Hydraulic Disc Brakes

Your brakes are arguably one of the most important components on your bike; how they feel and perform can have a huge impact on your riding. The Hayes Dominion A4 has garnered a solid reputation mainly thanks to its power and feel, and with the introduction of the T4, Hayes sought to maintain that performance while dropping some weight. We’ve had a pair out on the trails for about 7 months now, and we’re here to report on how we’ve been getting along. Strengths Weaknesses Lots of power Great modulation Useful features help with bleed and alignment Low weight Limited range of free stroke...

We’re big fans of all things Hope here at Vital, after years of positive experiences with many of their products. The CNC wizards from Barnoldswick, England have a habit of taking their time with product development, and they’ve been in no rush to update their excellent Tech 3 brakes which have been garnering great reviews since their introduction in 2013. Still, they knew they wanted to make some improvements and 2022 saw them introduce the inconspicuously named Tech 4. Hope sought to provide a lighter lever feel and increase the braking power, and without getting ahead of ourselves, we can...