The new Code brake is Avid’s big muscle downhill unit, complete with smooth action and four-cylinder power. The master cylinder is essentially an upsized Elixir design with more fluid capacity and a burly lever blade with reach and bite point adjustment, plus smooth sealed bearing pivots. The twin-bolt clamp design is ambidextrous too.
The big four-pot calliper has a hidden hose, and the long calliper, cup-and-cone washer setup definitely tests patience, but the initial power is very impressive. It’s a much more consistent and controlled delivery than the Code R brake too, with the smooth lever boosting fine feedback levels even further. It weighs less than 500g too, making it a viable heavy duty trail brake not just a downhill piece.