-Mid-range Compact Mechanical
-Forged mono-block caliper
-Forged lever arm
-Progressive Friction material for modulation
-Compatible with all linear pull levers
-5mm allen key inner pad adjustment
-Compatbible with all Hayes brackets
Submitted by
X_er
a Weekend Warrior
from Newhall, CA Date Reviewed: October 15, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Any
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Easy to dial in and service. NO BLEEDING of a hydro. Awesome power. Nice modulation similar to a good hydro. Excellent for all mountain and x-country . . . my type of riding. These are far better than the Juicy hydros I had.
Weaknesses:
Some squealing/noise after hard use due to heat. But after cooling, noise goes away . . . until the next long/fast decent.
Similar Products Used:
Juicy 7
Bike Setup:
DB Mission 1
XT 8-Speed
Truvativ Fire X GXP Crankset 170mm FIREX
Nashbar Platform/Clipless combo pedals
Mavic Cross Ride Wheelset
Kenda 2.35
Hope Saw-tooth Floating Rotors, 183mm/160mm
KORE Carbon Fiber Stem/Bars/Seat Post
Fox Float RLC 32 140mm
Fox Float R Shock
Bottom Line:
I would highly recommend these brakes . . . for their all-mountain and x-country performance to any body. Their value and performance can't be beat!! Go buy a set and get rid of those hydros.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ecogeek
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary, AB, Canada Date Reviewed: August 29, 2009
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
V powerful. All nec adjustments - except modulation. No bleed-kits/bleeding required. No bleed caps to lose. No bleed-screws to leak. Light relative to moving hydraulic fluid up the hill. Post mount but came w 51mm IS adapter, so will fit a lot of forks.
Weaknesses:
Too powerful, too fast. In other words, almost zero modulation with clean discs/pads. Even when worn in for some time. If you come from something with more modulation, the MX2s will scare you at least once - if they don't kill you first time you pull the front brake.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes 9 XC Hydraulic.
Bike Setup:
These are on my Mrs' Marin. Came w bike.
Bottom Line:
Extreme power for mech discs. As mentioned above, these are on my Mrs' bike. However, I've just spent a long time messing with them and testing every aspect of their set-up and performance, so I thought I'd spread the love.
These are more powerful than my Hayes HFX-9 hydraulics. HOWEVER, they have no modulation by comparison. The MX2s are almost binary in their action. As soon as you touch them, they are ON! I nearly sent myself over the bars immediately testing them at about 5mph outside the front door! Obviously, you'd get used to this to some extent and develop finer control, however, it's EASIER to finely control the hydros with their superior modulation. Don't get me wrong, these MX2s are great brakes and fully deserve their rating, but there is more to the picture when you look a little closer.
Bottom line. Great for XC - or commuting. Super stopping power. No need for bigger discs, they'll lock any tire instantly on any terrain. But therein lies the problem. These are potentially DANGEROUS if coming straight from hydraulic discs due to lack of modulation. One serious danger in biking is locking the front wheel whilst it's off the ground and landing on a stopped wheel. These will do it. So, not ideal for jumping, freeride, downhill etc imo.
I'm going to switch her discs to lightweights with less contact area to see if modulation improves. If not, I could deliberately decentre the disc so one pad hits it first, and if that doesn't work, I suppose I could deliberately contaminate a pad with a TINY amount of high-temp grease to increase modulation. May try that on an *old set* of pads when they near the end of their life. Will be throwing them anyway. Can clean discs with isopropyl alcohol. Oh, for those with a squeak problem, the solution is simple. There is such a thing as "Brake Lube" - for automotive use. The name is misleading. You do NOT put it on the pads/discs. It goes *behind* (on back of) the pad at contact points - where piston touches it etc. Will solve the squeaking problem. Don't get any on your pad/disc. If you do, immediately clean v thoroughly with isopropyl alcohol.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
djkyguy
a Weekend Warrior
from washington Date Reviewed: July 16, 2009
Favorite Trail:
anywhere!
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
came on the bike!
Strengths:
this break has agood feel. it stops you when you need it. it was very easy to adjust so there was no noise. seems reliable and heavy duity compaired to wimpy hyd.
Weaknesses:
has some sqeaks but nothing terrible. washed my bike and rode around with wet roder and no scream like some say. if it does squeal i wil hold the break on for a bit and let it heat up then it will be silent.
Bike Setup:
specialized p1 dirt jumper
Bottom Line:
its awesome. is very nice for minor braking while doing wheelies and tkaes a beating. knok on wood....
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Clinton06
a Cross Country Rider
from Anchorage, Alaska Date Reviewed: June 8, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Powerline Train-to-Bail Out
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$550.00
Purchased At:
The Bicycle Shop
Strengths:
Super Strong for non-hydro brakes. An amzing amount of control. Quality of this product is unmatched.
Weaknesses:
None I can tell,but are not avalible in Bright Yellow =[
Similar Products Used:
Avid BB7, avid BB5
Bike Setup:
'05 Hardrock Comp Disk Frame, Marzocchi MZ Comp Fork(100mm), Hayes MX-2 (200mm), Specilized Enduro Tires, Shimano Alivio drive train, and A bad-ass mountian biker =]
Bottom Line:
I have had these brakes on my '05 for 4 years now and they have never ONCE been less than perfect. Oustanding power, even for a 2 finger pull. I have only had to replace the break pads because I downhill on these(upgraded to an 8in). If your looking to buy, I would recommend these to anyone. Even under extreme punishent, there isint too much fade. These are even better than some lower-to-mid level hydro brakes. I would buy these, and only these, if I was looking to move to disk brakes. This rating is before I switched to 200mm rotors(but 200s kick ass!) Get the wave Rotors. They stop better.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
TrailX316
a Cross Country Rider
from Kanata Date Reviewed: December 21, 2008
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Bottom Line:
Awesome mech brake, probably the best mech brake. Never tried BB7 so not sure yet. This is an insane mech disc, soo much stopping power and dam does it ever look sick.
I recommend this if you like mech over hydro discs
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rob_X111
a Cross Country Rider
from Pontypridd Date Reviewed: February 23, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Twisty singletrack
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
E-Bay
Strengths:
Good stopping power for me once set up properly. I weigh 250lbs. Looks good on the bike. Cable set up is good for me, not as powerful as hydros though.
Weaknesses:
None for the price and what their intended use is, XC/trail, not Downhill. If you want to b!tch about the power of them when used on a downhill run, then maybe you should've got DOWNHILL discs and not XC/trail discs. Morons!!!
Similar Products Used:
LX V's, Avid Arch Rivals, Maguras
Bike Setup:
GT XCR2000, Pace RC35, wheels!!, Fire XC Pro Tyres
Bottom Line:
Use for what their intended use is, XC/trail, not Downhill. If you want to b!tch about the power of them when used on a downhill run, then maybe you should've got DOWNHILL discs and not XC/trail discs. Morons!!! I'd recommend them
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Zomb1e
a Cross Country Rider
from St-Petersburg, Russia Date Reviewed: January 21, 2008
Favorite Trail:
any single track
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$20.00
Strengths:
stops well, power is enough for one-finger operating, don't loose power in mud and wet
Weaknesses:
if you ride regullary, you need to adjust them regullary too, some skreaming in wet, heavy
I've used front brake for more than a year, initially with stock 8" rotor - this rotor bends simply and rubs the pads. I change it to 6" wavy rotor and since then have no provlems with my brake. Brake have enough power for one-finger operating when it adjusted correctly, but you need to adjust it regullary. For exemple, after 6 hours in an adventure race in mud conditions I have critical loss of power. Brake pads are quite durable - I've used them for 10 months, and now use BBB ones (seems to be just the same as stock pads, but at smaller price). 4 chili value due to need of regular adjustment, 5 chili overall.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
D. Watson
a Weekend Warrior
from Sunrise, FL Date Reviewed: December 12, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Gun trail - Markham Park
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
PricePoint.com
Strengths:
Cheap, durable, stop well without locking up & easy to maintain. In my experience they are impervious to mud, dust or any other environmental issues causing brake failure, they are the last thing I worry about on my bike. The metallic grey color compliments my bike well.
Weaknesses:
Cant really complain at this price, when I opened the box I was expecting something of lower quality, greatly suprised. Had to upgrade due to fork setup and these are an improvement to V-brake by far. You must adjust these with an allen key which is probably inferior to more expensive setups that use a knob or are tool-less. They might be slightly heavier than other brakes, but these would be the last upgrade I would worry about if weight was an issue, maybe start with a new frame first!
Similar Products Used:
None, these are the first disc brake(s) I have tried.
Bike Setup:
Jamis Dakar with 8 inch rotor in front and 6 inch rotor in back.
Bottom Line:
If you are looking at buying these you are probably moving up from V-brake or are on a budget. If that is the case go ahead and get these, you shouldnt be dissappointed.
I personally wasn't ready to afford/maintain hydraulic brakes and decided to keep it simple. The cable setup has been maintenance free except the occasional pad calibration; I do however like the feel of hydraulic over mechanical at the levers.
I use these in varying conditions bust mostly XC with short but steep drops, they have never let me down or lost braking power.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jay N.
a Cross Country Rider
from California Date Reviewed: December 7, 2007
Favorite Trail:
anywhere
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
Bike rack
Strengths:
Reasonable stopping power, solid enough for a small hardcore ride. and good enough for a longer less aggressive ride. Came stock on my Giant Yukon.
Weaknesses:
Oh man, these brakes kinda suck. No rubber boot on the back to keep dirt and debris out. Cable rubs on housing on my bike, leaving metal shavings caught up inside the housing; which causes cable lock. They heat up way too quickly causing glazing and fading to occur often on demanding trails. Constantly need adjusting. Not squeal, SCREAM in the wet.
Similar Products Used:
Some crappy ProMax on my old mongoose.
Bike Setup:
Really good, upgraded everything, just needs new calipers to be totally done.
Bottom Line:
These brake calipers arent much to brag about. As i mentioned, good for light everyday riders, not so good for the rammers and jammers like me. Looking at some Avid BB7's for an upgrade.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Justin
a Weekend Warrior
from Fremont, CA Date Reviewed: November 24, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
came with bike
Strengths:
Good braking performance, easy to use and set-up.
Weaknesses:
mechanical brake
Bottom Line:
Great brakes even though they are mechanical. I havent had any problem with them, and they make short work of stoppies. No complaints here. I will upgrate to hydraulic after these wear out.. i've tasted the hydro fluid and i like it!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Doug Clarke
a
from Ridgeway, Ontarrio, Canada Date Reviewed: October 30, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
came on bike from steves bike shop
Strengths:
great stoping power, never had any problems they work great they dont lock up unless you want them too so you dont have to worrie. great for doing wheelies, they feather amazing. best of all under $100 a wheel.
Weaknesses:
my front iner pad adjuster rusted and i lost all adjustment, but was easly resolved with a few emails to hayes suport, i got a brand new break for free with new pads.
Similar Products Used:
v breaks, avid bb5 on 2 differnt friends bikes, didnt like either set
Bike Setup:
giant stp2 w/upgrades: shimano deor hub, chaing guide, chain, long cables going to back for barspins
Bottom Line:
for the price of the break its amazing, even with a longer cable they still work amazing. the pads have a really good life span too i got this bike in january and i still have lots of meat on them and i ride just about every day. umm i havent had any problems with the discs warping or bending, mine rub non stop because i like to have my breaks grab farther from the bar and they have no sesitivity adjustment other then tighten the cable, as for noise other then the occasional squeak after reseting and constant rubing due to set up non at all. a few time they have lost power but i either gave the pads and discs a light sanding and they work grat amediatly after or washed with rubing alcohal which makes them squeak for about a week and have bad grab but they do gab better abd better every stop.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sheldon Robertson
a Weekend Warrior
from Kitchener, Ontario Date Reviewed: August 10, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Trussler Dirt Jumps
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Cycle solutions stand at Toronto bike show
Strengths:
Work Great, and after you learn to adjust them they are easy to set up.
Weaknesses:
None really. except maybe you have to tune them often depending on how hard you ride if that counts
They are awesome brakes for someone without i very large budget and look pretty cool too!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick Lawrence
a Cross Country Rider
from Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: August 1, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Anywhere thats not paved
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Came with bike
Strengths:
Easy adjustment, sturdy, lots of power when needed, minimal fade when setup right
Weaknesses:
Pads are really soft when they warm up, I had my cable get stuck in between the rotor and the pad one time and now there's a big groove in the retaining pad
Similar Products Used:
v brakes
Bike Setup:
2006 Ironhorse Warrior Team shimano crank wtb rims
Bottom Line:
Absolutely great for street/trails/light downhill....i have no worries of failure with these babies.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
steve eilsel
a Weekend Warrior
from vancouver BC Date Reviewed: July 31, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Dirt Merchant
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
braking power best mechanical brakes i've ever used
Weaknesses:
little bit hard to get set up but once u have them dialed they r awesome
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
05 specalized P.2 stock
Bottom Line:
If u r looking 2 buy a bike with these brakes and are worried about them dont. Best mechanical brakes ever. if u can buy them. they r better than my hayes hfx 9's on my big bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Josh
a Downhiller
from Portland OR USA Date Reviewed: July 22, 2007
Favorite Trail:
anyware.
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
came wit bike
Strengths:
used for 4+ years and no problems at all! awsome brake best one ive ever used
Weaknesses:
kinda overheats easy....
Similar Products Used:
none.
Bike Setup:
giant 03 yukon
Bottom Line:
awsomist brake ever, no problems complete satifaction. i can go downhill and not have to wory about stoping at all. theese are nice brakes!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Roman D.
a
from Tallinn, Estonia Date Reviewed: July 10, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Everywhere !
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
They can stop somehow..
Weaknesses:
Need to adjust regulary, very very bad on downhill.
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Frame GT DH-i '03, Junior T '03, Rear shock RS Deluxe pro '03, Front 26" - DM24; DT champion; Novatec hub; Hookworm, Rear 26" - Supra BH; DT champion; Dartmoor GEE-FORCE 150x12; Hookworm, Kalin 30.9 seatpost, Dirt jump saddle, FSA orbit XL-II headset, Hussefelt stem, Brave Machine Monster bar, Shimano Alivio derailleur, Tiagra 8 speed cassete, Shimano 36T chainring, KMC X8 chain and MX-2 soon im gonna put hydraulics ofcourse, what a FS bike with mechanical brakes ?! thats right its a baaad bike !
Bottom Line:
If you riding street or XC i think they would fit you well, but still i recommend BB7 as its best disc mechanics. DH/FR - only powerful hydraulics !
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bobby
a Downhiller
from Dirty Jersey, USA Date Reviewed: July 5, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Cheap (price wise), easy to adjust, simple to work on, good stopping power
Weaknesses:
need to adjust them a lot, after a few runs down the mountain they fade bad, a brake pad fell out on me while I was riding
Similar Products Used:
none, these came on the bike
Bike Setup:
03 Specialized Big Hit Comp with misc. goodies
Bottom Line:
They are a good brake setup for someone looking something cheap and easy. They would probably work good on a XC or all mountain bike, but for freeride and downhill they just don't get the job done. After three runs down the mountain the brakes felt like they had warm butter for pads. And having a rear brake pad fall out in the middle of a run was a little un-nerving too.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Doug
a
from ridgeway, on, canada Date Reviewed: June 27, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
steves bike shop
Strengths:
cheap and stops great
Weaknesses:
i have it on front and back and my front iner pad adjuster is stuck and now striped so i have no adjustment=/
Similar Products Used:
v brakes
Bike Setup:
giant stp 2 single disc in front bmx setup for barspins
Bottom Line:
great brake even with longer cables it still stops me everytime if adjusted right and that doesnt take much. my front is stuck so im mad about that but what are you gona do its a cheap brake so im gona get a new one to replace the stuck one. i would go dhing with this brake and not worrie about having problems braking. they feather good when adjusted right just a great brake for the price.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris G
a Weekend Warrior
from Ellicott City MD Date Reviewed: June 22, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Cypress Meade Park
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Came on bike
Strengths:
Great stopping power cables dont really get lose more than once
Weaknesses:
Disc rubs and bends
Similar Products Used:
Tire Brakes
Bike Setup:
2006 Gary Fisher Mullet
Bottom Line:
Great for any bike with 26" wheels
"i have made a 20 - 0 mph stop in about 15 feet"
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Josh
a Cross Country Rider
from Port Angeles WA, USA Date Reviewed: June 4, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Miller Peninsula Eagles Nest
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
This brake has great stopping capabilitys, and the front break is really great. It is really great for trail riding, especially when the trail is really steep.
Weaknesses:
The back break keeps on catching without my using it and requires a whole lot of adjusting.
Bike Setup:
I've got Bianchi Lynx and the breaks came with the bike.
Bottom Line:
I like them alot. I just have to adjust them alot. if you're willing to take the time to adjust them they are really great.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James Cole
a Weekend Warrior
from Erie, PA Date Reviewed: May 19, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Wintergreen Gorge
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
Bob's Bicycles, betterbikes
Strengths:
Heavy Duty construction, easy set up, great power w/ 8" rotor
Weaknesses:
Heavy rear 8" adapter(yikes), more frequent wear adjustment than Hydros(goes for almost all mechanicals though)
Similar Products Used:
Avid bb7 and HFX-9
Bike Setup:
Homemade Jamis Dakar XLT 1.0, Sun ditch witch w/deore, Conti Gravity, Judy SL(soon to be repl.), King Earl crank, STX-RC/LX/XT
Bottom Line:
Use little aluminum can shims where the caliper mounts to the IS adapters, after that these things will toss you like a bouncer. Use shims, some patience, and a close eye to get the pads near parallel and you will be rewarded.
RIDE PENNSYLVANIA, dont ride your brakes
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andrew
a Downhiller
from Adelaide, Australia Date Reviewed: May 18, 2007
Favorite Trail:
brownhill
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
came on bike
Strengths:
um...good for dirt jumping? rear brake is fine for pretty much everything.
Weaknesses:
my front rotor came buckled so i have to adjust the pads constantly so it doesnt rub.
Similar Products Used:
v brakes on my $150 bike...
Bike Setup:
trek jack 2.
Bottom Line:
once i adjusted everything it was fine but i think the fork was at fualt as well...its a manitou. Im gonn buy new pads and a new ork and see if performance channges.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Todd
a Downhiller
from West Linn, OR Date Reviewed: May 11, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Schleyer - Whistler
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
oem
Strengths:
Smooth, stop well enough, 203mm rotor makes them plenty powerful, levers are nice, pads for me have lasted a long time. the brakes are very plentiful and can usually be had for very cheap.
Weaknesses:
They do squeal when wet, but so do my avids so no big deal.
Great brakes. I use them for a lot of different purposes. DH and FR on my komodo, Dirtjumping and skatepark on my p.2 {rear brake only, 160mm rotor} and XC on my MC rumble. If you want a cheap brake, look no further. Avid BB7 is a little better. I would say the braking is the same with the BB5 brakes form avid. If you can find some, I also have Hayes IH-2 brakes. same exact brake but different name? They're actually the smoothest I've ridden and also stop the best.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
iusufachi
a Cross Country Rider
from Cluj/Deva Romania Date Reviewed: May 10, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$56.00
Strengths:
Smooth, good price
Weaknesses:
The weight can be considered a weakness. Another thing that I found disspointing was the fact that wen hot the braking power drops dramaticly.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano no name, Avid bb5 and v-brake
Bike Setup:
Merida Matts Pro, Reba, shimano, etc...
Bottom Line:
Hayes MX2 is a great break for the money you pay for it. I believe that it is the best mechanical disk brake you can buy for even double the money they are worth. By no means I would buy another mechanical disk brake.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alex
a Cross Country Rider
from Oakland Date Reviewed: May 5, 2007
Favorite Trail:
pinole
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
came on bike
Strengths:
smooth, sort of good, good for the kind of riding i do.
Weaknesses:
not very sticky. not good stopping power
Similar Products Used:
v brakes.. they suck
Bike Setup:
2006 bianchi lynx
Bottom Line:
they are alright... you might want to get some better ones if you do intense ridin... overall they are prettty good
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John -
a Cross Country Rider
from Philadelphia Date Reviewed: May 2, 2007
Favorite Trail:
colorado/utah
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$10.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Easy to adjust.
Weaknesses:
NO POWER! very weak. Heavy
Similar Products Used:
cheap tektro or some garbage
Bike Setup:
specialized
Bottom Line:
Super weak. If you are a cross country rider you might want something a little lighter. For free ride or whatever its good. It is extreamly easy to adjust. Takes me 3 seconds to adjust it and I havent had to adjust it as many times as other people in this post have. Maybe im just lucky. I like the colors, the paint holds up really well. Pads seem to do well. If you ride fast and need power, move to something else, unfortunetly i havent figured out which disc's to try next.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alex
a Weekend Warrior
from Des Moines, Iowa, USA Date Reviewed: March 20, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Anything I can find
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Barr Bicycle
Strengths:
More power than v-brakes, good for the kind of riding I do, best brakes I've had(sadly)
Weaknesses:
Always need to be adjusted, not as easy to adjust as you may think, my front rotor is bent slightly
Similar Products Used:
no other disc
Bike Setup:
Raleigh M50 DX, stock everything except tires.
Bottom Line:
They are ok for the type of trail I go on (easy, flat stuff in the woods near Des Moines with barely any slope). If you want to upgrade from v-brakes get these but it would probably be worth spending a little more and getting something better. I'll give it 5 flamin turds for value because they came on the bike($400+/-) but only 2 flamin turds for overall because they aren't that good and always need adjusting and aren't that powerful.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
hrvoje
a Cross Country Rider
from zagreb,croatia Date Reviewed: January 28, 2007
Favorite Trail:
woods
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$680.00
Purchased At:
markoprojekt
Strengths:
8" rotors looks great,they do perform ok
Weaknesses:
Rotors feels like the cheepest alloy,cheep plastic on levers
Similar Products Used:
Avid bb5 on some kona
Bike Setup:
Norco rival 06 stock
Bottom Line:
The cheepest disc brakes from Hayes.And you realized that buy built,and annoying sounds of squeeking all day long.On the other hand they will stop you safely,they work ok in various conditions.If they came stock on your bike,like on my Norco Rival its cool,but you must be mad to buy them separately cause for a few$ more,get Avid BB or hydro-discs,all of them are much much more better in every aspect then these...!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Adric Schmelzer
a Weekend Warrior
from Spokane, Wa, USA Date Reviewed: November 17, 2006
Favorite Trail:
NEthing at Whistler
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
stock on P2
Strengths:
They are light and work well for slower, less aggressive riding.
Weaknesses:
Always in need of constant adjustment. I've gone through 2 sets of pads cause they overheat too easy and glaze over. They can't handle heavy braking.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes HFX-9, HFX mag
Bike Setup:
2004 Specialized P.2, Maxxis Holy Rollers, Dirt Jam Pros
Bottom Line:
If you are not a very aggressive rider, or only ride on slow technical stuff, then these will work. But if you go fast and hard, they'll burn up fast and hard.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jarrad Timmermans
a Weekend Warrior
from Melbourne Victoria Australia Date Reviewed: November 12, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Pakenham Lakeside doubleues or bridge jumps and Garfield dirt track
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
Gold Cross Cycles (Fountain Gate)
Strengths:
The Rear brake is good and they are really a brake for someone who doesnt really do propper mountainbiking.
Weaknesses:
Front brake has no power, squeels really loud when they get wet, contantly adjusting it, always falling out of allignment.
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
2005 Mongoose Thunderball
Bottom Line:
Not a brake for a propper mountainbike rider who does jumps, downhill or cross-country
THEY SUCK
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
AvG
a Weekend Warrior
from Uppsala, Uppland, Sweden Date Reviewed: November 1, 2006
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Great stopping power! No more soggy rubbery crap.
Weaknesses:
Squeals when wet. Rear brake fills up with dirt very quickly - grates upon use. Soul-searing sound/feel...
Similar Products Used:
N/A.
Bike Setup:
Standard on Marine Bobcat Trail
Bottom Line:
Using the bike from/to work. 7km/day. For that purpose the brakes are awesome. For XC/competions their use may be debated. In short, for everyday to/from work you get great bang for the buck.
I've earlier had bikes with cantis and/v-types and those invariably eventually grind down the rims, especially in the rear, where grit and silt accumulates most. After more than six months use of the bike on the woody track to work, the rims and brakes are still more or less pristine.
The front brake has taken most wear, as expected.
Overall great brakes, and again there's no competition between even the lowest-end disc brakes and any high-end canti/v-type brakes IMO.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kingsley
a Weekend Warrior
from Milton Keynes, UK Date Reviewed: October 24, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Aspley woods
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Great for a mechanical disk break. Good power modulation, have 8 inch rotors, awsome stopping power. Well made and strong. Easy to look after.
Weaknesses:
Squeals loudly when wet. Takes some time to break in to.
Bike Setup:
Saracen Havoc.
Bottom Line:
Good for the price, great stopping power.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a Weekend Warrior
from Gladstone, OR Date Reviewed: September 14, 2006
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Came with bike- Kona Kikapu
Strengths:
Definately better than most caliper type brakes. Good stopping distance.
Weaknesses:
Makes loud noise when wet. Comes out of adjustment easily, needs to be adjusted often.
Bike Setup:
Kona- Kikapu
Bottom Line:
Good product would recomend for cheaper brakes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jbob
a Weekend Warrior
from St. Louis, Mo. USA Date Reviewed: September 8, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Berryman
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Cames standard on Iron Horse bike
Strengths:
The brakes have a more positive feel than linear pull v-brakes and have adequate braking power with good modulation.
Weaknesses:
The brakes can squeal loudly at times. I think the return springs could stand to be a little stronger to better handle the greater amount of cable friction on the rear brake cable.
Bike Setup:
Full suspension with 6 inch rotors
Bottom Line:
I like the brakes compared to linear pull brakes I've used. They have a very positive feel and good modulation control. They don't have any tendency to grab or lock up the wheel when applied hard. The brakes sometimes squeal when applied if they have been running with one of the pads touching the rotor instead of having the proper .015 in. clearance between each pad and rotor. If they have been running with the right clearance they don't squeal. The brakes themselves are not really getting out of adjustment when they loose their clearance, but the wheel axle seems to be shifting in the drop-out slot enough to change the gap between the rotor ( mounted to the wheel) and one or the other of the pads (mounted to the frame of the bike). Usually just releasing the axle quick release and retightening it is all thats needed to re-center the rotor between the pads and quiet them down. This is easy to check visually just by looking at the gap in the caliper. Perhaps all disc brakes on quick release wheels will tend to have this happen. It's probably a good idea to ride the bike after a wheel has been taken off and put back on to settle the axle, and then adjust the brakes. The slot the axle sits in has enough slop to let the axle shift a little from side forces on the wheel. The brakes have the right amount of power for the type of cross country trail riding that I do. I think they are a good value for inexpensive discs and will leave them on the bike until they wear out.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Les Burns
a Weekend Warrior
from hudds, West yorks, UK Date Reviewed: September 4, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Came with Kona Fire Mountain
Strengths:
Front brake ok.
Weaknesses:
Rear brake cables fill with silt and other debris causing them to stick and grate. Awful action. This was also true of the HMX1 I had on another bike. Cable pull discs are not worth it, get Vs
Similar Products Used:
Hayes HMX1
Bike Setup:
'06 Kona Fire Mountain
Bottom Line:
Forget them and get a proper hydro, they are not much more money anymore.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Marc
a Cross Country Rider
from teaneck Date Reviewed: August 31, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Strong stopping power. Usally silent.
Weaknesses:
Heavy. ear peirceing shreiks and small loss of power when wet.
Bottom Line:
When buying remember that these are mechanical, and dont expect hydro performance. With that in mind these do their job well.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Erik Lavergren
a Weekend Warrior
from b.c. canada Date Reviewed: August 20, 2006
Favorite Trail:
hells highway
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
stops good, have a 8inch rotor in the front witch is great, looks cool
Weaknesses:
scweeks all the time, rubs against something.
Similar Products Used:
tried hayes mx-1 on my brothers bike
Bike Setup:
06 fisher mullet
Bottom Line:
the brakes work really well. i`m a freerider so i put on my brakes alot wen going off jumps or drops. i wood recomend them to any 1. my complaint is the rotor rubs and scweeks all the time. Overall the brakes are good.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ian Young
a Downhiller
from Birmingham, UK Date Reviewed: August 2, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
came on saracen havok - bought from evans cycles
Strengths:
Simple, well made and bite strong considering they are cable brakes
Weaknesses:
set up very poorly from factory, took tinkering with to show full potential, took a while to break pads in
Similar Products Used:
Hayes hmx1'S, Hayes Comps
Bike Setup:
2005 Saracen Havoc
Bottom Line:
I was jubious going back to mechanical brakes when my bike arrived and when i 1st tried them i hated them, was taking nearly 15 feet of very light downhill to stop and did cause the odd bail, they were very poorly (unsafe i would even say) setup from stock, since i spent 20 mins tuning the pad allignment they pretty much stop me on a penny and im a pretty big guy. granted there fitted onto 8" rotors but compared to hydraulics there is little in it
They are very well made and have taken a fair few hits and i havent noticed a mark on them.
if you just look at the cable arm you will see how well made they are, very easily adjustable too which is what annoys me with hydraulics - 5mm hex key thru out will adjust pad alightment and unscrew cable screw - these brakes have changed my opinion on mechanical brakes - i have since swapped onto hydraulics and dont notice any difference in performance
if your short on cash or are fed up with sorting hydraulics
these are the brakes for you
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Raghavan
a
from Palo Alto Date Reviewed: July 25, 2006
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Mikes Bikes
Strengths:
Pretty good modulation, reliable, no alignment issues (yet), Mud cutter rotors look cool.
Weaknesses:
Squeals when wet or when a little dirty, rotors are thin and become slightly wobbly after normal use, stock pads arent very strong
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
Hard Rock Comp disc
Bottom Line:
Good brakes for someone on a budget, but could be better. Good value though.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
brian hoyt
a Cross Country Rider
from austin, texas Date Reviewed: July 23, 2006
Favorite Trail:
lake georgetown
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
mail order/ cambria bike
Strengths:
they work well
Weaknesses:
i've had to adjust the back brake a time or two since the cables have broken in.
Similar Products Used:
these are the only ones i have had. i have ridden on hydraulic s and i know what they feel like.
Bike Setup:
custom built fuji frame w/ marzocchi marathon 120's. single ring in front with 9 in the back.
Bottom Line:
the front may not lock up without a lot of effort, but that usually makes me crash anyway. the back locks no problem. some of the other reviews that are so brutal may not have properly adjusted them. clearances are pretty tight. if you have v brakes, tektro disks or something generic these are really nice. i build my own bike on a budget and if you can't afford to spend 200 bucks on every component you put on, these are really great. of course they will squeak occasionally-they all do, but i have been really happy with mine and i am really picky bargain hunter who can be easily dissapointed if my stuff doesn't work near perfect.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rick Young
a Weekend Warrior
from Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: July 20, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
came on bike
Strengths:
this product familurizes you with your tools
Weaknesses:
they fall out of alignment all the time, have trouble with big hits(being a freerider) constantly adjusting(i have yet been in a ride where i did not have to adjust them during or after the ride.
Bike Setup:
stock except for the brake system i just purchased. Avid speed dial 7 levers and BB7 brakes
Bottom Line:
if they come on your bike stock then fine, but dont be going out and puchasing these entry level disc's. look for the avid bb5's for an entry level disc, they have way more to offer. dont get these brakes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Greg
a Downhiller
from Toronto Ontario Canada Date Reviewed: June 18, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Dirt Jumps
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Cyclepath
Strengths:
theise brakes are good if you know how to treat them, keep the rotars clean and replace the pads and they should work fine.
Weaknesses:
Squeak a lot when they get really overused or wet, will onally squeak if you have old pads or the aliment is messed, other wise they shouldent squeak at all.
Similar Products Used:
hayes mx-1
Bike Setup:
Full custom.
Bottom Line:
Good brakes for moderate use can take a lot more punishment for the price and a lot better than the mx-1. get em if u need something cheap that will last a few seasons.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James Thomas
a Cross Country Rider
from Canada Date Reviewed: June 18, 2006
Favorite Trail:
all of them
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
Friend
Strengths:
Easy to put on...easy to ajust....works well....durable.. cheap...etc...
Weaknesses:
big.....moderate braking strenght...oldd pads are teriible when ajusted....
Similar Products Used:
none...my first disk
Bike Setup:
2005 Trek 4500
Bottom Line:
There brakes have great value...there easy to use and cheap and work well once ur used to them....there not the best but theres always something better you know.....there great for begginers and intermidiate riders....i wouldnt use it for downhill tho
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Oliver Tymm
a
from Britain Date Reviewed: June 2, 2006
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
Bonthrone Stores
Strengths:
Cheap, good looking, very good value, weather does not affect performance
Weaknesses:
Rotors bend easily, clamps rip up cable, bad modulation, bad + expensive pads
Similar Products Used:
V brakes
Bike Setup:
Marin Northside Trail Hardtale
Bottom Line:
Good value entry disk brakes. Nothing more. I had these set up on my Marin when bought. Good if you don't have to adjust them. If you crash, or something happens, your in for a hell of a time. Very hard to adjust. They look good. I have 8" rotor fitted on the front, with a 6" on the back. It's nice to have bigger rotors than any of buy mates (they still look bigger compared to other makes ,eg hope, with the same rotor size) I would say very similiar to a good V-brake standard in the dry, and weather does not affect the brakes apart from some quealing. Also, pads are expensive, watching at £13 a paiir, $20 about.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mitch Dobbie
a Weekend Warrior
from Cambridge Date Reviewed: May 27, 2006
Favorite Trail:
?
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Good for beginers. Easy to adjust
Weaknesses:
Dont have very good braking stregnth. Cant endo very well.
Similar Products Used:
Came on the bike
Bike Setup:
Gary fisher mullet
Bottom Line:
There an ok disk. Dont have much breaking power. Dont replace if u are just like dirt jumping or something but definetly replace if you like endoing and free riding
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ron
a Weekend Warrior
from Vermont Date Reviewed: May 9, 2006
Favorite Trail:
To many to mention
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Performance Bike
Strengths:
Well built, simple, effective, very adjustable and at a great price
Weaknesses:
Hmm... Weakness not many but they could be sealed for protection better.
Similar Products Used:
On specialized not sure of brake brand?
Bike Setup:
Iron Horse Warrior Comp
Bottom Line:
They just work well and my bike is used everyday! It’s a heavy bike and I no light weight at 185 lb. either. I live in an area that is surrounded by rugged continuous and mountainous snowmobile trails by winter and used for hiking and biking in the swampy, wet, warmer months.
They are very adjustable and knowing how is important. I can understand how they might to get negative reviews because correct setup (as mentioned) and especially compatible brake levers using proper mechanical advantage is key.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Neil Strain
a Downhiller
from northern ireland Date Reviewed: May 2, 2006
Favorite Trail:
BallyCarton
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Purchased At:
wrays cycles
Strengths:
good stopping power at a good price!!!!!!!!!!!!
Weaknesses:
there mechanical that sums it up!!
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
saracen havoc
Bottom Line:
a goodbrake at a resonable price good good good !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason Jackett
a Weekend Warrior
from Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada Date Reviewed: May 1, 2006
Favorite Trail:
connaught
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Purchased At:
-
Strengths:
Small, black.
Weaknesses:
BAD disc brakes. These are for entry level riders, terrible for any hard use, don't even think about downhill. They don't work worth crap for any kind of trials riding, they just slip. Need to be adjusted a lot.
Similar Products Used:
Avid bb7, bb5, hayes mx1, hayes hfx 9
Bottom Line:
These are very bad disc brakes. Definately don't buy them, if they come on a bike, use them until they die and then get better ones.
Avid Bb7's are way better, and if you're not willing to pay that much, get the Avid Bb5. Stay away from Hayes mechanicals.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Craig
a Cross Country Rider
from Bismarck Date Reviewed: April 30, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Good Modulations, light, nice rotors and lever feel (Avid Levers)
Similar Products Used:
Avid Mech, Shimano Mech, Avid Seven
Bottom Line:
These came stock on my brothers 06 Kona Cinder Cone. The brakes seem to perform really well for a bike in this price range. The front caliper, however seems like it needs a stronger (or adjustable) spring. The spring tension in the rear seems to work great but the spring in the front would sometimes leave the brake slightly engaged after a hard braking session. This could be an issue with the brake cables, but the bike is only two months old. This issue only came up a couple times in the last weekend of riding, so make sure you check these in the shop so they have adequate spring tension both front rear. Overall, this set up is an affordable, light, and low maintanence 6" mechanical brake system. I'm not sure if these are better than Avid Mechanicals, but they seem to get the job done.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
rutgers
a Downhiller
from new brunswick Date Reviewed: April 25, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
dont squeak
Weaknesses:
They dont work well to stop a 50 lb bike like my Big Hit...the rear takes a while to lock and actually get the bike to stop
Similar Products Used:
Hayes nine, tektro iO
Bike Setup:
05 Big Hit Spec w/ 8" rotors
Bottom Line:
Good if it comes with your bike. The moment you notice it to start failing you, upgrade
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Peter Gibbons
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver, Colorado Date Reviewed: April 12, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
Pricepoint
Strengths:
They're dirt cheep for a decent system, a snap to set up, stopping power isn't half bad, cheep, low maintenance, great modulation, cheep, flashy (the V6 rotors they came with are sweet looking but nevertheless are superbly functional), mechanical- you don't have to hassle with tedius hydraulic lines and all the crap that can come with them, etc.
Weaknesses:
Rule of thumb- you get what you pay for, and that, to some extent, applies here- for 50 bucks apiece, you're not going to get some insanely good system. Other than that, none.
Similar Products Used:
first disc brake system
Bottom Line:
For what I paid for these, I'm not expecting anything superb, so since I wasn't anticipating top-quality performace, I experienced no let downs. Considering the price and all, these are excelent brakes. The stopping power is sufficient for my needs, and they have tons of modulation, something I really like about them. If you can't afford to buy Avid BB7's or BB5's, go with these babies. Low hassle, low maintinence, very user- friendly, cheep, good power, great modulation, good looking,- come on, what more could you want?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
p
a Cross Country Rider
from santiago chile Date Reviewed: March 21, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$100.00
Strengths:
easy adjustment, little cost, easy replacement, good grip.
Weaknesses:
squeak within first week, disc bent easily.
Similar Products Used:
entry level disk brakes
Bike Setup:
gary fisher wahoo 06
Bottom Line:
brakes good for intermediate level rider, i ride everyday, but little downhill. they work fine for me for a year or two, definitely better than average entry level brakes as these can actually be adjusted and replaced.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Weekend Warrior
from Toronto Ontario Canada Date Reviewed: March 18, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Greenwood
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
good enough, the brakes stop you as soon as your press ur brakes, i think there aight, so so powerful
Weaknesses:
gets lose after a while right now my brakes are not working at %100 i think i have to tighten all the bolts
Bike Setup:
2005 Norco Wolverine Stock
Bottom Line:
great
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andrew
a Racer
from Colorado Date Reviewed: March 2, 2006
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Stock
Strengths:
They do manage to stop you.
Weaknesses:
The brakes are extremely weak. They take forever to stop you. My hand siezes up because I have to squeeze so hard.
Similar Products Used:
Avid BB7
Bike Setup:
Giant Iguana, Stock
Bottom Line:
I would not recommend buying these brakes on their own. If it comes stock on the bike then you should replace them. They are not meant to go downhill at all. They squeak horribly when they get hot and then they squeak even when they are cool. I guess they would work for someone who does mild XC.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
alex
a
from australia Date Reviewed: January 19, 2006
Favorite Trail:
so many to choose from definatly good one is Majura pines A.C.T.
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Well what can I say they are a simple entry level Disc Brake that good are for moderate duties and if treat them well they will serve their light-duty purpose. But might I add like any hayes disc brake they still pull you up fast.
Weaknesses:
Don't expect them to preform like hydrolic discs as they simply won't. Expect huge power lag if you take them on a huge decent, cause once these puppies heat up they take you back to the days of cantilever brakes were you just hope they will stop you before a tree decides to jump out in front.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes HF-X nine HD
Bike Setup:
Specialized P1
Bottom Line:
Yeh they work great for a mechanical disc break just don't expect them to work like disc-brakes during a heavy braking decent cause they will have huge power lag.
Oh year and if you can afford it go ydro
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Todd
a Downhiller
from west linn, oregon Date Reviewed: January 18, 2006
Favorite Trail:
anything
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
River City bikes
Strengths:
they definatly stop alright. the mud cutter rotors never bend I swear ! if you get a 8" rotor the stoppong power increases a lot. pretty reliable, i've ridden them for 2 seasons and just now they are starting to die.
Weaknesses:
the original rotors bend really easily. but they dont make those anymore. the replacement pads are sorta hard to find. they can be really hard to adjust, and they rub a lot. if you do a lot of abubica's on things, the pads, capilar, rotor will start to move around on you.
Similar Products Used:
Avid, hayes hydros, tektro, magura
Bike Setup:
2004 Specialized P.2 with a stance kingpin. and a 2005 Specialized P.1 Cr-Mo
Bottom Line:
I dont think you should "buy" these brakes, if they come on your bike, keep them ! they are really good, but at almost 40 dollars a peice, save up a little more and get some avids. if you just want to go super cheap, then go for them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ryan
a Downhiller
from North Hills.Ca Date Reviewed: January 11, 2006
Favorite Trail:
kenter
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
THERE ARE NO STRENTHS ,THE ROTORS LOOK GOOD
Weaknesses:
WHEN YOU HEAT THEM UP THEY START TO MAKE LOUD NOISES AND DONT STOP NOT RECOMNMENDED FOR DOWN HILL APPLICATIONS
Similar Products Used:
JUICY 5,HAYES HFX 9
Bottom Line:
THESE BRAKES ARE GOOD IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO DO ANY REAL MOUNTAINBIKING
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a
from San Diego Date Reviewed: December 28, 2005
Favorite Trail:
your mom
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Similar Products Used:
Various v-brakes
Bike Setup:
Giant Yukon w/ Marzocchi EXR Pro
Bottom Line:
These brakes came stock on my Giant Yukon. When I first got them they were ok, not great. I just had the cables replaced and the brakes dialed in by a different shop and they are remarkably better. Didn't realize how much the cables had degraded and were affecting their performance. Would buy them again.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Umar
a Cross Country Rider
from Kuala Lumpur Date Reviewed: December 19, 2005
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$60.00
Strengths:
Cheap. Can be used with any line brake lever. Mine comes with 8" front rotor and 6" rear rotor.
Weaknesses:
Everyone seems to laugh at it. Need proper setup to get the right feel.
I ride a lot of technical trails with a few of downhills. These brakes fit the jobs nicely. You can lock them to slide, but in controlled manner, which I can't do it on my wife's Avid Juicy 5. For the sake of comparison: brake bite, Juicy 5(8) vs MX2(7.5) vs XT v-brake(5).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matthew Augsburger
a Weekend Warrior
from poplar Branch , N.C. Date Reviewed: November 17, 2005
Favorite Trail:
pocahontas state park
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Great stopping power and very smooth .Also easy on the pockets
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
promaxx and V brakes
Bike Setup:
Diamondback xsl comp. manitou min 3:00 fork, xtr shifters and break levers, xtr derailleurs, and all else stock for now
Bottom Line:
These are great. You can get full lock up with only one finger on the brake lever if you wanted(unlike the promaxx that takes all your power to stop)They are very smooth and easy to modulate. I havent had any noise from them yet and I have about 200+ miles on them already. I would recommend them to anyone wanting a disc brake set up
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Roberto Raposo
a Cross Country Rider
from Albufeira / Portugal Date Reviewed: November 7, 2005
Favorite Trail:
any mountain trail
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Very good, it brakes very fast and smooth
Weaknesses:
Didn't find any yet
Similar Products Used:
Only used V Brakes before
Bike Setup:
Kona Kikapu 2006
Bottom Line:
Yeasterday I just done a mountain ride with very big descents, (Crashed once at 50 Km/h) and I can tell you that these brakes really brake, awsome. I recommend it to everyone who like XC.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Colin Clayden
a
from Fredericton,New Brunswick Canada Date Reviewed: November 2, 2005
Favorite Trail:
o'dell xpert trail
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Came stock on my haro escape
Strengths:
Amaing stopping power!!! looks good, strong hard to break (which is good!). Doesn't take long to break them in
Weaknesses:
Not many. But it pulsates a little bit if ur stopping from about 50+km/h but all discs i've used do the same
Similar Products Used:
Avids on friends bike
Bike Setup:
'04 Haro Escape 8.1 (highly reccomended bike) maxxis highrollers 2.50 tires soon to be sherman flick plus fork
Bottom Line:
These brakes have saved my life countless amounts of times! they stop on a dime, they squeak a little when wet but so do all other discs.AMAZING brakes for the price and they are just as good as anything else i have ever tried Im givin these things 5 flammin' chilli's!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nicholas
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney, NSW, Australia Date Reviewed: October 28, 2005
Favorite Trail:
The great north walk
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
OEM
Strengths:
These brakes were incredible for the first few weeks I had them after I wore them in. They stop very well and don't squeal too much, although the sqealing makes a good bell :P.
Weaknesses:
Unfortunately my bike got left in the rain a few too many times and stuffed up the brakes. Now my V-brakes on my Giant Rincon works better!!!! I went to the local bike store and he said he didn't kmow how to fix it (dumass). So now I need to take it into a better one in the city.
Similar Products Used:
Giant Rincon's V-brakes?
Bike Setup:
04 Norco Bigfoot stock
Bottom Line:
These brakes are really good, enough adjustability for brakes of this price range. Do not ever let these sit out in the rain or it will screw up your brakes somehow. It did to mine. Little sqealing but no big issues.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
shiny_car
a Cross Country Rider
from Australia Date Reviewed: October 12, 2005
these brakes came as standard on my gf's Giant Yukon, which is marketed as a 'recreational' HT rather than a serious XC racer; these brakes suit the bike well as an entry-level disc brake setup; can be cheap, and offer strong braking power; limited setup adjustment, can squeal despite being run-in, and a bit soft/spongy in lever feel; this no doubt reflects a cable/mech setup and is not a patch on a quality hydraulic setup; so if you're simply doing recreational XC riding with low demands, these are worth considering; not for the serious
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Josh
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto, ON, Canada Date Reviewed: October 3, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Don Valley
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Came with bike
Strengths:
Increased modulation over V brakes great value
Weaknesses:
some squeal when braking at lower speeds
Bike Setup:
KHS Alite 2000
Bottom Line:
These are the first set of disc brakes that I've ever used. I like the feeling of modulation that disc brakes give. These brakes are stronger than my old Avid Single Digit 3 V brakes, but I imagine there are stronger disc brakes out there. Overall I'm pretty happy with these brakes, they do the job for XC and I'm not planning on upgrading them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben
a Weekend Warrior
from FL Date Reviewed: October 2, 2005
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Then don't make any noises.
Weaknesses:
Extremely poor braking performance.
Bike Setup:
Haro Xtreme X1
Bottom Line:
These are my first mechanical brakes and came with the bike. I was happy that I was getting a "cool" pair of disc brakes with my bike. However, after nearly a year, I think I could stop better if I put my feet on the ground! At first, the shop told me they needed to be broken in. After 200 miles, the brakes were performing the same as when I first bought the bike. I took the bike back into the shop to have them checked out. The mechanic removed the brake pads, cleaned them, and checked everything...unfortunately they worked no better afterwards. The people at the shop basically told me this was an entry level disc setup and I can't expect much out of them. However, they were very shocked at how badly these bring you to a stop. Luckily, I live in Florida where there are not many hills, so it's not imperative that I have good performing brakes.
I'm scraping these and upgrading my set this week before I take a trip to Western NC. I'd be afraid to have these brakes on my bike in the mountains.
I wouldn't waste my money buying these. I'd take V-brakes any day before I put these on my bike. I'd fully expect to go to Walmart and see these same brakes on a $200 Huffy or equivalent.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric
a Cross Country Rider
from Lakewood Date Reviewed: September 5, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Elk Meadows
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
came with bike
Strengths:
They stop the bike and thewy seem pretty simple.
Weaknesses:
Not sure if it's the brakes or the fork or what... bike rocks back and forth as it's coming to a stop. You know... Rrrrrr Rrrrr Rrr Stopped. Kinda weird.
Similar Products Used:
Avids
Bike Setup:
Marin Bobcat Trail
Bottom Line:
I'd rather have these low-end Hayes than a set of Promax or any other generic crapola. Like I said, they get the job done and seem like a bargain considering what I paid for the bike. I think they deserve a good rating... no point in analyzing them as if they are high-dollar brakes. They do what they do well.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben Briant
a Cross Country Rider
from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Date Reviewed: August 29, 2005
Favorite Trail:
BBD
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Good stopping power.
Weaknesses:
They do squeel a lot and seem to make funny noises but yeh they aint that bad.
Similar Products Used:
Looking at Avid BB7 160mm. Will be putting them on my next bike.
Bike Setup:
2005 Giant Yukon
Bottom Line:
It says on the disc brake that they are GX-2, but they are simply the same as the MX-2 since my friend has them. We compared them together, and they are the exact same. Anyway, these discs are great for XC riding, you do need to clean the discs once a week by rubbing Dentured Alcohol on them. Its the best thing to use on any mechanical disc brake. Overall the discs are great, not quite the best disc around, but still a good disc brake at a cheap price.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Denis
a Cross Country Rider
from Vancouver Date Reviewed: August 28, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Delta Watershed
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Came stock on the bike.
Strengths:
Great power, great looks, simple adjustments, easy to get parts for, price.
Weaknesses:
none.
Similar Products Used:
Avid 203mm DH, Formula B4 Gold hydros, Avid 165 mm mechs
Bike Setup:
05 IH Warrior sport
Bottom Line:
These brakes came stock on the bike. They have more stopping power then my 203mm Dh Avid mechs!! I was so surprised at the stopping power i thought seomthing was wrong with them!! The price of these is cheaper to buy for both wheels then Avid is for one wheel.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Miko
a Weekend Warrior
from Santa Cruz, CA Date Reviewed: August 22, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Delaviega
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
On complete bike...
Strengths:
Super simple, no dials to gum up, durable.
Weaknesses:
So simple it's easy to overlook adjustability.
Similar Products Used:
Avid BB7's
Bike Setup:
Rocky Mountian Flow, Giant STP, Santa Cruz Chameleon
Bottom Line:
These brakes seem to have about the same modulation and stopping power of my Avid mechanicals. After really looking at them and dialing them in, I'm actually *more* impressed with their simplicity, cost, adjustability and durability. I believe they're about $40 bucks a brake plus mounting bracket which puts them in a value class of their own. At less than half the price of the Avids I'd put them on another bike anytime. I have two bikes with the Avids on them and the Hayes are on my son's Chameleon, and they're hassle free after getting to know how they really work.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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