Review: Hayes Stroker Ace MTB Disc Brakes

Review of the Hayes Stroker Ace mountain bike disc brakes is by Chad Oliver. Chad has been running these brakes since we got them in and has put them through some serious abuse during DH races and destination trips (Moab pic below). Unfortunately, all of the adapters we got n for these brakes were IS to Post and – by the time I got the right ones in – he had already made due with what he had which is why he didn’t have any brake adapters included. If you purchase a set of these brakes, you should get in the required adapters based off of your kit selection. You can check out the intro post on the Hayes Strokers for more information and pictures by clicking here.

Pre-Bled Brake Kit Includes:
Master cylinder/lever x 2
Kevlar hose
Caliper including brake pads x 2
7” brake rotor x 2
Bleed kit w/ 2 bottles of DOT 4 Fluid
Mounting hardware
Kit did not include any mounting brackets/adapters

Hayes has been making hydraulic disc brakes for mountain bikes since 1997. Surprisingly, it took Hayes over ten years to release a 4-piston caliper. Finally, they put all those years of brake design to work and produced the four piston “Ace”; filling the gravity/DH/big mountain niche within the Stroker line-up.

The Hayes “Stroker” line of brakes includes 5 different models targeting a wide spectrum of uses from cross country to downhill. The similarity between each model lies in the Stroker’s radial master cylinder lever body design. The calipers among each model vary in materials, design and number of pistons.

Stroker Ace Spec Highlights:

Master Cylinder: Radial, Symmetrical, Aluminum
Caliper: 4-Piston, Forged Mono-Bloc, Aluminum
Lever Blade: XL (compared to rest of Stroker line-up), Aluminum, Tool-free reach adjustment
Lever Body features 2-piece clamp assembly allowing installation/removal without taking the grips off the handle bars

Hayes Stroker Ace Installation

Conveniently, the Aces arrived pre-bled so installing them was a breeze, no bleeding required. Mounting adapters are not included so I was unable to use the 7” (180mm) rotors that came with the brakes; I stuck with my existing 8” (203mm) rotors instead. Hayes uses their two-piece handlebar clamp design on the Stroker levers letting you leave the grips on during installation/removal and for you moto-types, they are symmetrical so you can flip flop ‘em. Sure, the fact that the brakes are pre-bled is great but bear in mind, the hose length is pretty long. If you don’t ride an extra large bike you’ll need a hose trim and a re-bleed if you want to loose the excess length (parts for this procedure are included with the brakes). Out of convenience, I chose to leave the hoses long.

The brake pads are easy to install and remove and do not use any bolts, pins or screws; they simply slide in and a spring loaded clip on the back of pad holds them to the pistons.
Mounting and aligning the calipers was very easy due to the post mount configuration and elliptical holes in the caliper body. No spacers/washers are required for alignment.

First Impressions – Hayes Stroker Ace MTB Brake

The Stroker Ace brake calipers are pretty big, almost chunky looking, using the largest pads Hayes has ever made. Plenty of pad, fluid, and power are evident in the Ace’s one-piece calipers. The red anodized piston caps look good with the silver colored calipers. These things look much cleaner and more refined than my first set of 2003 HFX Mags. Right on, Hayes, a good looking brake. The radial master cylinder brake lever design gives the Strokers a strong presence in the handlebar region, slightly bulkier than other lever body designs out there. Gone are the days of having to keep digging out the 2mm allen key to bring your levers back away from the bar, now Hayes is incorporating a tool-free reach adjust with spring loaded indexing. Being the power-child of the Stroker line up, the Aces even have beefier lever blades.

On the Trail with the Stroker Ace’s

Aces have power written all over them so of course I tested them on my gravity sled. I was hoping that they’d work as well as they look good. And they do. I put a serious pounding on these brakes. I did epic mountain rides on them, nasty downhilling in muddy and wet conditions and even got to use them in Moab. Two extra pistons and additional caliper volume add substantial power to the Aces compared to other models. I was pleased with the modulation capabilities of the Aces; they do not have that ‘on/off’ feel that some power hungry brakes have. The power and modulation of the brakes remained consistent during sustained sections of downhilling. Descending from Burrow Pass in The La Sal Mountains all the way to Moab has some brake demanding sections and the Aces held in there. I also noticed that my hands didn’t seem to get as tired. Hayes designed the Aces with heat dissipation in mind using a large volume, one piece forged caliper body which must add to that consistent and fade free feel on the long descents. Additionally, the larger lever that the Ace’s have provides a greater mechanical advantage.

Hayes Stroker Ace Conclusions

The Aces deliver. They have the power and performance you’d expect from a brake that looks that good. Aces look a lot like some of the more expensive brands out there. After a substantial amount of full-on, aggressive use, the brakes pretty much remained consistent the entire time. I was honestly a bit surprised. Let’s hope they can hold up for the long haul. Although I’ve put them through a lot, it’s only been over the course of a few months. I never had to go about bleeding these brakes due to their reliability thus far so I can not speculate on the ease of bleeding the Aces.

Buy Hayes Ace MTB Disc Brakes