Hayes El Camino
By James Sharp

Over the last few years, we’ve had the chance to review a number of disc brake systems. There’ve been a few very strong brakes, some with excellent modulation and most were reliable. Among the reliable ones is the Hayes HFX9 Carbon we reviewed not too long ago. The brake wasn’t a standout in any one area, but it worked and continues to work without a hiccup. When Hayes came out with their newest top-of-the-line brake, the El Camino, we had to see what Hayes is bringing to the high-end market.

The El Camino is a completely new brake. No part was carried over from the older HFX series. The caliper, lever, brake pads and reservoir are all new. The caliper is now one-piece, a first for Hayes. The pads are accessible from the back of the caliper, enabling easier replacement. The master cylinder is housed in a more compact lever body—a dramatic departure from the clunky looking levers of the past. The fluid reservoir is now located near the clamp, utilizing space that was wasted in the past. The pads are shaped differently and are made to work with the El Camino caliper only. The lever features a knob on the front that allows the user to dial in the power he wants. This works by adjusting the pivot, giving more or less mechanical advantage—simple, yet effective. The reach is adjustable, tool free, via a knob behind the lever. The lever itself has a nice hook on the end—great for one-finger braking.

So how do all these parts work together? Is this from-the-ground-up new brake better than Hayes’ "tried and true" HFX series? In a word, yes. Hayes sent us the El Camino with an 8-inch rotor up front and a 6-inch rotor out back. I don’t downhill or freeride. I don’t do big jumps, but I do like to ride fast and I like steep terrain. I like sustained downhills, but climb to get them. I am telling you this to emphasize that powerful brakes aren’t necessarily for the 45-pound bike club—especially this brake. Using the power adjust, I was able to balance the modulation I wanted, without giving up much in the way of power up front. In the back, with the smaller rotor, I dialed the power to the maximum to offset that smaller rotor. This gave me a brake with plenty of power, great modulation and feel and excellent heat dissipation through the bigger rotor. I found the El Camino at home in technical singletrack as well as bombing downhill at unsafe speeds. They never faded on me—always having plenty of stopping power when I needed it. The lever is comfortable, but a little long for my taste. Not much, but a little. The range of reach adjustment is great, even for my smallish hands.

Setting up the brakes for reach was interesting... when you adjust the power, it adjusts the reach since it moves the lever forward or back on the pivot. It’s a good thing that they included the tool-free reach adjust. Also, the lever pivot allowed a little bit of slop in the lever. I tightened the pivot up, but the slop was still there. It wasn’t something that affected the performance of the brake, but something that can annoy—especially in a brake costing $250/wheel. The lever travel is increased over Hayes’ previous brakes but it’s not adjustable. The pads sit farther away from the rotor, which in my mind is a great thing. I have experienced less rubbing than previous brakes. Wheel changes are also faster.

Summary: Good, powerful, reliable brakes are a must for aggressive riding. They have to be able to handle a great deal of heat, stress and do it day after day, in all kinds of weather. I found the El Camino’s up to the task. The power adjustment is a great feature because it makes a difference. It could have been a throw-away gimmick, but it’s not. The lever redesign is the best looking lever Hayes has ever produced as well as the most compact. The new caliper is functional as well as attractive. If you are looking for a top-of-the-line brake, you owe it to yourself to try the El Camino.

James Sharp is a contributing editor for GearReview.com specializing in road and mountain biking. He really likes braking late.

For more information, contact:
Hayes Disc Brake
5800 W Donges Bay Rd
Mequon, WI 53092
Phone: 1-888-MTN-DISC
E-mail: hayestech@hayesbrake.com
www.hayesdiscbrake.com