Nerding out on Brakes shall we? Not another tech deraliment

5/13/2026 12:54pm

There is a really simple solution to minimising lever throw and not blocking off the timing port - adjust the bite point/pushrod with the bleed syringes connected and make sure fluid still goes from lever to caliper. It takes a bit of trial and error but its foolproof.

3
HexonJuan
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WI US
5/13/2026 1:16pm
segamethod wrote:
It is wild to me that the majority of discussion in this thread continues to be around the 8-year-old Hayes Dominion. For the record, I own...

It is wild to me that the majority of discussion in this thread continues to be around the 8-year-old Hayes Dominion. For the record, I own three sets.

People gotta tinker.

3
Placek
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5/14/2026 7:24am
Placek wrote:
Forwarding what I got from HAYES."The internet is not correct here.  In that, Dominion is setup at assembly with ZERO dead stroke - and you cannot...

Forwarding what I got from HAYES.

"The internet is not correct here.  In that, Dominion is setup at assembly with ZERO dead stroke - and you cannot adjust this to have less than none.
 Effectively you'll block the timing port and the brakes will not be able to be bled or function properly.
 The pistons advance as pads wear, all disc brakes should function this way - just like on an automobile. 
 You can back this adjustment out to have more lever pull - or some deadstroke."

I may not follow correctly , but it sounds like bite point adjuster is not taking any role? Read also somewhere that this is factory set and shouldn't be moved ?

 

HexonJuan wrote:
 In the above picture, you can see the pushrod, which is used to adjust the bite point. Clockwise advances the piston in the bore, counterclockwise retreats...

 

Screenshot 2026-05-13 075112 0.jpg?VersionId=KwZMBciKwvNQ NJ4
Dominion Cutaway

In the above picture, you can see the pushrod, which is used to adjust the bite point. Clockwise advances the piston in the bore, counterclockwise retreats it. Adjust it too much and the seal on the piston can block off the timing port hole, circled in red, effectively closing the brake off. Hayes made much about setting this gap between seal and port holes as minimum as possible from the factory and recommend against mucking around with it. Bite point adjustment does nothing to the caliper pistons' location. That is designed into the seal and seal seat interface and cannot be adjusted by any dial or screw. So yep, everything they said is correct. Sounds like you maybe weren't familiar with the terminology, so here's hoping the cutaway sheds some light on things.

 

What I did

Turned push-rod almost fully clockwise  - as shown on this topic to eliminate dead stroke movement.Here I should be safe as only moving counterclockwise too much could move piston too much and block the timing port - this is my understanding

and here is what I don't understand:

Official Avid stream describes that user can play with bite point adjust screw to eliminate the free pad movement. It's full to "-" by factory but if we want we can turn it more towards "+" to quicker engage pads to rotor.

So we have one unofficial way (turning push rod clockwise) and second way by using the screw ?

1
Placek
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5/14/2026 7:25am
There is a really simple solution to minimising lever throw and not blocking off the timing port - adjust the bite point/pushrod with the bleed syringes...

There is a really simple solution to minimising lever throw and not blocking off the timing port - adjust the bite point/pushrod with the bleed syringes connected and make sure fluid still goes from lever to caliper. It takes a bit of trial and error but its foolproof.

How about bite point screw at that moment - should it be full "-" like from factory or it doesn't matter ?

1
5/14/2026 8:10am
There is a really simple solution to minimising lever throw and not blocking off the timing port - adjust the bite point/pushrod with the bleed syringes...

There is a really simple solution to minimising lever throw and not blocking off the timing port - adjust the bite point/pushrod with the bleed syringes connected and make sure fluid still goes from lever to caliper. It takes a bit of trial and error but its foolproof.

Placek wrote:

How about bite point screw at that moment - should it be full "-" like from factory or it doesn't matter ?

I would bottom the screw out at that point to stop you being able to adjust past it in future. I can't remember if that's at the - or + direction.

It probably doesn't matter if you won't ever adjust it again.

1
HexonJuan
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5/14/2026 8:31am
Placek wrote:
What I didTurned push-rod almost fully clockwise  - as shown on this topic to eliminate dead stroke movement.Here I should be safe as only moving counterclockwise...

What I did

Turned push-rod almost fully clockwise  - as shown on this topic to eliminate dead stroke movement.Here I should be safe as only moving counterclockwise too much could move piston too much and block the timing port - this is my understanding

and here is what I don't understand:

Official Avid stream describes that user can play with bite point adjust screw to eliminate the free pad movement. It's full to "-" by factory but if we want we can turn it more towards "+" to quicker engage pads to rotor.

So we have one unofficial way (turning push rod clockwise) and second way by using the screw ?

What other screw are you referring to?

1
ebruner
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Tustin, CA US
1 day ago
ebruner wrote:
I'm in the middle of doing some stupid brake tricks.  In this case, Maven base lever assemblies (with Maven b1 lever blades) and db8 calipers.  This...

I'm in the middle of doing some stupid brake tricks.  In this case, Maven base lever assemblies (with Maven b1 lever blades) and db8 calipers.  This started out with the idea of just using what I had on the shelf to finish a build and is turning into an exercise in finding a middle ground in weight and power between mavens and motives.  

PXL 20260508 143040191.MP .jpg?VersionId=UpJuO6CO8zG7X cIdGMgbufiAg

 

Jakowitz wrote:
How is it working? I’m on db8 caliper Shimano xt lever for my front brake and it’s working really well, will see how it fares at...

How is it working? I’m on db8 caliper Shimano xt lever for my front brake and it’s working really well, will see how it fares at a bike park in a couple weeks time though. Weirdly, the feel at the lever is very similar to the rear brake which is still full shimano.

Just following up on this post/question.  I now have 3 rides on this setup, the first one didn't count because in typical sram/maxima mineral oil bleed challenges, I developed some soft levers half way through the ride.  

At any rate I am really happy with how these brakes turned out.  The combo of the maven base master cylinders and the db8 brakes are honestly perfect for a trail brake.  These have a lot more power than codes and the combination with the direct link maven base master cylinder makes for a very light lever feel but a nice ramp up into the power.  I would say that they are about 25-30% more powerful then a code/motiv and have a lighter lever feel then a code rsc.  The deadband isn't quite as light as the maven base (or a motiv) but that's because they have far less deadband then the maven base setup.  

Honestly I prefer these to both motivs and codes.  I would go as far as saying that for a trail bike, I honestly prefer these over the maven base as it's easier to feel where the pads are contacting the rotor within the deadband.  Top it all off with the fact that they are lighter then mavens is a bonus for a trail bike application.  If you have db8's or motivs and you're wanting more power... I would suggest getting yourself some maven base master cyl/levers and putting those on.  

Eae903
Posts
391
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10/20/2023
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Laramie, WY US
Fantasy
1 day ago

Does anyone have any experience on the new semi metallic pad from TRP compared to the old metallic ones? And how they would compare to something like the Shimano metallic? I need to replace the pads in a set of Shimanos and am thinking of trying them since they fit. 

1
Placek
Posts
13
Joined
1/16/2015
Location
Chicago, IL US
1 day ago
There is a really simple solution to minimising lever throw and not blocking off the timing port - adjust the bite point/pushrod with the bleed syringes...

There is a really simple solution to minimising lever throw and not blocking off the timing port - adjust the bite point/pushrod with the bleed syringes connected and make sure fluid still goes from lever to caliper. It takes a bit of trial and error but its foolproof.

Placek wrote:

How about bite point screw at that moment - should it be full "-" like from factory or it doesn't matter ?

I would bottom the screw out at that point to stop you being able to adjust past it in future. I can't remember if that's at...

I would bottom the screw out at that point to stop you being able to adjust past it in future. I can't remember if that's at the - or + direction.

It probably doesn't matter if you won't ever adjust it again.

When I turned that fully "-" as google suggest than I was not able to bleed. 3 turns toward the "+" opened the channel and fluid could move.

1
Placek
Posts
13
Joined
1/16/2015
Location
Chicago, IL US
1 day ago
Placek wrote:
What I didTurned push-rod almost fully clockwise  - as shown on this topic to eliminate dead stroke movement.Here I should be safe as only moving counterclockwise...

What I did

Turned push-rod almost fully clockwise  - as shown on this topic to eliminate dead stroke movement.Here I should be safe as only moving counterclockwise too much could move piston too much and block the timing port - this is my understanding

and here is what I don't understand:

Official Avid stream describes that user can play with bite point adjust screw to eliminate the free pad movement. It's full to "-" by factory but if we want we can turn it more towards "+" to quicker engage pads to rotor.

So we have one unofficial way (turning push rod clockwise) and second way by using the screw ?

HexonJuan wrote:

What other screw are you referring to?

Obrazek 11

The one commented in red.

1 day ago
Placek wrote:

How about bite point screw at that moment - should it be full "-" like from factory or it doesn't matter ?

I would bottom the screw out at that point to stop you being able to adjust past it in future. I can't remember if that's at...

I would bottom the screw out at that point to stop you being able to adjust past it in future. I can't remember if that's at the - or + direction.

It probably doesn't matter if you won't ever adjust it again.

Placek wrote:
When I turned that fully "-" as google suggest than I was not able to bleed. 3 turns toward the "+" opened the channel and fluid...

When I turned that fully "-" as google suggest than I was not able to bleed. 3 turns toward the "+" opened the channel and fluid could move.

In that case set it as far as it goes in the "-" direction when you've confirmed your pushrod adjustment isn't blocking the port at that point

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