Theres no doubt that Zero Gravity’s OG brakes are light at 198g including SwissStop brake pads. This makes them considerably lighter than Shimano Dura-Ace, Campagnolo Record or SRAM Red.
Often such great weight savings can mean that some products are a little light on performance. Rather than just shave weight, Zero Gravity has come up with a cam system on one of the arms to increase braking power.
This increases leverage as the brake is pulled, so braking power increases the more you grab. It took us a while to feel confident with the Zero Gravities as we’re used to the linear response of standard road bike brakes. In the early part of braking they do feel spongy and weaker than standard brakes, but when you need it they have plenty of power.
The SwissStop pads grip superbly after bedding in, working well on both aluminium and carbon rims if you ever have to swap between wheels. Be sure to check for any aluminium shards before reusing on a carbon rim though.
We also like the fact that these blocks work in the wet on carbon rims without that scary grabby feeling associated with the more traditional cork style blocks.
The brake bodies are machined from 7075 aluminium, and while Zero Gravity has shaved off as much material as possible, they don’t look skeletal. Add titanium hardware and weight is kept to a minimum while producing a work of art.
Set-up is relatively simple, with torque value guides included in the instructions so you don’t damage them during assembly. While this is all very nice, aligning the calipers on the rim with a 13mm spanner isn’t as refined as most brakes, but it works all the same.
The one slight downer, apart from the initial outlay that will put many off, is the fact that you need to keep them routinely maintained, as ours needed to be realigned every now and then.
It’s already hard to justify top end stoppers from the major manufacturers when their mid range calipers work so well, but we’re sure there’s a niche out there that appreciates craftsmanship, low weight and something a little different.
