The very first thing everybody needs from a set of brakes is loads of energy, however there’s extra to creating nice brakes than simply that. Good modulation can be key to make sure you don’t over or underbrake whereas bombing a path. Past on-trail efficiency, it’s good to have a set which might be straightforward to arrange and don’t require common upkeep. After using SRAM’s Maven Final brakes since final Spring, I’d rating them two and a half out of three on these details.
The Experts are impressively highly effective and supply nice modulation, however appear to be finicky to dial in. Following their preliminary arrange, I had issues with the chunk level shifting out and in on each brakes, and they’d typically pump up after onerous braking. Nonetheless, after their second bleed the brakes remained constant and didn’t require a re-bleed after sitting via the winter.
SRAM Maven Final Brakes – Key Specs:
For an entire rundown on the Maven brakes, take a look at my launch article from final spring. Because you’re right here, I’ll summarize the important thing points of the Experts.
Except for their promise of unbelievable energy, the massive cope with the Experts was SRAM’s shift to mineral oil (which preceded all SRAM MTB brakes shifting to mineral oil). To accommodate the mineral oil, SRAM developed new seals with a fabric they discovered to be proof against temperature variations and supply glorious elasticity. SRAM claims the benefit of mineral oil is decrease upkeep and the flexibility to retain setup for lengthy durations of time with out adjustment… This finally proved true, however solely after my brakes had been bled twice.
It’s vital to level out right here that my brakes had been one of many very first units of samples despatched out to media. The BikeRumor crew have examined subsequent variations of the Experts that got here geared up on inventory bikes and didn’t have the identical points. So it’s attainable this was attributable to points in early manufacturing, or within the bleed course of when organising new brakes.
The Maven calipers function 4 massive pistons – two 19.5mm and two 18mm in diameter. The beefy caliper our bodies had been designed to keep up a fascinating degree of warmth as a substitute of dumping it rapidly, making certain extra constant brake efficiency all through a trip. These large calipers take a brand new XL dimension brake pad to make sure loads of rotor contact.
The Maven brakes don’t use distinctive rotors, SRAM merely recommends their HS2 rotors for optimum stopping energy. SRAM’s Centerline rotors are ultimate in the event you want to shave a couple of grams and don’t thoughts a slight discount in energy.
The Maven levers use bigger than regular pistons (they should match the massive caliper pistons for optimum efficiency). SRAM even optimized their SwingLink levers for the Maven brakes, making their energy ramp up extra via the stroke with much less effort required vs. the well-established Code brakes. Whereas some fashions differ, the Maven Final levers I examined supply each attain and pad contact changes.
I used to be in a rush to arrange these brakes, and wished to eradicate any risk of me not bleeding them completely, so I had my native store’s skilled employees set up them. I’m not a heavy man, so my brakes had been arrange with 180mm rotors entrance and rear. I began with the natural pads, and later put in the sintered set for comparability.
Trip Impressions: Energy
I’ll begin by confirming the Experts do supply superior stopping energy. Of all of the brakes I’ve ridden, nothing matches the Experts by way of how little effort is required on the lever to carry you from a slight drag to a full wheel-locking cease. In comparison with something I’ve ridden, the Experts handily take the ‘finest but’ title by way of chunk drive. Whether or not you’re dragging the brakes evenly or stabbing them to clean velocity rapidly, the Maven Ultimates do it with such a light-weight squeeze it took a couple of rides for me to get used to.
After I began using the Experts I used to be additionally testing an MTB with Shimano XT brakes. I’m completely proud of XT brakes, however by comparability the Experts blow them away by way of energy and diminished lever drive whereas braking!
Some readers commented on my launch article saying different journalists declare some opponents supply a lighter degree really feel than the Experts, and initially I used to be dumbfounded by this declare as these brakes are undeniably robust. I’ve now learn a couple of of these critiques, and realized they’re speaking about how the lever pulls till the pads contact the rotors. All I can say is, I’d relatively have a lever with a barely stiffer preliminary pull that requires loads much less effort to really brake than one which pulls tremendous simply, however wants extra of a squeeze to sluggish you down. I by no means felt the preliminary pull of my Experts was too stiff to sacrifice modulation or be annoying in any respect. Any effort required on this portion of the lever stroke is greater than made up for when the pads hit the rotors.
After getting conversant in the texture of the Experts, I observed I used to be braking later into corners. I felt safer using extra aggressively, trusting that I might bomb full-gas right into a flip and with a final second pull the Maven’s energy would reel me in rapidly (and it at all times did). I ought to be aware that I didn’t discover myself by chance locking up wheels throughout these abrupt brake jabs – That possibility is at all times there with these brakes, however as soon as tailored I discovered it straightforward to hit the ‘decelerate rapidly’ level with out locking up as a substitute. At this level, I began actually having fun with using my very own bike as a result of these brakes had been so enjoyable to trip with!
The facility of the Maven Ultimates can be noticeable whenever you’re simply feathering or dragging the brakes, due partly to their massive pads. It’s straightforward to keep up a really slight drag when wanted with the Experts. Only a gentle contact is sufficient to begin controlling velocity, and it takes little lever effort to sluggish your self significantly when dragging the brakes more durable. Nonetheless, when panic units within the Experts’ energy ramps up rapidly with a deliberate squeeze, simply locking your wheels up.
Modulation:
Whereas very highly effective, I discovered the Maven Ultimates delightfully straightforward to modulate with the natural pads put in. On my first couple rides I used to be overbraking my rear wheel, typically by chance dragging it down rock slabs or dusty chutes. I thought-about swapping the rear rotor to a 160mm (which I’m positive would nonetheless supply ample energy for me), however determined I ought to simply adapt to the lever really feel as a substitute. I did get used to squeezing that rear lever much less, and I quickly stopped overbraking the again wheel.
Below gentle braking, it’s straightforward to detect preliminary rotor contact and feather the brakes. Creeping down rock slabs in full management was no downside with the Experts nice modulation, and at no level did I discover the brakes excessively or unpredictably grabby with the natural pads. As described beneath, I did discover the sintered brake pads had a really robust chunk and made modulation a bit trickier.
Natural vs. Sintered Pads:
SRAM’s natural pads mattress in rapidly, and in any climate circumstances I by no means obtained extra noise than a couple of very brief, low squeaks. After Spring/Fall using final 12 months and a handful of rides this Spring, I don’t see any extreme put on or harm on the pads. The natural pads had been simply grabby sufficient in dry circumstances, with no noticeable fade on my descents. In moist circumstances, the natural pads weren’t extremely grabby. They had been positively nonetheless ok to supply whole management in damp circumstances, and would at all times lock up a wheel if prompted.
This Spring I swapped within the sintered pads. My first trip with them was a moist, muddy one, and the sintered pads began squealing on the primary pull. Even on the primary bed-in trip, it was obvious these pads had been going to seize strongly, and supply extra energy in moist circumstances than the natural pads.
My subsequent trip with the sintered pads was in dry circumstances, and so they had already mattress themselves in sufficient to grow to be very grabby. The pads supplied a really robust chunk, and I needed to be cautious to remain gentle on the levers throughout my first trip with them. The sintered pads should not as straightforward to modulate versus the natural pads, a minimum of for a light-weight rider like me. Nonetheless, after simply two rides I used to be tailored to them and didn’t have ongoing points with overbraking or locking up wheels. In dry circumstances, the sintered pads additionally remained completely quiet.
Maven Final Levers:
I’m completely proud of the form and ergonomics of the Maven Final levers. The attain and pad contact changes make it straightforward to fine-tune their really feel, and I just like the sleeker Stealth hose routing. The hinged handlebar clamps are nice too, it’s a pleasant contact that makes upkeep faster and simpler.
I discovered the pad contact adjustment works very properly. Turning the dial alters the contact level noticeably, offering a great vary of adjustment. This function is nice for fine-tuning your most popular lever really feel, but in addition can be utilized to even out the chunk level between the 2 levers in the event that they occur to be a bit off.
SRAM together with a attain adjustment on the levers is nice too. It’s at all times good to have that adjustability, and it’s a great function to incorporate on a high-end set of brakes. Whereas it’s nothing new, I did take pleasure in the truth that SRAM’s matchmaker clamps labored properly with my dropper submit lever and shifter, leaving me with a clear and ergonomic cockpit.
Efficiency/Reliability:
Sadly, upkeep and/or reliability did show to be a problem with my Maven Ultimates. Ultimately, it appeared a second bleed introduced the problems right down to a really minor degree, however I didn’t fairly get the low-maintenance expertise from the Experts SRAM had promised.
My first few rides final Spring went nice, and I used to be mesmerized by the Experts’ energy. Nonetheless, once I pulled my bike out after sitting for a couple of weeks one vital downside surfaced. I started having points with the chunk level shifting out and in on each brakes, plus some noticeable pump-up after onerous braking as properly.
The very first thing I observed was that always on the primary pull of the brakes, each levers would chunk a bit additional in than anticipated. After only one or two pulls, they might then migrate outwards to the place I had set them. As soon as warmed up with a squeeze or two, the levers would chunk persistently for the remainder of the trip.
One other concern that got here up was the brakes pumping up after a tough pull. On the worst, this could occur a number of instances throughout a trip with both the entrance or rear brake. The problem corrected itself rapidly every time, however for one or two pulls after a great onerous brake the chunk level would transfer out fairly clearly. For the following few weeks the brakes carried out on this method.
My bike sat for one more brief interval unridden, then I pulled it out for a trip. This trip was disappointing, as my entrance brake was pulling virtually to my grip, whereas my rear was biting the place it ought to have. At this level, it was apparent the brakes wanted a re-bleed.
In late September I began using the freshly re-bled Experts. I realized one thing fascinating concerning the levers once I obtained my bike again from the store. The chunk level had been set pretty far out, as had been the pad contact adjusters. Whereas the chunk level was constant, I discovered myself having to drag the levers a lot more durable than earlier than. Fortunately I used to be capable of regulate the pad contact level inwards fairly a bit, and once I did I confirmed a suspicion.
For those who set the chunk level out too far, you received’t get the best quantity of leverage from the Maven levers. After I moved the pad contact inwards, instantly I might inform the lever was throwing sufficient to get correct leverage and the brakes felt like themselves once more – tremendous robust with minimal effort. I ought to be aware that I think most riders would naturally set the brakes as much as chunk at some extent the place the levers will do their job correctly. Additionally, I’m positive this could possibly be a problem with any hydraulic brake, but it surely was fairly pronounced with the Experts.
Spring 2025:
All through the autumn the Maven Ultimates rode with superb chunk level consistency, solely producing some minor however tolerable ramp-ups after onerous braking and rapidly correcting themselves. I purposely stretched this assessment into this Spring, so I might see how the Experts fared sitting via the winter.
After about three months in a chilly shed, I used to be completely satisfied to seek out my Experts didn’t want a re-bleed. The brakes had been performing with near-perfect consistency instantly. I did discover I used to be nonetheless getting that barely deeper first pull on most rides, however as at all times the brakes stayed constant after that preliminary squeeze.
Since this level the Experts have been working with about 95% consistency. The preliminary pull can nonetheless be a bit deep, and infrequently I’ll nonetheless really feel a slight ramp-up after braking onerous, however each are actually very minor variations that received’t compromise management at a crucial second.
To sum it up, I discovered the Maven Ultimates to supply all the ability SRAM promised. I used to be additionally completely satisfied to seek out they did so with out being troublesome to modulate, but it surely did take a couple of rides for me to regulate to squeezing the levers much less forcefully than I’d with some other brake I’ve ridden.
For those who’re a rider who bleeds their very own brakes and doesn’t thoughts a little bit bike upkeep right here and there, I’d anticipate the ability of the Experts will win you over. Nonetheless, in the event you pay your native store for brake bleeds and don’t like lacking rides attributable to upkeep wants, you could get pissed off in case your Experts require a number of bleeds to get correctly arrange or re-bleeds to keep up constant efficiency. In the end, after two bleeds mine started performing virtually completely and have remained that means for a number of months. Additionally, as talked about above, this concern has been restricted to the primary check pattern we obtained, and Maven brake units on full bikes we’ve had in for testing have carried out higher.
Regardless of being a light-weight man, I like the diminished effort you possibly can take pleasure in from a robust set of brakes. I truthfully really feel like I can trip extra aggressively than ever with the Maven Ultimates on my bike, so quirks apart I’ve no intention of eradicating them except I’ve ongoing upkeep points sooner or later.
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