Reviewed - 2011 Avid Code Brakes

Four pistons for your DH rig. Well, eight actually.

Tim Coleman rode them and then told us all about it here...

Nice review.

Lever waggle is an annoying thing about my Elixirs. Maybe I'll "need" some Codes once I bash my Elixirs into a tree this summer.

I've had a vision…

nice review Tim…

my question is are these gonna get a makeover a la elixirs?

too bad timmay isn't faust enough to actually give the brakes a good testin'

I'm not sure I understand your beef with the contact adjust. Are you saying you run your levers as far from the bar as possible, and so therefore the reach adjustment is useless? If that's the case, then you're the opposite of me. I try and run my levers as close to the bar as possible, and without a contact adjustment, I can't get the lever close enough. which then renders reach adjustment useless. I run the levers close to the bar because I have short fingers, and I try and keep my hand as closed as possible to avoid arm pump.

nice write up though… keep us posted about how the bleedings go.

I'm not sure I understand your beef with the contact adjust. Are you saying you run your levers as far from the bar as possible, and so therefore the reach adjustment is useless? If that's the case, then you're the opposite of me. I try and run my levers as close to the bar as possible, and without a contact adjustment, I can't get the lever close enough. which then renders reach adjustment useless. I run the levers close to the bar because I have short fingers, and I try and keep my hand as closed as possible to avoid arm pump.

nice write up though… keep us posted about how the bleedings go.

Slyfink; I'm the same as you. I run my levers as close to the bar as possible as well, but I may do it in a different way to you. First off I wind the contact reach adjuster all the way out, so the contact point is as far away from the bar as possible. I then use the screw in the lever (third picture in the review) to bring the pad contact point (and resting position of the lever) so that when the pads hit the rotor there is about 1/4" of space between the lever and the grip. This way the resting position of the lever is as close to the bar as possible, the contact point is where I like it, and the free stroke of the brake lever is minimal.

I think I'm the same as slyfink. Personal preference I guess. What I want to know is, how the hell does Timmy get his bikes so clean for photos?

I think I'm the same as slyfink. Personal preference I guess. What I want to know is, how the hell does Timmy get his bikes so clean for photos?

is the lever blade still as flat as a butter knife ???

one of the things i've always dislike about Avid brakes is the lack of hook at the end of the lever and the overly flat surface of the actual lever blade..

hard to tell from the photos but it looks unchanged to me.

how the hell does Timmy get his bikes so clean for photos?

I don't know Tim's secret, but Pedro's Bike Lust is teh sexorz for keeping your bike clean and shiny.

I think I'm the same as slyfink. Personal preference I guess. What I want to know is, how the hell does Timmy get his bikes so clean for photos?

Hoff I'll show you that Avid's contact point adjuster is actually just a dead stroke adjuster. Essentially I minimize the dead stroke and run the lever as close to the bar as possible, leaving maybe 1/4" of safety factor between the lever and bar when the pads hit the rotor. On the 2011 Code I can have the Contact Point Adjust fully "Out", and have the lever blade hit the bars before the pads engage, by using the Reach Adjuster alone. By what you're saying, and you move the Contact Point Adjuster "In", you actually have to move the Reach Adjuster "Out" to keep the same pad contact point relative to the bar.

As for bike cleaning. I just use a good quality conical hub and spoke brush with a hose:

Not sure if the newer Avid brakes are the same but the contact point thingy on old Juicy's also affected modulation. More free throw at the lever meant power came on more gradually. When I had them set all dope with super-short throw, the front one chucked me over the bars on a steep rolldown on the first ride :lol: The power ramped up way too quick

I believe the Code R only has reach adjust (ie the knob on the lever). Thats the one I'm gonna try this year.

solid review!

I have the 2011 Code R stoppers… They have the reach adjust, which works fine even with muddy gloves on. Theyre 4 piston as well, and they bring my 250lb ass to a dead stop with one finger all day long. Oh, and they were $200 a side…

The new codes look sweet, but I recommend the Code Rs as a cheaper alternative, and all u give up is the contact adjustment