Words and photos: Steve Jones
Higher speeds and greater weight mean that emtbs need specific stoppers to keep everything under control. At the moment there aren’t too many on the market but these offerings from Magura and Sram are our favourites.
Sram Guide RE
It’s no secret that the Guide RE brake was derived from the downhill focussed Code caliper. In fact one of our favourite brake combinations in recent years has been the Specialized specific Guide RS/Code set up on the Demo downhill bike.
With heavier weights braking on steeper, longer, tracks a heavy duty brake is essential. We even found standard Guide brakes slightly overwhelmed on recent trip to the Alps on e-mtb’s so the new stopper was a welcome sight.
The Guide RE combines the tried and tested Guide R lever assembled with the 4 piston Code calliper. They use a sintered pad, it offers tool-free reach adjust and is Matchmaker compatible. In use we’ve found them to be not only one of our favourite downhill brakes but they have succeeded well on our e-mtb’s. More than anything they are quiet, offer just the right amount of power, and are reliable. Simple things.
