It isn’t often that a boutique component sparks a paradigm shift in bicycle product design. Often, specialty items try to excel in one area, but fail in most others because of sacrifices and compromises. In the case of custom brakes, he golden standard for boutique manufacturers is weight. In an effort to make a brakeset as light as possible, performance usually decreases noticeably in comparison to standard-issue Shimano, Campagnolo, or Sram brakes. Eecycleworks spared no expense in the creation of a lightweight brakeset that doesn’t fall victim to the poor performance of its competitors. The eebrake is a superb example of a product that is both low-weight and high-performance.

The eebrake’s design is visually striking. It is as unique a brakeset as we have ever seen- the eebrake is simply the first in its class. This brakeset forgoes the traditional single pivot, dual pivot, or cam-activated configurations of existing brakes for a series of linkages and pivots that aim to amplify the power applied when pulling the brake lever. Another neat addition is a tool-less brake pad holder. Instead of sliding the pad into place and screwing it in, you simply press the front end of the brake pad into the holder, and snap the back part into place. It is held in by a small metal tab where the screw would normally have been.

It is difficult to determine whether performance or weight was a priority in designing the eebrake. Our set weighed in at 197g (including the pad holders and Swiss Stop pads), making it one of the lightest available brakes on the market. However, whereas the braking power of most sub-200g brakes suffers noticeably, the eebrakes actually feature enhanced power and modulation when compared to the current standard- the Dura-Ace 7900 brake. This is a radical step in brake design- no longer does performance have to be sacrificed for low weight.

While riding, we found the eebrakes to be incredibly powerful- strong enough to easily lock up the wheel if enough pressure is applied. However, the excellent modulation means that you’ll come quickly to a stop instead of skidding out of control. Eecycleworks claims that you’ll “use one finger instead of two!”, and although there are certainly times when a firm two-finger grip on the brake lever is necessary, it is definitely possible to use one finger in most situations. The modulation and power amplification is just that good.

The eebrake is a fantastic product, but it does have two downsides. The first is installation. While installation is by no means difficult, it takes about twice as long as installing a regular brakeset. This is because there are several adjustments that must be made before your first ride, including finding the right caliper height (controlled by a rotating cam), cutting your housing to the correct length (which is of supreme importance with these brakes), and snaking the brake cable through the eebrake’s rather complicated design, and to its clamping point.

The second downside results from the eebrake’s many linkages and pivots. When riding on wet roads, sand and grime will quickly find its way into the linkages, creating a nasty-sounding “crunch” sound when the brakes are used. We removed the brakes and gave them a thorough washing, followed by a quick blast with an air compressor to remove the water from the linkages. After that, they performed flawlessly again. However, you should think twice about buying these brakes if you live in a wet area.

Despite these small inconveniences, the eecycleworks eebrake is currently the best brake available. If you can afford the sticker price ($519), and don’t mind the looks, you’ll be rewarded with an ultra-light brake that performs better than any other on the market.

Pros: Very lightweight. Unbelievable stopping power and modulation. Top-notch construction and design.

Cons: Expensive. Setup slightly more complex than standard brakes. Difficult to clean. Some may not like the looks