SRAM G2 Ultimate Replacement Hydraulic Brake Lever Assembly [Rider Review]

Our "Rider Review" article series features the honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for.

When it comes to hydraulic mountain bike brakes they are pretty reliable these days. Sometimes though your brakes need a bit more than just a routine bleed. Sean is a friend of the shop and he gives us the lowdown on his SRAM G2 Ultimate Replacement Hydraulic Brake Lever Assembly. Check it out!

Overview

I've had a few crashes over the years and recently managed to go over the bars on my beloved Revel Ranger resulting in breaking the levers of my SRAM G2 brakes. I knew I was going to need to replace them and opted for the SRAM G2 Ultimate Replacement Hydraulic Brake Lever Assembly from Worldwide Cyclery. I think the only difference between these and the regular G2 is the carbon levers, and while I'm not typically a "weight weenie", I can sometimes find myself appreciating the carbon details of components, especially on the Ranger! The SRAM G2 Ultimate levers feel great and provide the power and modulation that I've come to expect and love from SRAM brakes. It's probably mental, but there is a level of refinement in the Ultimate levers versus the regular G2 levers. I've run all sorts of brakes over the years (TRP, Shimano, SRAM, etc.), and I always find myself coming back to SRAM. I know people can have a love-hate relationship with their brakes, but I've never had any issues and they've been my brake of choice for years now. Also, the OCD in me likes a tidy cockpit with SRAM brakes and Eagle drivetrain using the Matchmaker clamp.

I know this has been said countless times, but the SRAM G2 Ultimate brakes have never given me that off-on feeling that some other companies are known for.

Back to the brakes. I've never run SRAM Codes, but for my bike and riding style, the SRAM G2 Ultimate brakes fit the bill perfectly. I'm running them with a 180 rotor in front and 160 in the rear on my Revel Ranger, and I've never felt under-gunned as far as brakes go. Yes, bigger riders might benefit from a more powerful brake on this bike, but for me, they provide just enough power and control to ride the bike hard. The Ranger begs to be ridden harder than the 115mm travel would suggest on paper, and it truly benefits from 4-piston brakes. With this new crop of "down-country" bikes, it's awesome to see SRAM providing powerful 4-piston "trail" brakes at the weight of most companies' 2-piston stoppers. You can feather them to scrub just enough speed as you push hard into a corner and not feel like you're about to go over the bars. Yes, I know I mentioned I broke my other levers going OTB, but that was more user error and not the brakes!

Final Thoughts 

All in all, I would highly recommend the SRAM G2 Ultimate brakes to anyone who is looking for a worthy upgrade to their xc, "down-country", or enduro ride! I've run these brakes on bigger travel bikes (+140mm of travel), and they still do a great job getting you stopped in a controllable fashion! These brakes are reasonably priced and give you the power of 4-piston stoppers at the weight of most 2-piston brakes. They also do a wonderful job of providing modulation and give the rider more control over when and how much to brake.