THE BEST BRAKES ON THE MARKET RIGHT NOW? GROUP TEST WITH NO DEFINITIVE CONCLUSION.

ASK ANY RIDER AND THEY’LL ALMOST CERTAINLY TELL YOU OF ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PARTS THAT MAKE UP A BIKE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IS A SET OF BRAKES THAT PERFORM REALLY WELL AND MOST IMPORTANT ‘FEEL’ JUST RIGHT.

AND THAT LAST PART, THE ‘FEEL’ IS THE AREA THAT IS HIGHLY DIVISIVE AMONGST RIDERS. SOME PEOPLE LIKE THIN GRIPS, OTHERS SWEAR BY THICKER GRIPS. SOME PEOPLE LIKE THEIR PORRIDGE SWEET, OTHERS SALTY. YOU MIGHT TAKE MILK AND SUGAR IN YOUR COFFEE BUT FOR ME STRAIGHT UP BLACK IS THE ONLY WAY TO DRINK IT. YOU SEE, WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN QUIRKS AND PREFERENCES. AND WHEN IT COMES TO HOW WE LIKE OUR BRAKES TO BE SET UP AND PERFORM, IT’S A VERY, VERY PERSONAL THING… IN THIS GROUP TEST WE’LL BE FOCUSING THE REVIEW AROUND 3 KEY AREAS WITH EACH SET OF BRAKES; THE INSTALL, THEIR PERFORMANCE, AND FINALLY THEIR ‘FEEL’. WHILE ALL THE BRAKES ON THE TEST ARE AT THE TOP WHEN IT COMES TO PERFORMANCE, THE FEEL CAN REALLY DETERMINE HOW ACCESSIBLE THE PERFORMANCE IS. TOO TOUCHY (ON/OFF) AND YOU BECOME TENTATIVE, TOO MUCH MODULATION AND YOU NEVER TRULY ACCESS THE FULL POWER. THAT IS WHY IN THIS TEST WE WILL TRY TO DESCRIBE THE PROS AND CONS OF EACH SET OF BRAKES, IN OUR OPINION, SO THAT YOU THE READER CAN THEN DECIDE FOR YOURSELF WHICH SET SOUNDS LIKE YOUR CUP OF TEA. SOUND GOOD? OKAY LET’S GET INTO IT…

SRAM CODE RSC

Codes have been at the forefront of SRAM’s brake line (formerly AVID) for over a decade. Known for their innovative technology, modulation and fistfuls of power, there is no doubt why they are on a lot of big-hitting bikes. The current CODE crop shows their predecessors up in a big way, which is why they are one of my favourites.