Hayes has released details of a new disc brake, the Prime, which its claims is 23% more powerful than the Stroker, a move the company hopes will “re-establish Hayes as the leader in hydraulic braking systems.”

This leap in braking performance has been achieved due to revised hydraulic ratios but Hayes has also worked to give the brakes a more progressive and predictable feel throughout the lever stroke.

A new ‘Poppet Cam Technology’ has been used, but Hayes is currently being tight-lipped about its role in the new brake, the PR just saying it “allows for dead stroke adjustment, increased fluid flow and improved durability.” Better stopping power aside, the ergonomics have also been improved and there’s an on-the-fly tool-free ‘Top Hat’ reach adjustment, which is independent of the contact adjustment. However you set the reach of the lever, the mechanical power is the same throughout, meaning you get the same power and feel with the lever set close to the grip as you do with it set further away.

The new lever sports a two-piece design that makes fitting and removal a cinch, while the master cylinder is off-set by 10 degrees so you can mount it closer to the grips for an optimised lever position. Inside the lever there are new press-fit Titacon CL 500 bushings in the master cylinder Body for a smoother action.

There’s a new performance hose – a four layer low expansion hose to be precise – and a lighter two-piece caliper with pads being replacing without needing to remove the wheel first. Hayes ‘tube tops’ protect the paintwork where the hose rubs against the frame.

A new lighter two-piece rotor has been developed, weighing 110g for the 6in version, and new brake pads promise quieter performance. The rotor carries on the original Hayes sweeping-fin design patented in 1998, but is stiffer than the standard one-piece design.

To be released in June, there will be two models, Pro and Expert, available with rotor sizes to include 140, 160, 180, 203, 224 (mm), suggesting Hayes are targeting this new brake at a wide range of riders. The Pro model makes use of titanium push rods and mounting bolts, a two-piece floating rotor; laser etched graphics and sintered metallic brake pads. Target weight for the Pro model is 385g per wheel, and 415g for the Expert.

Price TBC. Available from www.hotlines-uk.com. More info www.hayesdiscbrake.com