SRAM Guide RSC Disc Brakes

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These came stock on my latest bike. Initial set up and maintenance is pretty easy. I like how easy it is to trim the lines and bleed the calipers and levers. The contact pad adjuster is a good feature; however, it sometimes gets stuck. Modulation seams on par with Hope brakes and better than Shimano brakes. That being said, overall braking performance is average at best. They're not very powerful brakes and sometimes the lever can get a little soft. They are also very noisy when wet. Overall, they're a decent brake, but really lack the power and consistency for aggressive braking needs.

Sram Guide RSC

Initial Impressions

              These are the brakes that came on my YT Tues. I decided to give them a go instead of instantly replacing them with another manufactures’ set of brakes. They have a nice look to them and seem to have a solid build. They offer a pad contact adjustment as well as a lever adjuster. I broke them in properly in a parking lot to give the pads a good opportunity to bed in with the rotors correctly before the tires met dirt.

On the Trail

              On the trail, I found them to have good modulation with a lot of power. The lever reach worked just fine, but the pad contact adjuster is a little off. It can be hard to turn and does not seem to work real well in my experiences at least compared to some others out there. I also noted some inconsistent brake feel with the stock bleed.

The Bottom Line

              Overall they work well for a stock option, but they are not what I really look for in a brake system. You could say I have grown accustom to a certain feel over time. If you do not have a constant lever feel, they may need bled, not entirely uncommon with new brakes, but worth noting for sure.