust EVERYTHING. One of their slogans for these is "no plastic anywhere" and they are right, they are built super tough. The things look great too, pretty intimidating (the 8" disc doesnt hurt) and I like the color, probably because it matches my bike. So, the bottom line? 5 smokin chilis across the board
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jamie Roberts
a Downhiller
from Auckland, New Zealand Date Reviewed: June 16, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Taniwha
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
bikesmith
Strengths:
Powerful with good modulation, Really strong and consistant.
Weaknesses:
colour and weight, who cares? (me, I sprayed them white to match my 888's)
Similar Products Used:
Hope 6's (quality),Hope M4 (quality) All juicys (just an average OEM brake)
Bike Setup:
Ellsworth Rogue, 888's, Sram X9, Diabulos
Bottom Line:
Powerful stoppers that work all the time. They do weigh a bit. I'd consider swapping the levers for ultimates but I crash too much so I'm happy with the durability. Don't use thick grease behind the red dials as dirt sticks to it becomes gritty.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David Lowe
a Downhiller
from NC Date Reviewed: June 12, 2007
Favorite Trail:
cf
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$345.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
THEY STOP ON A DIME! LOOK COOL! BEST BRAKES EVERY USED.
Weaknesses:
NONE. A LITTLE PRICEY BUT NOT TOO BAD
Similar Products Used:
HAYES MAGE HD...JUNK...JUCIY 7...THEY WORK
Bike Setup:
KONA STAB 888'S DHX 5.0 X9 RACEFACE E13
Bottom Line:
THE BEST BRAKES OUT THERE NOTHING ELSE IS BETTER
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Derek
a Weekend Warrior
from San Jose, CA, USA Date Reviewed: June 7, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$250.00
Strengths:
Powerful!
Weaknesses:
None.
Similar Products Used:
Juicy 7s
Bike Setup:
06 Enduro Lyrik Solo Air etc
Bottom Line:
I'm 230lbs and my Juicy 7s just weren't stopping me like I wanted, especially on steep DH runs like Downieville, etc. Enter the Codes and I've FINALLY found a brake that stops me like I've always wanted. Go get 'em.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt
a Downhiller
from North Vancouver, B.C , Canada Date Reviewed: May 30, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Air Supply
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Steed Cycles
Strengths:
Very powerful (obviously LOL) and they are very responsive and very easy to change
Weaknesses:
People below this post complain about the back rotor being noisy but that is only when the brake pads first wear in and after that they dont make that noise any more... in fact they are very quiet (I had the exact same thing at first for about 3 rides but then it stopped)
Similar Products Used:
Juicy 7s, Hayes HFX 9s, shimano Saints
Bike Setup:
07 VP Free SPX kit
Bottom Line:
awsome brake! for 08 they will be lighter (which is good for weight weinees) but other than that they are super easy to use and have a sweet and confident feel. No matter what condition you can stop on almost anything!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sal Mazzara
a Downhiller
from Moorpark Date Reviewed: May 26, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Backbone
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$550.00
Purchased At:
Local Shop
Strengths:
Great power, work great when warmed up.
Weaknesses:
The rear are sooo loud I can't stand it. What a fool I was to upgrade my Nomad with these when the 7's worked great. Should have bought another set of 7's for my other bike when replacing the Hayes on it.
Cleaning, new pads and all of the other tricks have not helped at all.
Go with the 7's.
Similar Products Used:
7's, Hayes.
Bike Setup:
Nomad AM package & Blur LT
Bottom Line:
Save youe money. Go with the 7's. They work almost as well and are won't wake the dead when you use the.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gagnon
a Downhiller
from Quebec city Date Reviewed: May 25, 2007
Favorite Trail:
bromont/ste-anne
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$600.00
Strengths:
Modulation, awesome power, compare to the juicy 7, the life of the pad!!!!
Weaknesses:
A bit slow before full power caus they are made for hard dh but as soon they get hot, damm powerfull!!
For those who complain about the fact that they are a bit heavy, run a juicy Ultimite, with the code caliper, Strong break, really stable, and those who say that the power is never the same, learn how to f*cking bleed a break!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Greg
a Downhiller
from Australia Date Reviewed: May 24, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$260.00
Strengths:
Looks good solid braking power
Weaknesses:
Mad vibration through entire bike, my back brake just won't shut up i've tried everything to fix the noise/vibration no luck......
Similar Products Used:
Hayes nines, dice, juicy sevens, fives
Bike Setup:
Norco team dh
Bottom Line:
Just not sure about this brake...they couter-act gravity they are so powerful but the back brake is so fricken noisy and i'm waiting for my front brakes to go the same way...........if they didnt make you contantly notice them they would be the best brake on the planet...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Road Rash
a Downhiller
from Kamloops, BC, Canada Date Reviewed: May 16, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
awesome power - awesome modulation - so easy to install and setup
Weaknesses:
none yet
Similar Products Used:
Shimano Deore's, Juicy 7's
Bike Setup:
2005 Demo 8 Pro
Bottom Line:
These make the steep and deep so much fun. Total confidence they will be there when you need them, even for a big boy at 230lbs. No fade at all, though yet to hit the longer elev runs at the bike park.
Sintered pads just arrived - I'm actually concerned they might be too much stopping power!
Upgraded from the Juicy 7's which I loved, and I was amazed at the difference. Juicy's are now perfect for my all mountain rig.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James
a Downhiller
from Kelowna, BC Date Reviewed: May 11, 2007
Favorite Trail:
anything where i'm not touching the ground
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Gerick Cycle
Strengths:
lets just say that after having these, everything else feels weak. lots of lever adjustment, gobbs of power, excellent modulation, everything a good brake should be.
Weaknesses:
i don't notice the weight, so it's all good.
Similar Products Used:
hayes of all sorts, juicys, avid cables, shimano cables
Bike Setup:
norco aline... it's heavy.
Bottom Line:
bottom line, the best brakes i have used. they do their job which is stop me on my bike every time in a short distance. get them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Zbynek Mach
a Racer
from Klenci pod Cerchovem, Czech Republik Date Reviewed: April 9, 2007
Favorite Trail:
dirt, streets, trial
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
I think, this brakes are very very strong and very good :) 4-pistons are really good thing. I use Codes on rear on my bike, and I ride trial, street and dirt. It's very sensitive and very strong. I like it. This brake you can use for any type of riding.
Weaknesses:
I find nothing :)
Similar Products Used:
Hayes MX-2, Mag, HFX9, Shimano Deore, Avid Juicy 5
Bike Setup:
Haro Zero 2005, RS Pike 426, singlespeed
Bottom Line:
I have ride mechanical brakes Hayes MX-2, hydraulic Hayes Mag, HFX9, shimano Deore and Avid Juicy 5, this are good brakes. But the Avid CODE is different of all this. 4-pistons are noticeable. The set up of sensibility is very extensive. I recommend it...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike Bike Guy
a Cross Country Rider
from Ashburn Date Reviewed: March 2, 2007
Favorite Trail:
wet & stanky
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
www.pedalshop.com
Strengths:
super easy to set up - super strong / even brand new they were strong right out of the box - looks great - hose seems to be a bit more flexy than other brands (that's good right?) - abidextris = 2 bolt handlebar bolt (easy to remove) - bearings!!! yeah baby, smooooooth and super easy to adjust.
Weaknesses:
weight but like most other said, who cares.
Similar Products Used:
Avid 7's, Hayes
Bike Setup:
Set up on the shop demo bike: a pimp'd out Kona Coiler Deluxe (heavy with modifications) and that's not heavy as in weight, that's heavy with more blingy of a build kit.
Bottom Line:
I have set up a ton of different brake systems on not only my own bikes but customer bikes as well. These bad boys are sick... Impatient boy below says they felt different with each pull of the lever: OK, maybe he got a system with a bubble in the line: you can fix that...& it happens.
All I can say is, this is the first time I have set up a demo bike where the brand new brakes felt strong right from the box, usually it takes ab9out 3 hours of riding before the brakes are broken in and feel the way they are supposed to feel. It took me only about 10 minutes to set up the two brakes, another 2 fine tuning the feel of the levers. AVID really got it right on these brakes... THANKS AVID!!!
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Submitted by
patrik pena
a Downhiller
from El paso, Tx, USA Date Reviewed: January 18, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$380.00
Purchased At:
internet
Strengths:
Amazing modulation, lock if you want em' to but only when YOU want it. Lever feel is incredible. NO FADE whatsoever. Simple to set up. Everything! Huge improvement over anything ever owned or tried even.
Weaknesses:
none so far
Similar Products Used:
hayes hfx 9, shimano
Bottom Line:
do not hesitate to buy them, I was going to go with something more "tried and true" and I am so glad I did not settle for anything else. Truly amazing brakes with no flaws so far. Perfect for freeriders and racers alike. I see no reason anyone who rides hard and fast should not buy these. Overkill on anything less then a big bike though.
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Submitted by
dirtdigler
a Downhiller
from sydney australia Date Reviewed: January 3, 2007
Favorite Trail:
anything
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
cannondale warehouse
Strengths:
solid design no plastic levers soooo smooth with bearings and on the fly adjust ridiculoulsly powerfull
Weaknesses:
a little heavy but who cares
Similar Products Used:
hayes 9 dice/ wiplash/shimano
Bike Setup:
cannondale gemini mavic325 rims maz bomber 66RC2X forks fox vanilla rear grind lock on grips sram x9 truavita hussfelt cranks and bb 36 teeth single maxix minion 2.5 f & r
Bottom Line:
These stop like nothing I have ever used before , back off the lever for more play and modulation , first time using I grabed a handfull at low speed and the bike felt like a 2 x 4 hardwood had been shoved in the spokes the bike stoped dead and I did a superman over the bars , really really good brakes !!! if you are a big guy dont hesitate buy them now , dont know what that weener below was on about these are the sh*t.
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Submitted by
Kemp Park
a Downhiller
from Seoul, Korea Date Reviewed: December 21, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Dirt merchant, Schleyer
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$360.00
Purchased At:
local distributor
Strengths:
look, color.
Weaknesses:
weight, no modulation at all..., lever feel changes on every single time applying pressure.
Similar Products Used:
a lots of Hayes Mags, XT, hope 6ti, M4, BB7, 07 XTR with XT caliper
Bike Setup:
07 V10, 07 fox 40 rc2, saint crank, hadley hubs...
Bottom Line:
stopping power is as good as hope 6 ti, though it is very difficult to know the time when the pistons are fully engaged...sometime it locks up fully on 1/3 of lever push...sometimes fully on 1/2 of lever in...it changes everytime...think it is my fault not bleeding properly? you must be FXXKing kidding.
I taught Hayes distributor mech guys. here in Korea. and bleeding tons of brakes....
Really sucks....maybe it is just because of lever...samhill also uses code caliper with juicy lever, that is maybe because of that...not sure though...I will ask him when I see him next summer in Whistler.
Brakes are to control your bike...and it has to be tamed and controlled by your will fully...
so do not buy this brakes if you are serious mountainbiker.
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Submitted by
Lukasz
a Downhiller
from Wroclaw, PL Date Reviewed: November 7, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
local shop
Strengths:
bombproof design, smart design of lever, great braking power, to be honest: everything about them is great
Weaknesses:
weight
Similar Products Used:
Deore XT (old 4 piston caliper), Hayes Mag HD
Bike Setup:
Duncon Cane Corso with Roco RC, RS Boxxer Team 07, Truvativ cranks, stem, handlebar, SRAM etc.
Bottom Line:
The bottom line? Just get'em if you only have an opportunity. I got mine for only a week, but even the discs and pads are still fresh you can feel the possibilities of this brake. Easy to control, became into powerful beasts after a few rides. Works fine in a heavy rain and the only thing I can't tell about them is the heat resistance. Codes are heavy, but who cares? Atherthons ride them with Ultimate levers. Quite smart.
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Submitted by
paul
a
from vancouver bc Date Reviewed: October 29, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Bottom Line:
GREAT BRAKES i was able to take these brakes down anything i wanted to
$
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