US-made machinists Freedom Coast said your SRAM brakes called, and those “stock levers just aren’t cutting it“. Their solution is to bolt on a stiffer set of DH World Cup-winning CNC-machined levers with better ergonomics that they claim will improve your lever feel and braking performance.
For $120 you can upgrade all the latest SRAM brakes (and a lot of older models, too) with the same shiny colorful levers trusted by World Cup winner Troy Brosnan!
Freedom Coast CNC-machined alloy brake lever upgrade
Let’s focus on Freedom Coast’s aluminum brake lever upgrade for SRAM Maven and Motive brakes, because SRAM brakes are seeing their day in the spotlight these days. But Freedom Coast actually make lever upgrades for a whole host of Magura and TRP brakes, too. It’s just that so many riders are out there on these new SRAM brakes. So there’s simply a lot people who might gain from a SRAM brake lever upgrade!
Now, let’s be honest, SRAM’s latest Maven and Motive brakes are pretty great. After years where riders (and bike company product managers) shied away from SRAM MTB brakes, these latest mineral oil mountain bike brakes are a huge improvement. But while the hydraulics have evolved, Freedom Coast still thought that there was much to be desired in their aluminum lever designs.
Lucky for you, that’s a pretty simple one to fix, since the levers are quite easy to swap out.
Why upgrade your levers?
“Ergonomics isn’t just a buzzword. Poorly shaped levers can decrease rider confidence and increase rider fatigue. That’s why World Cup winner Troy Brosnan relies on our levers for control deep into a run.”
In the lab and on the trail, the Freedom Coast engineers determined that the stock forged/stamped (Silver & Bronze) or cast (Base) alloy levers that came on the SRAM brakes simply weren’t as stiff as they wanted. (Interestingly, SRAM probably thought the same things, as they also have several Maven Lever Tuning Kits, one that gets a forged & machined lever for added stiffness.)
Yet, Freedom Coast simply wanted more control over the shape and ergonomics. Plus, they could deal with slightly higher costs that gave them the freedom to focus on more precise manufacturing tolerances. Since Freedom didn’t have to create a lever that worked for everybody, from beginner to pro racers, they focused on exactly what they thought they could improve:
“With the needs of the serious rider in mind, our goals of increased stiffness, decreased slop, and better ergonomics for single finger braking drove the need for a custom lever.”
Tech details
- stiffer upgrade brake levers CNC machined from a single block of aerospace-grade 6061 aluminum bar stock
- more aggressive lever curve for secure single-finger relaxed grip on the brake
- machined-in texture to improve lever grip & positive feel in your hand
- higher tolerance than stock levers for reduced lever play
- hand-polished and anodized in 9+ bright colors
- SRAM levers compatible with most: Maven, Motive, Stealth Code, Code, Guide, G2 & Level brakes
- Magura levers fit all MT models: MT Thirty, 4, 5, 7, 7 Pro, 8, Trail Sport, Trail SL & Sport
- separate TRP levers for TRP EVO Pro or DH-R/Trail/Slate EVO brakes
- 100% USA-made in Rancho Santa Margarita, California
Freedom Coast Brake Lever Upgrades – Pricing, options & availability
Freedom Coast’s CNC-machined aluminum brake lever kits sell for $119 regardless of what level of brake you want to upgrade, or how flashy you want to get with colors. You get a pair of levers, designed as a direct bolt-on replacement for your stock ones – whether as an upgrade or to replace a broken lever. Freedom includes a set of specially-made tool to swap the hardware from your stock levers to the new upgrade levers, and an easy-to-follow How-To install video.
With much of the cost of the higher-level SRAM brakes being in more premium levers, you could get a sick setup by buying a pair of Maven Base brakes, and upgrading to Freedom Coast levers, still cheaper than Maven Silvers. The SRAM brake levers come in anodized red, orange, olive green, light blue, purple, Champagne gold, Stealth grey, shiny silver, or classic black. All of which would look cool with the black bodies of the new B1 brakes.
Freedom Coast also offers a lot of other ways to trick out your mountain bike at the same time as your brakes, like tons of shiny ti bolt options from their sister brand BetterBolts.com. We particularly love their 90 Degree Pod Clamp that fixes what kind of annoys us with SRAM’s latest AXS shifter. But they also make one of the most refined & secure fork mount systems for the back of your pick-up or van!
