I've got a set of Hayes Stroker Carbon brakes – my second set – first set was on my Giant TRance 1 and then when I got the Mount Vision it came with them as well. I like the feel of them, they seem to stop me quickly enough and they also don't have much lever throw (which I like). A nice solid feel to the lever but it isn't just on-off operation.

Anyway, in January the levers stopped returning, I contacted Hayes and they told me that there had been a batch of brakes with a dodgy piston – they sent me a replacement set of pistons for the brake levers (master cylinder I think) – basically it meant removing the brake lever, draining the system, removing the old piston part and replacing with the new part, rebuild and bleed.

All was done without too much hassle, but now the lever feels very 'squishy' – there is no air in the system as it's been bled about 6 times and been very meticulously done by a pro brake bleeder – but when I pull the lever, I have the initial short lever travel but then there is a lot more pull – the pads appear to be contacting the rotor as before but then there is this huge amount of squidge to the lever afterwards.

Does anyone know if this is meant to be the case with the new piston things? Could it be engineered in to give this fabled modulation feel that so many crave for and that I have no desire for? I hate a squidgey lever as it just doesn't seem to work as well for me as a solid-feeling lever.

The brakes do work – new pads are bedding in still but getting much better each time they get slammed on – but when I slam the anchors on, my finger is now hitting the shifter as the lever squidges so much…

Just asking in case this is how they are meant to be now – I'm 100% certain it is the new piston thing in the levers and not air – I have left the brakes locked on overnight to see if any air moves up to the lever – when I release the levers there is no change to the feel – still short movement for pad to hit the bar but then plenty of squidge.

Thanks.

I know you've probably tried every which way, but is the blade wound right out as you're bleeding it? Try winding it in a bit then adjusting it out after bleeding. Also, if there's enough room to easily space the caliper, squeeze the lever once with nothing between the pads to try & improve feel. Should never be squidgy!

It's squidgy once the pads have made full contact with the rotor – the short pull is definitely there, but there is then this squidge afterwards – spongey might be another word to describe it – from what I can tell, there is no air in the system (previously leaving the brakes locked on over night has resulted in any air working it's way to the reservoir in the lever and giving a nice solid feeling lever – no change with this trying that this time). I think it is the new piston things in the actual levers but the feeling is terrible…so different to the feel I like…I'm thinking of buying new brakes (but have no idea what – not Shimano as there is far too much lever pull in those for me)…

Is it being bled with the lever fully upright? That's my last guess!