As above, I’ve just ordered an ebike that comes with SRAM DB8s so planning to pickup some Mavens. Nothing against SRAM brakes as I have been running a mixture of Code RSC and Code R across a few bikes and found them super reliable and not needing much maintenance - just I view them as a mineral oil Code R and would like more power on a 20kg ebike.
Lota of varying reviews out there - most say the A1 Maven brakes (excluding the Base) have a stiff lever feel but a wall of power once through it.
Both the Base and the B1 (revised Mavens out fairly recently) are said to have a lighter lever feel.
Ruled out the ultimate on cost and may as well skip the bronze and go to silver if having the ones with swinglink levers and get the bearing on the lever and the adjustable bits point.
So it comes down to lever feel, power and cost Base va Silver. Looks like there’s broadly a £110 cost between a pair of Base and pair of Silver so it’s not wild but I’d prefer cheaper in an ideal world.
Found 2 or 3 reviews saying the Bade is the ‘goldilocks’ of the Maven range, but equally had a couple of people say where wouldn’t you get the more powerful version on an ebike?
Thoughts?
I was in the same boat but having a *few* bikes with Magura MT7s, I was going to get a set of those, or 5s. Short term tho I bought some epic bleed solution e-bike specific pads. Only bedded them in so far, but already feel like they have a bit more bite and a bit more feel. Nowhere near as "nice" as my MT7s (with posh Oak levers) but maybe good enough to stick with for a while.
No idea on Maven's tho, other than my two riding buds who have a version (not sure which one) on their ebikes really rate them.
What ebike did you buy? Dune?
Lota of varying reviews out there - most say the A1 Maven brakes (excluding the Base) have a stiff lever feel but a wall of power once through it.
Feel is such a personal thing. My Edit came with Maven Ultimate A1 (like silver really) and I hadn't noticed the stiff lever at all. It was only when reviews mentioned it I compared to my Hayes, Magura (Oak and HC3 versions) and Shigura and had to agree they are stiffer. It still hasn't mattered to me and that bike had me dragging brakes down entire alps last year.
Me, I'd splash the cash for the Silver because I want the linkage and adjusters. In fact given my current experience I'd try to find some old A1 stock as they've been so good aside from needing a 'massage' when I change pads
Ordered a Dune R 2024 with the SX motor yes. Feeling like it’s a bike heavy bike with a lot of travel and I can be a bit of a brake dragger….i do have a spare 220mm rotor I could try on the front with a DB8 basically for free
Just clocked the Dune has through headset cable routing so I can only imagine changing that rear brake is going to be a lot of fun. Will try with that Sram Barb thing attaching new cables to existing cables
sram maven base ues a normal hose attachment like db8s so should be an easier swap (i.e. leave cable in place, swap levers and calipers)
i think sram silver use banjos.
Just clocked the Dune has through headset cable routing so I can only imagine changing that rear brake is going to be a lot of fun
If you have to run a new hose anyway the headset routing is, I think, less of a concern than whether the hose pulls through ok or do you have to drop the motor etc. May even be worth checking whether it comes with a crappy headset that would be worth replacing with something decent whilst it's all apart
I have the Brz, which no longer seem to be available but m8 had brz too before buying a bike with Base and really didn't get on with them. So Silver all the way, great brake better then the Guides & Codes (solid performers) I've been running for years
I'd try to use the DB8's with better pads and some thicker rotors 220mm. I run them on my ebike and they perform well.
I have Maven ultimates that came with the original link. Power is huge and immediate. Very on/off, so depending on your preferences thats either a good or bad thing. Lever feel is heavy though. Shorter descents, it's not a problem but longer ones I did find fatiguing, probably as me being a bit of a cautious rider and dragging the brakes a lot. I have just splurged on the lever tuning kit, which turns it into the revised brake. Only had a ride round the cul de sac so far, but lever feel is much lighter and a lot more progressive. For the way I brake, I think this will be a good thing.
Watched a couple of online video reviews and the opinions always come down to how you like to brake. Late braking/full power riding - go with the originals. Slower, steep tech or a bit of a brake dragger - go with the update.
Either way, before you fit them, check the caliper half bolts are torqued properly. Some are coming from the factory at half the torque value they are supposed to be tightened to. I had this (on a £600 brake set) and had the discs and pads warrantied as they got contaminated with brake fluid.
So mixed views then really….
Whichever Mavens I buy I’ll check the caliper bolts holding it together - thanks @clubby . You have a hybrid of Mavens with what you’ve done that SRAM haven’t ever sold. Essentially the lighter B1 lever but with the A1 caliper. On the B1 they came with even sized pistons in the caliper like the A1 Base from what I can make out.
The difference is
A) the adjustment
And
B) the way the hose is attached. Silvers use the banjo fittings, which can make for neater, tighter routing especially at the back.
Base use the same fittings as you DB8 - for you this may be a benefit as you will be able to use your existing hoses and not have to pull them through!
Whichever ones you get, you'll love, just take the time to bleed them properly and make sure you actually do the piston massage.
I've got B1 Ultimates and they are amazingly good, I've had loads of nice brakes but these are a whole different league.
The difference is
A) the adjustment
And
B) the way the hose is attached. Silvers use the banjo fittings, which can make for neater, tighter routing especially at the back.
Base use the same fittings as you DB8 - for you this may be a benefit as you will be able to use your existing hoses and not have to pull them through!
Whichever ones you get, you'll love, just take the time to bleed them properly and make sure you actually do the piston massage.
I've got B1 Ultimates and they are amazingly good, I've had loads of nice brakes but these are a whole different league.
For the reason of the DB8 hose fitting the Maven Base I’ve opted to go with that as I don’t fancy fighting straight away with internal routing, round motor routing and through headset routing!
I have a spare 220mm centreline rotor I could use if the Base don’t feel grabby enough with 200mm - but all the reviews I’ve read suggest they’ll be plenty powerful.
where is the best price for maven base? They are 128.99 at Winstanleys https://winstanleysbikes.co.uk/sram-maven-base-a1-disc-brake-set
£120 at Bikeinn.
Highly reccomend using HS2 rotors, not centreline.
I ordered from Winstanleys. They already dispatched the front, but the rear isn’t coming in until mid July. I’m in no hurry though so that’s fine by me.
The bike comes with centrelines - so for the reason of not spending extra money straight away I’ll try them with those first. I believe the 220mm spare centreline I have is actually the same thickness as an HS2 (unlike the 200mm which is thinner)
