For Worse & For Better
If one more friend* sends me a photo or video of their saddle with broken carbon rails I’m going to start a fundraiser to print a giant banner announcing their ‘achievement‘ and hang it high at whatever trailhead they most frequent. I will! Okay, so, no I won’t. But I’ll think about it quite satisfactorily.
*{Drewitors Note: ALWAYS a shop employee, supported rider, or test writer.}
If there was ever a bike part that fully encapsulates the fact that just because something is the most expensive option doesn’t mean it’s the best, it’s clamping two tubes of plastic fantastic into a miniature aluminum vice and then repeatedly subjecting said system to the forces of mountain biking.
I have seen some icky stickiness from broken carbon rails meeting soft parts of the human body and I’ve heard stories WAY, WAY super-cringey worse than anything I have seen in person. And for what? Maybe 40 grams in weight savings compared to the lightest metal option for the same seat?
Building the absolutely lightest possible road, gravel, and maybe even full-on to-be-raced XC superbike? Sure, okay. Forty grams is forty grams. But on your knobby-tired ‘Shore-Country’ bike, trail slayer with a piggyback shock, Enduro rig with CushCore inserts, steel double-hardtail, commuter rig, or DOWNHILL BIKE?! No! No! No!
The worst part is that this piece – Carbon-Tax Return Season – was supposed to be an all-positive ode to carbon fiber brake lever blades now that we’re into the time of year when they pay for themselves. At least for those of us whose bodies can’t keep up with the needs of our frozen little fingies. There I am on a relatively cool day in the rain, circulation shot to sh*t, wearing thin gloves thanks to my much-less-freezer-like-levers. Lovely.
When the temperature drops further, especially on rainy days, my gloves will thicken, but, at some point, I’ll be thankful to be mountain biking at all. Even with the carbon blades, there were a few rides last year, in decently heavy gloves, where I was sold on the idea of some lightweight pogies.
As with saddle rails, carbon lever blades are not as bombproof as the aluminum alternatives*. And, as with saddle rails, they jack up the price significantly for what is a minusculely minor weight reduction for most mountain biking applications. But where carbon rails only significantly increase the risk of jagged jabbing on your soft inner thighs, at least carbon lever blades offer up a substantial comfort and, therefore, performance boost in cold & wet season comfort.
*{Relative durability: there’s a reason all the Hayes Dominion brakes on the World Cup DH circuit have aluminum lever blades.}
Compared to the last many years, it’s a bit of a bizarre time in our household bike-wise. There are no full-suspension rigs – owned or test rigs. Actually, all the bikes we’re currently riding – mountain and groad/commuter/ATB – have steel frames and the vast majority of those were welded in North America. But contrary to what the throwback frame material might suggest, we are enjoying the luxurious living that is an increasing number of brakes with carbon lever blades.
My V1 ATB and Nina’s Surly commuter both have beyond-used Magura MT-series brakes. Claire’s Chromag is rocking Penny’s old SRAM Guide Ultimate brakes. For mountain biking, I’m running the Hayes Dominions.
It’s the one place that really, truly, makes a notable improvement to my on-trail experience for a significant few months of the year. Enough that, as beautiful as a nice machined aluminum lever blade can be, I would only consider carbon for a bike that I intend to ride year-round.
Yep, it’s a huge price increase on new brakes. Ridiculous even. For the Dominions, we are talking about over $130 (CAD) per brake! Per brake. And still, in the time I have been mountain biking, I have spent significantly more money on significantly less noticeable improvements to my on-trail experience. The price is down to both the premium that brands charge for carbon blades and also that they only ever come as spec on the highest-level brake options.
That said, I do have a potential min-max solution. While the Reynolds blades on Hayes Dominion brakes are my favourite lever shape, the carbon blades from SRAM Guide/Code brakes are a close second and readily available aftermarket. If I were in the market for a pair of brakes for the least amount of money, and unwilling to drop the carbon requirement, I’d pick up a set of well-loved Code (or preferably newer Stealth Code) brakes and rebuild them fully. Then purchase a set of carbon lever blades.
A lot of folks want too, too much for their old Codes but there are some bargains to be found, especially compared to what folks want for Code Ultimate brakes. I think the potential is there for a wicked return on the investment. Although, I will note that when I’m doing this math, I am charging myself nothing for the labour of rebuilding the brakes.
I am not willing to pay the carbon tax on most bicycle components. Rims under certain circumstances. I might consider a flex-forward high-rise alt-bar. Definitely never cranks or headset spacers. But what an awesome difference lever blades make from now until Spring.
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