DESCRIPTION

It's been a long while since we've endorsed a non-corporate brakeset. By that we mean something that hasn't come from the big three -- Campagnolo, Shimano, or SRAM. It boils down to performance. Boutique brakes largely deserve their pigeon-holed reputation and their relegation to un-rideable show bikes. The eecycleworks eeBrake Brake Calipers are the exception to the rule because they're designed strictly for performance. Their magical blend of absolute power and precise modulation rivals Dura-Ace 7800, considered by the cognoscenti to be the all-time benchmark. And that you can save nearly 1/4 pound over Dura-Ace 7900 calipers makes them an incredible option.The heart of the design is the 'big and hollow' approach to the shape of the arms. Like the lightest modern road frames, the key to stiffness is increased surface area. As you look at the eeBrakes, notice the fore/aft depth of the caliper. The center bridge and brake arms are massive compared to most other brakes. This eliminates the potential for flex in the component pieces. The pivots are also designed for stiffness, with hollow alloy pivot axles and close-tolerance bushings. This theme even carries into the brake bolt that mounts it to the frame. It's built on an eccentric for two reasons: You can adjust the caliper position for slight dish problems with your wheels so that it always provides centered, even contact with the rim, and it allows the lever arms to be shorter, and therefore stiffer, than standard designs. This is evident in the minimal adjustment slot on the arms. The eccentric's ability to locate the eeBrake in an upper or lower position allows this seemingly small adjustment to cover the same height range as a typical caliper. With the eebrake's stiffness you get precise brake control for excellent modulation and power. In fact, they're a perfect cure for typical atrophied brake performance with carbon rims. Their design has seen some updates over the years, and eecycleworks changed the leverage ratio to increase total power. This also makes them more consistent throughout the operating range from a light touch to knock off a bit of speed before a sweeping corner to grabbing a fistful of brakes to avoid a collision with an unseen hazard.Another neat part of the eebrake design is that it can be adjusted to work perfectly with the wider modern road rims like Zipp's Firecrest or Hed's C2 designs. In fact, the quick release strut allows the caliper to open with room to spare for a 28mm tire. Easier tire changes may not make the brake stop faster, but you know it's a benefit nonetheless. Speaking of easy, eecycleworks designed the pad holders to facilitate the easiest, quickest pad changes ever. Why is this important? For starters, you won't have to rip out your fingernails a la Campagnolo, nor will you have to reach for the tool box like with Shimano. These holders use Shimano style pads, yet there is a ledge in the CNC machined holder that catches a groove in the pad as long a