No levers
Fluidless system, uses standard lever, cable and housing. Adjuster barrel for "tool free" pad adjustment. All-weather brake pads. Complete ball bearing system. Mounting bracket system for eash setup and adjustment. 6" rotor. 465g
Submitted by
Doug Thayer
a Cross Country Rider
from Ashland Date Reviewed: November 21, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Hitt road
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Cycle sport
Strengths:
Not much. Look cool cause theyre disc brakes
Weaknesses:
These suck. they have no power and are not grabby at all. I had non stop problems with them. Sometimes I couldnt even lock up the rear tire. I could never nosemanual or even get the back wheel up. I would fall on my back manualing.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes Hydraulics, xt v brakes, avid mechi discs
Bike Setup:
2002 stinky, stock. I now have Hayes hydros (sick)
Bottom Line:
If you want these, buy avids instead, or hydraulics. I would have rather had rim brakes. I couldnt save myself from manualing onto my back, and couldnt even skid around switchbacks sometimes. Maybe the 8 inch ones are better. I have hayes Hyaraulics now and love them. Ive ridden avids discs a little and theyre amazing. boo for hayes mechis. and Ps. Im not just a xc, I like dh, steep stuff, jumping and urban too.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
nate king
a
from Everett,WA Date Reviewed: October 14, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Burropass
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Joe's Bike Shop
Strengths:
No oil to loose, easy to clean, adjust and maintain. Vast improvement from Hayes' first run of mechanicals (Thanks to the easier to adjust in-board pad). Better modulation than the only other decent mechanical on the market, Avid. Standard Hayes pads and 6" or 8" rotors.
Weaknesses:
Not a hydraulic, requires a lot more pull on the lever to get power. Unless you live and ride in a very dry or desert climate I found that frequent replacement of the rear brake housing or a Gore sealed system is needed to consistently get full power from the caliper. I would reccomend Hayes or xt's instead, if you ride alot in wet conditions, or frequent ski lifts.
Similar Products Used:
Avid, Formula, First year Hayes mechaical
Bike Setup:
Jamis Eureka, redressed for the disco ball. I run Hayes own mechanical levers, I'm not sure if they are just an OEM spec for the Jamis or not. They look kinda cheap but have withstood plenty of impacts (remember not to over-tighten your levers kids) and work pretty good. A reviewer at nsmb.com had good luck with...I think it was a Norco lever that looked sorta like an Avid speed dial, in that it had a dial to adjust cable pull.
Bottom Line:
You get what you pay for, great for that second bike you don't want to drop too much coin on, but have to have disc brakes on it. Or for the liestylah cheepskate, like myself, who wants to have a low maintainence decent brake. If you are big guy or aggressive on the steeps see if your friendly local shop will swap the 6" rotors the HMX comes with for 8"ers, remember it takes a different caliper to frame/fork adaptor for the big un's.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rob Fraser
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto, ON, Canada Date Reviewed: October 13, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Don Valley, North Shore
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$67.00
Strengths:
They won't puss fluid and they will always stop no matter what.
Weaknesses:
Caliper set-up. Weigh in 2lbs each.
Similar Products Used:
Avid
Bike Setup:
Rocky Mountain Elevation with Hayes, Raceface, Cane Creek, Mavic, Sram, Maxxis, Selle Italia & Swiss DT.
Bottom Line:
Don't pay full price. They are fun to play with in the wet. The Hayes brake pads are the best. They stop when avid won't. Expect to take the extra weight out of your bicycle elsewhere.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John T
a Cross Country Rider
from Dyer, Iowa Date Reviewed: September 15, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Came as OEM equipment
Strengths:
They work well for cable discs. They work in all weather conditions and I never notice any fade or change in modulation. The brake levers are also very comfortable and easy to pull. The leverage ratios are perfectly suited to the calipers and it's easy to lock 'em up if you try. These brakes are definatly much better than any cantilever or V-brake, that's for sure. However, I haven't had enough hours on full hydros (only short demo rides) to compare to 'real' discs.
Weaknesses:
1) Nearly stripped both brake lever attaching bolts when adjusting the location. Now someone out there can say that I might of torqued them down too much, but that isn't the case at all. The spread on the clamp is so wide you need to muscle the bolt down just to get the clamp down to the diameter of the bars.............then give it a couple more turns to snug it up. Honestly, I have good tools and know proper torque settings..........in 20+ years of riding and working in bike shops, I've maybe stripped 4 bolts. Two of them are on these levers, what does that tell you?
2) The rear caliper broke after about 2 months of (admittedly) hard use. My shop stuck a 2001 Hayes caliper on for me, but Hayes has ignored a month's worth of POLITE emails to their 'warranty and tech' department.
Similar Products Used:
Countless V-brakes, Cantilevers, U-brakes, etc.
Bike Setup:
Ironhorse Stout with Sun rims and hubs, Marzocchi DJ fork, Hussefelt cramks, Deore LX.........
Bottom Line:
I can't really recommend these brakes for one simple reason: Hayes customer service BITES IT! I have emailed them THREE times over the past month and a half for the same warranty question and gotten no reply. I guess I'm going to have to try calling them, but honestly they should have the common courtesy to return their customers emails. Especially when they have a specific email address set up for 'warranty and tech' information.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a
from Close to whiteface NY Date Reviewed: August 15, 2002
Favorite Trail:
blue trail
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
McWhinnies Montreal
Strengths:
Good stopping power, much better than my old v's, no pesky hydraullic fluid, easy to tinker with.
Weaknesses:
gotta watch what you're doing , can get snagged on things and stuff like that
Similar Products Used:
Hayes Hydraullic
Bike Setup:
2002 Kona Stinky
Bottom Line:
The bottom line is that these breaks are sicker than the flu.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
MArk
a Downhiller
from Whistler Date Reviewed: July 7, 2002
Favorite Trail:
River Runs through it
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Cove bikes
Strengths:
When adjusted right stopping power of a wall.
Weaknesses:
Requires constant attention and adjusting. Depending on the frequency and type of riding this can be a daily chore.
Similar Products Used:
N/A
Bike Setup:
Stock Kona Roast 2002
Bottom Line:
I am not sure of the price retail but I do know if I had a choice at this point I would get a hydro front and cable rear. My front brake 'weakens' easily leaving me stranded at times. I also weight in the 250 to 270 range so stopping power is a must in this town.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Keith M.
a Cross Country Rider
from Eugene, Oregon Date Reviewed: March 3, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$70.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Great modulation and stopping power. They'll flip you over the top if you're not carful.
Weaknesses:
A little noisy and once a rub develops you have to play with them.
Similar Products Used:
Formula MD-1's (most worthless mech. disks ever created)
Bike Setup:
Giant XTC-SE1 with Avid Flak Jacket Cables.
Bottom Line:
I received these brakes from Giant to compensate for the original crappy Formula MD-1 disks they spec'd on my XTC. I love these so much more than the Formulas! They do make a little noise during their break in period, but compared to the banshee-like wailing of the Formula's, these are whisper quiet.
Be sure to pair these brakes with good set of cables. (Avid or Ride-On) Since I went with Flak Jackets, my life has been good. I've had some trouble with clearance on my front wheel with the disk making a rubbing noise but it does not slow the wheels rotation. Go figure. If you want super duper, 80 degree downhill slope stopping power go with hydro brakes, but these brakes make my XC life sweet. Oh, they look great too.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mitch
a Downhiller
from Central Coast, Australia Date Reviewed: February 26, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
With BIKE
Strengths:
Stops me...happy aLL round with it...sure beats cantilever.
Weaknesses:
cable has been known to slip..(thats during racing though)
Similar Products Used:
Just old-school V's and centre-pull
Bike Setup:
Norco VPS
Bottom Line:
Once they r worn in they go alright, just keep adjusting the allen bolt every couple of weeks and ur sweet..no drag. The wet there is no difference, and they look cool...which makes everyone go 'Disc Brakes on a pushy?'.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kyle Hawes
a Downhiller
from MA Date Reviewed: February 25, 2002
Favorite Trail:
UMass
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Scottys bike
Strengths:
Good stopping power. Looks cool.
Weaknesses:
Could have a little more...stopping power. Squels like a pig. Cables crack first ride. And they could break in faster.
Similar Products Used:
XT hydros. Hays hydros.
Bike Setup:
2002 Knona stinky with Z1wedge Truvitiv cranks.
Bottom Line:
Nice breakes for a Xcountry rider. Need more power!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
William Lambert
a Weekend Warrior
from Bethlehem,PA,USA Date Reviewed: October 27, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Lehigh Gorge
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Saucon Valley Bikes
Strengths:
They stop you really well. They look good. Easy to remove and install wheels.
Weaknesses:
More difficult than "V" brakes to adjust.
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Giant WARP DS I, pretty much stock.
Bottom Line:
These brakes came with the WARP. They and the full suspensions were the reasons I bought the bike. Most of my rides are on canal tow paths and rail trails where you hardly need brakes. The roads around my house have some long steep hills. These brakes are excellent on the hills. They really slow you down and hold up to the heat. I did have one problem. My rear brake developed an annoying intermittent squeak when riding without braking. It was rubbing on the fixed pad. I would adjust it so the clearances look good, but it would still squeak. The pads are new so the fixed pad was backed out as far as it would go and the clearances were pretty tight. I finally discovered that my frame or wheel was flexing so that the disc was moving .005 to .010 inch toward the fixed pad. I had to adjust so that the disc almost touches the operating pad with no weight on the bike. Now all is well and I am a happy camper. I have disc brakes and don't have to fiddle with hydraulics. The best of both worlds......
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mike
a Weekend Warrior
from alberta Date Reviewed: July 11, 2001
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
they dont fade in wet conditions like i once found out when it was raining with v brakes. plus they just look cool
Weaknesses:
I have had these for a week now and im starting to wonder how long it actually takes to break them in . I can actualy ride with the back brake on full fom a stand still and pedal. they dont seem to make any more noise than my friends hydros and they take a lot of effort to pull
Similar Products Used:
hayes hydro
Bike Setup:
kona scrap
Bottom Line:
i think they are ok but would like hydraulics if i had the money. they seem to work ok but i hear that the avids are much better
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sebastien
a Weekend Warrior
from Ste-Julie, Canada Date Reviewed: July 11, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Bromont
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Good brake feel, modulate real well. Easy to install
Weaknesses:
Have a tendency to squeak sometimes.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes hydrolics, Magura Julie
Bike Setup:
Rocky Mountain Spice with RockShox Psylo xc, Race face cranks, xt derailleurs, Fox vanilla rear shock.
Bottom Line:
These are real good brakes, they don't fade to fast even when used for dh. Really good and cheap alternative to hydrolic brakes. With these brakes you now that everytime you'll apply them they won't let you down. The only problem is sometimes they tend to squeak even after the break in period.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rick Markam
a Weekend Warrior
from Victoria, BC, Canada Date Reviewed: June 20, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Hartland, Millstream, Lake Tahoe
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$230.00
Purchased At:
Russ Hayes
Strengths:
................
Weaknesses:
they are honestly very bad breaks, they are really hard to set up, squeal like hell(which by the way you CANT fix), they are less powerful then V brakes, cost alot, and probably many others which i cant remember..
Similar Products Used:
avid mechanical(much much better, and cheaper), Hayes Hydraulic(excellent brakes)
Bike Setup:
Sasquatch, Z5's..
Bottom Line:
Ok, they are in my, and anyone who has tried them that i know personally's opinion are not very good brakes, seriously V brakes are much better.. the brakes sometimes even lock up completely which is really really freaky when your going down steep tough hills.., and when they do work, when you are going down hills like gravel, loose dirt, ect. they are quite noisy..and i would really recomend getting avid mechanical,which are cheaper and alot better, or hayes hydraulic.. pricy but well worth it.. or if you just dont want disc brakes, get V brakes cuz they are better then hayes mechanical.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
MIKE
a Weekend Warrior
from Burbank Date Reviewed: May 9, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Any and all
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Came with thie bike
Strengths:
Stops.
Weaknesses:
Like to scream.
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Superlight w/xvert super shock, some tires and other things.
Bottom Line:
This is a WARNING. Watch out for trees. I was going thru some small trees, when a lower branch fliped up and locked my frony brake. It caused me to be slamed to the ground like a rag doll. Story:I was heading down a hill when I lost the path, To the left of the single track and then crossing to the right side. Crashing thru the trees, trying to slow down. I was all of the sudden, over my bike and bars hitting the ground with a big THUD!!. I could not figure out what happened, if anything I thought that my bar ends grabed a tree branch. Trees on my right crash to the left NO WAY!! Then I thought that I was braking real hard, front and back. The rear lifted off the ground causing the front to lock up NO WAY!! I knew it was some kind of bike failure. Then I looked at the breaking arm. Hummm 3/8 of inch movement and then the brake locks.That must be it,while going through the brush I must of parted some lower trees with my tire. As the fork pushed the branches foward, as soon as they cleared the fork it whiped into the braking mechanism, locking up my front tire and sending me over my bike. Its the only thing I can think of and just wanted to pass it on. -3 chilis for dumpn' me
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
anthony
a Downhiller
from colorado Date Reviewed: November 18, 2000
Favorite Trail:
3rd base came on Mt. Everest
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
a store in the UK
Strengths:
it stops me
Weaknesses:
i wish it came in a hot pink
Similar Products Used:
avid cable, hayes hydraulic
Bike Setup:
intense frame, white bros. dh fork, spinergy spox, xtr dh crank, hayes cable on front and back, cool tires with metal spikes for ice and snow.
Bottom Line:
these brakes are awesome. I got them because they work well in frigid temps. I needed that 'cuz conditions on mt everest were -50 degrees when theres sun.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Christophe
a Weekend Warrior
from Boulder, CO Date Reviewed: October 30, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Slick Rock, MOAB UT
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$85.00
Purchased At:
www.jensonusa.com- killer deal!
Strengths:
This review is for the 2001 HMX-1 Hayes
• It's a Hayes = Good tech support. • Great modulation • More power than my Avid SD 1.0's • No fade (must have for downhills!) • easy to find hubs for • Killer deal @ $85+shipping
Weaknesses:
• B*TCH to set up! • pad adjustment screw will not budge! I stripped the included allen wrench another allen wrench, and part of the bolt • This prevented me from centering the rotor properly so I have a slight drag brake- • Long cable housing causes friction- sluggish • not as powerful as the hydraulic Hayes
SQUEALS like a pig being slaughtered for the first 30ish stops. Easily cured- just ride 1/2 mile with the brake on slightly. You ahve
Similar Products Used:
Rock Shox disc (ccccrrrrRRAAP!)
Bike Setup:
Kona Blast 2001 Ford Special w/xt, Raceface, HMX-1 front, Avid disc rear, X-Vert Super etc.
Bottom Line:
Pretty good brake for the 4 bills I had to fork over. Setup took 3 hrs as I could not adjust the pad setting screw which was completely STUCK. Good brake for a freeride/xc bike but for DH, you need hydraulic (which would run you an extra $100!).
For all you weenies who complain about squeal, just ride it for a 1/2mile or so with the brake partially on. The pads need to be de-buffed or whatever hayes calls it.
By the way, I noticed that the reviews got better after march-ish this year. That is when the 2001 model HMX came out. Coincidence? I think not. They must have fixed the brake.
5 chilis for value-they're cheap if you know where to look 3 chilis for overall- setup sucked and they are a little weak.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Marc
a Racer
from Bay Area, CA Date Reviewed: October 26, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Santa Cruz Mtn trails rock!
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Free from Hayes - new HMX replaced old hydro-cable model
Strengths:
The new HMX brakes VERY well. This brake has all the modulation and stopping power needed to keep you in control on steep, technical downhills or when you blazing down a fast fireroad at Mach II. I replaced the older hydro-mechanical unit with the HMX. Hayes upgraded me for free. Talk about good customer service! This brake work REALLY WELL!!! Save the cash, weight and use your regular levers! They work awesome with the Avid Ultimate SL levers that I am running.
Weaknesses:
it's a bit heavier than it needs to be, but way lighter than the old unit and about the same maybe a tad less than the Avid unit. pay attention to the fixed brake set-up.
Similar Products Used:
Avid, Hayes full hydo, hope full hydro - Hayes HMX beats em all!
Bike Setup:
Merlin XLM, Judy SL (coils are more dependable than air springs), SRAM, XTR, Can Creek, King, Ibis, Avid Ultimate SL lever and Arch Supreme in the rear (with Salsa booster) and WTB SST saddle (best saddle ever!!).
Bottom Line:
Run the HMX with a good lever and you can laugh at your buddy with the full hydro system. Yours will be lighter, easier to maintain and work just as well if not better!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Don
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego Date Reviewed: September 4, 2000
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
Bike Empire, Poway CA
Strengths:
Simplicity
Weaknesses:
Dealing with bike snobs. C'mon guys. When bringing 200 to 250 lbs to a complete stop from an average of 40 mph a hydraulic brake system is NOT needed. The fact that previous mecahnical implementations failed has more to do with the manufacturer. Just because a company is a good bike component manufacturer does not make them a good disk brake manufacturer. 50% of all brakes Hayes makes are mechanical.
Similar Products Used:
Avid's Mechanical. Rated "as good as hydraulic" for a reason.
Bottom Line:
This is a review of the NEW Hayes HMX mechanical brake. I believe Phobos below also reviewed this brake. This is not the POS Hayes cable activated hydraulic brake.
The HMX is completely mechanical, no hyradulic what so ever.
This brake rocks. Stops as good as most fully hydraulic systems (exceptions being DH systems). Excelent modulation. Half the cost of others with better braking performance.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Phobos Caruso
a Weekend Warrior
from Kelowna Date Reviewed: September 4, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Hill Billy
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$160.00
Purchased At:
Gerick Cycle
Strengths:
As strong as the hydraulics; but way more modulation. Never have to bleed again or deal with leaking lines. AND they work with any V brake lever.
Weaknesses:
You may have to change a cable twice a season(OH NO!!) And you may have to deal with tech heads thinking you don't have the best stuff for a season untill they become the norm.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes Hydraulics. Avid cable pull(seemed just as good)
Bike Setup:
Full XT WITH Z1 CR Bombers on brodie libido
Bottom Line:
SAY "NO" to hydraulics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The future is Cable pull.
Oh yea. . . the're almost half the price as hydraulics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris Hatch
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego Date Reviewed: April 20, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Mission Trails
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Good power, modulation, and heat capacity
Weaknesses:
Finiky setup, moderately high lever effort, price
Similar Products Used:
V Brakes
Bike Setup:
Front of a Tandem with a road lever and bars using Sidetraks Brake Power Booster
Bottom Line:
Set these up carefully and give them time to break in. At first they have little stopping power, but as the pads set, they equal or surpass that of V-Brakes. Don't be too fanatical about purging all the air from the system. Just a little air in the system gives better modulation and control. This brake has a limited overflow capacity. On long downhills with constant braking it will start dragging. I put thermal grease on all the bolts to the fork and this helped. This doesn't bother me because if I've built up enough heat to make the brake drag I've also built up enough heat to melt the pads on V-Brakes. I'd always rather have a little too much brake on a long descent than too little.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
greg jetkinoff
a Racer
from townsville, NQ, Australia Date Reviewed: March 16, 2000
Favorite Trail:
any good technical and fun one
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
WHEN SET UP CORRECTLY. Very good brake that has excelant modulation, stopping power and long wear life
Weaknesses:
VERY tricky setup. When first installed took several runs down a 10kmlong road downhill to get to lack at all. Finally got a manual (not supplied nor covered by their internet site) and hidden in it is the secret. The pads must be set up by makeing a couple of .25mm(10thou")feeler type gauges at least 20mm wide. Loosen the mounting bolts on the caliper, push the pads back into the assembly, insert the gauges between the pad and disc, pump the lever until the pads clamp and lightly hold the lever in. Tighten the mounting bolts. Crap brake instantly become bloody good one.
Similar Products Used:
Formula md1 disc on DH bike ( good brake extremely lever dependant), hope DH'ers on super8( how brakes should be, full stop.)
Bike Setup:
Heckler XVert E, XTR rear brake, RLT fox coil shock ( used to be my old DH bike) set up for xc trail riding.
Bottom Line:
Good brake ONLY with exact setup otherwise sucks badly. See above for setup which works. Used with Avid adjustable levers ( the best cable levers , end of story). Wears well which was the reason for putting them on my girlfriends bike in first place as she goes through v brake pads at an alarming rate. Now works quite fine.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Stewart
a Weekend Warrior
from Edmonton, AB Date Reviewed: February 21, 2000
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Similar Products Used:
Formula, Hope, Magura, Amp/Rockshox, etc, etc.
Bottom Line:
As a bike mechanic I get to see a lot of different disc brake problems. I have worked on all the major brakes that get OEM spec and thus far Hayes cable actuated hydralics are the WORST stoppers I've seen. Even after lengthy break-in periods the best I've seen one work is about as well as a properly set up cantilever brake. Seriously, even Formula mechanical discs (the Hyundai of disc brakes) require less lever effort to stop with once broken in. I believe the reason for this flaccid performance is due to the amount of cable travel V-brake style levers provide. I think perhaps the engineering geniuses at Hayes neglected to take into consideration that V-levers pull more cable than the old cantilever brakes did. That translates into less leverage on the pads, which would explain the three finger white knuckle grab to do an endo like your buddy with his $9.99 Alivio V-brakes just did (using one finger at moderate pressure). A bandaid solution is to set the leverage adjusters on your levers to high, but on most levers it still doesn't equate to the same power as old canti-style brake levers had. A true solution would be to track down a set of nice canti brake levers and put 'em on. Your brakes will modulate like cantis did (spongier than v's feel) but there should be a dramatic increase in stopping power. This will work for all you AMP and Rockshox disc guys too.
1 star for icky braking power from expensive stoppers and giving the cable actuated disc market a bad name(My AMP cable actuated disc works fine, thanks).
Hayes full hydraulic setups also work fine, comparatively.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott
a Cross Country Rider
from South Central PA Date Reviewed: February 20, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Any in Bald Eagle State Forest
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Price (but not by much over fully hydrolic) & lever compatibility.
Weaknesses:
Performance, ease of setup, heavier than fully hydrolic. See my letter to Hayes below.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes Fully Hydrolic (on my Uzzi and tested on several demo bikes), Shimano XT & XTR V-brakes
Bike Setup:
Intense Uzzi DH, '99 Zoke Z.1 BAM
Bottom Line:
Here's the letter I sent to Hayes about the problems I had:
June 29, 1999
Hayes Brake Inc. Kenton Merrick Technical and Team Support 5800 West Donges Bay Rd. Mequon, WI 53092
Dear Kenton Merrick,
I am writing to tell you about some problems that I am experiencing with your cable-actuated disc brakes:
1. Brake lever travel diminishes as the brakes are used (as the brakes heat up). If you have the brakes set to a comfortable draw when you start out, the lever travel quickly reduces to the point that they are uncomfortable. Furthermore, braking power is reduced because the lever rollers (1999 Shimano XT) stop moving (preventing increased leverage) once the lever travel is reduced. Lever travel reduction is so dramatic that with enough use it appears that the brake lever could run out of travel causing brake lockup; a very unsafe condition. This type of performance is unacceptable.
2. Boot on master cylinder piston comes unseated. The boot comes unseated from time to time for what seems like no particular reason. Obviously the boot is there for a reason and when it comes unseated it exposes the master cylinder piston to dirt contamination. This is unacceptable.
3. Brake lever pull requires too much force. Even with both of the leverage plugs removed from the levers (highest leverage), the force required actuated the brakes for given amount of stopping force is greater than with Shimano V-brakes (XT or XTR). The disc brakes are set up with new cables and housings with special attention paid to minimizing cable bends to reduce cable drag. This level of performance is unacceptable.
4. Brakes squeal. Typically this happens at the beginning of the ride and disappears after a few stops. Squealing is not as bad as Shimano V-brakes before the shim kits are installed.
5. Front brake caliper was improperly bled as it came from the factory. Apparently your quality control/final test procedure leaves something to be desired.
Another concern: Although the manual warns the user about not actuating the brake levers while the wheel is not installed, the caliper piston travel on the cable actuated brakes is so minimal, that the pistons never get pushed out of their bores, let alone come close forcing the pads to meet. The piston travel appears to be so marginal that it makes me wonder if I can expect to get much life out of the pads; a little bit of wear on the pads and the brakes probably would not have enough travel to engage the rotor. Do the fully hydraulic brakes have more piston travel? (Feb 20, 2000 update: yes, they are self adjusting for wear) Was the piston travel of the cable-actuated brakes reduced to compensate for the temperature related lever travel problem I experienced?
I consider problems 1, 2, and 3 to be unacceptable. As such, I have asked my dealer to swap these cable-actuated brakes for the fully hydraulic version. Due to his commitment to quality and customer satisfaction, he has agreed to swap the brakes (and shifter-lever combination for shifter pods) for just the difference in cost. I ask that you refund the purchase price to my dealer upon return of the cable-actuated disc brakes.
Sincerely, Scott
Bottom line: Don't waist your time or money on cable actuated Hayes, go with the fully hydrolic version.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Teddy
a Weekend Warrior
from Canada Date Reviewed: February 19, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Spanky's
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
They stop you...
Weaknesses:
but, they don't stop you fast enough...
Similar Products Used:
Lx vee's Avid Arch Rival 4.0 Formula MD-1 (they work better, if you take care of them)
Bike Setup:
Brodie Evolution
Bottom Line:
Well, the back one worked ok. Forget about the front brake. I really had to pull hard on the lever to get the bike to slow. Not bad, wouldn't want to have these brakes on my own bike though. Oh, the are loud!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Yves
a Cross-Country Rider
from British Columbia, Canada Date Reviewed: November 15, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Galbraith Mtn, Bellingham
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Similar Products Used:
Vs
Bike Setup:
C'dale SV700sx
Bottom Line:
The front Hayes disc came equipped with the bike and I added the same on the back a few weeks after. The first few rides were fine then the back started acting up sticking on long descent (disc heating up). Then the front started doing the same. Was in and out of the shop for maintenance. After a couple of spoiled outing, lost confidence in the product and decided to switch to full hydraulics. My LBS deserves 5 stars for service and support, the product was a big dissapointement.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Don
a Cross-Country Rider
from San Diego Date Reviewed: November 6, 1999
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Weaknesses:
Cost almost as much as the standard Hayes hydraulic
Bike Setup:
C'Dale SV700SX, no Cannondale is switching to a Magura brake ;-)
Bottom Line:
Brake stops well enough. However heat buildup causes the lever through to change during the course of a downhill.It is possible set up the brake with short throw, begin a downhill, and by the time you get to the bottom have the brake begin to lock up.Who thought this thing up? If your going to go cable, go cable all the way; otherwise stick with full hydraulic.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a Downhiller
from won't tell Date Reviewed: October 26, 1999
Favorite Trail:
not telling either
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Works when wet
Weaknesses:
not as strong as full hydraulic, but almost as expensive
Similar Products Used:
Rock shox cable Coda Hydrulic Magura Hydraulic Hayes Hydraulic
Bike Setup:
Cannondale Super V 700sx
Bottom Line:
Wow, some of the reviews in here are harsh. They are a decent brake that work better that most V-brakes when setup right. They also work in bad weather unlike V brakes. I don't like them because they don't work as well as full Hydraulic but cost about as much as them. I think all you people who complain about how bad they are need to make sure they are set up right, and that there is no air in them, For the guy who needed his replace, that might have been a defective one. To make the other guys with Super V 700sx'x mad, the early production bikes came with the Hayes, but if you had waited a couple months, cannondale realized they weren't that great, and switched to coda hydraulic brakes, Ha Ha.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alf Benjamin
a Weekend Warrior
from Cape Town, South Africa Date Reviewed: October 11, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Tokai
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Nothing, The thing is awfull
Weaknesses:
Inadaquate, not as good as V brakes. Locks when it does work, Does not work most of the time. You will spend many hours going back to the store. Mine was replaced three times. Now I,m just going to through them away.
Bottom Line:
They are just awfull, Bad , Should never have been released in there current form.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Don
a Cross-Country Rider
from San Diego Date Reviewed: August 21, 1999
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Came with the bike. Same brake lever feel as the V rear it's mated to. It's not full cable.
Weaknesses:
Noise, noise, noise. Supposedly cleaning the rotor with isopropyl alcohol will solve. Stops better than my old Avid Arch Rival 50s.
Bike Setup:
Cannondale SuperV 700SX
Bottom Line:
It seems many are complaining of lackluster performance from this brake. I too felt that way, until fortunately I read some of the earlier reviews. Sure enough, on page 10 of the Hayes manual it suggest a brake lever power setting of medium to high, not the low all v-brake levers default to. I adjusted my Avid 2.0s to the maximum setting and presto, I finally got a disk brake.If you can afford full hydraulic front and rear, do it. If you can only get the front, then this is the brake to use.If it were'nt for my current noise problem, I would give this brake 4 stars, as it is I'll give it 3.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tchil
a Cross-Country Rider
from Mesa, AZ Date Reviewed: July 22, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Cacutus Cup
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Great feel and power!
Weaknesses:
Heavy I think haven't weighed them yet.
Similar Products Used:
V's Magura Louise.
Bike Setup:
2000 Model Cannondale SV700SX with Lefty Fork.
Bottom Line:
I was a little skeptical when my bike came spec'd with this front brake. I was not very happy with them until I dumped the factory Tektro levers and went with avid 1.9's I have had no problems and they are completly drag free. I have them adjusted to less than 1\2 inch of lever pull and they are solid as a rock. They take only 2 fingers to pull and you can lock up the front tire at will even on pavment. Almost ate it trying. Even with v's in the back and Cable disks in the front the hayes feels balanced and solid.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mr. Fabulous
a Racer
from New York Date Reviewed: July 9, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Platekill
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
They work
Weaknesses:
They're heavy
Similar Products Used:
V brakes
Bike Setup:
Gary Fisher Level Betty
Bottom Line:
I don't know what else to say, except that they work. They are a bit heavy, but out of the box and onto my bike they have been perfect. Even raced a downhill on them, and haven't had to adjust them since they have been installed.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rob Wood
a Weekend Warrior
from Victoria. BC Date Reviewed: June 17, 1999
Favorite Trail:
BC
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
????????
Weaknesses:
Pads stick to disc for an extra second or so after brake lever released (dangerous and annoying). Won't lock up. It's like having anti-lock brakes. Bitch to setup. Disc warps under heavy braking.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes full-hydraulic (excellent).
Bike Setup:
Have on front wheel of Brodie Electro w/ Judy C LT's.
Bottom Line:
I've had these SOB's for 6 agonizing months and can honestly say that they lick butthole. First, it took 3-months and 4 different brakes to get one that actually worked, and then I found that the pads stick. Sticky pads is the most detracting quality of these brakes, not only is it a piss-off, but it's extremely dangerous. When you let go of or loosen your grip on the lever you expect the brakes to respond immediately and smoothly. Neither of which happens on these damn things. I've almost bit it countless times, but what really gets me is when this condition simply causes you to skid off the trail in the midst of a sweet, steep slider or tight switchback. Hell, it'll even mess you up on fire road. And I almost forgot, it's twice as bad if you get them wet?!My advice is to either spend the extra $100 on full-hydraulic or stick with V or cantilever brakes. Personally, I'm upgrading to full-hydraulic since I've already got the hub and wheel setup.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross-Country Rider
from New York Date Reviewed: May 6, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Round Valley N.J.
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Works with any V-Brake lever.
Similar Products Used:
XT V-Brake Tested hayes hyd. brakes
Bike Setup:
Klein Attitude Rcok shox Judy SL
Bottom Line:
Awesome brake for good price. Key is lever adjustment as mentioned in previuos review. Without adjusting the lver properly the brake will not work properly. Read the directions carefully and they will work great.System works as good as the hydraulic when set up right with the great feel of shimano levers. 5 stars for my follow up review now that they are set up right and broken in.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tom Face
a Cross-Country Rider
from Yucaipa, CA Date Reviewed: May 1, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Santa Ana River trail
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Very powerful, great feel and modulation.
Weaknesses:
I have not experienced any weakness yet.
Similar Products Used:
This is my first set of discs. I have been using XTR V's for 2 years.
This brake system is all they say it is. It is only 1.3 lbs heavier than XTR V's, I know because I weighed the bike with the V's, and then with the Hayes, on the same bike shop scale. They do not drag, and always respond well. I haven't had them long enough to comment on pad wear. The one bad review below may have been caused by a lever adjustment problem. The instructions direct you to set the lever to its highest leverage setting available. At first I did not do this, the power just wasn't there. My hands hurt after the first ride beacause I needed to use a death grip to stop the bike. Then I remembered the manual, DUH! I popped out the plastic gizmos at the cable attachment and screwed the stud all the way back. Presto---awesome brakes!! Very important to read the manual fully. It's my opinion that this system is great.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
BrodieBoy
a Downhiller
from Ontario Date Reviewed: April 28, 1999
Favorite Trail:
one with dirt
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
easy to setup and maintain, price
Weaknesses:
calipers can warp easily(but are also easy to repair)
Similar Products Used:
Hayes hydros XTR v
Bike Setup:
Brodie Diablo, with avid 1.9sd levers, Manitou x-vert e, formula hubs
Bottom Line:
I have tried these brakes on several bikes and they all felt different, they can be set up so many ways. They give the feel of v-brakes with the power of discs(which I love), whereas the hydros I have tried seemed to have very little modulation.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
tonyXcom
a Cross-Country Rider
from vallejo, ca Date Reviewed: April 26, 1999
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
none
Weaknesses:
his attitude
Similar Products Used:
his mom
Bike Setup:
two turntables and a microphone
Bottom Line:
if you didnt notice, there was no reviews of any kind, so i figured id put something. what are you the review police or something??? i havent riden you and i already know you are a jack ass. lighten up and stop being such an ass.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jamie
a Cross-Country Rider
from Boston Date Reviewed: April 25, 1999
Duration Product Used:
tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
Uhhhh.... look cool?
Weaknesses:
Don't work, heavier than a cheaper, better working brake
Similar Products Used:
Hayes Hydraulic (awesome brake!) Various cantis and Vs
Bike Setup:
trek 8500LT
Bottom Line:
This brake just plain doesn't work. The lever feel is very firm with zero power which ain't good. Spring for the extra $100 (or less) for the full hydraulic - you'll thank me for it. If you are getting a late season 8500LT make sure and have yours upgraded to full-hydro like the early season bikes were. Our local rep even agreed that the brake didn't work very well and that they (Trek) were looking into a solution... Too bad that Hayes had to soil its rep, maybe they will be able to fix this brake but until then it isn't ready for prime time. Oh, it and isn't even much lighter than the full-hydro system so if you are gram pinching - don't! Only 1 star because they are costly, heavy, and don't work - the three things I hate.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross-Country Rider
from N.Y. Date Reviewed: April 25, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Round Valley
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Best of both worlds Use of your own lever
Weaknesses:
Not enough adjustability
Similar Products Used:
Hayes hydraulic
Bike Setup:
Klein Attitude Judy SL
Bottom Line:
Brakes work well but take some time to break in. For the guy who wrote the previous review try bleeding them sometimes they leave the factory not bled properly and that makes all the difference in the world. By far best cable actuated brake out there.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rob Wood
a Weekend Warrior
from Victoria. BC Date Reviewed: April 23, 1999
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Cheap, but keep in mind, you get what you pay for.
Weaknesses:
Don't work, heavy, lousy cable adjustment design.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes full hydraulic (very nice)
Bike Setup:
Judy C LT on Brodie Electro.
Bottom Line:
I've had the bike for nearly 4 months and have working brakes for about 3 weeks. When they work, they work adequately, but the key is to get them to work. It's too bad Hayes put their name on this brake after their full-hydraulics. Also, what the hell is someone reviewing a product for, when they haven't even ridden the damn thing yet!!!!!!!!(see previous review)!!!!!!!!!!!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Johnny Guentner
a Racer
from Dover, De Date Reviewed: April 18, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Fairhill, Md
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
work very well
Weaknesses:
came from the factory requiring a bleed
Similar Products Used:
hayes hyd, & amp
Bike Setup:
Have on the front of my M2 on a Sid
Bottom Line:
when I first got them I wasn't to happy. they were kind of spongy, but still worked well. I bled them and they now workk great
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
tonyXcom
a Weekend Warrior
from vallejo, ca Date Reviewed: April 13, 1999
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
looks damn cool
Weaknesses:
caliper is heavy
Bike Setup:
99 klein mantra, 99 sx-e
Bottom Line:
i just got it and i am waiting for my wheel. the rotor and bolts weigh less then the xtr brakes i took of the front. the caliper is a pig though. when i get it all installed i'll put more maybe even some pitures on my webpage. http://members.xoom.com/tonyxcom
Overall Rating:
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