Compact Aluminum body and lever blade
Reversible design master cylinder allows lever to be mounted on either side of bar
Reservoir system compensates for fluid expansion
All-weather pad compound
Open back caliper and 8" rotor combine for a cooler running system
System weight 545 grams
Submitted by
charlesparps
a Downhiller
from slc ut usa Date Reviewed: June 25, 2009
Favorite Trail:
lcc
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
good stopping power when they work
Weaknesses:
break easy, I have had 2 set sof these, broke the washer when my lever was forced out too far by a fall; $20 to get the washer to fix it, what a joke. My first set leaked, I should have bailed onHayes, but...On my brand new pair 3 mo of riding and they are in the shop to be bled, I really do not recommend these
Similar Products Used:
many
Bike Setup:
M1 w/ bombers
Bottom Line:
get shimano or hope, or blow the $250 you saved with Hayes in the shop fixing your Hayes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tater salad
a Downhiller
from San Francisco, California Date Reviewed: May 29, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Earth
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Pierce Osgood
Strengths:
Never have leaked. strong if you really crank them,
Weaknesses:
rotors are VERY easily warped, not very grippy, unpredictable, terrible heat dissipation. Completely impossible to adjust, always fussing and squeaking and rubbing and b$#%ing and whining.
Similar Products Used:
Plenty
Bike Setup:
Ironhorse sgs Expert-switching over to Marin B-17
Bottom Line:
Absolute RUBBISH. Simply cannot stand up to heavy use... heated up to the point where i had to put ice cubes on the calipers to cool them down. i cannot adjust them, and im German... very flimsy rotors; they bend at the drop of a hat. i hate these brakes
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
egsavio
a Downhiller
from Florianópolis Date Reviewed: November 8, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Barba Park
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Della Bikes
Strengths:
Good power stop while new.
Weaknesses:
It leaks in the plastic cover of the oil reservoir.
Similar Products Used:
Grimeca, Deore, Hope.
Bike Setup:
UMF Freddy, Saint, Totem.
Bottom Line:
I made other review 2 years ago, than I wouldn't never buy these brakes, but they come in my new bike...
Again, it is a trash. I almost had a serious injury. I never more will use this sh*%&&t again.
Take Deore, it is afordable and maintenance free.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
SLAZMO
a Weekend Warrior
from Gold Coast - Australia Date Reviewed: October 29, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Narang
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Came with bike HFX 9
Strengths:
Solid bombproof design, easy servicability and lots of aftermarket non OEM parts available....
Weaknesses:
Expensive aftermarket parts (OEM).... Pads are pricy compared to current modles and rubber diafram breaks easily, shotty hayes tubing, Goodrige or Hope cables the way to go when getting a set....
Similar Products Used:
Avid 3/ 5/ 7's
Bike Setup:
S/S Street & Heavy XC & All Mountain & Shore FR
Bottom Line:
There a good set of anchors, modulation is the key and a spare set of pads a must when out. There isnt much adjustability in their design and this shows with squeel and shuddering when not properly setup.... Lots of time setting them up!!!! needs to be kept clean and serviced for best performance and when they work they sure as well do!!! Good value for money in todays terms. But would possibly stay with Avid due to their weight savings and blingy attractivness....
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
colesie
a Downhiller
from surrey Date Reviewed: July 22, 2008
Favorite Trail:
coopers
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
came on bike
Strengths:
good for the first two weeks
Weaknesses:
crap after the first two weeks, at first they were reasonable, started loosing power so i bled them, they just got worse and worse, no stregnth, poor reliablity
Similar Products Used:
avid juicy, mono mini
Bike Setup:
kona howler
Bottom Line:
do not buy them
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
identiti_crisis
a Downhiller
from Lincoln, United Kingdom Date Reviewed: July 3, 2008
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Excellent brute force, out-of-the-box stopping power. After 3 years I'm still on the original pads (though that probably says more about my riding habits than anything else!) Good wet-weather performance, and generally low noise. They appear to be very cheap to buy, at least compared to their immediate competition in terms of stopping power alone.
Fast fitting (no shims, etc.) and can be ridden without ever adjusting. Good, solid (heavy :D) and straight-and-true discs, too.
Unlike some brakes, they feel exactly the same between rides (e.g. no mystical loss of power overnight), though their feel can change dramatically during a ride itself
Weaknesses:
Very poor modulation! Coming from the (temperamental) Hopes to these was a very tricky adjustment! They are generally quite rideable, but it takes very fine finger control to extract any form of modulation. The rear's 8" rotor means it's almost impossible to modulate, however.
Descents can be hit-or-miss, I find the front brake "ramps up" very quickly after a few bursts of deceleration and any sustained braking causes fade and the dreaded lever-sponge-effect, probably due to the fluid "gassing" at high temperature (it is only DOT4, after all.) A "quick" bleed fixes the sponginess though. (The Hayes manual recommends a semingly backward way of bleeding that can also be hit-or-miss; I'd recommend following a method after your own experience on this one.)
Additionally, the ramping alludes to some kind of heat dissipation issues, which Hayes claim the 8" rotors were used to alleviate. The excess heat will cause your pads to glaze over, especially with the stock, hard compound pads. Sometimes the wet pads and disc can really howl (think bedding-in a hope brake) but it's no biggie.
One final whinge about the mounting and adjustability of the calipers. Basically, you mount the caliper and pull the brake on full and tighten the bolts up. Excellent for speed of setup and numpty-friendly use, but rubbish for fine adjustment. The caliper castings aren't particularly high-tolerance (they are castings, after all) and it's almost impossible, with my calipers, to get a caliper position which doesn't rub the pads or the caliper body (!!) on the disc, despite the trueness of the discs. You're left with having to hand-adjust the caliper position, which is a nightmare as the design of the caliper mountings doesn't lend itself to alignment by hand at all well. You'll need an extra pair of hands or a jig of some sort to get the position right and prevent the bolts from shifting the caliper as you tighten them (compensating for this prior to tightening has proven near impossible!)
Similar Products Used:
Hopes: mini, mono mini, mono M4
Various other hydraulic and cable jobbies riding trials.
Bike Setup:
'05 Norco Bigfoot (entry-level "North Shore" hardtail) all stock except some '07 Marzocchi AM2 forks (plus wheel) to replace the OEM Marzocchi dirt jams that came with the bike.
Bottom Line:
Kudos to Norco for putting these chunky, bombproof and powerful brakes on a "cheap" bike, they really do allow the rider to go at some pace with the confidence that you will slow down with some gusto, even if it is only once or twice per ride!
That said, they lack any finesse on the fine-control front and sustained descents (assuming you're the type to brake at least occasionally) can murder the fluid and pads; both of which are easy enough to remedy between rides, though.
If you're into riding the sort of downhill that lacks any real technical element, or you just like riding fast and stopping even faster, then these brakes, given their price, are probably ideal. As soon as you need a dependable, flexible brake with good, sustained lever feel and even an ounce of modulation, then these brakes will come up short eventually; probably sooner rather than later. I would recommend fitting these to some semi-burly wheels, they really are brutal (thanks to the lack of modulation) and can chew through hub bearings in record time as well as screw up spoke tension, just like any powerful disc brake.
A true fit-and-forget (assuming they don't rub) brute of a brake that really is good value for money.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
identiti_crisis
a Downhiller
from Lincoln, United Kingdom Date Reviewed: July 3, 2008
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Excellent brute force, out-of-the-box stopping power. After 3 years I'm still on the original pads (though that probably says more about my riding habits than anything else!) Good wet-weather performance, and generally low noise. They appear to be very cheap to buy, at least compared to their immediate competition in terms of stopping power alone.
Fast fitting (no shims, etc.) and can be ridden without ever adjusting. Good, solid (heavy :D) and straight-and-true discs, too.
Unlike some brakes, they feel exactly the same between rides (e.g. no mystical loss of power overnight), though their feel can change dramatically during a ride itself
Weaknesses:
Very poor modulation! Coming from the (temperamental) Hopes to these was a very tricky adjustment! They are generally quite rideable, but it takes very fine finger control to extract any form of modulation. The rear's 8" rotor means it's almost impossible to modulate, however.
Descents can be hit-or-miss, I find the front brake "ramps up" very quickly after a few bursts of deceleration and any sustained braking causes fade and the dreaded lever-sponge-effect, probably due to the fluid "gassing" at high temperature (it is only DOT4, after all.) A "quick" bleed fixes the sponginess though. (The Hayes manual recommends a semingly backward way of bleeding that can also be hit-or-miss; I'd recommend following a method after your own experience on this one.)
Additionally, the ramping alludes to some kind of heat dissipation issues, which Hayes claim the 8" rotors were used to alleviate. The excess heat will cause your pads to glaze over, especially with the stock, hard compound pads. Sometimes the wet pads and disc can really howl (think bedding-in a hope brake) but it's no biggie.
One final whinge about the mounting and adjustability of the calipers. Basically, you mount the caliper and pull the brake on full and tighten the bolts up. Excellent for speed of setup and numpty-friendly use, but rubbish for fine adjustment. The caliper castings aren't particularly high-tolerance (they are castings, after all) and it's almost impossible, with my calipers, to get a caliper position which doesn't rub the pads or the caliper body (!!) on the disc, despite the trueness of the discs. You're left with having to hand-adjust the caliper position, which is a nightmare as the design of the caliper mountings doesn't lend itself to alignment by hand at all well. You'll need an extra pair of hands or a jig of some sort to get the position right and prevent the bolts from shifting the caliper as you tighten them (compensating for this prior to tightening has proven near impossible!)
Similar Products Used:
Hopes: mini, mono mini, mono M4
Various other hydraulic and cable jobbies riding trials.
Bike Setup:
'05 Norco Bigfoot (entry-level "North Shore" hardtail) all stock except some '07 Marzocchi AM2 forks (plus wheel) to replace the OEM Marzocchi dirt jams that came with the bike.
Bottom Line:
Kudos to Norco for putting these chunky, bombproof and powerful brakes on a "cheap" bike, they really do allow the rider to go at some pace with the confidence that you will slow down with some gusto, even if it is only once or twice per ride!
That said, they lack any finesse on the fine-control front and sustained descents (assuming you're the type to brake at least occasionally) can murder the fluid and pads; both of which are easy enough to remedy between rides, though.
If you're into riding the sort of downhill that lacks any real technical element, or you just like riding fast and stopping even faster, then these brakes, given their price, are probably ideal. As soon as you need a dependable, flexible brake with good, sustained lever feel and even an ounce of modulation, then these brakes will come up short eventually; probably sooner rather than later. I would recommend fitting these to some semi-burly wheels, they really are brutal (thanks to the lack of modulation) and can chew through hub bearings in record time as well as screw up spoke tension, just like any powerful disc brake.
A true fit-and-forget (assuming they don't rub) brute of a brake that really is good value for money.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
identiti_crisis
a Downhiller
from Lincoln, United Kingdom Date Reviewed: July 3, 2008
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Excellent brute force, out-of-the-box stopping power. After 3 years I'm still on the original pads (though that probably says more about my riding habits than anything else!) Good wet-weather performance, and generally low noise. They appear to be very cheap to buy, at least compared to their immediate competition in terms of stopping power alone.
Fast fitting (no shims, etc.) and can be ridden without ever adjusting. Good, solid (heavy :D) and straight-and-true discs, too.
Unlike some brakes, they feel exactly the same between rides (e.g. no mystical loss of power overnight), though their feel can change dramatically during a ride itself
Weaknesses:
Very poor modulation! Coming from the (temperamental) Hopes to these was a very tricky adjustment! They are generally quite rideable, but it takes very fine finger control to extract any form of modulation. The rear's 8" rotor means it's almost impossible to modulate, however.
Descents can be hit-or-miss, I find the front brake "ramps up" very quickly after a few bursts of deceleration and any sustained braking causes fade and the dreaded lever-sponge-effect, probably due to the fluid "gassing" at high temperature (it is only DOT4, after all.) A "quick" bleed fixes the sponginess though. (The Hayes manual recommends a semingly backward way of bleeding that can also be hit-or-miss; I'd recommend following a method after your own experience on this one.)
Additionally, the ramping alludes to some kind of heat dissipation issues, which Hayes claim the 8" rotors were used to alleviate. The excess heat will cause your pads to glaze over, especially with the stock, hard compound pads. Sometimes the wet pads and disc can really howl (think bedding-in a hope brake) but it's no biggie.
One final whinge about the mounting and adjustability of the calipers. Basically, you mount the caliper and pull the brake on full and tighten the bolts up. Excellent for speed of setup and numpty-friendly use, but rubbish for fine adjustment. The caliper castings aren't particularly high-tolerance (they are castings, after all) and it's almost impossible, with my calipers, to get a caliper position which doesn't rub the pads or the caliper body (!!) on the disc, despite the trueness of the discs. You're left with having to hand-adjust the caliper position, which is a nightmare as the design of the caliper mountings doesn't lend itself to alignment by hand at all well. You'll need an extra pair of hands or a jig of some sort to get the position right and prevent the bolts from shifting the caliper as you tighten them (compensating for this prior to tightening has proven near impossible!)
Similar Products Used:
Hopes: mini, mono mini, mono M4
Various other hydraulic and cable jobbies riding trials.
Bike Setup:
'05 Norco Bigfoot (entry-level "North Shore" hardtail) all stock except some '07 Marzocchi AM2 forks (plus wheel) to replace the OEM Marzocchi dirt jams that came with the bike.
Bottom Line:
Kudos to Norco for putting these chunky, bombproof and powerful brakes on a "cheap" bike, they really do allow the rider to go at some pace with the confidence that you will slow down with some gusto, even if it is only once or twice per ride!
That said, they lack any finesse on the fine-control front and sustained descents (assuming you're the type to brake at least occasionally) can murder the fluid and pads; both of which are easy enough to remedy between rides, though.
If you're into riding the sort of downhill that lacks any real technical element, or you just like riding fast and stopping even faster, then these brakes, given their price, are probably ideal. As soon as you need a dependable, flexible brake with good, sustained lever feel and even an ounce of modulation, then these brakes will come up short eventually; probably sooner rather than later. I would recommend fitting these to some semi-burly wheels, they really are brutal (thanks to the lack of modulation) and can chew through hub bearings in record time as well as screw up spoke tension, just like any powerful disc brake.
A true fit-and-forget (assuming they don't rub) brute of a brake that really is good value for money.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joey Pelletier
a Downhiller
from Ottawa Date Reviewed: May 12, 2008
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
nice and strong when working well, good stopping power and can tough a good day of riding with no problems.
Weaknesses:
i had these for the summer, and at the end of the summer i noticed a deacrease in pressure on the lever., i brought it into my lbs, the fixed it (i think) and 2 weeks later, it all happened again, they have no braking power at all, like, i can have the lever in as far as it goes and the pads are only slightly rubbing the disc.....its useless
Similar Products Used:
avid juicy 5's
Bike Setup:
kona stinky, fox dhx 4.0 shox, kona bulge crankset
Bottom Line:
a good brake, i loved them when they were working and would have trusted these a lot, but ive had to many problems with these. if they come stock....use them till they brake (they most likly will, from what ive heard from a lot of local riders that have had them) then go with some avids, they are reliable. you really need a realiable brake to have the confidence to push yourself as hard as you can. Dont buy these aftermarket.....just use them till they break, or get a better set right away if you dont feel like dealing with problems. it looses chillies for being unreliable.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
DEAGO
a Cross Country Rider
from Brooklyn n.y. Date Reviewed: April 29, 2008
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$160.00
Purchased At:
Pricepoint
Strengths:
Cheap when I bought them new,stand up to anything,basically maintenance free.
Weaknesses:
Heavy
Similar Products Used:
Avid,Hayes,Shimano
Bike Setup:
Jamis Dakar Xc Expert
Bottom Line:
I'm switching over to Avid juicy ultimates,but not because there's anything wrong with the hayes,just because I completely put my bike on a diet! Thes Hayes can keep going & will on my cousins bike!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Taylor
a Downhiller
from Davis, California Date Reviewed: January 7, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Pacifica, Northstar
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Stock on bike.
Strengths:
If you cant find any brake system that have enough power in any knid of weather condition and are relatively cheap, then these brakes will suit you perfectly. They have amazing stopping power, stealthy looks (especially with the big fat levers), and great lever feel.
Weaknesses:
The only slight but perfectly harmless weakness is that they sqeak a tiny bit every once in a while but i dont even notice it.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes Sole, Avid Codes, BB7, Hayes MX2 & MX4, Tektro lo, V-brakes, Juicy 5 & 7.
Great brakes for any type of riding in any type of weather! I definately recomend these to everyone. i dont know why the other people had problems with there levers but that is because the bike shop bled them when they built the bike for me. Maybe they just dont know how to bleed these brakes properly.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Derek Batchelder
a Cross Country Rider
from Portland, Oregon Date Reviewed: December 5, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Browns camp loop
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
Trail Head Cycles
Strengths:
Great stopping power, light weight, and great modulation
Weaknesses:
Only problem i had was because my stock pads were shot!
Similar Products Used:
Hayes stroker, avid juicy 3,5, and 7, and hope mini's
Bike Setup:
2007 Leader 516h single speed xc race
Bottom Line:
Amazing breaks for price! Work great until pads go out.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ricky
a Downhiller
from Corona Ca Date Reviewed: November 6, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Great stopping power, Great modulation at speed I dont know what people are talking about saying they have poor modulation mine work great.
Weaknesses:
No adjustment on the bars.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes sole, Mx4, tektro alivio, demos juicy 7's and 5's
Bike Setup:
Stock Iron Horse 7.5 and Jamis Komodo
Bottom Line:
Great brake with a good feel at the lever If you can pick up a pair cheap do it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
fadi
a
from toronto Date Reviewed: October 27, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Great For Stock On An Entry Level DH Bike
Weaknesses:
I just bought a 2007 Norco Atomik about 3 weeks ago, and i put in over 100 Hours of riding into the bike since then, and i'm still waiting for the top layer of coating on the pads to finish, so i can achieve better stopping power...
Similar Products Used:
Hayes El caminos, Hayes Soles, Hope Mono 6-ti, Avid juicy 5, avid juicy 3,
Bike Setup:
Stock 2007 Norco Atomik
Bottom Line:
These Brakes Arent bad... If You do ALOT of DH, these are not for you, Pitch in the extra $400 (work for that extra week or two riding with these things) and get Avid Codes...
On the other hand, if you do alot of riding, but not DH, and you dont hit high speeds, these will work...
For me, i havent done any DH yet, but i do XC and i do hit 60KMPH sometimes and these stop me after about 3 Metres of slowing down...They work even better in the rain (probably becuz of the coating on the pads)...but the pads do touch the disc occasionally and that annoys me...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
james
a
from sarlat Date Reviewed: October 20, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
probikeshop.fr
Strengths:
the stopping power xtraordanary
Weaknesses:
squeeeeeeeeeeeek
Similar Products Used:
1 of a kind
Bike Setup:
giant terrago with marzo forks
Bottom Line:
gr8 gr8 gr8 gr8
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eugene
a Downhiller
from Denver,CO Date Reviewed: October 14, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Keystone
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
They stop you, kind of.
Weaknesses:
I am only 145lbs, 15 and these brakes literally fade after about 2 minutes of light decent, and I don't even use my brakes much. The people that made these brakes were completely oblivious to the fact that there is something called modulation because these brakes have none. Some people say that the modulation is controllable but its not, maybe in a parking lot but not on a trail. Once you have stopped or slowed down more than 3 times you have probably lost about 50 percent of your braking power due to fade. At moments these brakes have a sudden boost of power or the opposite. These brakes change in feel at least ten times by the time you get to the bottom. I always have to adjust the calipers position because it will always move and squeak. The lever feel is ok but as the brakes fade it becomes hard to press the lever. Don't even get me started on how ugly they are.
Similar Products Used:
Avid BB7, Shimano XT m765
Bike Setup:
GIANT FAITH (KICK A#$ BIKE)
Bottom Line:
DO NOT BUY, UNLESS OF COURSE YOU PREFER BRAKES THAT DON'T WORK
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mason
a Downhiller
from Portland, OR, US Date Reviewed: October 10, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Everything's great. Amazing power, great feel, very controllable, they look great. I don't see what more you could want out of a brake system.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Promax Mechanical (lol)
Bike Setup:
2006 Kona Howler, front V7 rotor, rear V6 rotor.
Bottom Line:
Props to Hayes for these. Affordable quality. Great all around.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jordan Nickell
a Downhiller
from the real nor cal america Date Reviewed: September 25, 2007
Favorite Trail:
southfork
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
friend
Strengths:
everything
Weaknesses:
nothing
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
custom faith 2
Bottom Line:
awsome
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jordan Nickell
a Downhiller
from the real nor cal america Date Reviewed: September 25, 2007
Favorite Trail:
southfork
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
friend
Strengths:
everything
Weaknesses:
nothing
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
custom faith 2
Bottom Line:
awsome
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt
a Weekend Warrior
from Camlachie, Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: August 30, 2007
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
great braking power and very responsive these are very good all around brakes that can be used for almost any thing. theses are great brakes for the price
Weaknesses:
stock pads are junk
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
norco bigfoot with race face diobluis crank, s type rims, 50 50 X petals, and some othere extras put stock other than that
Bottom Line:
great breaks for the price and they have lasted me almost two years and i ride my bike almost every day
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Luke Peagram
a Weekend Warrior
from Tauranga, New Zealand Date Reviewed: August 19, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Oropi Grove
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Rocket bikes with bike & old ones off Internet for $200
Strengths:
Power & response
Weaknesses:
occasional noise. Depending on what model & what size Rotor.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes MX4 Mechainical Disk Brakes
Bottom Line:
Great brakes & awesome value for money. Would highly recommend these brakes. Also very popular compared with other Hydroulic Brakes
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ant Lay
a Weekend Warrior
from Miami, fl. Date Reviewed: August 8, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Uleta
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$160.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Stopping power
Weaknesses:
Lever does seem to go all the way down when ridden for a little while but it doesnt affect the braking power.
Similar Products Used:
Magura Julie
Bike Setup:
Specialized Rockhopper pro. Tora 318 shock.
Bottom Line:
For the price, these brakes are great. Im a big guy and I have no problem stopping with these brakes. Love them and would highly reccomend to anyone. For all the idiots that talk about modulation, all you need is a finger. Thats all the modulation you need.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
king
a Cross Country Rider
from colorado Date Reviewed: July 30, 2007
Favorite Trail:
horsethief
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
they're disk- when coming from v-brakes there is more power which is cool, but...
they just plain suck. i rode them for three years cuz i'm too cheap to upgrade, and i kept thinking that if i just bleed 'em one more time, if i just adjust the levers one more time, if i just replace the pads one more time...they'll be fine. well, they weren't. the bottom line is that they are simply a hassle, and an inferior product. i finally upgraded to juicy ultimates- they better not suck.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andrew Hurst
a Downhiller
from Vicenza, Italy Date Reviewed: July 6, 2007
Favorite Trail:
601
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
stock, and i have a set from a build kit
Strengths:
great stopping power, they work even with a bit of chain lube on them (not as well as without, this is not reccomended though)
Weaknesses:
THE NOISE!!! melted the rear cable on a 17 kilometer downhill run at lake garda, italy (still works though) the stock pads are garbage
Similar Products Used:
Juicy 5s, 7s, shimano xt, hope, and some wierd european brand on somone elses sled
Bike Setup:
uh, its my frankentien FR bike, got a bit of everything
Bottom Line:
good brakes for what what they are intended for, should swap out lines for steal braded though, unless you want melted lines (only happened once). i still like them regardless of the few small problems, they are the most comfortable brakes i have used.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
cam
a Downhiller
from canada eh Date Reviewed: June 25, 2007
Favorite Trail:
time killer
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
store
Strengths:
nothing
Weaknesses:
you need to bleed it lots it fades somtimes it feels like there is cement in the lines always rub are just plain old pieces of crap
Bottom Line:
DO NOT BUY to bad i cant put 0 for chili peppers
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
cam
a Downhiller
from canada eh Date Reviewed: June 25, 2007
Favorite Trail:
time killer
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
store
Strengths:
nothing
Weaknesses:
you need to bleed it lots it fades somtimes it feels like there is cement in the lines always rub are just plain old pieces of crap
Bottom Line:
DO NOT BUY to bad i cant put 0 for chili peppers
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
tyler kirk
a Weekend Warrior
from cambridge new zealand Date Reviewed: June 13, 2007
Favorite Trail:
whakarewarewa(rotorua)
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
kaimai cycles
Strengths:
great to have the double clamping hydraulics. not weather effected and hold up well for downhill.
Weaknesses:
i am yet to find a fault in these little babies.
Similar Products Used:
avid juicy 3s, 5s and 7s
Bike Setup:
avanti derelikt type 3 all stock. which reminds me... why arent there any derelikts to review?
Bottom Line:
these brakes no doubt ARE a great product. awesum value. if mine break il buy another set.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
beebo
a Downhiller
from ont, canada Date Reviewed: May 18, 2007
Favorite Trail:
my dirt jumps
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
cyclissimo (came stock)
Strengths:
They work better then hayes mechanical brakes, and with the BFL lever they do look pretty good. It is possible to use them with one finger. They aren't quite as bad as the soles.
Weaknesses:
The braking power can change from day to day and the rotors are terrible, they warp very easily. They also have noticable braking fade when they heat up, and the squeal A LOT, especially when wet or the get a bit dirty. I've also noticed that especially with the front brakes performance will change. There is also a very noticable power difference when you steadily apply pressure and the brakes slow down a bit and they squeal, then all of a sudden they lock-up.
Similar Products Used:
Avid 5, Avid Code, Hayes MX2, Hayes Sole
Bike Setup:
Stock 06 Devinci Hucker, but soon to replace brakes and fork.
Bottom Line:
You should never consider buying these brakes aftermarket, you should only have them on your bike if they come stock, otherwise you just wasted your money. I would certainly recommend the Avid 5 over these and for a high end brake go with the Codes. If you are going from mechanical to hydraulic brakes don't be fooled by just lever feel, do some research. I'm giving these brakes a 2 because they are better then the soles.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bob Brown
a Weekend Warrior
from Perth, Western Australia Date Reviewed: April 25, 2007
Favorite Trail:
the goat farm
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
lots of braking power and no brake fade
Weaknesses:
to kool for skool
Similar Products Used:
hayes gx-2
Bike Setup:
o6 giant stp2, truvativ boxguide, maxxis holy rollers, hayes hfx 9 hd 8 inch
Bottom Line:
very good brakes. a bit sqeaky wen they wer new but got better as they wore in.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gavin
a Cross Country Rider
from BC, Canada Date Reviewed: April 12, 2007
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Feels good
Weaknesses:
Ceramic pistons chip and crack and wear fast. Pain in the ass to bleed.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes Mech. Avid Juicy 5 and 7, Hayes Mag,Magura Louise
Bike Setup:
Fisher Sugar 2
Bottom Line:
These brakes are great wehn everything is in perfect working order. The pistons are horrible ceramic, they chip and i missed a race yesterday becasue my piston cracked during my warm up. Use them till they break, but i dont reccomned as an upgrade, these are also very tough to bleed
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Corstian Devos
a Cross Country Rider
from Philadelphia, PA Date Reviewed: April 10, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Any trail is a good trail
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Cycle Sonic
Strengths:
Great Stopping power.
Weaknesses:
None so far.
Similar Products Used:
Formula Mechanical discs. Hayes MX-1 and Hayes MX-2 Mechanical discs.
Bike Setup:
Stock 2007 Giant Glory Freeride except for peddles SH 858s (yes they are old), seat Fizik Atlas, and replaced stock 2.5 Kenda tires with WTB Tyrannoraptor back (Yes I have a few of these old tires around) and Conti Double Fighter front.
Bottom Line:
Borrowing from the previous review I am a large lump (6'3", 250 lbs) on a stiff bike and these work like a charm. I can finally lock up my tires again!! I have always said I preferred mechanical discs because of the maintenance issues when riding out in the middle of nowhere (easy to carry spare brake cable) but the reality is that after miles of trail and some pretty spectacular endoes I have never snagged a line (maybe just lucky). Time for me to change my tune. With these brakes I stop...PERIOD. I would recommend them to anyone.
I have had none of the modulation or pad issues mentioned in previous reviews. As seems to be Hayes modus operandi they listen and improve their products with every year.
Given the inclusion of this brake set in the stock groupo I have to give them a high value rating but I acknowledge that I would be unlikely to pay the full list for these, but I am a little cheap. ;-P
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bryan
a Weekend Warrior
from Cannock Date Reviewed: April 8, 2007
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$2200.00
Purchased At:
Leisure Lakes
Strengths:
If you need to stop in a hurry then these are for you, cheap and metal power that is reliable
Weaknesses:
Well these are Killers, they have no feel and braking is a lottery over if you will stop fast or front end slide, they ragg my Marzocchi Z1 forks so i am waiting for some 888's to tame them
Similar Products Used:
A boat anchor, handbrake, feet...
Bike Setup:
scott Nitrous 20 2005
Bottom Line:
These were meant for heavy lumps on heavy bikes to stop and i am a lightweight lump on a heavy bike and i am tossed around by these. They are great stoppers and are addictivly strong but only if your bike is stiff enough
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Aaron
a Weekend Warrior
from Rainier, OR Date Reviewed: March 21, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Stella
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
came with bike
Strengths:
powerful, don't fade on long descents
Weaknesses:
stock brake pads wear quick, lever adjusters back out
Similar Products Used:
2001 HFX-Mag, 2003 Avid BB7, 2005 HFX-9 XC
Bike Setup:
2004 Kona Stinky
Bottom Line:
These are descent brakes, but there were some issues along the way. The rear brake lever would stick at the most inopportune time, leaving me with no brakes. But to Hayes's credit, I sent them back to them and the problem was fixed in less than a week. The adjusters would back out, but that was fixed with a little loctite. The stock pads wore out in a month, replaced them with full metallic pads and they have lasted over 2 years! Could never get the rear brake to work consistantly, would start soft then firm up after a couple of pulls. I've bleed 100's of bicycle brakes in my life, so I know what I was doing. Just could never quite get it right. They're not terrible brakes, just need some improving. Interestingly enough, I have some 2005 HFX-9XC brakes that work flawlessly!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jeff foehr
a Downhiller
from salt lake city, UT Date Reviewed: March 16, 2007
Favorite Trail:
shuttle assisted
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
ep
Strengths:
Maybe I just got a good pair but at 190 lbs these have never failed on me back to back shuttle runs, laps at deer valley.
Weaknesses:
The stock pads are weak, the levers at the attachment points are loose.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes Mags on my other bike, nigt and day difference.
Bike Setup:
Azonic eliminator for 3 seasons, this season morewood izimu, fox 40 rc2, Galfer rotors lines and pads, azonic outlaw wheelset, x9 drivetrain, etc.
Bottom Line:
The brakes are not bad they take patience and dedicated service. During the season I bleed my brakes weekly sometimes more often if it's a race weekend. IMO this systen is easier to bleed than the Mags. I should also add that my HFX 9's are far from stock, Galfer lines, rotors, pads and straitline aftermarket levers. So I probably could have bought after all the mods a nice set of Hopes. Still I haven't had a problem with them and they have help up to 3 seasons of riding and racing, and lots of crashing. Have fun and enjoy the ride.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jimmy
a Downhiller
from Canberra Date Reviewed: March 14, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Stock
Strengths:
It works sometimes
Weaknesses:
This arvo I was riding down a hill and went for a manual. I went about twenty metres and needed to tap the breaks to stop flipping over the back. I swear I pulled the lever almost all the way in and there was no power at all. I flipped off and grazed knee elbow etc. If anyoune else has had this sudden power loss email me.
Bike Setup:
04 Bighit w e13
Bottom Line:
I dunno about these brakes. The fact that they failed me when I needed them most is not very confidence inspiring at all. Yeah, it could have been my error but I just dunno. By the way, these are 04 gayes 9 which ive heard other dodgy stories for, such as levers pulling in (also happens to me)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Grant
a Downhiller
from Castro Valley California Date Reviewed: March 11, 2007
Favorite Trail:
JMP
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Came on bike
Strengths:
Easy to set up, easy to bleed
Weaknesses:
squeaks alittle, Expensive if you are going to buy them aftermaket
Similar Products Used:
Mx2's Avid bb7 bb5's Hayes 9 XC
Bike Setup:
Iron Horse 7point3 marzocchi DOIII, rockshox pearl 3.1, esi race grips, Funn viper pedals, WTB dual duty FR (wheel set)
Bottom Line:
Keep them till you break them, dont buy if you are looking for an upgrade, go for juicy 7's.
Before getting my IH I had the XC version on my XC HT, they where to much for that bike and what it needed. For FR/DH the offer enough stopping power for what they are.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeremy
a
from Tallahassee, FL Date Reviewed: March 5, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Tom Brown---Cadilac
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$170.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Stop quickly. Great feel.
Weaknesses:
Sqeak sometimes--at slow speeds. Heavy.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano XT hybrid levers and hydros with 6" rotors
Bike Setup:
'06 Gary F. Cake 3 with 8" rotors
Bottom Line:
Love the feel more than anythingthe. Stop very fast and have had no problems so far. I have not had to adjust anything on them yet. Sunshine Cycles did a great job of installing them. Thanks John and Alex.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
lala
a
from ca Date Reviewed: February 27, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
with bike
Strengths:
they actually brake pretty well, I was going to go with Formula K24 but didn't, and these work fine. Dont ever change anything from the factory settings, and they will work. The eight inch rotors work way better than 6, so get 8 front and rear.
Weaknesses:
they fade relatively easily, but you shouldnt be braking that much anyways.
Similar Products Used:
v brakes
Bike Setup:
TRANSITION Vagrant
Bottom Line:
they work
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Allan
a Weekend Warrior
from BC Canada Date Reviewed: February 9, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Came with bike
Strengths:
They work.
Weaknesses:
They never really worked that great from the begining, i thought they just had to be broken in so i began to ride them while i was riding thinking that would break them in faster, it didnt. so i tryed just hammering on them while riding... well that just screwed them all together. now when i use the back break with a little pressure my entire hardtail vibrates as if the pad is grabing the disc and then letting go rapidly.
Can't take hard breaking!!
Similar Products Used:
hockey stick, your feet
Bike Setup:
2006 sasquatch, marzocchi jr. t, s-type front, double track rear
Bottom Line:
I prosume i was just unlucky and got a bad set since a friend has that same ones and they had worked wonders for him and he has had them for 2 years...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Josh Wolfe
a Downhiller
from Anacaster, Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: January 4, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Works realy well, a lot of stopping power, quite strong, never needed much maintenance.
Weaknesses:
They never stop SQUEAKING! It really get annoying, but where you're going really fast and you gotta be focused you don't hear it.
Similar Products Used:
hayes sole, avid juicy 5
Bike Setup:
2005 Norco Rampage-stock with MTX rims
Bottom Line:
These brakes work well but will never stop squeaking. If you get past that or it doesn't bother you than these are great breaks to get. They are good performance for the price though.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott
a Downhiller
from Westport, CT, USA Date Reviewed: December 30, 2006
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$240.00
Purchased At:
pricepoint.com
Strengths:
pretty good brakes for the money. ive had no problems with them so far, except a little squeeking. good in wet conditions.
Weaknesses:
they squeek sometimes
Similar Products Used:
Hayes MX2
Bike Setup:
heavily modified Haro X1 full suspention.
Bottom Line:
good brakes, not alot of prblems.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
john
a Cross Country Rider
from Texas Date Reviewed: December 7, 2006
Favorite Trail:
walnut
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
came on my bike
Strengths:
now, I am not sure why the review are not that great, these are pretty good brakes. stop well in harsh conditions and require some break in period. I just wish there were as easy to adjust as the bb7, they do stop better than them.
Weaknesses:
hard to adjust.
Similar Products Used:
no other hydros, but BB7
Bike Setup:
ibex asta expert x9
Bottom Line:
lose a chili for being difficult to adjust, but other than that ...very nice
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
keith domo
a Downhiller
from hope bc canada Date Reviewed: November 26, 2006
Favorite Trail:
all of em
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
cheyannes
Strengths:
very good ,awsome duribility, not the best brakes in the world, but who has money for hope brakes anyways?/?
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
el caminos
Bike Setup:
manik 888 diabolus
Bottom Line:
goodness
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Greg Hamill
a Downhiller
from Mareeba, QLD, Austraila Date Reviewed: October 3, 2006
Favorite Trail:
kuranda dh/ my place
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
came with bike
Strengths:
works well for a few months
Weaknesses:
needs constant adjusting on mount, constant rebleeding, dies in the ass after about 4 months of easy riding or 1 day of dh riding, dosent sit on mounts properly, squeals
Similar Products Used:
shimano saint,deore and xt, avid juicys, mag9
Bike Setup:
2006 norco sasquatch with hfx9 & kona stab deluxe with 5th element and mag9(didnt make the mistake to keep hfx9)
Bottom Line:
cheap and work good for a while but if you want better brakes then be prepared to spend the money, not for a serious dh competitor
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
tim
a Downhiller
from edmonton Date Reviewed: September 27, 2006
Favorite Trail:
dirt merchant
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
consistency good modulation excellent power (with after market pads) light last for ever
Weaknesses:
stock pads are jokes, they build up gases between the pad and the rotor and can accually cut a rotor in half!
Similar Products Used:
hope M4, hayes mag, avid juicy7
Bottom Line:
best bang for buck breaks out there. i am a big rider (220lbs) and these are more than strong enough. the stock pads are bad, swap them for the gold ones with holes in the back (the stock are black with no holes). these are workhorses. they are not the best at any one thing, but they are very good at everything and they are the most durable breaks on the market.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Moe
a Cross Country Rider
from Plantation, FL, USA Date Reviewed: September 11, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Markham Trails
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$190.00
Purchased At:
Jenson
Strengths:
Great Modulation, All-weather capable, 2 finger operation.
These brakes might not be the fanciest or more capable out there but they sure surpass anything for the same money, great modulation and stopping power. Above all the ability to perform in the south Florida swamp, mud and sand impress me the most. Where other brakes have failed the HFX-9's kept on going.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Saber Haghvirdy
a Downhiller
from Iran / Tehran Date Reviewed: September 8, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Shafaq 3
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Came on bike
Strengths:
Easy bleeding -enough power –cool designed rotors which sweep all the pad surface-easy maintenance and most O-rings and pins can be found every where
Weaknesses:
Very sensitive to crashes they will damage on crashes very easily –if you meddle with the parts and screws a few times the sealing system and the screws themselves would wear out quickly
Similar Products Used:
N.T.
Bike Setup:
Koan Stinky 06
Bottom Line:
Don’t meddle with them if their unadjusted a little bare them just as they came out of the production line .Or be ready to have problem on every screw O-ring and hose every now and then which will force you to get rid of them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jordan
a Downhiller
from Vancouver, BC, Canada Date Reviewed: August 19, 2006
Favorite Trail:
North Shore
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Came with Bike, (Cove)
Strengths:
Comes on bikes from the shop
Weaknesses:
Get spongy fast Brake easy Just blew my master Cyilinder on Mt Washington... My Buddy blew a cylinder on Eagle mountain last year... They Break EASY
Stoping power is less than Avid Mech Disks
Similar Products Used:
Avid Mech Disk
Bike Setup:
Cove Playmate w/ 5th Element and 66's SRAM X9 components
Bottom Line:
Its cheap and cheaply made, everyone with them i know has had them break
Expect to be bleading them alot
Braking power isnt the best
If they didnt come with your Bike, dont waste your money buying them, and if possible when buying a bike, see if they will let you upgrade to some real breaks
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric
a Downhiller
from Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada Date Reviewed: July 31, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Mt. Washington
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Came with bike from Blacks Cycle
Strengths:
Good stopping power, hydrolic fluid lasts a long time
Weaknesses:
hydrolic line loosens from lever
Similar Products Used:
hayes HFX nine xc
Bike Setup:
05 Bigfoot with 66vf and double track
Bottom Line:
These breaks have good stopping power and last a long time.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eder Giovani Savio
a Downhiller
from Florianópolis - Brazil Date Reviewed: July 29, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Sertão da Lagoa do Peri
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Good brake power while is not leaking or broke.
Weaknesses:
Many. - Leak oil from levers and calipers. - Break screws. Weak paint. - Base of levers is flexible. - Need to bleed when assemble new pads because the rotor became arrested. - Hose connections break easily when try to unscrew. - The original pads dissolve in long DHs under rain conditions. - The connection of the lever to the master cylinder is poor and loose easily after the first accident. - No clearance pads adjust.
This brake is an affordable option, but it is bad business. Deore is cheaper, has similar brake power and Shimano's quality. Hope and Avid are expensive but justify the money.
The HFX9 is a garbage.
I'll give one Flamin' Chili Overall Rating because there is not zero.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike Morse
a Cross Country Rider
from So Cal Date Reviewed: July 24, 2006
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Came with bike
Weaknesses:
Multiple problems from the start. Difficult to work on. Hard to bleed.
Bike Setup:
04 Fisher 129, Chris King hubs, Rhyno lite 29er rims, Reba Race fork, Chris King Headset, Hayes 9HD Brakes, 8" rotors.
Bottom Line:
I bought the bike used with minimal miles (less than 200). I'm a big guy (250 lbs) and had difficulty stopping. Changed the pads, no difference. Changed the rotors to 8", no difference. Bled the system and that's when the real problems started. Difficult to bled, needed caliper rebuild. Minimal braking with new pads and new rotors. Fluid held in by small plug. Plug came out on trail ride and lost rear brakes completely.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael Lawes
a Downhiller
from England Date Reviewed: July 7, 2006
Favorite Trail:
all of Whistler
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$195.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
powerfull at start, light weight and good looking
Weaknesses:
stodgy feel very hard to bleed unusual fit to fork etc
Similar Products Used:
Hope m4
Bike Setup:
Specialized big hit with upgrades
Bottom Line:
dont recomend, get some hopes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ally burden
a Downhiller
from Glasgow Date Reviewed: July 3, 2006
Favorite Trail:
fort william or my secret trail
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
when beded in ultimate stopping power at a cheap price, strong rotors
Similar Products Used:
hope m4
Bike Setup:
scott high octane, raceface evolve dh cranks, diabolus bb, manatou stance king pin forks, manitou metal rear shock, hayes 9 rear, hope m4 front, scott stem, truvativ hozenfeller bars, deore gears
Bottom Line:
cheep and very effective especially with thw 8inch roter
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
chris james
a Downhiller
from spokane wa Date Reviewed: June 30, 2006
Favorite Trail:
beacon
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
scott's cycle and sport
Strengths:
when set up right these brakes are great, however they do need maintenance just like any hydraulic brake system, cheap, fairly simple design, from my experience great customer service
Weaknesses:
lever adjust bolt loosens, my heavey set friend tends to burn up his 9's on super steep downhills but i have never had that happen to me.
Similar Products Used:
juicy's, lots o mechanicals
Bike Setup:
all rad stuff
Bottom Line:
from what i have heard from many people is any hydraulic brake system set up wrong will suck, take time to figure out how your brakes work and you will be much happier. there is a reason the hfx-9's have been around so long, they work good when set up.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
chris james
a Downhiller
from spokane wa Date Reviewed: June 30, 2006
Favorite Trail:
beacon
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
scott's cycle and sport
Strengths:
when set up right these brakes are great, however they do need maintenance just like any hydraulic brake system, cheap, fairly simple design, from my experience great customer service
Weaknesses:
lever adjust bolt loosens, my heavey set friend tends to burn up his 9's on super steep downhills but i have never had that happen to me.
Similar Products Used:
juicy's, lots o mechanicals
Bike Setup:
all rad stuff
Bottom Line:
from what i have heard from many people is any hydraulic brake system set up wrong will suck, take time to figure out how your brakes work and you will be much happier. there is a reason the hfx-9's have been around so long, they work good when set up.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Todd
a Downhiller
from West Linn, OR Date Reviewed: June 29, 2006
Favorite Trail:
anything
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Ibex bikes
Strengths:
Good and strong for the first few rides.
Weaknesses:
these brakes lost power withen a month. I am really dissapointed in them. they came on my ibex so it wasnt that big of a deal. I mean, right now on my ibex I hated the HFX9 so much, I replaced it with a Hayes Mx2 that I had laying around...now the front has better stopping power than the back haha
Similar Products Used:
Mx1-Mx2, Juicy 7, BB7
Bike Setup:
2005 Ibex Zone FR-1, Manitou travis single 150, mechanical hayes up front.
Bottom Line:
if they come on your bike...great, keep them or whatever but save your money and dont buy them. you'll be happier with BB7 useing a 203mm rotor. juicy 5s might be a good option too. I have found out that the HFX-9 with a 160mm Tektro IO brake rotor works very well. thats currently on my DJ bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ryan
a
from ontario Date Reviewed: June 12, 2006
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
powerful brakes when new
Weaknesses:
after only one year the seals had cracked, the the pads wear down after awhile, the brake levers keep lossening after every ride
Similar Products Used:
hayes sole
Bike Setup:
norco aline
Bottom Line:
these brakes suck, they aren't reyable and they started to lose their power only after a few months, the seals cracked and broke and the entire setup wasn't working properly. save your money and get avid juicy 5
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kimber
a Downhiller
from Park City, UT Date Reviewed: June 11, 2006
Favorite Trail:
UPS
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
New from friend's bike / came with bike.
Strengths:
Good control, one-finger braking excellent. Slow to fade. When not broken, good for downhilling.
Weaknesses:
Most everything else! Screw backs out while riding, reducing braking control (have to pull farther, into the shift levers). Brakes ALWAYS rub - even if you do one of the techniques below to correct it, within a few miles it's rubbing again. New pads are SUPER noisy.
WEAK MASTER CYLINDERS...my THIRD one in a year, (on two bikes, one XC and one DH), exploded today, from a VERY minor hit in a fall. Losing that means no brake at all...had to finish a downhill course with only a rear brake.
Similar Products Used:
Demoed other brakes - Avid mechs, unsure of others.
Bike Setup:
Kona Stinky, stock. Specialiazed FSR-XC, upgrqaded to these brakes from V-brakes.
Bottom Line:
Not worth the hassle. Hayes makes other good brakes from what I hear, but the Nines are s*&t. To lose three master cylinders in a year, only ONE from a big fall and the other two from minor taps, is a problem. Not trustworthy. Cheap for sure, but the headaches are MUCh more expensive.
Heavy for an XC rider, but good for DHers.
Rated high for value, very low otherwise.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
toni
a Downhiller
from Amarillo, TX USA Date Reviewed: June 8, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Angel Fire
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$149.00
Purchased At:
Bike Stop
Strengths:
no strengths about these brakes. There good for a ride or two
Weaknesses:
fluid leak, average brake power, caliper overheat, brake pads dont last long, lever adjustment all the time. After a few rides the rotor begins to rub.
Bike Setup:
Kona Stab, 888vf, intense 2.7 tires, sun MTX-S rims, Fox DHX 5.0 rear shock, hayes mag brakes
Bottom Line:
These brakes suck! I went through so much trouble throughout the first 2 weeks with these. Dont waste your money with these. Get different brakes and enjoy your bike. Dont go through what i did cause it sucks! I switched to Hayes Mags and they are the bomb. Havent had any problems with them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
cameron webster
a Downhiller
from perth, wa, australia Date Reviewed: May 27, 2006
Favorite Trail:
dwellingup
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$260.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
power, sollid feel, easy to instal, repair and maintain.
Weaknesses:
one of the pistons in the caliper broke but everything still works
Similar Products Used:
avid jucy, hayes gx 2
Bike Setup:
stp2, 8" rotors, truvativ box guide.minion tyres
Bottom Line:
best brakes ive ever used, avid jucy are ok but the lever is pretty squishy when braking. hayes have a verry solid feel to them. some people dont like my bike because the brakes are to good. when the brakes arived at my house the front caliper adapter thing(the bit in between the forks and the caliper) was for 20mm axels so my friend used a mill at work to make it fit. now it all works sweet.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael Lopez
a Weekend Warrior
from Phoenix AZ, USA Date Reviewed: May 21, 2006
Favorite Trail:
any one I can find.
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$214.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
good solid clean look, flip flop levers allow you to switch up your options if you want to break tradition. has a stick trough your spoke kinda feeling when ya get right on it! Not too bad...
Weaknesses:
Rediculously noisy during break in period, and not too quiet after break-in ether. difficult to adjust at times, but what hydro brake isn't...
Similar Products Used:
Shimano deore disk, Avid BB7 disk,
Bike Setup:
05 Jamis Dakar 3.0/06 Gary fisher ziggarat,03 giant DH team.
Bottom Line:
Over all, they're pretty versitile. There right up there with Avid and Magura. they are really noisy at first, but I primarily blame it on the stock rotor, stock rotors for Avid and Hayes are garbage. I've had bottome line shimano hydralic disk brakes that stopped way smoother and more precise; I ride pretty hard from XC to DH with no tolorance for cheap $#!T. used same brakes on multiple bikes, no performance decrease... there definately in the top three for best brake Co. on the market. Look at it this way, you could do much worse!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Marco
a Downhiller
from Massachusetts Date Reviewed: April 7, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
JRA cycles
Strengths:
Great power and looks
Weaknesses:
no modulation, and they are very loud before they break in
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
Kona Stinky 2005
Bottom Line:
Good inexpensive DH disc brakes 8".
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
alex
a Downhiller
from franklin lakes, NJ Date Reviewed: March 25, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
never made any kind of noise failed on me once and then it was all down hill from there on out
Weaknesses:
PAD ALWAYS STARTS RUBBING AFTER A SMALL DROP. pin always pops out after a while and when you put it back it just gets worse and worse every time
Bike Setup:
03 specialized big hit with Marzocchi Monter T
Bottom Line:
good for a little while but then starts to break and can waste a lot of time
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tyler
a Racer
from Highlands Ranch, Colorado, U.S.A. Date Reviewed: March 11, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Bonzai Downhill
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$125.00
Purchased At:
Mojo Wheels
Strengths:
A good, cheap brake system. not to high mantaince, perfect for a racer or a casual down hiller.
Weaknesses:
Pads like to un-center themselves. The master cillender screw likes to pop out (resulting in having to pull the lever more to get the pads to engage)
Similar Products Used:
Hayes mx 1
Bike Setup:
2005 Santa Cruz V-10 2002 Specialized Enduro (I have these brakes on bolth my race bikes)
Bottom Line:
Every thing will have it's pro's and con's. But this brake system is by far the best thing out on the market
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Watson
a
from Petaluma, CA, USA Date Reviewed: March 4, 2006
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Stock on my bike
Strengths:
Good brakes, after 2 years have never had a leak
Weaknesses:
Loud....very loud
Similar Products Used:
Avid Juicy 5
Bike Setup:
04 Marin Rockey Ridge Stock...
Bottom Line:
brakes are good and last a long time especially for urban assult... would recomment mechanicals for urban assult tho.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ryan
a Downhiller
from Bozeman, MT Date Reviewed: February 11, 2006
Favorite Trail:
lobo
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
summit bike and ski
Strengths:
powerful, good modulation, easy to bleed, low maintainance, inexpensive
Weaknesses:
pads don't want to stay centered-no matter how often I adjust them they always end up rubbing slightly after a few minutes, this doesn't affect their performance but it is annoying
Similar Products Used:
avid bb7, hayes mechs, mags
Bike Setup:
stinky, monster t, fifth element, mrp, mobsters
Bottom Line:
These are quality, inexpensive brakes that will satisfy the needs of most of downhillers. They are fairly easy to set up and will perform well even without regular maintainance. I'm definately not light on the brakes and I have to admit that I tend to let them go for far too long between bleedings. But these have held up very nicely, and they have a very consistent lever feel. My big complaint is the shape of the levers, they are too long for one finger braking. I like to cut my bars down very short, but with the stock levers I am forced to brake on the inside which doesn't give much leverage. This is easily fixable with a pair of dangerboys. All in all I have been extremely happy with these brakes. If you want more performance, you'll have to spend alot more money.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lance Lowry
a Cross Country Rider
from La Habra, CA Date Reviewed: January 20, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Santiago Oaks
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
supergo
Strengths:
Easy to adjust, heavy duty,
Weaknesses:
Heavy, weak levers
Similar Products Used:
hayes mechanical, Avid SD-7,
Bike Setup:
'04 Mountain Cycle Rumble(cross country)
Bottom Line:
These brakes originally came on a Weyless 67 freeride bike and I’ve since changed to more XC oriented riding. For reference I am 5’10”, 155 pounds. Let me start by saying that I have had absolutely no problems with these brakes after more than 6 months and I ride my bike aggressively about 3 times a week.
The stopping power is so awesome with these brakes. I can’t wait longer in high speed turns. Modulation is excellent: my nose wheelies have improved drastically with these brakes. They perform well both with 8” rotors and 6”. I am, in no way, a mechanic but easily installed these on my hardtail and then just adjusted the positioning by eyeballing it. Piece of cake!
Weaknesses: The brakes are considerably bulky but these are not meant for XC riding. Also as has been mentioned several times, the levers are flimsy. Just purchase a pair of Carbon levers or Dangerboys and your set.
All things considered, these brakes are excellent and give you amazing control of your bike both at high and low speed due to the great modulation and stopping power. After all, that’s what brakes are meant to do. I’m giving them a 4 overall due to the levers. They’re important too Hayes! I would recommend buying these. They’re reliable and confidence inspiring. XC people should probably go for the XC specific ones.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tomo
a
from Adelaide, South Australia, Australia Date Reviewed: January 16, 2006
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Nothing Good Bout Hayes 9, But I Put Hayes Big Fat Levers On My 9's And That made it Better,
Weaknesses:
Everything, Brake Power, Rotors, Lever Ajustment, Caliper Overheating, Brake Pads,
Similar Products Used:
Hayes Mags, Juicy 5's And 7's, Hope 6pot
Bike Setup:
Demo 9, 888, 4way, ect
Bottom Line:
DONT BUY THESE BRAKES, Save ur money and buy sumthing else, and have more time on ur bike!!! ive had 2 sets of these brakes both crap!! Save Urself The Misery That Ive Been Caused By These Brakes, Dont buy em
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David houston
a Downhiller
from Canberra, Australia Date Reviewed: January 11, 2006
Favorite Trail:
cannonball run, Thredbo
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
great stopping power look good hayes
Weaknesses:
take a fair while to bed in
Similar Products Used:
various avids, shimanos
Bike Setup:
06 giant dh comp
Bottom Line:
great break, great price.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dimitri
a Downhiller
from London Date Reviewed: December 22, 2005
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
very very strong, reliable, easy to adjust.
Weaknesses:
after a really long, steep course you can actually smell burning. at first i didnt believe this but its actually commonplace if you do downhill. this makes them glaze over slightly but you shouldnt brake that much anyway so it doesnt matter.
Similar Products Used:
hope minis, 4 pots, six pots, c2s, loads of stuff.
Bike Setup:
boring
Bottom Line:
works really reliably, they get stupid hot sometimes but its quite cool coz you can burn stuff and they make hissing sounds when you go through puddles.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Fernando
a Downhiller
from Esquel,Chubut,Argentina Date Reviewed: September 28, 2005
Favorite Trail:
rocky terrain downhill
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$135.00
Purchased At:
downtown bicycles
Strengths:
*low price *braking power
Weaknesses:
*the lever is not much comfortable for short finger riders *after longs downhills,the fluid overheats and the neutral travel of the lever gets shorter.
downhill bike, 8 inches rear and front, boxxer, shimano, etc
Bottom Line:
good for building a DH/FR bike on a low budget. if u have the extra money get the mags or el camino. whatever this brakes won`t dissapoint you.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Slidin
a Weekend Warrior
from Australia Date Reviewed: September 16, 2005
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Long pull, responsive, solid
Weaknesses:
None yet
Bottom Line:
Heard a few bads about this setup, due mostly to bad bedding procedures. Took an hour to burnish, now is perfect. No noise, responds perfect to input.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joel
a
from Sacramento, CA Date Reviewed: September 1, 2005
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
- stopping power - endurance - easy to install - price
Weaknesses:
- hydraulic (always a chance of cutting the line open on a fall) - kind of a long lever pull compared to some, but no biggy
Similar Products Used:
Mono M4, Avid BB7 (awesome mechanical brakes)
Bottom Line:
Solid performance for the price. Installs in minutes. Not the most powerful or best performing brakes out there, but they will get the job done for just about any kind of riding. If you race, go for the mono's.
Ride hard everyone
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
josh barragan
a Downhiller
from stockport uk Date Reviewed: August 22, 2005
Favorite Trail:
stockport dh
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
on bike
Strengths:
good stoping power good brakes
Weaknesses:
make a ringing noise when wheel is turned fast or land a small jump, over heat and go brown and purple, disc get scored
Similar Products Used:
argos crap
Bike Setup:
muddy fox drift, rock shox boxxer race, dnm, shimano lx, truvativ etc
Bottom Line:
not bad i mean they stop you which is reaqly all you whant but not for a perfectionists if you cant handle the noise that is
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
luca killick
a Downhiller
from new zealand Date Reviewed: August 5, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
came on bike i bought on www.torpedo7.com
Strengths:
cheap and reasonably gud stopping powa until they break
Weaknesses:
they started not working so well 2 months into it. the front one aint goin t00 well but the back ones real gud
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
keewee progressor fram, sherman slider plusses, keewee stiky ring chain gide, laser dick dh weels, x.7 deraila, hussafelt cranks,
Bottom Line:
av the front one doesnt work as weell but the bak ones stil gud so im confused
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Petri Lenkkeri
a Downhiller
from Hildesheim, Niedersachen, Germany Date Reviewed: August 3, 2005
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
ATB-Sport
Strengths:
For the price the best thing you can get.It just simply works,no maintaing need to be done so far.I changed the brake pads after 4 months after noticing that I´ve been riding on them for so long.I tend to change the pads after every 3 months while riding active but there was nothing really wrong with them.I ride like 1 to 4 times a week and not just like around the block...
Weaknesses:
The rotors make some noise from time to time...and re-adjusting after taking the wheel off could be a bit easier.With a bit patience this is no problem.
Similar Products Used:
Magura Louise Fr.
Bike Setup:
Norco Manik Factory set up
Bottom Line:
I recommend the brakes to anyone who needs a reliable stopper for the rides and can´t afford any "noble" parts. Priceworthy, durable and easy to maintain/repair.
I wouldn´t myself even touch a bike if I can´t trust the brakes.After protective clothing the next thing keeping you alive are the brakes and I trust this stuff totally.So far it never let me down. Some complain about how noisy the brakes are...I only get the noise of the rotors while they are a bit touching the pads sometimes and this only while driving on the street with higher speed.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric
a Downhiller
from Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada Date Reviewed: July 29, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Mt. Washington
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Black Cycle (Comox)
Strengths:
Great stopping power Looks great Strong rotors Easy to maintain
Weaknesses:
Little bit noisy but that could just be a bent roter Back rotor came loose once
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Stock 2005 Norco Bigfoot with 2004 Marzocchi Z150 Freeride SL
Bottom Line:
The brakes have great stoping power and i have not come across any major problems. I recomend this fork to anyone who is into freeriding, dirt jumping, and occational downhill riding.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Josh
a Weekend Warrior
from Gaithesburg Date Reviewed: July 26, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Gambrill
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$75.00
Purchased At:
Perfomance Bikes
Strengths:
Very cheap brake that stops when you need it to.
Weaknesses:
Locks out almost immediately, no modulation. Cannot get the damn things to adjust properly.
Similar Products Used:
Avid Juicy 7's
Bike Setup:
Revell 450r, Trailpimps, Race Face Diabolus cranks, Marzocci z1 drop off, etc.
Bottom Line:
Cheap brakes if you are on budget. If you can spare the cash, go for the Juicy's or El Camino. These things are a pain in the ass to adjust. 4 for the good price.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Cody Powers
a Downhiller
from Chico Date Reviewed: July 22, 2005
Favorite Trail:
boondocks, northstar
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
with bike
Strengths:
great stopping power, levers dont need much adjustment, sexy 8" rotors.
they aren't perfect, but they sure as hell work good. haven't had to mess with'm once yet.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim Young
a Weekend Warrior
from New Hampshire Date Reviewed: July 18, 2005
Favorite Trail:
On Belay
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Great stopping power and modulation. Also a very quick break in time, which is always a good thing.
Weaknesses:
Disc will rub when you get it really hot, but thats about it.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano XT(Ok, couldent get them to feel consistant)
Bike Setup:
2005 Gemini 900 XL, Sherman Breakout TPC 170, Fox DHX 5.0, FSA cockpit items, Formula hubs.
Bottom Line:
I was a little leary about these at first cause i had heard about problems with them, but i was pleasn'tly surprised with the performance of these brakes. They have great stopping power and modulation (yea, modulation on a hayes break, i'm scared, is the world comming to an end?) and take quite a while to get up to a overheating level. I am quite impressed. These came stock on my bike, but i still know that they are quite inexspensive, full 5 chillies on value and performance.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Stuart
a Downhiller
from Abbotsford, B.C., Canada Date Reviewed: July 15, 2005
Favorite Trail:
My backyard
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$220.00
Purchased At:
Life Cycles
Strengths:
It always has enough power to get out of sticky situations, and wrks as a plug n' play kinda thing. Ive never had to maintain it, even after a year!
Weaknesses:
Its always making some foul noise. The pads grind when its dry and howl and screech when they're wet, and the self adjustment thing doesnt work as well as Id hoped it would.
Similar Products Used:
Juicy 7(SWEET!) Hayes mag(similar to nine) and magura gustav M (too powerful for me)
These arent the cheapest brakes or the most powerful or the best modulating, but they are perfect for many riders as they are virtually maintenance-free! If youre not too heavy and not serious about racing or anything, then these are perfect for tootin' around on. If you have the cash, though, spring for a juicy seven. You wont be disappointed!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eder Giovani Savio
a Weekend Warrior
from Florianópolis - Brazil Date Reviewed: July 14, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Gravatá
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Excellent brake power while is not leaking or broke.
Weaknesses:
All. Leak oil from levers and calipers. Break screws. Weak paint. Base of levers is very flexible.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes Mag, Grimeca 8, Tektro Gemini
Bike Setup:
Remec DH WC, Monster T
Bottom Line:
This brake is a garbage. Stay away! I will try the Avids.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nigel Kam
a Weekend Warrior
from Port Moody, BC Date Reviewed: July 14, 2005
Favorite Trail:
A-line, Eagle
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Local bike shop
Strengths:
its good when it gets wet.... THESE BRAKES LICK HAIRY NUTSACK. aka. they suck.
Weaknesses:
EVERYTHING!!! they cant even stop my fricken bike. it takes at least 1 meter to stop when they r not wet.
Similar Products Used:
Avid BB7, Avid Juciys, Hope M4 potz
Bike Setup:
JAckal stock cept for e-13 chainguide
Bottom Line:
dont buy theese. seriously im never buying hayes again, they r a waste of money. go for hop or avid, invest ur money into something worth it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kyle
a Downhiller
from San Rafael, CA Date Reviewed: June 28, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Dogbone at Northstar
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Stock on bike
Strengths:
Good Stopping Power, Lever reach is usually by default good, not many mechanical problems
Weaknesses:
There are not any that I have came across, but I have heard that a few parts on the 9's compared to the HFX Mag's is slimmed down. (Lever, one part of the caliper)
These brakes are ideal for those like me, who ride freeride and downhill, but are on a budget. Are the HFX Mag's better? Proabobly. They are most likley higher quality levers, and what not, but I absolutley love my HFX 9's. I ride a Weyless 67 Freeride, and they came on my 67. I love the feel of the brakes, they provide good braking power in the harshest of situations, but aren't uber responsive. The 8" rotors help a lot, and when it comes time to work on them, there are helpfull instructions online to help you.
For value, its a 5 chili because you really can't beat the price for great brakes for freeride, or downhill. Granted those who are sponsored, race everyweekend, will jump for the El Camino or HFX Mag's, for those that got a budget, and want quality brakes, the 9's will do. Since I am satisfied with mine, both catagories get 5 chilis.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brandon
a Downhiller
from Calgary Alberta Date Reviewed: June 26, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Rumble the Jungle
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Bowcycle
Strengths:
Wickedly smooth feal. Powerful
Weaknesses:
Cables arnt strong enough
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
Kona COP special Frame. Hayes HFX 6in rotors still has loads of stopping power dispite small rotors. DJ3 130mm. TruVitiv Giga pipe, isis cranks. Doubletrack rear rim cause ditch witch suck
Bottom Line:
There awsome!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sean
a Cross Country Rider
from Oregon Date Reviewed: June 9, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Porcupine Rim
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$75.00
Purchased At:
My Fav bike shop
Strengths:
Great Braking Power
Weaknesses:
Can't keep them adjusted, they always make noise. The rear caliper had one of the pistons seize so it's like using mechanical brakes. Brake lever reach screw keeps coming loose, even with lots of locktite on them.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano Mech
Bike Setup:
AS-X with all the works, except good brakes (soon to be fixed)
Bottom Line:
I heard good things about these brakes and I got them for $75.00 per wheel new (got them from a friend/bike shop owner who ordered a factory built AS-X who didn't want them). I've had the hardest time keeping them adjusted to keep them from rubbing. I'm dumping them and moving on to something else. I'm here tonight researching new brakes...
4 chilis for cheap value if you're deaf, but 2 on quality because they'll annoy the heck out of you - but they do work.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sam Reinsel
a Cross Country Rider
from Bozeman, MT Date Reviewed: June 8, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Hyalite Lake
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Chalet Sports
Strengths:
reliable, incredible braking power
Weaknesses:
noisy when muddy, a little weak feel until they really pinch down
Similar Products Used:
shimano XT
Bike Setup:
stock 2005 Cake 3 DLX
Bottom Line:
So far I have had no troubles whatsoever,these brakes give plenty of braking power for everything I've taken them through(rocks, mud, water on all terrain). These are very good brakes for the money and I would recommend them to anyone.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt
a Weekend Warrior
from Vancouver, BC, Canada Date Reviewed: May 27, 2005
Favorite Trail:
oil can
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
I bought my bike from John Henry Bike Shop
Strengths:
Good stopping power. Easy to use and change pads!
Weaknesses:
When I bought my bike, the brakes came with "Semi Metalic" pads that lasted me about 2 months (the bike shop said I was lucky they lasted that long, but this can be fixed by paying $100 to install new "Full Metalic" pads which last more than two years.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano Alvio mechanical disc brakes
Bike Setup:
Norco Fuse (04) with Junior T's, Kenda Blue groove front tire, Nokian Gazza back tire, Vanilla RC rear shock.
Bottom Line:
These brakes are good (they could be better) but they are a good deal if you are buying them separate. When buying them, ask what pads they come with.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
calen
a Weekend Warrior
from sf bay area Date Reviewed: May 24, 2005
Favorite Trail:
güch smoke
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
w/bike
Strengths:
RELIABILITY- these brakes just keep going and going. pads last a good long while.
Weaknesses:
crude lever feel master cylinder is not 2 piece: have to remove everything from the bar to get brake off (fixed for '05)
Similar Products Used:
Magura Marta, juicy 7s,
Bike Setup:
'04 Transition Dirtbag , shore worthy
Bottom Line:
(This review is for '04 HFX-9 HD) The best thing about these brakes is their reliability: you just kind of forget about them after a while. just go riding without worrying about leaks, horrendous noises, works-one-day-not-the-next BS. I have gone a full year of rough riding without having to do any surgery on these babies. Power is up there but not killer with semi-metallic pads. have to say that semi-metallic pads last a long time - 8 months of almost daily riding + one of the wettest (muddiest, pad-shreddingest) winters EVER here in the bay area. Modulation is sufficient but not amazing; they do not feel on/off but are kinda close. I'm gettin' MAGS.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin W
a Downhiller
from PG, Malaysia Date Reviewed: May 12, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Mount Erskin
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Awesome
Weaknesses:
none
Bottom Line:
All I wanna to say is... The services from Hayes is Awesome... many Thanks to Hayes....
(Need A DH Bike Sponsor...) kevin_dhteam@hotmail.com
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael Cafaro
a Weekend Warrior
from Staten Island, NY Date Reviewed: May 8, 2005
Favorite Trail:
porcupine rim
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Better than no brakes at all!
Weaknesses:
Not enough space between the pads and rotor, making them a nightmare to keep properly adjusted.
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Heckler, XT, XTR,Z1 freeride, RaceFace.
Bottom Line:
These brakes have been dragging from day one. No matter how many times you adjust them they always fall out after each ride. The stopping power is not too bad, but they sound like a damn train pulling into a station. The amount of space between the pads and rotor is minimal so there's no room for error. Every ride I have to adjust them on the trail, and who the hell wants to be sticking leaves in the caliper to get proper clearance in the first five minutes of a ride.They came stock on a giant AC2 and i thought it maybe flex and then i put them on my Heckler and it's the same story.If you want good brakes you have to spend the coin for them. Happy Trails!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bob
a Weekend Warrior
from lebanon oregon Date Reviewed: May 3, 2005
Favorite Trail:
fast flowing singletrack, (downhill)
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Stutzman's Stove, Bike and Fly shop
Strengths:
Great stopping power and modulation
Weaknesses:
The levers have a little too much play at the lever body pivot, and the reach adjustment screws always seem to want to come loose. (Lock tite)
Similar Products Used:
Hayes HFX mag, Hayes mech., Deore mech.
Bike Setup:
KHS FR2000, XT equipment,Hussefelt crank/BB,Hayes HFX-9 HD brakes, singletrack wheels, assortment of tires
Bottom Line:
These brakes work great! A lot better than others I've tried or have used. Their fairly simple to set up and operate too. CONSISTANT OPERATION! Like anthing else it just takes a little TLC every now and then.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
pete disbury
a
from walnut creek, ca, usa Date Reviewed: April 26, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Castle Rock
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
OK stopping power, ok modulation.
Weaknesses:
Cheap levers that brake too easily, rotors constantly squeal and are hard to adjust.
Similar Products Used:
Avid mechanical discs (7in fr/r) awesome discs!!
Bike Setup:
Weyless 67 freeride with manitou swinger 4way coil, Marzocchi Z150, WTB wheels with 20mm axle, kenda tires, xt drivetrain, king headset, thomson front and rear.
Bottom Line:
Brakes came with the bike and personally I say they......................................SUCK!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Harrison Mendel
a Downhiller
from Kelowna B.C Date Reviewed: April 25, 2005
Favorite Trail:
my back yard
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
www.wheelworld.com
Strengths:
works good for the frist 20 days
Weaknesses:
it leeks oil and my back brake broke after 20 days
Similar Products Used:
never had disc brakes
Bike Setup:
santa cruz heckler with LX and XT components
Bottom Line:
is a pretty good brake after all and is a great DH brake
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris H
a Downhiller
from Ontario Canada Date Reviewed: April 15, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Big Blue
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
impala
Strengths:
Very good stoping power. Good looking. overall a good setup
Weaknesses:
Warped the rotors. not much else
Similar Products Used:
hayes mechs.
Bike Setup:
04 Sasquatch. Stock
Bottom Line:
Great brakes for the price.
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Submitted by
Ty
a Weekend Warrior
from Edmonton Date Reviewed: April 11, 2005
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Bike Shop
Strengths:
they work well and are extremly cheap
Weaknesses:
some people break them and then say they suck but mine work well...
Similar Products Used:
hayes mag
Bike Setup:
balfa minuteman,sherman flick,ss
Bottom Line:
they work awesome and are really cheap
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Submitted by
Tyler Linne'
a Racer
from Highlands Ranch, Colorado, USA Date Reviewed: March 3, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Keystone Black Diamonds
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$225.00
Purchased At:
on-line
Strengths:
Nice Braking power is nice when you call it quits, sturdy desgin, and one nice looking brake
Weaknesses:
master cillinder screw in brake lever comes loose during heavy use if you don't lock-tite it. making the levers come in closer to your fingers before the pads engage
Similar Products Used:
Hayes Mec.
Bike Setup:
'05 AC-1 almost stock except stem & bar
Bottom Line:
A nice brake for almost all mountain biking uses. they are affordable and durable under heavy use. if you are a beginner or a pro these are THE BEST brakes for your buck.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Daniel Foresi
a Downhiller
from Aurora, Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: February 14, 2005
Favorite Trail:
A-line!!!!
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
On bike
Strengths:
I really liked them they had a great firm lever feel and you could lock them up with just a litle squezze. the modulations is great.
Weaknesses:
The lever had to be taped up
Similar Products Used:
felt like promax vee's but not nearly the same power.
Bike Setup:
I have a frame, wheels, tires, pedals!, ohh ohh and brakes
Bottom Line:
These things are sick and as soon as I get some cash and the time to do it Im defenitly putting these on my dirtjumping bike there great ausome power. and pretty strong...
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Submitted by
KT
a Cross Country Rider
from Virginia Date Reviewed: February 9, 2005
Favorite Trail:
All of them
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Stopping Power. Easy to maintain
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Mechanical Disk Shim and avid
Bottom Line:
The main reason I am writing this review is to give a trail tip(to those who are having a rubbing problem) that my mechanic tought me. Tools required are........5mm allen wrench and a business card. First look down through the pads, determine which side the rotor is rubbing on, loosen the bolts, place business card between the pad and the rotor on the side that it is rubbing, while holding the brake lever tighten the bolts. Tah Dah! Trust me it works. Hope this helps. These brakes are great!
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Submitted by
Thomas
a Weekend Warrior
from Australia Date Reviewed: January 18, 2005
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Geard Cycles
Strengths:
Very decent stopping power.
Weaknesses:
Levers aren't absolutely fantastic at times. Caliper Pistons get dislodged easily and don't seem to want to stay in the slot for extended periods of time.
Similar Products Used:
This is the first time I've had disc brakes.
Bike Setup:
Sasquatch stock.
Bottom Line:
I've only had this bike for around a week, so I'm still adjusting to it all. However both the front and rear caliper pistons have decided to dislodge themselves (partially my fault however). But it was a right pain in the gluteus maximus to adjust it perfectly (also partially my fault. I mean this is the first time I've had disc brakes so there was guessing work left, right and centre). But once I fixed it, they seemed to work quite alright. Still wearing them in really. I can't really take away the value rating as I got the bike at an awesome price. 3 hot ones for overall rating, seeing as i've had to tinker with them extensively just to get the working decently. However last time I hit the trail they worked a treat, so i'll just have to see how long it decides to work for without buggering up.
$ 149.00
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