Skip to main content

SRAM Guide R brakes


SRAM'S CHEAPEST GUIDE brake is enduro ready but not as subtly controlled as its more expensive brothers. The main difference is the simpler DirectLink rather than SwingLink lever cam.

The lever also sits on a bushing rather than a cartridge bearing. This means less fine control than the super-rich modulation of the Guide RS and RSC but it's still a consistently controlled stopper. Increased reservoir volume and internal redesign means easier bleeding and better tolerance of any air that does get in. It also feels more consistent than previous Avids as heat builds on descents. The Centerline rotor is quieter and the four-piston Elixir Trail calliper gives useful power. At 150$ for just the brake pricing is OK, but the RS is worth the extra 22$ if you've got it.

WEIGHT 473g
POWER 112m/s-2

PRICE 225$






Popular posts from this blog

KONA SHRED

With a reputation for no-nonsense ruggedness and a background in the always progressive and punishing riding of Canada, Kona have been building hardcore hardtails for longer than almost anyone else. The Shred is the most expensive bike on test but it’s a proper trail tank.

GT Zaskar Evolution

While some bike models last just a couple of years, others change with the times to stay at the top of riders’ wishlists. In the second part of this series looking at the evolution of bikes that enjoy enduring popularity with UK riders, we turn to the GT Zaskar – a bike that was at the forefront of our sport for a long time and still has plenty of appeal today.

CANYON NERVE AL 8.0

  S ince their entry into the UK market a few years ago, Canyon have made a name for themselves as purveyors of well-made bikes that exhibit often extraordinary value. The secret (or catch, depending on your point of view) is that the brand don’t have dealers – they ship bikes directly to your door.

COMMENCAL EL CAMINO 3

Commencal are going from strength to strength at the moment and they’ve taken their tough trail hardtail bang up to date with 650b wheels. With its skinny rims, crankset and fork, the El Camino certainly isn’t perfect and it’s the least hardcore bike here. The handling, smoothness, speed and all-round agility of the basic bike still make it a real blast for technical trail riding though, and it’s a great base for upgrading over time.

Cannondale Trail SL 29 SS

The fat aluminium tubes are a constrast to the skinny items seen elsewhere in the test, but this rigid Cannondale uses them to create one of the most old-school - and lightest - rides here.