Hayes Stroker Trail Disc Brakes

Holy crap! I never imagined I would find a set of brakes on a bicycle that would put me over the handlebars, but the Hayes Stroker Trail disc brakes will lock the wheels up with one finger pressure. Seriously - you can lock the back or the front wheel with one finger pressure, which makes these brakes easily the most powerful brakes I have ever had on a bicycle, mountain bike or otherwise.

They lack a little feel and the first time I grabbed them in anger I really did almost go over the handle bars, but I have developed a healthy respect for them and now use the one finger approach instead of grabbing a big handful. The trick I have found is to use the back first and then the front when going downhill because it does not matter too much if the back locks up, but lock the front up and it is "Hasta La Vista Baby."

I was a little shocked at the power they provide, but soon got used to them. The discs warp real easy though. After throwing the bike in the back of my car a couple of times, I discovered the front disc was warped. My first inclination was to just bend the disc away from the pad it was rubbing on, but I decided to take it back to the shop and have it properly adjusted by a professional mechanic.

I dutifully returned the bike from whence it came and asked the mechanic if I could watch how he adjusted the disc. He immediately just grabbed hold of the disc and bent it away from the rim where it was rubbing on the pad - so it is nice to know I have the instincts of a professional bike mechanic.

I have yet to break anything, but I am a little worried at how feeble these seem to be mechanically. They work great - in fact - they work ferociously, but the entire set up from the miniature pads to the miniature brake cylinder look ready to fall apart at a moment's notice and I swear look like tiny little versions of brake set ups I have had on motorcycles, although I never managed to bend a motorcycle disc brake by hand - that usually required a crash. I already know these discs can be bent by hand so I am keeping away from them and hoping for the best.

I have to say that these things are great fun. They came fitted as standard on my Merida mountain bike along with a Shimano Deore xt shifter set, and complements that groupset pretty well.