[Sandwich]

I have a set of good functioning but uncomfortable hayes mag brakes. I'm thinking about replacing the levers with straitlines @ about $25, and getting a new push rod to fix the one I stripped @ $20. Is it worth investing any amount of money into these brakes, which are otherwise in great shape with good pads, a fresh bleed, and no leaks, vs. spending money I don't really want to spend on a more modern brake setup? They seem to have reasonable power, but I just really don't like the lever position, thus the new levers and pushrod to adjust them.

 

[marshalolson]

you could buy wildly superior shimano SLX brakes (or elixir 5s or whatever) for like $200 or so, new. just FWIW.

 

[Sandwich]

Are they really that much better though? I guess my dilemma is that I don't want to invest $50 into a set of brakes that are not really ever going to be comfortable or perform better than "almost".

 

[jonKranked]

the satisfaction of throwing them out will greatly outweigh the value of refurbishing them.

 

[IH8Rice]

ive had nothing but good luck with the Hayes Mags ive used over the years. i also didnt like the lever though. hell, i used them up until 2009 in various guises

 

[jonKranked]

but first, take 'em, and throw it on the ground

 

[marshalolson]

Are they really that much better though? I guess my dilemma is that I don't want to invest $50 into a set of brakes that are not really ever going to be comfortable or perform better than "almost".

when was the last time you replaced the master cylinder or piston seals?

 

[MinorThreat]

My Mag HDs are still going strong and doing duty on my trail bike now without issue. I'm sure they could stand freshening and I have all the spare bits to do it; but they're working well enough that I don't want to invest the time yet. If $50 will put them back in your good graces, I'd say do it.

Then again, to put things in perspective, Price Point has Stroker Trails for $70 an end - - for a set that I feel was far better than the Mags.

 

[Sandwich]

when was the last time you replaced the master cylinder or piston seals?

Never, they came on a bike I just bought. I don't know the status of the master cylinder except that they work very well, but are too far out from the bar for me.

My Mag HDs are still going strong and doing duty on my trail bike now without issue. I'm sure they could stand freshening and I have all the spare bits to do it; but they're working well enough that I don't want to invest the time yet. If $50 will put them back in your good graces, I'd say do it.

Then again, to put things in perspective, Price Point has Stroker Trails for $70 an end - - for a set that I feel was far better than the Mags.

thanks for the vote of confidence...I may just go ahead and buy the levers. Are the strokers any good?

 

[staike]

Stroker Trails are somewhat decent, but not a good brake. Much better lever than the Mags though.

 

[Sandwich]

Yeah, if I'm spending money I want it to be on a one-and-done deal. I do not want to pay more money for another set of mediocre brakes; I'd rather deal with the mediocre brakes I have no and save up for Saints, V2s, Codes, or try out the SLXs.

 

[marshalolson]

Never, they came on a bike I just bought. I don't know the status of the master cylinder except that they work very well, but are too far out from the bar for me.

if they work great, they work great. no worries there. if they felt sticky or fade in and out a little bit, then i would strongly suggest riding them however long and replacing rather than repairing.

those mag's are as good as 75% of the brakes out there (and certainly as good or better than any stroker), but the best performing brakes on the market are just all around better (power, modulation, etc).

 

[IH8Rice]

those mag's are as good as 75% of the brakes out there (and certainly as good or better than any stroker), but the best performing brakes on the market are just all around better (power, modulation, etc).

pretty much sums it up

 

[Sandwich]

looks like I can get straitline, dangerboy, or twenty6 levers for around $20. Any of those cry out as best? I think I'd go for the twenty6, I like the small companies the best, and they're available in yellow. They also look longer than dangerboy or straitline.

 

[Bikael Molton]

The amount that I love my Straitline levers is only surpassed by the level of hate I have for Hayes brakes.

 

[offtheedge]

I'm offended by the anti-consumerism mentality in this thread.

 

[Sandwich]

The amount that I love my Straitline levers is only surpassed by the level of hate I have for Hayes brakes.

i confuse. do you have straitline levers on mags or something similar?

 

[Horror Business]

I vote for spending the $50 and keeping your Mags. I still run a pair with Straitline levers, and they work perfectly well.

 

[Bikael Molton]

I have Straitlines on old Saints and XTs; and arm pump was cancelled when Hayes' marketshare dropped below 1%.

 

[Sandwich]

crap. I removed the push rod last night and the master cylinder is trying to leave as well. I tore the boot right up. Looks like I'll likely need a new master or try and run it without the outer (not inner) boot. anybody have a cheap or free spare lever?

 

[HAB]

I think Jokey98 had a listing of random ass Hayes parts in the free.99 section. Ask him.



Also, not to say I told you so, but I told you so.

 

[Sandwich]

hahaha, yeah at least I haven't purchased anything yet. Those SLXs are looking better and better.

 

[Jim Mac]

Think I have some new Hayes stuff lying around, but might be HFX...lemme know if you're desperate.

 

[Sandwich]

if you can, take a look. It's ~$50 for a new master cylinder, and then I'd have to bleed, get brass washers, etc. If somebody has a spare brake or complete lever assembly, I'd go for it.

I have a spare hayes nine lying around, but you can't use the same aftermarket levers on the nines that you can on the mags, so I'd have to buy two sets of levers, which is friggin retarded.

 

[SuspectDevice]

Everyone on earth laughs at me every time I say it but Mags are still my favorite brakes ever. For the size of my hands(small) and the lever feel I want (rock solid) nobody has made anything that feels remotely as good as a Mag/9. Use some magic Porsche brake fluid, goodridge lines, magura rotors and EBC red pads and you have brakes that stop and stop hard with almost no lever throw.
Brakes designed after 1997 suck.

 

[Jim Mac]

anything designed after 1997 sucks.

fixed!

 

[Jim Mac]

if you can, take a look. It's ~$50 for a new master cylinder, and then I'd have to bleed, get brass washers, etc. If somebody has a spare brake or complete lever assembly, I'd go for it.

I have a spare hayes nine lying around, but you can't use the same aftermarket levers on the nines that you can on the mags, so I'd have to buy two sets of levers, which is friggin retarded.

Ping me via FB if I forget, OK?

 

[Sandwich]

OK. Steve has some purple hayes levers which should work, but I'd love to try and keep my levers matching, and I can't remove the master cylinder to put into my levers. Plus, the derples don't have a split perch nor removeable lever pin, so I'd have to remove the grips every time I need to get at the lever. I can just buy the friggin master cylinder for $50, but the whole point of this experiment was to get the cheapest stuff possible working close to $400 brakes.

 

[dump]

brakes/anything designed after 1997 sucks.

you guys are funny

 

[IH8Rice]

I can just buy the friggin master cylinder for $50

where did you see the master cylinder? qbp hasnt stocked them in a while so we've had to use Stroker levers which look pretty dumb next to a Mad HD lever

 

[marshalolson]

I can just buy the friggin master cylinder for $50, but the whole point of this experiment was to get the cheapest stuff possible working close to $400 brakes.

see post #2

you are now at the point of investing $100 + a couple hours of time.... when will the next thing go bad? they are at least 5 years old and have had corrosive brake fluid sitting in them for that long...

 

[4130biker]

the lever feel I want (rock solid) nobody has made anything that feels remotely as good

Good point- can't say I've felt a brake quite like that since! I remember them feeling a bit on/off, but really nice lever feel.

Kinda reminds me of seeing and riding my first pair of profiles after being on one peice cranks! There will always be a special place in my heart for them.

Sandwich- My vote is to set a price limit where it no longer makes sense to you to resurrect them, and if it won't be close to that, go for it!

 

[daisycutter]

I just refurbished some Magura Gustavs. Now those brakes were worth keeping.

 

[Sandwich]

where did you see the master cylinder? qbp hasnt stocked them in a while so we've had to use Stroker levers which look pretty dumb next to a Mad HD lever

The internets. http://www.bike.com/item/hayes-brake-master-cylinder-guts-kit-hfx-mag/L11972/?srccode=GPBIKE is le cheapest. I'd still need a crush washer (for $4) and have to shorten the line, and it's already pretty short. I'd have to invest $20 in a push rod anyways, so it's really only $30 more.

you guys are funny

Seriously. That comment is 100% opposite of what I feel. The only thing going for the hayes are the quality, as they really are just damned reliable brakes.

see post #2

you are now at the point of investing $100 + a couple hours of time.... when will the next thing go bad? they are at least 5 years old and have had corrosive brake fluid sitting in them for that long...

Corrosive brake fluid sits in 99.9% of the vehicles over five years old that are still on the road, and those use rubber seals, hoses, and other parts similar to a mtb brake system. I'm far more concerned over the "wear and tear" on these brakes than internal corrosive issues, but I don't want to buy new brakes that are really just glorified old brakes that nobody has any significant time on. I won't buy anything avid, and most people have a tendency to over-hype anything new, especially people who make a living off of selling bike parts. Much as I'd like to jump on the bandwagon, I have no way of knowing whether SLX brakes will work on a DH bike piloted by anything other than a 90lb kid riding on pavement. Mags, on the other hand, have been used for over 10 years, and were mostly criticized for their lack of modulation and awful lever setup. If you could modify the levers to fit right, then it's not that big of a deal.

 

[marshalolson]

sitting, not being used is worse for brakes w/ DOT than consistent use and maintenance.

they are very good brakes. better than most on the market, but for sure not as good as a few of the best brakes on the market (m810 saint, new xt/slx, hope moto, avid elixir 5)

but they will prove (again, you are at $100 minimum so far, and have not used them yet) to be a money pit, and parts are going to prove to be hard to find. which is exactly what you are trying to avoid by using them in the first place, no?

i have an old set sitting around you can have if you want them, just shoot me an address and like $5-10 in shipping/ they have black bodies, black after market levers of some variety (similar to the stock ones). they likely need to be bled, new master cylinders on both levers and new caliper seals on both calipers. but they were "mint/as new, but 5 years old" a couple years ago... and only made it 10 rides on my brothers DH bike.

 

[kidwoo]

Just in case no one has said it already since I'm not reading this whole thread:


Oh god no, what the hell are you thinking


Hayes mags belong on bar bikes at this point.

 

[Sandwich]

duly noted...

 

[time-bomb]

but they will prove (again, you are at $100 minimum so far, and have not used them yet) to be a money pit, and parts are going to prove to be hard to find. which is exactly what you are trying to avoid by using them in the first place, no?

this would be my biggest concern. there are tons of these brakes floating around out there but there is no guarantee they will be in good enough shape to be a good source for spare parts. i know this doesn't fit your current budget plans but i have had hope m4s for the last 2 years with zero issues and i am not looking back. love them. good luck.

 

[Horror Business]

Everyone on earth laughs at me every time I say it but Mags are still my favorite brakes ever. For the size of my hands(small) and the lever feel I want (rock solid) nobody has made anything that feels remotely as good as a Mag/9. Use some magic Porsche brake fluid, goodridge lines, magura rotors and EBC red pads and you have brakes that stop and stop hard with almost no lever throw.
Brakes designed after 1997 suck.

I don't laugh at you for this.

 

[Sandwich]

ha, I un-****ed my mags. I'm gonna grab some 26 levers for $20 and see what happens. I'll have to see if i can ghetto rig some kind of a boot over the push rod, but whatever.