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SRAM's Maven brakes are one of the most powerful on the market, if not the most powerful. Released in February of this year, they dropped to a lot of fanfare and hype, and rightly so. Mavens mark a significant departure from the biggest stoppers we've seen from any mainstream brand, and SRAM talked a big talk. So, now we've had a full summer of riding on them, it's time to report back and see if the hype was accurate or not.
Ultimate Power. Ultimate Control.
SRAM made some pretty big claims, like "nearly 50% more power than codes" and "32% less lever force". They also used words like "extreme power" and "tuneability". The size of the brakes speaks for itself too - one look at the Maven and you know they mean business. That huge caliper houses two 19.5mm and two 18mm pistons - compare that to the Code's 15mm and 16mm pistons and you get the picture.
That huge caliper is also designed to increase the thermal mass of the brake. Despite what people might have you might think, brakes work best when they're warm, but that window between warm enough and too hot is pretty narrow. The larger thermal mass of the Maven means they can get up to operating temperature and stay there without overheating, and also without them losing their heat in between braking events. That means more consistent braking more of the time.
Tune-ability
SRAM says that the additional power afforded by the Maven makes them super tuneable. Using rotors from 180mm to 220mm, and switching between organic and metallic pads means riders can their modulation to power ratio dialed, and while this isn't a new concept, the extra power on tap means it's actually useable. Most riders with Codes on their gravity bike, for example, tend to fit metallic pads and the biggest rotors they can, to get the most power possible from their brakes, but that doesn't leave them anywhere to go. Mavens give the rider so much power that in a lot of cases it makes sense to de-tune the brakes, giving extra headroom when more power is needed.
In The Real World
Setup
All of this talk about huge power and tune-ability is great on paper, but none of that matters if it doesn't translate to the real world. We've spent a good chunk of time riding Mavens now, and can report back with some real world results. First off, let's talk about setup. SRAM talk about the piston massage being an important setup step with the Mavens, and while this is true, the only real difference is that they didn't talk about this with Codes or any other brake.
In our experience, the piston massage vastly improves setup of almost any brake, and is something we regularly do here regardless of the brake. Outside of the mandatory piston massage, setup is just like any other brake. The calipers are easy to align, and bed in procedure is the same. For those not familiar, watch SRAM's brake bed-in procedure here - bedding in is an important part of brake setup.
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Riding
The first ride on Mavens, the most obvious thing is the sheer power on tap. The first few pulls of the levers had me over-braking, since my fingers were used to pulling harder to achieve the same levels of braking power. The initial feel is somewhat similar to a Shimano brake thanks to the power available, and can feel a little on/off, though pretty quickly I learned to modulate them. Switching between bikes I usually find the same thing and will over-brake, and then settle into them.
The Mavens actually have great modulation, and I find that despite the lever feeling a little stiffer than some other brakes, the actual force needed to produce braking power is so low that I feel like I'm barely tickling the levers to get useable power from them. Under hard braking events where other brakes might pull to the handlebar to barely produce enough power, the Mavens have so much power on tap that getting deeper into the lever stroke will bring the bike to an almost immediate stop.
With great power comes great responsibility, though. The extreme power on offer does highlight other component choices, as is always the case when upgrading something. In my case, more braking power highlighted tire choice, and in some cases, running firmer tire compounds resulted in breaking traction more often than I would like, however this is a good opportunity to 'de-tune' the brakes. Downsizing the rotors, or changing pad compound to produce less power could be a good idea, or swapping for a tire more suited to the trail conditions to increase grip levels.
More is more when it comes to brakes, in my opinion. While there's a case to be made for weight savings, and the Mavens do add weight, the opportunity to size down rotors means that they don't incur as much of a weight penalty as it might first appear. Outside of those looking to save a few grams, the performance benefit of having brakes with more than enough power is immediately obvious. More power means later and more effective braking, meaning the ability to ride faster and more confidently, particularly on terrain where braking opportunities are limited, such as rooty, steep and technical trails.
The Mavens felt consistent all summer long, though needed a thorough bleed to eliminate a bit of a wandering bite point, but they still retained a firm bite with predictable braking power. Never did they lack power, or fade, despite some big descents, and even in the cold and wet, retained predictable brake feel.
I've been fortunate enough to test Mavens across a few different bikes, mostly in the entry level 'Bronze' flavour, and even in this lower specced offering, they offer incredible amounts of power, and feel like a premium product. Despite having bushings in the lever pivot instead of bearings, the lever feels much more solid than older SRAM brake iterations, ie Code R. The lack of contact adjust also concerned me less than usual, since the power available is so impressive that I never found that there wasn't ample room to execute appropriate braking.
The majority of my ride time on Mavens has been on my Santa Cruz Tallboy, which you could argue doesn't need them, but as bikes get more capable, trail speeds get higher, and more braking power is needed. Despite it being a shorter travel bike, the power offered by Mavens was welcome, and the option to detune them meant that I settled on 180mm rotors front and rear and resin pads, rather than the 200mm rotors and metallic pads I would usually run, while still allowing for plenty of power and a very sensitive lever feel, just the way I like it. A bump up to bigger, softer, rubber for winter saw me swap my pads out for metallic, with resultant appropriate braking power for the tire choice.
Normalize putting Mavens on bikes like this...
Final Thoughts
Modern bikes are faster and more capable than ever, and until recently, Saints and Codes were pretty much the pinnacle of braking power. It was time for someone to step up the game and offer something with more, and the Mavens really do what they promise. Love or hate SRAM brakes, there's no denying the increased lvel of control that they offer.
The price point for a Maven Bronze is the same as a Code, and only $30 more than a Level Bronze. If money is the deciding factor, why wouldn't you buy the best brakes with the most available power, for those "oh-sh**" moments? Personally, I love that brands are on board with this and are levelling up brakes across the board. Trail bikes like the Santa Cruz Bronson 5 and Hightower 4, and the Specialized Stumpjumper 15 are specced with Mavens, and bikes like the Tallboy and Epic 8 Evo are now specced with Codes.
Thanks SRAM - Mavens have truly changed the game for us.
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