SRAM Code R Disc Brake

The sram Code R came stock on my aluminum Santa Cruz Nomad 4 s-kit. I have been riding the bike since October of 2017 and have definitely put it through the wringer. The majority of the riding I do is pedaling to the top and riding down, although I can't wait to take the bike to some chairlifts. Most of the trails I ride are technical, steep and awkward instead fast and flowy so having good brakes is very important.

From the first ride I was stoked on how well the Code R preformed. They have very good modulation, meaning that it is easy to stop without skidding. This modulation is really helpful when riding in the winter because dealing with mud, wet rocks and roots can be a challenge when brakes have too much bite. The same could be said about modulation when riding in dry conditions because it allows the rider to maintain traction while braking on loose over hardback or dust.

Another good characteristic of the Code R is its heat management. There has only been one instance that I have felt the brakes seriously fade and that was on a trail that you literally hold the brakes for 4 plus minutes because it is that steep and loose and if you were to let go of your brakes you would fly off the side of the hill and probably die.

I have never run the brakes with metallic pads, even though I used to be all about metallic pads. The resin seem to do better when they are dragged for a while down the hill, while metallic have a strong bite and are good in the wet, they can hit a point where they fade really bad and I don't find that resin have this. Like I mentioned in the BAD the pads do wear faster than I am used to coming from a set of Hope Tec3 e4 and the levers almost pull to the bar when the pads wear to about 50%. The inconsistency of lever feel with pad wear is the only thing that I don't like about the brake but can be easily remedied with new brake pads.

The overall power of the Code R is more than enough for me and I can do all the skids I want and never have a problem locking up the wheels. I have always liked the feel of avid/sram levers so that is also a big plus. Having a tool free lever adjust is also rad and is something that more brakes should use.

I decided to bleed them for the first time after about 7 months and the fluid wasn't even that dark. I have seen way worse at work. Bleeding these brakes was super easy with the new "bleeding edge technology", I was genuinely surprised by how well the system worked.

Another good quality of the brakes is durability. I like my bikes to stay together even if it means running heavier components and these brakes have delivered. They have hit the ground a few times quite hard and although they are scratched, they still work well. Overall if someone is looking for a workhorse brake that has nothing fancy about it but gets the job done well there is no reason not to consider the Code R.