SRAM Guide R Disc Brake

have had multiple sets of these brakes 1 out of 10 might be a good set.

number of problems with bleeding properly and almost all of them have had lever sticking issues .

i had even swapped out lever pistons that was supposed to fix the issues with the lever but still had issues .

you would be better off buying a different brake set at that price or a little more than these cause the long term issues will not be worth the money saved

I rode the SRAM Guide R on mellow trails (e.g. smooth trails with some roots and rocks here and there) that are an hour away from Metro Manila in the Philippines. These trails get sloppy with mud during the monsoon rains and dry and dusty in the summer months. I've had these brakes for two years before I replaced these with the SRAM Code R.

The Guide R has good modulation and it improved my braking skills. I like the tool-free adjustment knob on the lever throw. I was able to adjust the lever until it touches the grips for the brakes to stop the bike. I also liked that its easy to swap out the levers to get a feel for having your front brake on your right, rear brake on your left, and vice versa. Unfortunately, after a month, I had to take it back to the local bike shop and SRAM distributor where I bought it for bleeding. It developed the spongy feeling that are inherent to the Guide R manufacture in 2016 and 2017 (maybe earlier or later). After that incident the brakes worked fine.

When I started going to another local trail with steeps, long descents and rock gardens, that's when the the Guide R showed its weakness. After the first run, the brakes felt weaker and weaker. I had to adjust the levers as I had to engage the brakes deeper into its stroke for it to bite. The brakes had poor heat management even after I upgraded to a 203 mm rotor on the rear brake.

All in all, these brakes are good for entry level riders and mellow trails. I will not recommend this for long, steep descents.

Intro

I bought one of first releases of this brake, and later, another pair came as an OE spec on my new bik

Review

I really tried to write a longer review but no matter how I tried, I struggled to keep it civilized. They put me into unsafe situations, were frustrating to work with and no matter how much mechanical care I put in they returned nothing back. Their “performance” also changed drastically with ambient temperature swings or when laid on the side inside of a car.

Conclusion

This is a brake that changed my mind about DOT brake fluid, and about its maker (Sram). I went from swearing by previous Avid brakes to: “I'd rather just have Doeres”. That said, I know people who have no particular problem with Guide R brakes.

These would be good brakes if sram could figure out how to get a working set out the door. I have warranted 2 pairs and everyone i know who has a set has exchanged theirs. Avoid at all costs. Get some zees, they are life changing