|   hayes mech vs. avid mech. | ian
Jan 8, 2002 11:30 AM | | wich performs better |
| Few
| sparticus
Jan 8, 2002 12:57 PM | | ..here have tried both. I have tried (and own) both Hayes
i hydraulics
and Avid mechanicals and of these two I prefer the Avids. The Avids have a bit more power, never need to be bled, plus they allow me to use whichever lever I choose. (But of course you'll get the latter two benefits with any mechanical brake.)
Sorry, this probably doesn' help a lot. The only other two things I can mention specifically about the Hayes mech vs. Avid mech discs is that the Avids have a no-tools pad adjustment feature whereas the Hayes require the use of an Allen wrench, and the Hayes mechs offer a large rotor option. But Avid will soon offer larger rotors as well.
--Spar¡cus |
| Here is my take......... | jdcamb
Jan 9, 2002 5:04 AM | | I have been a Avid user of 2 years (longer if you count V's). I love them. Periodically I also use Grimecas. I also get to play around at a local LBS with other brakes (Maggies and Hayes mostly, Shimanos now and then). Nothing has swayed me from Avids. I tried the HMX mechs at Pedros 2 years ago on a extended ride. I liked them. I have heard that Hayes has changed them slightly and haven't tried the newer ones on a ride (which to me is the only way you can offer a opinion on brakes IMO).
I recently went to a LBS in St. Catherines ON that had the HMX brakes on a GT on the rack. Just standing there and talking to the sales guy I was squeezing the levers and doing what I call the handlebar test. Well the rear brake made this snapping noise everytime you fired the brake. It finally just kind of stay activated. It seemed like the lever was messed up (Koski levers) and I pointed this out to the sales guy. He said he was aware of the problem and that 2 other HMX brakes he had did the same thing. He then reached down and tapped on the caliper and then it worked. I had thought I broke it but I was told I didn't and not to worry about it. He then said that customers come in trash his demo bikes. I was trying to think at this point of what a customer could do to "trash" them.
Now I am not saying that all Hayes HMX brakes have this problem. But I would be kind of concerned about it. I have never had any problems with my Avids whatsoever. That and I just like how they work........jdcamb |
| tell your shop what's broken is...... | heff®
Jan 9, 2002 5:50 AM | | ....the piston retaining clip inside the caliper, and it's most likely due to a heavy handed installation, although the Hayes HMX is prone to this happening under heavy braking loads, as well. The caliper needs to be removed and sent back, it's unsafe as it is.
It's generally the same problem the Avids had, but while the Avids broke under the fabled "pre-stretching" of the cables, the Hayes do it under normal use......or used to, I expect they fixed the problem.
Anyway, that's what's wrong with it, they need to pull that bike off the shelf and get the brake fixed.
Jeez, do I need to come up there and slap yer shop guys around a bit? |
| Not my shop guys......... | jdcamb
Jan 9, 2002 6:37 AM | | I was in Canada. My guys would get an ear full for leaving that bike out there like that. He was like it was no big deal. I won't name the shop but I won't be buying a bike from them. Bring it on tough guy. Bring it on......jdcamb |
| THE FINAL SHOWDOWN. Hayes Hyd. vs. Avid Mech. | Trek Racer X
Jan 8, 2002 6:36 PM | | Today I was going the post my experiment of the two brakes, with results of a head to head competition. Well ladies and gentlemen, here it is:
AVID MECHANICAL VS. HAYES HYDRAULIC
First here are the control variables of the experiment.
Avid set up: stock 6" rotor, AVID UPC brake pads, AVID Full Metal Jacket cable housing with Avid Flak Jacket cable housing., Shimano LX lever.
Hayes set up: stock 6" rotor, stock Hayes hoses, stock brake pads, Hayes lever.
Power winner: Avid Mechanical. (shorter stopping distance from 30 mph) (Hayes took more time to achieve full power)
Modulation winner: Hayes Hydraulic: (There is stopping power ranging from A to Z. Feather light, to brick wall stopping) (Avid Mechanicals are all or nothing, braking power. Better situated for DH racing. Avid's modulation spectrum is A, B, and X, Y, Z. Less feather to medium braking power, and more full power range modulation.)
Lever feel: Avid Mechanical: (with using cable actuated levers, anyone can tune their brake feel to almost ANY position one desires.) Hayes, there is only one lever engagement adjustment. (also, there is moving the ENTIRE brake on the rear, which is calpier, pads, and all, which I do not recommmend.)
Price: Of course, AVID. (I've seen them priced between $60.00 to $90.00.) (Hayes are ussually twice as much. $140.00 to $200.00.)
Maintenance: Avid Mechanical: (only a cable, and housing to clean, and occasionlly levers. Also, annual change of brake cables.)
Hayes: (Having to BLEED them! If you've ever bled hydrauilc brakes, you know what I'm talking about.)
Conclusion: Through this experiment, AVID has won in price, power, maintenace and lever feel. Hayes won in modulation catagory. Thus, ratio of catagory winnings are 4:1.
(note: Both brakes used in this experiment were set-up properly, and broken in.)
Trek Racer X |
| THE FINAL SHOWDOWN. Hayes Hyd. vs. Avid Mech. | JJHACK
Jan 8, 2002 6:54 PM | | I wonderif your modulation test would have had different results with the AVID Ultimate levers? I currently use the LX but just this evening bought the Avid Ultimate Levers. I have been told that the AVID levers really change modulation feel.
Anyway I had both Hayes Hydros and AVIDS and I agree 100% with everything you said in your testing. My findings are exactly the same. |
| Yes and no | sparticus
Jan 8, 2002 9:02 PM | | Yes, the Ultimate levers are an improvement over the LX levers in terms of feel (my opinion since ergonomics are an individual perference aspect) and adjustment range. But not over another Avid Speed Dial lever like the SD7. I have LX levers on one bike (V brakes), Ultimates on another and SD7s on a third (latter two with Avid discs).
However the Ultimate levers' smooth bearings offer longevity over the SD7s. I have yet to find a pair of standard SD levers that have not developed blade slop due to wear at the pivot (obviously I'm talking used levers). The pivot pin turns within the perch instead of the blade turning on the pin. It's just a matter of time before wear allows slop to creep in. The consolation is that you can buy 3-5 pair of standard SD levers for the price of one pair of Ultimates.
--Spary |
| LX LEVER???!! YUCK! | Jm
Jan 8, 2002 6:54 PM | | heh. |
| totally wrong conclusions | gonzostrike
Jan 9, 2002 8:56 AM | | the Avid Mech has the most modulation of ANY disc brake. the Hayes Hydraulic has NO modulation other than how far you pull the lever -- unless you consider using amounts of pad contamination as a means of modulating power!
Sorry, but I completely disagree with your conclusions. In fact, it looks like you have the descriptions completely backward. Everything you say about the Hayes Hydraulic seems true about the Avid Mech, and vice versa.
Did you make a typing error? |
| Once again price and technology clouds | Ricksom
Jan 9, 2002 9:08 AM | | Mountain Bike magazine came to the same conclusion as "THE TEST". Avids are weak in the modulation category, but can be tweaked with different levers.
Once again high price and high technology of the favourite hydraulic systems create an aura of upscale supremacy. |
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