ABOUT THE SRAM MOTIVE BRAKES
Although SRAM markets the Motive as an XC to trail brake, they have found their way onto the spec sheets of more aggressive bikes such as Pivot’s Shuttle SL AM. As a result, some riders are going to be considering or buying the Motive for all-mountain to light enduro mountain bikes and eMTBs. SRAM claims the Motive has nearly as much power as a Code, so it’s clearly a capable brake for aggressive riding, but does it stack up well against the new wave of disc brakes?
With the relatively high power provided (compared with typical XC brakes), SRAM says riders can tune the power by using different rotor sizes. With a roughly 14% increase in power per 20mm rotor diameter increase, there’s good scope to tune braking power to the user’s preferences. As for my preference, I opted to run a pair of 200mm HS2 rotors to give the Motive the best chance of performing well.
Since we received our set of Motive Ultimate A1 brakes, SRAM released the A2 version with a slight price drop and modified hose exit at the lever. The Motive A2 brakes are offered in Bronze ($175/brake), Silver ($225/brake) or Ultimate ($275/brake) guises, to suit a range of budgets.
Compared to the monstrous Mavens, the Motive is much more modest. It’s given two 15mm and two 16mm pistons in each of its four-piston calipers, the same that were found in the Code brakes. These are made from a phenolic material and use a proprietary seal that is said to maintain its sealing properties regardless of the heat generated by the system. We found that the Motive remained consistent through plenty of brake-burning runs.
Up at the ambidextrous levers, you find the Stealth Parallel design, which locates the lever close to the bar for clean aesthetics. The Motive lever forgoes the SwingLink found in the Maven lever, in favor of the weight-saving DirectLink system. Instead of producing the progressive leverage curve of the SwingLink, the Motive brake receives a linear curve that’s said to give the most precise control. Regardless of the model, the Motive offers a tool-free reach adjustment, but no bite point adjustability.
On the Ultimate and Silver Motive brakes, the lever pivots on sealed bearings for the smoothest action. Bronze Motives rely on a more simple bushing setup. The Ultimates also receive titanium hardware and a carbon fiber lever blade, opposed to the alloy lever found on the Silver and Bronze brakes. This gives a weight in the 270g range for a SRAM Motive Ultimate with the bar clamp. This is around 30g lighter than an equivalent Shimano XTR M9220.
All of SRAM’s brakes now use Maxima mineral oil instead of DOT fluid. They need a different bleed kit as a result, which still uses the Bleeding Edge fitment at the caliper to reduce mess.
THE DIRT
My SRAM Motive brakes found their way onto my Zink Vacay long-term test bike and saw everything from mellow flow trail cruising to UK bike park attacking over the test period. Displaying unfaltering consistency, I enjoyed the SRAM Motive Ultimate brakes more than expected, though I concede that they didn’t offer the power that many are going to demand.
Though the Motive Ultimate kit I was sent came equipped with rotors from 160mm through to 200mm, there was not much consideration required for my selection. Giving the SRAM Motive brakes the best shot at performing well on the steep and technical terrain my 220lbs mass frequents, the pair of 200mm HS2 rotors were the obvious choice. Had the Motives found their way onto a shorter-legged XC to trail machine, I would have likely down-sized to a 180mm rotor, which I believe would still offer ample power to match the reduced traction of the appropriate tire selection on a “sharper” bike.
The DirectLink lever produces a notably different power curve compared with the outgoing Code brakes or the Maven. I believe this to be the cause of many complaints I’ve heard with the Motives. Since there is more input force required to achieve maximum stopping power, the perception is that Motives are less powerful. And depending on how you assess “power”, you might be right, but when squeezing the Motives hard enough, the system has enough grunt to develop Code-like braking.
If you’re on sustained steep descents, where high levels of stopping power are required for an extended period, then this will undoubtedly lead to increased finger fatigue. But the flip-side is a very direct relationship between input and braking force, which can aid in controlling traction at the tires. I’d be very interested to feel a SwingLink-equipped Maven lever mated to a Motive caliper, but I have yet to experiment.
I never managed to get the Motives to fade or change in their feeling, but I didn’t get them onto any sustained steep descents with more than 1000ft drop. I’d wager that my 220lbs mass on a steep 1000ft descent is going to put more stress and heat into the brakes than the typical Motive rider, though. They’ve also proved to hold their bleed and avoid any stickiness or creaking throughout testing. Even so, if steep trails with prolonged braking are where you find yourself often, then the Maven is likely to serve you better.
SRAM MOTIVE OR SRAM MAVEN?
There’s endless options of quality brakes on the market, but I’ll stick within SRAM’s top-tier offerings for the sake of this comparison.
Where does the balance tip for what brake I would choose for which bike? In my mind, the Motive is the obvious choice up to the 130mm rear travel mark. At the 130-145mm point, I’d have a hard time choosing for my local trails, and it would likely depend on the theme of the bike – of course, choosing Motive for a lighter and less aggressive build, and the Maven for a more aggressive build. At 150mm and above, the chances are the extra weight of the Maven would be worth their increased power, so long as there is sufficiently steep and gnarly descending featuring in the trails you choose to ride on it.
The Wolf’s Last Word
Overall, while the SRAM Motive may not quite deliver the power that The Loam Wolf crew typically demand for our aggressive enduro riding, it is a stellar brake for the more weight-conscious riders out there, displaying solid control and consistency in a relatively lightweight package. 
Price: $275
Website: SRAM.com
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ABOUT THE WOLF
Robert’s habitat is the Tweed Valley, Scotland, which is renowned for its root-littered enduro mountain bike trails. Robert has been developing his bike handling skills for the last 16 years. Since he was a pup, he’s been riding everything from BMX through to enduro and downhill bikes. Combining a playful style with occasional speed-focused aggression, he favors supportive bikes, and does his best to push them hard.
Rank: European Tech Editor
Size: 6’2” / 189cm | 220lbs / 100kg
Social: @robert_johnston
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