Avid Elixir 3 Disc Brake System

2.86/5 (14 Reviews)
MSRP : $93.99


  • Store Price

Product Description

The Elixir 3 isThe perfect blend of power, performance and value. WithThe same excellent performance as its big brotherThe Elixir CR, The Elixir 3 is a less expensive version with a little added weight.The Elixir 3 featuresTaperBoreTechnology found inThe more expensive brakes offered by Avid. TaperBore refersToThe patent pending closure systemThat shaves weight, looks sleek, and improves lever feedback, and provides ultimate power and control. EnjoyTheTop- loading pad feature. Replace pads w


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Reviews 1 - 14 (14 Reviews Total)

User Reviews

Overall Rating:1
Value Rating:2
Submitted by nate

Date Reviewed: April 12, 2013

Strengths:    appearance

Weaknesses:    embarassing ear piercing squeal
medium power


Bottom Line:   
wow! carefully read reviews on many bikes before i purchased, finally decided on the 2013 trance 29er x1great reviews EXCEPT... you guessed it, elixer 3s. after riding now for just under 20 years, i felt confident in getting the issue addressed.the bike shop was able to temporarily get them quiet( squealout and adj.) , but within 20 miles here came angry pig battalion.i also centered caliper, sanded (AND BEDDED PADS TO AVIDS SPECS)rotor is straight. bike is 2 months old and im hesitant to ride it because of the frustration level. wish i could get at least half of retail and buy some xts. BELIEVE THE REVIEWS! love the bike hate the avid elixer 3s

Overall Rating:3
Value Rating:3
Submitted by MTBeing

Date Reviewed: March 10, 2013

Strengths:    They modulate well and stop my 200# frame with a 170mm/160mm HS1 rotor combo. I don't know what else to say, the brakes and do what they're supposed to do. Love the fact that you don't have to take the caliper off to remove the pads. This is a great piece of engineering by Avid. As a result it takes less than 1 minute to change pads.

Weaknesses:    A little front brake noise that seems to go away the LONGER I ride. The oem pads are a little gritty feeling and have a intermittent squeal in the front. Don't like the little retaining clip that keeps the pad bolt from backing out of the caliper. I know it's gonna disappear some day.

Bottom Line:   
Came stock on my 2013 Giant Trance X29 and overall I've been pleased with them for the 2 months I've ridden with them. I bedded these exactly as Avid recommends and it may be a reason that I've had decent luck with them. I know others have had really poor luck with even XO/XX brakes but I have to review on what I've experienced. I soak the pads for in isopropyl alcohol every couple weeks and scrub them with a toothbrush, then re-install. I haven't had a chance to ride these in the extreme heat or in the web so I'm unsure as to how they will behave in those conditions.

I'm pleased so far but I'll revise this review if something changes.

Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:4
Submitted by Kamil

Date Reviewed: February 5, 2013

Strengths:    Hella big stoping power. Actually it's stronger than any shimano brake and hayes i've ever used.

Weaknesses:    Bleeding is a necessary skill. Since it's got to be bled few times a year

Bottom Line:   
It's a great brake. But bleeding can be pain.

Overall Rating:3
Value Rating:3
Submitted by Luposian

Date Reviewed: December 12, 2012

Strengths:    They brake solidly and feel like they stop you far more "positively" than the rim brakes on my 1997 Schwinn S-10 ever did.

Weaknesses:    Noisy. Gritty. Oscillations. After a couple days of riding my 2011 Giant Trance X3, I noticed these brakes started sounding/feeling kinda odd. I asked my LBS and they just dismissed me and said everything was fine. After trying a simple cleaning, they felt smooth again, but then started acting up again. My LBS is now looking them over again and we'll see how they fare.

Bottom Line:   
They seem to work solidly. They're just kinda noisy and noises seem to radiate right through to the pedals and make the whole back end vibrate. It's unnerving but... I can't complain much... they came with the bike and they work. If they ever give me more trouble than just noise, I'll upgrade to Shimano. Almost everything else on the bike is Shimano... why not the brakes as well? :-D

Overall Rating:2
Value Rating:2
Submitted by engrmariano a Weekend Warrior

Date Reviewed: September 15, 2012

Strengths:    got enough power to stop the bike...
doesnt require too much effort for the brakes to bite...


Weaknesses:    noisy & not smooth...
calipers slowly engages on its own after a few months of usage. 3 of us got the same exact problem...


Bottom Line:   
got lots of problem with in two months of usage. the calipers slowly engages on its own until you feel the bike is getting heavy. 3 of us got the same exact problem, so its a know issue of this brake...

Expand full review >>

Purchased At:   Tay Junction, Singap

Similar Products Used:   my local lbs only got hayes so i have no choice but to use hayes on my rear...

Bike Setup:   2011 Specialized Camber Elite 29er

Overall Rating:2
Value Rating:2
Submitted by zenkem

Date Reviewed: September 5, 2012

Strengths:    Entry level

Weaknesses:    Weak, noisy and overheat easily

Bottom Line:   
Came on a new ride, almost killed myself during a Downhill descent when I experienced brake fade. Went to the LBS and exchanged them for a different brand. They may be alright for moderate cross country but you won't catch me riding them...

Overall Rating:2
Value Rating:3
Submitted by Ben

Date Reviewed: August 4, 2012

Strengths:    At first they were really nice and quite sharp

Weaknesses:    Weak, don't last long

Bottom Line:   
After only a week of riding the brakes have started to play up which isn't good! They're making really weird water/oily noises and aren't reacting very good and sometimes don't work!

Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by neuregel a Cross Country Rider

Date Reviewed: July 20, 2012

Strengths:    white color

Weaknesses:    none

Bottom Line:   
These came stock on my trek superfly. nothing on my bike is stock cept the brakes and the Fox Evolution Series 32 Float 29 RL. Im out on the trails 2 to 3 times a week and put in anywhere from 10 to 35 miles of riding xc a week. Mine work great with very minimal noise, Great modulation and little to no maintenece. I clean them after every ride with paper towels and windex or what ever my wife as availble.

Expand full review >>

Similar Products Used:   prefer v-brakes always have always will.

Bike Setup:   xc

Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:4
Submitted by dman1123 a All Mountain Rider

Date Reviewed: July 19, 2012

Strengths:    Good brakes for the money, reliable, decent power and modulation.

Weaknesses:    Changing out pads can be a pain

Bottom Line:   
I'm not really sure where all the bad reviews about these are coming from, unless I just got lucky with mine. I've had these on my am hardtail for a year now with no major problems whatsoever. It did take a while for them to get worn in and I experienced the usual squealing and vibrations but after the first few rides these issues cleared up and haven't returned. After recently replacing the pads for the first time they feel as good as new and I have yet to feel the need to bleed them even after hundreds of miles of hard trail riding and a few hard crashes.

Overall Rating:3
Value Rating:3
Submitted by Gravatrax

Date Reviewed: June 1, 2012

Strengths:    Cheap
Lightweight
Strong Front Brake


Weaknesses:    Noise. Noise. Noise. Rub. Noise. More Noise. More Rub.
Back break could be stronger
Pain to bleed


Bottom Line:   
Get the Shimano equivalents, Deore XT Silver or something like that. I think they may be SLIGHTLY heavier but with more reliable power and won't rub and howel all the godam time.

Overall Rating:3
Value Rating:4
Submitted by LostMyYo

Date Reviewed: May 9, 2012

Strengths:    Good value, easy to install on my 2011 Inbred 29er Frame.

Weaknesses:    Braking is a bit noisy. Rear brake came with a lot of extra brake line so I needed to buy a bleed kit after shortening the line.

Bottom Line:   
This is my first set of hydro disc brakes. Overall I am happy with them. I will most likely replace the pads with something quieter when the time comes.

Overall Rating:1
Value Rating:3
Submitted by LB K a Cross Country Rider from Cape Town, South Africa

Date Reviewed: February 20, 2012

Strengths:    Initially I thought they were great. Initially they served me well too. It has the capacity to stop me with enough power to launch me over the handlebars if I am not careful. It is noisy when it gets wet, but that was all to be expected. Its kind of a brand trait if one reads the many opinions others have.

Weaknesses:    Rubbing, rubbing and more irritating and constant rubbing!

Bottom Line:   
I have had my own discomfort with Shimano in the past and I moved me to the SRAM stable. My derailleur got sorted and my brakes stopped behaving like a constant resistor devise when I was out riding. Those were the days of the Juicy’s. BTW, who labels a hydraulic brake system “Juicy”? It doesn’t matter because they behaved like a cold juice on a hot summer’s day. Always good!
And then I bought a new bike with the Elixir model. Good looking and a little lighter was a good start yes? Sadly, no. My initial satisfaction with the brakes soon turned sour. The brakes make an annoying squealing noise even after the most careful alignment of the caliper. No, the rotor is not warped. The pad will settle at a different pad position after every actuation. This I tested with a pièce of white paper on the ground to give me clear indication of caliper and pad behaviour during and after actuation. Still, I use them since the negatives doesn’t motivate the expense of replacement, plus working in Madagascar doesn’t leave alternative options open with modern LBSes in every city. Speaking of Madagascar, I discovered another BIG negative about these brakes over the weekend. With temperatures reaching a blistering 45 degrees centigrade backing down onto the energy absorbing black hydraulic hoses, the heat expansion capacity was exceeded. I could not get my brake back to back off from contact with the rotor! No one needs that much résistance in that much heat. It took half an hour in an air-conditioned home to return the brakes performance to its former pre-ride condition. Just this single trait is enough justification to go shopping somewhere else. Sorry SRAM, but you’re just full of empty promisses.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Magic Forest

Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Purchased At:   Part of bike

Similar Products Used:   Juicy 5s

Bike Setup:   Focus Red skin 1.0

Overall Rating:2
Value Rating:3
Submitted by entsmonkey a Cross Country Rider from Berkshire, UK

Date Reviewed: April 6, 2011

Strengths:    Nice modulation and stopping power - when they work

Weaknesses:    Constantly losing braking power, re-bleeding solves for a short while then the problem re-appears. These will not bleed easily - the Avid kit doesn't connect to the caliper end properly so it's very hard to make a seal and bleed the system.


Bottom Line:   
Fine power and nice modulation - you can easily have a nice smooth gradient of braking power. Leak hideously under normal use, very difficult to bleed and replace fluid. My back break has no power but does still just about work - the front brake is down on power but still stops me fine (it's just as well as the back is nigh on useless). Very disappointing, I wish my bike hadn't been lucky enough to receive an "upgrade" from Juicy 3's. Now to save up for some Hope M4's

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Ridgeway

Duration Product Used:   6 months

Price Paid:    $120.00

Purchased At:   Stock with bike

Bike Setup:   Orange P7, Fox Vanilla, Deore SLX/XT kit

Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:4
Submitted by mondo 77 a Weekend Warrior from Christchurch, New Zealand

Date Reviewed: March 4, 2011

Strengths:    Simple, good control.

Weaknesses:    Not much adjustment, not a ton of power.

Bottom Line:   
Good entry level brakes, good modulation but I wouldn't say they have a ton of power. Two finger braking works well. Simple but not many adjustments but I haven't felt the need to adjust them.

For the first week of use there was a drop of fluid coming down the inside of one of the levers which would reappear each time I wiped it clean. This stopped after a week of use and that side seems to perform the same as the other side and they have been reliable since then.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Flying Nun

Duration Product Used:   3 months

Similar Products Used:   Hayes Sole hydraulic, worst brakes ever made.

Bike Setup:   Marin East Peak, Fox Float RLC fork

Reviews 1 - 14 (14 Reviews Total)

Review Options:  Sorted by Latest Review | Sort by Best Rating

elixir 3 adapters?

I need adapters for elixir 3's for 180 mm rotors. I have a post mount recon silver fork, and IS mou ...
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Avid Elixir 3 Issue

Hello, The other day, I turned my bike upside down and spun the front wheel to see if my rotor was r ...
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Hayes Dyno Comp vs Avid Elixir 3's

I have read the reviews, and cannot decide which to go for. I currently run Avid BB7's, so the chan ...
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issues with my elixir 3.... loss in power

so, we did a good downhill and I was on the brakes, now my rear is not working as well as it was bef ...
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Avid Elixir 3 problem

I have white Elixir 3 brakes that are brand new. After I bed them in, the rear brake has good power, ...
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