Brakes

David Golay reviews the Hope XCR Pro E4 Brakes for Blister

Hope XCR Pro X2 and E4 Brakes

August 12, 2024August 12, 2024 by David Golay

Hope’s new pairing of their lightweight, bare-bones XCR Pro lever with the four-piston E4 caliper may seem like an incongruous one, but there are good reasons to consider the XCR Pro E4s besides just weight savings.

SRAM Maven Brakes

August 2, 2024 by David Golay

Mountain bike brakes have been creeping up in power in recent years, but SRAM’s claim that their new Maven brakes best their longstanding Codes by *50%* is still pretty wild. But it takes a lot more than just raw power to make a good brake, and after spending six months on the Maven Ultimates, we’re ready to weigh in on how well SRAM has done.

David Golay reviews the SRAM S-1000 Transmission and DB8 Stealth brakes for Blister

SRAM S-1000 Transmission & DB8 Stealth Brakes

July 2, 2024 by David Golay

SRAM’s AXS Transmission continues to trickle down to more affordable groups — meet the new S-1000 group and updated DB8 brakes.

Magura Gustav Pro Brakes

June 26, 2024 by David Golay

The original Magura Gustav was known for being exceptionally powerful in an era when most MTB brakes were pretty wimpy by modern standards — and after a very long hiatus, it’s back. Check out what the modern Gustav has to offer.

Freedom Coast TRP Brake Levers

May 7, 2024 by David Golay

The TRP DH-R Evo brakes are a (deservedly) popular option these days, but their levers can be a bit polarizing. For folks who like the brakes but are less high on their levers, Freedom Coast’s aftermarket lever blades are designed to be the solution. Check out our review to see how well they work, and how they change the feel of TRP’s flagship DH brake.

David Golay reviews the SRAM GX Transmission for Blister

SRAM GX Transmission & Bronze Stealth Brakes

July 11, 2023July 11, 2023 by David Golay

SRAM’s new T-Type groupsets launched just a few months ago with high-end XX SL, XX, and X0 tiers, and now there’s a new, more affordable GX version. While the high-level details closely mirror those of the higher-end variants, SRAM has done a lot more than just make a less-expensive, heavier version of the Transmission. Check out our First Look for all the details.

Hayes Dominion T4 Brakes

April 7, 2023 by David Golay

The Hayes Dominion A4s have been one of our favorite brakes for a while now, but how about the lighter Dominion T4? Do they share the magic of the A4 or are they something else entirely? We’ve been logging a lot of time on the T4s and are ready to weigh in.

Galfer Shark Rotors

March 8, 2023 by David Golay

We really like Galfer’s standard Wave rotors, but how about the fancier Shark versions that they’re launched more recently? And in general, who should think about upgrading their existing rotors? Check out our review to learn more.

MTB Brake Shootout

February 1, 2023February 1, 2023 by David Golay

What’s the most important component on a mountain bike? A strong argument could be made for brakes, and there are now a greater number of good, powerful brakes than ever before. But how do they actually stack up against each other? We’ve spent the past year-plus directly comparing eight of the top options from Shimano, SRAM, TRP, Hayes, Hope, Magura, & Cascade Components — in this in-depth roundup, we explain how they all compare, what each does best, and which ones might be ideal for you.

Magura MT7 HC3 Brakes

January 30, 2023January 18, 2023 by David Golay

There are a lot of good brakes on the market these days — way more than just a few years ago — and Magura’s MT7 HC3 brakes do a lot of things differently from most of their competitors. So how do they stack up in the increasingly crowded market, and who are they going to work best for?

TRP DH-R Evo Brakes

January 6, 2023January 6, 2023 by David Golay

There are more DH-worthy brakes on the market than ever before (and good ones, at that), and TRP’s DH-R Evos are a strong contender for folks with the right preferences.

David Golay reviews the Cascade Components North Fork brake calipers for Blister

Cascade Components North Fork Brake Calipers & Cams

February 8, 2024November 24, 2022 by David Golay

We've been logging more time on the Cascade Components North Fork brake calipers — and have now tried their North Fork Cams to go with them — and the big brakes have continued to impress.

Hope Tech 4 V4

August 26, 2022 by David Golay

Hope’s disc brakes got a major overhaul in the form of the new Tech 4 generation earlier this year, and that brought a very major increase in power to the range. But how does their burliest brake, the Tech 4 V4, compare to the competition? Check out our full review.

David Golay reviews Galfer's Standard and Pro Pads, plus rotors for Blister

Galfer Brake Pads and Rotors

May 13, 2022May 11, 2022 by David Golay

Brake pads are an underappreciated factor in mountain bike brake performance, and Galfer’s offerings make a strong case for why a lot of riders should pay closer attention. And rotor sizing is a big piece of the puzzle, so we cover that in detail, too.