During the halcyon days of downhill mountain biking in the late 1990s and early 2000s, purple became a colour of distinction for braking systems. And now, Hayes, one of the original braking innovators, celebrates everything great about purple levers and calipers with a legacy version of its Dominion A4. Finished in the brand’s iconic Purple Hayes colourway.

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The history of Hayes hydraulic mountain bike brakes traces back to 1997. During the era of teams such as Specialized-Mountain Dew, Volvo-Cannondale, Trek-Volkswagen, Tomac Racing, Maxxis, Foes, Fisher, Be-One Racing, Haro and Mongoose, Hayes brakes were present on the winningest downhill mountain bikes. 

An all-purple finish

Purple Hayes Dominion brakes, by Hayes

The factory race teams used a champagne-coloured Hayes brake, with purple logos. It was eventually marketed to consumers in the iconic all-purple finish. First introduced in 2000, the Purple Hayes colourway was a consumer response to demand for the brand’s factory racing brakes. To celebrate a quarter century of Hayes hydraulic deceleration in mountain biking, Purple Hayes is back. 

Mechanically the Purple Hayes Dominion A4s are unchanged. That means they feature four-piston rotor actuation, using oversized 17mm pistons, compatible with 160-, 180-, and 203mm brakes. 

Feelsome modulation

Purple Hayes Dominion brakes, by Hayes

Beyond the powerful four-piston callipers, which deliver fade-free stopping power on even the steepest and longest descents, there’s the vaunted Hayes lever feel. The Purple Hayes Dominion A4s feature the same sealed-bearing configuration for their brake levers, providing terrifically linear finger feel and modulation when teasing the stoppers down loose and technical terrain. 

When evaluating the specification of four-piston enduro and downhill brakes, grams don’t really matter. Stopping power does. But the Purple Hayes Dominion A4s are only 310g per wheel, which is credibly light for such a potent brake. 

Lever reach adjustment

Purple Hayes Dominion brakes, by Hayes

For DIY mountain bike mechanics, the Purple Hayes Dominion A4’s tool adjustable pad contact is great for meticulous brake bite set-up, as your pad material starts wearing away. Regarding rider hand and finger ergonomics, the tool-free lever reach adjustment is very convenient for on-trail tinkering. 

But with these limited-edition Purple Hayes Dominion A4s, it’s all about the colour and legacy, isn’t it? If you were a young mountain bike fan two decades ago or simply want to curate that period custom build, these Purple Hayes Dominion A4s will draw all the appropriate attention at the trailhead. They are priced at $250 per brake

• hayesbicycle.com

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