# Hayes stroker ace



## schlockinz (Feb 6, 2009)

Does anyone have long term experience with these brakes? I'm itching to get rid of my HFX-9's for something a little nicer. It looks like the stroker aces can be had for a steal at times.


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## fisher457xc (Dec 3, 2010)

Yes I race XC and they are they best brakes around. I have them on my Salsa Mamasita and my trek rig SS. They are alittle more tricky to bleed, but once you get it not bad at all. With Hayes you will have the best stopping power.


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## oakhills (Mar 30, 2004)

They are good, been running them for 2 years. Great modulation,
One finger braking. You won't be dissapointed...


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## Ithnu (Feb 16, 2007)

I have run Stroker Aces for years. They NEVER fade; seriously, they run mono block calipers like motorcycle brakes. The only issue is you have to keep the piston from the lever to the master cyclinder clean or it will get sticky. If you remember that they work great.

For you SRAM lovers...my friend works in a shop and he ranks the big brake manufactuers this way:

1)Shimano
2) Hayes
3) SRAM


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## schlockinz (Feb 6, 2009)

What size rotors are you guys running with the strokers for AM/FR usage?


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## Ithnu (Feb 16, 2007)

Aces on my DH bike, 8" front and rear.

Regular Strokers on my trail bike, 6" front and rear.


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## kntr (Jan 25, 2004)

Strokers are terrible and Hayes customer service sucks. Ive had nothing but problems with my Strokers and Ive sent them to Hayes only to get them back and have problems again. I sent an email to Hayes customer service last week and no reply. I have Avids on my other 3 bikes and have had NO problems.


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## Ithnu (Feb 16, 2007)

kntr said:


> Strokers are ....


Must resist.


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## kntr (Jan 25, 2004)

Ithnu said:


> Must resist.


Ya Im a troll because I gave Hayes 3 chances to fix my crappy Hayes Strokers. First the levers stuck in. They send my LBS the "kit" to fix them. That lasted about 10 rides. Then Hayes has me send them directly to them. I get them back and put them on. They lasted about another 10 rides and they started fading and levers start sticking in again. I take them to the LBS again. They are full of bubbles. The LBS bleeds them. I get about another 10 rides on them and the levers are sticking in AGAIN. They pull them apart and use another kit to fix the sticky levers. This lasts again for about 10 rides. The LBS tells me to buy different brakes and that they have seen nothing but problems with the Strokers. I give them another try and now the rear caliper is leaking. They are crap brakes and everyone know the Strokers are crap. Ive had 2 buddys go through the same thing. Good luck with Hayes... never and I mean never again will I buy Hayes.

Like I said, I have Avids on my other 3 bikes and have had no problems.


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## schlockinz (Feb 6, 2009)

Which strokers were you running?

I only care about the aces, if its a ride, trail, or gram, I don't care.

And as far as avids, I didn't have great luck with my last pair, I prefer my 9's over them once I got large enough rotors for my bike. I don't think that I'll be going back to avid and their price tag anytime soon.


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## Ithnu (Feb 16, 2007)

kntr said:


> Ya Im a troll because ...


How was your breakfast?










Hmmm, maybe I'm acting like the troll here. I am bored at work. Want to e-fight about something else? Do you tele ski? How do you feel about Occupy Wallstreet?

Really, most people's problems with brakes is because they don't bleed them right.

Not sure about your emails to Hayes. If you call Hayes you can talk to a real human. They even return phone calls! I think their customer service is good.


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## oakhills (Mar 30, 2004)

Yeah, the trails and gram models tend to fade,
Not so with the Ace's. If you find a good deal
Then go for it...


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## kntr (Jan 25, 2004)

Ithnu said:


> How was your breakfast?
> 
> Hmmm, maybe I'm acting like the troll here. I am bored at work. Want to e-fight about something else? Do you tele ski? How do you feel about Occupy Wallstreet?
> 
> ...


I called them. He told me the calipers will sometimes leak when you put new pads in. At this point Im just done. Im done with sticking levers, bubbles, and leaking calipers all with less than 20 days of resort riding on a pair of brakes. Im not calling them anymore.

Do a search in the brakes section here on MTBR. The Strokers are notorious for poblems. My LBS is probably the best bike shop in Montana and they are telling me to just get different brakes and yes they know how to bleed brakes and so do I. I ordered XOs yesterday. My other XOs have been awesome.


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## danglingmanhood (Sep 16, 2005)

*Strokers which ones?*

Kntr which Strokers do you have? Like the other posters have said some of the other models have had problems. I have never had any issues with my Stroker Aces, I bleed them regularly, and find they are as powerful as Saints (harder to bleed but have better modulation). Going on over 2 yrs now.


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## Ithnu (Feb 16, 2007)

danglingmanhood said:


> Kntr which Strokers do you have? Like the other posters have said some of the other models have had problems. I have never had any issues with my Stroker Aces, I bleed them regularly, and find they are as powerful as Saints (harder to bleed but have better modulation). Going on over 2 yrs now.


I forgot to ask that actually. I have several friends who also ride Hayes and apart from the sticky lever they don't have issues...except the Stroker Rydes. Those are the bottom of the line ones, pretty crappy. I only use Mags, Strokers and Stroker Aces.


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## 181picklz (Aug 5, 2009)

I ran the Ace up front this season. Deciding what I want to do with the rear I will go with the Ace again. Very happy with how they work. Need to make SURE that the caliper is well centered on the rotor or they make hella noise. Much better then my Avids.


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## saxen (Jun 15, 2009)

One dh- am- trail- xc- season of riding and they were perfect- 225 lbs never faded- they make some noises- not loud just noticeable- won't complaine because they have been so solid!


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## DesertCrawler (Sep 28, 2010)

kntr said:


> Strokers are terrible and Hayes customer service sucks. Ive had nothing but problems with my Strokers and Ive sent them to Hayes only to get them back and have problems again. I sent an email to Hayes customer service last week and no reply. I have Avids on my other 3 bikes and have had NO problems.


Exactly the opposite of my experience.

First off, for the OP, I have been running Stroker Ace on my do-all bike with 8" rotors front and rear for about 8 months. They never fade, period. I usually ride aggressive XC/AM where you have to pedal to get to the chunky stuff. Now and then we shuttle. AZ shuttle runs are as challenging as they get so these are good test of brakes.

The Stroker Ace have always performed flawlessly, no exceptions, wet or dry, hot or cold, muddy or not. They have great modulation, and one or two finger stops are the norm. The adjustable lever is a nice feature but likely present in any of the better brakes. Now and then they are bit noisy but that is usually related to dirt accumulated along the trail or now and then a fastener on the frame (bolt on drop outs come loose now and then -- not a Hayes issue).

Back to Hayes quality and customer service. In general my three sets of Hayes brakes have treated me very well. I have never required any outside support except for this one instance. I have the Stroker Ace already mentioned, and two other sets of Stroker trails. The OP was about the Ace's, but my Trails have been just fine although they will fade now and then under duress the way I use them but not enough of a bother to change them on the bikes they are on.

My one experience with Hayes customer support is this and very positive. I had a terrible time getting one (rear) master cylinder to bleed properly. It was not right from the beginning and got progressively worse over time. I even took it to a shop, and they could not figure it out. After going over every aspect of the brake system I came to realize one of the m/c cover screws was not properly seated in the m/c body. While it did not seem to be leaking, it was just loose enough to allow air to enter the system. It looked like it had been striped or the threads were otherwise malformed. I suspected it had been that way since day one since it had never been removed.

I emailed Hayes with a description of the problem and with my suspicion about what was the cause. Within a day I had an RMA and less than two weeks later had what appeared to be BRAND NEW m/c assembly, with hose and caliper, fully bled and ready to install.

That's customer service. I don't doubt that some people have had poor experiences, and some people do not like any given brand of brakes. No problem. I know for a fact that Stroker Ace brakes work great for me and that my Hayes customer service experience was outstanding.


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## Tedman (Sep 5, 2008)

I raced Aces for DH all of 2010 with no problems. But I switched to Prime Pros this year and they are much better and lighter. I especially like the pad contact adjustment for maintaining the same lever pull after new pad installation.


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## nmpearson (Aug 13, 2007)

From the bikeshop side of things...People come in to have hayes strokers rebled more than any other brake and ask me questions like, "so i was riding and all of a sudden they didn't work" more than any other brake. Maybe we just have bad experiences. Shimano is def the best, but i'd use sram so much more than hayes


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## schlockinz (Feb 6, 2009)

Another question, how do the aces compare to the prime experts? Since they are both fairly well priced right now, the prime has become tempting but there seem to be very few long term reviews on them. Anyone got any long term experience with them as a freeride brake?


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## kntr (Jan 25, 2004)

nmpearson said:


> From the bikeshop side of things...People come in to have hayes strokers rebled more than any other brake and ask me questions like, "so i was riding and all of a sudden they didn't work" more than any other brake. Maybe we just have bad experiences. Shimano is def the best, but i'd use sram so much more than hayes


Exactly what Im talking about. My LBS told me the exact same thing and I have experienced it first hand. My wifes Avids last 3 seasons before they needed to be rebled. My Hayes needed a rebleed every few rides. My Avid CR Mags and X0s needed it once a year. My new XOs are perfect. I think I have found my new favorite brake.

I actually boxed up all my Hayes stuff (brakes, rotors, bolts, extra pads) and sent it all back to Hayes. I told them to figure out what is wrong because they have never worked right and the LBS and I are done trying to get them to work. At this point I dont care what they do with them. I have 8 bikes in my garage and 7 have Avids. Yes, one bike still has Hayes... for now.


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## lone ranger nh (Oct 19, 2011)

i dont have them, stroker aces that is, i have other hayes, but my buddy does on his am bike, he's about 240 lb in 3 seasons he's never had a problem except when he bought them the rear hose was too short, hayes sent him a new hose, plus fittings for free! he said he'll never go back to avids, that they dont have the stopping power that the aces do. i want aces too. all brands could potentially have problems. good luck with what ever you decide


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## LarryFahn (Jul 19, 2005)

I have them. I love them. I am the local bike shop. I recommend them. I have no problems with mine or others that I've sold. I never had to re-bleed any of them. Fahn


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## Ithnu (Feb 16, 2007)

I'm not sure what the deal is with some folks bleed problems. I have a set of Mags I haven't bled in 3 or maybe 4 years.

I had a set of Aces with a screw that came loose from a crash. A tree somehow got a hold of the line and twisted it to the point where fluid was leaking out when I hit the lever. I tightened it back up and rode it the rest of the day, a softer lever due to the fluid loss, but still functioning.

If they can handle that much fluid loss and still work I have no idea what is wrong with some one saying they need to be bled constantly.

I'd say folks don't know how to bleed brakes. But is it really that hard? Maybe others are just really really picky about average brake bleeds. 

Or some folks like to hate on Hayes the way I can't stand people who rave about Boxxers


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## schlockinz (Feb 6, 2009)

Welp, decided to go with primes instead of aces. I'll post a report once I get some good rides on them


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## delnorte (Aug 10, 2006)

So many people are chiming in about every other Hayes Stroker brake except the ACE - wtf?

I bought Stroker Aces to replace my nightmare old Avid Codes (pre-2011). I have been running them for 2 1/2 years now. I bought them used on Ebay and still have never bled them once. I've only changed pads. I run 203mm rotors front & rear.

They are on my DH bike (Giant Glory) which sees a lot of use on shuttles as well as lift-served at Pajarito & Angel Fire. Stroker Ace brakes rock the house. The Stroker ACE is as strong as the 2011 Avid Codes on my other bike and modulate about the same - honestly, I can't tell the difference. 
I think the Stroker ACE brakes absolutely rock and I'd buy them again in a heartbeat.

For the record, I'm 41 years old and have been riding different mounatin bikes and components for over 20 years. I was also a shop mechanic for a while when I was younger. I do almost all of my own work on my bikes. I'm not an opinionated 17 year old kid who's been riding for 4 or 5 years. I always run metallic pads on all my brakes.

My history of disc brakes has included:
Avid Juicy 7 (worked great - no issues)
Hayes HFX 9 (worked great - no issues)
Hayes Stroker Trail (worked great - no issues)
3 sets of Avid Elixr (2 out of 3 worked great - one set was a nightmare)
Avid Code - pre 2011 (total nightmare)
Hayes Stroker Ace (F-ing awesome in every way)
Avid Code 2011 (F-ing awesome in every way)


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## William42 (Oct 29, 2006)

I have nothing to add to this thread other then this tidbit: hayes stroker aces did not split the ocean like moses, nor did they defile your mother. Stop pretending they did either of those things. Its a fycking inanimate object, built to grab something with a great deal of leverage.


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## danglingmanhood (Sep 16, 2005)

*Aces.*

I agree with you William42, they did neither of those things, but it's good to get the opinions of people who have actually used said product for a duration and get feedback whether it's negative or positive.


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## kim_jong_il (Feb 19, 2009)

They're absolutely great brakes when they're working properly, which is 90% of the time in my experience. Most of the problems i've had with them have just been minor annoyances. 

The pistons sometime get sticky causing the pads to drag or to not be parallel with the rotor causing uneven pad wear. This can be fixed by pumping the pistons out and coating them with some brake fluid. I find this very annoying because i personally hate working with brake fluid. The set screw holding the lever pin sometimes backs out despite of having loctite on the threads. This happened several times and I've been lucky to not have lost the pin. And finally, after 2 seasons of regular riding in some very crappy conditions, the seals on one of my calipers have started leaking, contaminating the pads and lubricating the rotor. I've contacted Hayes about a fix for this as I do not own a caliper service kit. 

Despite all these minor things, I would recommend these brakes to anyone. They're cheap, easy to bleed, and most of all, are very powerful and have great modulation.


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## Ithnu (Feb 16, 2007)

William42 said:


> I have nothing to add to this thread other then this tidbit: hayes stroker aces did not split the ocean like moses, nor did they defile your mother. Stop pretending they did either of those things. Its a fycking inanimate object, built to grab something with a great deal of leverage.


What if mine parted a small creek crossing for me? Should I call Jesus?


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## dgilluly (Jun 14, 2019)

My experience with Hayes brakes: Had a set of Prime/Stroker Aces that came from the factory on my bike. I wasn't too impressed that my Shimano M315's actually have more stopping power, like a lot more. Also from the beginning the rear brake made a loud popping noise upon use sometimes, emanating from mostly the handle. I reached out to Hayes and asked if it was normal. It took them two weeks to get back to me, saying that it's not but if they're working fine, don't worry about it. After about 3 years of casual riding, the rear brake completely failed. While just doing a simple brake stand to wheel it out of my house, loud pop, no more power at all (not squishy, handle just sinks to the bar with no resistance whatsoever). Fluid's been replaced and bled by a shop once in the past.

Had to do my first of the season ride on my much cheaper bike with the much cheaper M315's because they still work, on a bike that takes more abuse.

Hayes hasn't responded back and I had to call three different LBS's to find one that's willing to work on them. Both said they would work on any other brand of brakes, but not Hayes. I'm wondering if there's a good reason why.


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