Hayes’ big four-pot brake is a very reliable, controlled and durable all-rounder. The lever feel is blunt though, and full kit isn’t cheap.
Hayes use the same fat bodied, L-shaped flip-flop lever across the whole Stroker range. The hooked blade gets a reach adjuster wheel and two-part clamp, but there’s no bite point adjust and it’s wobbly from new.
It’s mid-weight, despite the big four-pot calliper, and sets up easily with only occasional rub after heavy braking. Power is good with average modulation in the dry, but the lever feel is wooden and it’s significantly less controlled and noisy in the wet.
The massive pads last really well and overall reliability of Hayes brakes is excellent. The separate bracket (£14.99) and rotor (£34.99) add buying flexibility, but they’re expensive.
Dry brake test graph
Dry brake test graph for all brakes tested
Wet brake test graph
Wet brake test graph for all brakes tested
