SRAM Maven B1: Same Power, Better Delivery, and Upgrade Kits from £65

[Polar]

The B1 Tuning Kit is amazing and fixed the Mavens on and off feeling. I also love the Galfer Purple pads. I run 220mm rotors front and rear. My whole crew all got MTX Golds and we ALL hated them. They made so much noise and just sucked. I have no idea why people like them.

I loved Maven but HS2 rotors and Galfer purple is a must if you wants maximum power.
Haven't tried the BI kit and didn't miss it since I liked Maven out of the box.

 

[Gila Man]

Very information information gents! Have a new bike arriving in June and it comes with Maven Ultimates & 200mm rotors f/r.

What size rotors are you riding and what would be your recommendation?

It seams SRAM recommends using smallest rotor possible because the Maven are so powerful. Thinking it's just marketing hypeThe Mavens are quiete

Very information information gents! Have a new bike arriving in June and it comes with Maven Ultimates & 200mm rotors f/r.

What size rotors are you riding and what would be your recommendation?

It seams SRAM recommends using smallest rotor possible because the Maven are so powerful. Thinking it's just marketing hype.

The Mavens are powerful brakes and the 200mm rotors on your new bike should be fine. My 2025 Levo has 220 front and 200 rear and with the original brakes levers, were almost like a light switch between touching the lever and locking up the wheels. As B-man stated, many of us with the earlier version of the Mavens, changed out the original levers for the B-1 upgrade and the lever feel is much better now.

Your new bike will probably come with the latest Maven calipers that have slightly smaller pistons, along with the new levers, which should equate to an ideal set of brakes.

 

[Gila Man]

I loved Maven but HS2 rotors and Galfer purple is a must if you wants maximum power.
Haven't tried the BI kit and didn't miss it since I liked Maven out of the box.

It looks like Galfer Purple is the way to go. I'm about done with the stock "howler monkey" pads so, purple it is. Thank you to you and B-man for the recommendations.

 

[Niklas]

It looks like Galfer Purple is the way to go. I'm about done with the stock "howler monkey" pads so, purple it is. Thank you to you and B-man for the recommendations.

I like the green ones better than the purple…

 

[B-man]

I like the green ones better than the purple…

Why?

 

[Niklas]

Why?

They are more powerful

 

[B-man]

They are more powerful

With the 220mm HS2 rotors and Mavens, I don't want more power. lol. The purples work for me, but I'll try the green next. Are they quiet? Have you tried the purple too?

 

[Niklas]

With the 220mm HS2 rotors and Mavens, I don't want more power. lol. The purples work for me, but I'll try the green next. Are they quiet? Have you tried the purple too?

Yes, I’ve tried the purple ones and I don’t like them because they don’t have the “last bite” like the green ones, but they do last long. I really like the steeps and super technical so I have the original mavens and 223 Galfer shark discs and for the first time in my life, I’m happy with my brakes =) I am approximately 85kg ready to ride.

 

[PeterHenric]

It looks like Galfer Purple is the way to go. I'm about done with the stock "howler monkey" pads so, purple it is. Thank you to you and B-man for the recommendations.

Try out the MTX Red pads as well.

On my Levo it has a 220 rotor and it was like a light switch. Put the reds on there and it smoothed it out.
On my Yeti it has a 200 rotor and the stock pads seem good.

 

[OnEdge]

Try out the MTX Red pads as well.

On my Levo it has a 220 rotor and it was like a light switch. Put the reds on there and it smoothed it out.
On my Yeti it has a 200 rotor and the stock pads seem good.

I have MTX Red pads on my '26 Levo and they are awesome! Modulation is so much better!

 

[cosas_genericas]

BTW this has been the best bleed I've been able to obtain across my Mavens.
He does not pressurize at the lever and does it at the caliper - he also does the piston massage upfront and slightly differently. He speculates as to why SRAM doesn't do it this way, I have no clue why, but it is the best bleed me and my riding buddies have done. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ0bnftpfEo&

 

[ntm95]

Pretty underwhelmed with the tuning kits.
Still a heavy lever pull, and more deadband.
I'd dare to say the original is better since you don't have to deal with the lever as long.

 

[ZR1]

Conversley I'm happy with the tuning kit, more modulation so not locking the rear but power is still there.

Of the components of a mtb, brakes seem to have the least consensus.

 

[John_likes_bikes]

I'm still on the fence about the B1 cam in the A1. On heavy braking trails I'm feeling some hand fatigue where I didn't before because I'm having to pull through the larger dead band and I feel a 10-15%-ish loss in power. On the other hand, I have a lot more control over the rear wheel and rarely lock up. Since there is more modulation I went to a 220 rear disk to see if I could get more power. Only one ride so far with that set up, hoping to hit some steep trails this weekend for a good test.

 

[ntm95]

I'm still on the fence about the B1 cam in the A1. On heavy braking trails I'm feeling some hand fatigue where I didn't before because I'm having to pull through the larger dead band and I feel a 10-15%-ish loss in power. On the other hand, I have a lot more control over the rear wheel and rarely lock up. Since there is more modulation I went to a 220 rear disk to see if I could get more power. Only one ride so far with that set up, hoping to hit some steep trails this weekend for a good test.

Exactly my findings.

 

[Prmulligan]

In total agreement about the Mavens feeling like the codes post lever upgrade. I was running into arm pump with the Mavens on a Gen 4 levo. It took me a while to realize is was the brakes. The new levers feel much lighter and time will tell if the arm pump is more manageable, but it certainly feels like it will be.

 

[ntm95]

In total agreement about the Mavens feeling like the codes post lever upgrade. I was running into arm pump with the Mavens on a Gen 4 levo. It took me a while to realize is was the brakes. The new levers feel much lighter and time will tell if the arm pump is more manageable, but it certainly feels like it will be.

After more riding, I can say that I prefer the actual maven b1 brakes. Then the original a1's. And in last place would be the a1's with the lever "upgrade" kit. The upgrade kit just has the worst of all characteristics.
The a1's gave me a bit more arm pump too. Which made me stay off of them and sped up my riding overall, ironically.