Avid's Elixir 9 adds bite point adjustment, carbon lever and restored reliability to a very controlled sub-400g brake. The new Air Trap master cylinder gives better tolerance to air in the system and resolves the previously poor reliability of top-end Elixir brakes.
The alloy master cylinder means a reasonably firm feel from the carbon lever and the unique lever sweep improves modulation and power. The tool-free reach adjust is easy to use and while adjustment range is still limited, the revised bite point barrel adjust doesn’t unwind like it used to.
The new 180mm HS1 rotor reduces weight and prices are also lower than the old Elixir CR equivalent. The simplified Tri Align mount and MatchMaker combined clamps make setup easy too.
This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.
