Sea Otte Tech: Hayes/Manitou
Originally posted on April 15, 2011 at 23:59 pmWe got our first peek at Hayes’ Prime brakes at last year’s Sea Otter, and these new stoppers have finally hit the streets (we just got a set for review, so keep your eyes on our print mag for a full review). The reach adjust knob has detents and is tucked within the design (not exposed on the outside). A stroke-adjust lever allows riders to fine-tune the amount of free-play at the brake lever, for dialing in the feel of the brake. The 26mm diameter pistons are larger than previous Hayes models, for better stopping power. Primes come in a an Expert model for $180 per wheel or a Pro model with Ti hardware for $200 per wheel. Rotors run $25 (or $30 for two-piece).
Marvel is Manitou’s newest suspension fork platform. Slated for release in May/June, the 26" forks will be offered in 100 and 120mm travel in either 9mm or 15mm axles with a tapered 1.5-inch steerer, natch. A redesigned arch saves weight while maintaining stiffness. Both the Expert and Pro models have a 32mm leg diameter and feature Manitou’s ISO air spring and TPC Absolute+ damping (cartridge version in the Pro). Weight for both models is around 3.4 lbs.