SRAM Level Brakes

Date Feb 23, 2016

SRAM’s introduction of the Guide line of brakes was as impressive as it was necessary. The Avid lineup of brakes had had its successes but in recent years inconsistent performance had plagued the brand’s reputation. So they dropped the Avid name and co-opted the SRAM brand and, more significantly, rolled out an all-new design that addressed key issues with the former generation. In the year since then, SRAM Guide brakes have made a lot of people question their longtime allegiance to Shimano. Game on: a brake war is good for the consumer and even outspoken critics from Avid’s recent past have to concede that the Guide is legit.

Today, SRAM is announcing Level: a line of brakes that look very similar to Guide, and use most of the design ID, in a lighter package (achieved in large part by using a 2 piston design instead of the 4 pistons used on the more powerful Guides). We hope to have test product to dig into soon. The full release from SRAM is below the break.

When it comes to braking power and control, we believe in freedom—options. We believe that there should be an absolute best solution for every type of rider and every kind of ride; that there really isn’t a One-Size-Fits-Most when it comes to brakes. That’s the concept that led us to the development of Level, a new brake designed for the needs of modern cross-country and trail riders.

Borrowing inspiration from the Guide, the SRAM Level lineup shaves weight without losing features.

Level Best
Level puts the same proven SRAM brake technology used on the 2015 Downhill World Championship-winning bike into a smaller, lighter-weight package. Braking power and modulation are optimized by matching our DirectLink™ lever design with authoritative 2-piston calipers. Reach adjusters are hidden from outside elements, giving the entire package a clean, confident look. And with five options to choose from, Level makes it easy to find the perfect setup.

Proven SRAM technology, entirely new options: Level

ALL NEW 2-PISTON LINEUP

SRAM Level Ultimate – Replacing—SRAM XX
SRAM Level TLM – Replacing—SRAM X0
SRAM Level TL – Replacing—SRAM DB5
SRAM Level T – Replacing—Avid DB3
SRAM Level – Replacing—Avid DB1

ACRONYM GUIDE

Ultimate – Top Tier Offering
T – Tooled Reach Adjustment
L – Lightweight Construction
M – Monoblock Caliper
R – Tool-less Reach Adjustment
S – SwingLink
C – Contact Point Adjustment™

LEVER DESIGN

New lever design—based on Guide, but more compact and lighter
Same Timing Port Closure mechanism—solid and predictable braking
Same seals—stable and durable
Same Expandable Bladder reservoir—dependable and consistent braking power in all conditions
DirectLink™—solid, positive feel and engagement
New detent design for the tooled reach adjust—same pistons, seals, reservoir, bladder
Smaller lever body with DirectLink™
New detent design for the tooled reach adjust

CALIPER DESIGN

Incorporates technologies developed on Guide Ultimate’s S4 caliper

Heat Shield: stainless steel shield reduces heat transfer from the rotor and pads to the caliper’s body
Consistency, control and feel: optimized gland geometry, seals and piston rollback
Bleeding Edge: the easiest and cleanest way to bleed your brakes
Two 21mm pistons
Monoblock construction

Level Ultimate

As its name implies, this is our Ultimate brake design for cross-country and light trail use. We took the same technology used in the brake that Loic Bruni rode to a Downhill World Championship and packed it into a smaller, sleeker, lighter-weight and XC-optimized package. The carbon-fiber level blade pulls crisp and clean, thanks to pivot bearings and our DirectLink™ design. And it maintains that feel throughout the ride because it is matched to our monoblock, two-piston caliper. This caliper’s superior heat management and smooth piston actuation give you braking power exactly when and how you need it. And the BLEEDING EDGE™ design significantly simplifies fluid maintenance.

THINGS TO REMEMBER

Same proven lever technologies as Guide – piston, seals, reservoir and bladder
Compact lever body with DirectLink™
New detent design for reach adjust
New, 21-millimeter, 2-piston monoblock caliper for superior heat management, consistency, control and feel

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

Carbon lever and blade
Lever pivot bearings
Ti hardware
Alloy backed pads
BLEEDING EDGE™
MatchMaker™ X

WEIGHT 318g (direct mount, 800mm hose, 160mm CLX rotor, Ti hardware)

MSRP PRICE $297 | €324 | £249

The SRAM Level Ultimate’s 2-piston caliper looks small and tucks in neatly.

Yep. Tidy.

At 318g each including rotor and full length hose, the SRAM Level Ultimate is light AF (as a Feather!)

Level TLM

It has a championship-winning pedigree, and is ready to take all of the punishment you want to give it. Level TLM puts proven SRAM braking performance and consistency at your fingertips, in a sleek, lightweight design optimized specifically for cross-country and light trail use. Power and modulation are delivered via the Level TLM’s alloy lever blade, DirectLink™ actuation, DOT 5.1 fluid and our new two-piston, monoblock caliper. The design provides superior heat management for consistent, fade-free performance all day long, and BLEEDING EDGE™ technology makes maintenance incredibly simple, so your brakes feel great all day — every day.

THINGS TO REMEMBER

Same proven lever technologies as Guide—piston, seals, reservoir and bladder
Compact lever body with DirectLink™
New detent design for reach adjust
New, 21-millimeter, 2-piston monoblock caliper for superior heat management, consistency, control and feel

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

Alloy lever blade
Lever pivot bushings
Stainless hardware
BLEEDING EDGE™
MatchMaker™ X

WEIGHT 356g (direct mount, 800mm hose, 160mm CL rotor)

MSRP PRICE $190 | €207 | £159

SRAM Level TLM in grey.

Level TL

Heavyweight performance in a lightweight package. Level TL packs the same XC and trail-optimized power delivery into a brake set that won’t break the bank. This brake matches an alloy DirectLink™ lever to a lever body that contains the same technology found in the Level TLM, Level Ultimate and Guide series of brakes, for reliability and consistency you can count on.

THINGS TO REMEMBER

Same proven lever technologies as Guide—piston, seals, reservoir and bladder
Compact lever body with DirectLink™
Same power as Level Ultimate and Level TLM

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

MatchMaker™ X
Tooled reach adjust

WEIGHT 370g (direct mount, 800mm hose, 160mm CL rotor)

MSRP PRICE $102 | €111 | £85

SRAM Level TL

Level T

Level T capitalizes on the same trail-taming brake technology that conquered the 2015 World Mountain Bike Championships, to deliver a powerful and consistent XC and trail-optimized brake set that keeps your capital in the bank. This budget-minded, MatchMaker™ compatible brake set provides all the power of its siblings, keeping you in complete control.

THINGS TO REMEMBER

Same proven lever technologies as Guide—piston, seals, reservoir and bladder
Compact lever body with DirectLink™
Same power as Level Ultimate, Level TLM and Level TL

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

MatchMaker™
Two-bolt clamp

WEIGHT 410g (direct mount, 800mm hose, 160mm CL rotor)

MSRP PRICE $82 | €89 | £68

SRAM Level T

Level

The SRAM Level brake levels the playing field with power and reliability stuffed into a lightweight package. This is a no-nonsense performer, but don’t let its understated disposition fool you — Level gives you the art of braking in minimalist form.

THINGS TO REMEMBER

Same proven lever technologies as Guide—piston, seals, reservoir and bladder
Compact lever body with DirectLink™

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

Distinct contact point
Pinch clamp

WEIGHT 430g (direct mount, 800mm hose, 160mm G2 rotor)

MSRP PRICE $63 | €69 | £53

SRAM Level

TECHNOLOGIES

PIGGYBACK RESERVOIR

The brake fluid reservoir on SRAM’s latest lever design is optimized for both performance and ease of use. The PiggyBack Reservoir offers a simple, failsafe way to manage brake fluid, and also allows for ambidextrous lever placement— so you can switch your levers on the handlebar and run them moto without hassle.

TIMING PORT CLOSURE

A hydraulic brake’s timing port is the connection between the reservoir and the master cylinder bore. When the lever is squeezed, a cup seal passes this area and closes the port, which pressurizes the system. SRAM’s new timing port closure system, features durable seals and an ultra-smooth cylinder bore finish producing dependable braking power and consistency.

CONTACT POINT ADJUST

Some people like the instantaneous power of a short lever throw. Others prefer the feel of a longer throw. With Contact Point Adjust, you can pick the position you want your fingers to be in when your brakes are engaged. It’s a quick and easy way to customize the feel of your brakes without having to move the pads. It’s also a way to balance both brake levers to feel exactly the same.

REACH ADJUST

Brake lever fit and feel is a personal thing. Riders have individual positioning preferences, as well as unique hand sizes and finger lengths. Reach Adjust makes it easy to adjust your lever for maximum one-finger control for everyone.

DIRECTLINK™

SRAM’s DirectLink™ lever design produces a solid, positive feel the second you squeeze the lever to engage the brake It offers a no nonsense solution to give you precise control.

DEADBAND

This refers to the time between the moment you engage the lever and when the pads contact the rotor. SRAM technologies such as SwingLink balance the dual demands of minimizing deadband and optimizing modulation for braking finesse and control.

EXPANDABLE BLADDER

SRAM’s new brake lever design includes a reshaped bladder that helps regulate and reduce air bubbles. The bladder is specifically shaped to evacuate air from the lever and push the fluid exactly where it’s needed. The result is improved back-pressure relief, which produces dependable braking power and consistency.

We’re still two months out from Sea Otter…

Tags: Guide brakes, Level brakes, sram
Posted in: News