What's the story with Hayes brake sets

[volklpowdermaniac]

After riding the shit out of my new blur the last 6 weeks, I've been slowly overhauling the braking system, it's really the only thing the bike even sort of needs, right now it has some older juicy 7 (circa 07) which are just fine but tough to bleed and just imagine 7 years later they're is probably something better out there, I just finished putting 180 xt ice tech rotors on front and back and that was a bump up but always looking for more, I can buy a set of used avid elixir cr (circa 11) for 80 bucks or so for both front and rear- is this a significant upgrade but I also found a smoking deal on all the hayes prime series (99 a side for pro) l, but there isn't much out there about them, obviously I could just take the simple route and Grab some slx or xt,

The only thing I notice I prefer is a short travel in the lever before engagement, I know some people like the mushy feel but I like the touchy feel that you don't have to crank all the way to the bar, and obviously good modulation

[grinch]

I found the cr's worse than mine 7's. Total bleed machines. Final straw before getting shimanos. I'd say slx or xt. Whatever is on sale the cheapest at the moment. They're identical and set and forget

[smslavin]

I have the Hayes Prime Pro. Absolutely love them. Pain in the goddamn ass for me to bleed for some reason but no complaints otherwise.

[kidwoo]

You can find some shimano slx brakes out there for about 90-100 bucks a side. Personally I'd just do that.

Elixirs really aren't much of an upgrade, if at all IMO.

[Soups]

Just get slx. I picked a up full set from Bluesky with icetech pads for $130 last year.

[pogs4ever]

i have prime pros, like em a lot, bleeding is a bit tricky especially with the "kit" provided, i bought a nicer 3rd party one and its not too bad. made a massive mess the first few times.

i like their feel a lot more than XTs, but thats my personal preference. XT's more grabby, primes a bit more progressive. thats the best i can describe em, but this may be that mushy feel you are describing, but the contact points are all adjustable, but even after a fresh bleed i dont ever feel they are as 'grabby' as the shimanos, once again personal preference.. Probably cant go wrong with either, sounds like SLX is a bit cheaper. I really dislike elixirs fwiw.

also, i am not as sick a rider as most everyone else here, my .02 though.

[BushwackerinPA]

Get shimanos.

Even the Deore's are the same function as SLX.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/u.../rp-prod108802