BrakeAce Announces Wireless Braking Analysis Tool

Jun 30, 2021
by brakeace  

Press Release: BrakeAce

Last year we released our wired BrakeAce sensor and app, and we have been able to help some of the biggest companies and fastest riders in the world understand their braking and get faster. Since this time, we have focused on creating a completely wireless system for riders at all levels, and we are offering these now on Kickstarter.

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The BrakeAce sensor fits between your frame or fork and your brake caliper, and can be installed just like any other brake spacer. The sensor size has been reduced, and only requires you to increase your rotor size by 20mm from the smallest your bike accepts. The sensor communicates by Bluetooth to your phone or tablet, and you can view or analyze your rides on any device or computer.

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Once you’re in the BrakeAce app, you can choose to view just your FlowScore as a simple way to compare your braking with friends or between different runs, or you can look at details of individual brake events across the trail. Custom algorithms analyze all of your braking events, and the app shows you the three places on the trail where you have the most room for improvement. These are called your Key Opportunities, and you can track your progress in the app where your rides are stored.

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The aim of the BrakeAce system is to make it easy for riders at any level to get faster without getting fitter, and simple scores mean you don’t need a team of data interpreters to do so. The app is made for riders to use on their own, but we want BrakeAce to work with coaches too. We are already looking at ways to integrate video tutorials and remote coaching into your braking recommendations.

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The BrakeAce Kickstarter campaign offers early pricing of $892 USD for a pair of sensors and the app, delivered in January 2022. After the campaign is finished, BrakeAce will be available through the BrakeAce website.

Author Info:
brakeace avatar

Member since Jun 14, 2020
6 articles

96 Comments
  • 96 1
 That price tag stopped me in my tracks!
  • 19 1
 The title of the article come to a full stop and double check what I was reading. Wireless brakes!!!?
  • 10 0
 @abzillah: you know that someone is working on that and it scares me.
  • 11 0
 Price is braking the bank.
  • 3 0
 @adrennan: I'm looking forward to it, if only that the comments section will be gold.
  • 6 1
 @adrennan: I mean... they're already wireless.
  • 5 1
 I even feel like that we loose our ability to trust our instincts. I mean data analysis is great and all but do we have to do it everywhere and anywhere? Then come after a good ride and look at a screen to analyze how we did? Mmmmmmmm
  • 5 0
 @Here: I think the point of all this data gathering has more to do with big data business than user experience.
I mean the more data the companies get the better they can "refine" products so that you'll be eternally unsatisfied and willing to pay for the next piece of crap that you don't really need.
And in the meantime we continue wasting resources and polluting everything.
I love bikes, I love riding but I don't like the business model.
  • 3 0
 @juanmallorca: absolutely
  • 48 5
 Shimano: full intensity / zero modulation
SRAM: zero intensity / full modulation

@me for venmo information
  • 25 1
 Hayes Dominion: Full intensity / Full Modulation
  • 2 0
 @Spencermon: I got a pair currently in the mail. Hope to god the reviews are not exaggerating.
  • 1 0
 @ryan77777: I won't lie, I'm quite hesitant, as they have really seemed to be shitting the bed over the past 20 years. I used to own a pair of purple Hayes, and they were brilliant. That being said, they definitely can do it, and I'd be willing to give them a shot myself. Curious if they are easier to bleed now though... They were a nightmare.
  • 5 0
 @jomacba: The new brakes are worlds different. It seems like Hayes just opened their eyes and said "wait, lets make some really good brakes" then went and did it.
  • 2 0
 @ryan77777: let me know what you think of them. I love them.
  • 4 0
 @ryan77777: I'm running A4s on my spec enduro w/200mm rotors and the sintered pads. They are good. They are not magic. Decent power, decent feel. But I never had any complaints about Code RSCs. Best thing I did for my braking was upgrade and tune my suspension. Second best was 31.8mm carbon bar and Ergon G3 grips. All of that was more significant than the difference between dominions and codes.
  • 1 0
 Mine seem to require a lot of bleeding to keep power consistently through a ride. Going back to Codes with ceramic pads.
  • 4 0
 I absolutely LOVE my Hayes Dominions - buckets of modulation and gobs of power. I also have Hope Tech3 E4's on my prior bike. The Dominions have the same modulation as the Hopes but way more power. Best upgrade I've done.
  • 1 0
 @Spencermon: Awesome to hear, can't wait!
  • 1 0
 @jomacba: I'll try to remember to report back. I think I read they bleed similar to the SRAM brakes nowadays.
  • 2 0
 @ohio: Good to hear. I'm coming off the Sram G2 so I feel this will be a big upgrade for me. Hadn't considered bar/grips though! I'll definitely have a think over that.
  • 1 0
 @jaydubmah: Awesome to hear! Can't wait for mine
  • 2 0
 @ryan77777: also, they won't work with your SRAM bleed fittings (too short/shallow - so budget for the Hayes bleed kit), and probably won't fit any of your current mount adapters without some filing/grinding.

All in all, I'm still glad I got them. I like the crosshair screws. I like the power and feel. I like that they have two lever shapes and plan to try the SFL. I like that they come with two sets of pads so you can try both organic and sintered, and then keep the losers as backup (since you'll never find them at an LBS). And I like supporting the underdog, although Hayes is hardly a little company, but I really want their bike division to succeed for the sake of Manitou and suspension market competition.
  • 30 5
 Here's my analysis: If I stop in time, my brakes are working.

(and I didn't even pay $892 for it)
  • 21 2
 The product has less to do about how well your brakes work, and more so how effectively/efficiently you use them. More to the point - how well you work.
  • 10 21
flag pierceklinke (Jun 30, 2021 at 12:51) (Below Threshold)
 @privateer-wheels: r/whoooosh
  • 23 0
 I should brake less? Check!
I would go faster if I braked less? Check.

The problem isn't over-braking, the problem is not having the skill/balls to brake less without ending up in the ER.
  • 3 0
 It isn't even about braking less. It is about braking in the right spots. Better to brake early and then maintain/generate speed in the corner than not brake before the corner but then shit it, panic brake too much when already in the corner and loose too much speed there. And front and rear brake balance when descending a steep slippery slope. The culprit is that I don't think the satellite geolocation systems aren't that accurate to properly mark your braking spots. So without that info, I'm not interested. I don't necessarily care how much I brake, rather where I brake and how my braking balance is. Only solution I could think of if you're willing to session a section is if there were a system where you'd place a couple of visual markers along the trail and the system has some optical location tech onboard like you see in vacuum cleaner robots. Or the other way around where the markers are more advanced like Freelap uses them. It may be a hassle if you want to monitor a longer trail but if you're willing to learn then you're also more likely to session a single part. And of course if the trail is part of a bike park, these markers could be installed permanently.
  • 19 0
 As someone who does the same thing again and again and somehow expects to improve, I definitely see the value in this. I'd put it in the same category as a ShockWiz - the price might be out of reach for most punters, but could easily be hired from your LBS.
  • 4 0
 I like this idea and hope it succeeds. Looks like he put a lot of effort into making it work easily and be compact.
  • 1 0
 Yes. I would definitely rent this once.
  • 15 2
 Recently, there has been a ton of devices being released, such as automatic droppers based on GPS, forks and so on (I know this one here is just for data and analysis purposes, but it could, eventually turn into something more active). Electronics can help the riders to perform better, but in the end, they take something away. Doing a parallel with driving: there are tons of components that make you accelerate faster, stay on your lane, turn better etc. I'm all in for safety devices on my car, because I use my car for a purpose (get somewhere). My bike is about fun and I don't want a sensor to act for me.

You can argue that every new technology, such as full suspension bikes, a slack headtube and a good pair of wheels aim to give comfort, stability or anything else to the rider, and you're right. The thing with electronics is that they take that to another level.

And by this, I do not mean electronic shifters and derailleurs, that do pretty much the same that regular derailleurs and, for the price, are, therefore, nonsense.
  • 5 1
 Yep -- modern geo is really good, wheel sizes are pretty well sorted out. (Mullets will fade into niche use)
the next wave of bike innovation and standards / (in)compatibility will be telemetry.
SRAM could buy these dudes and offer brake along with suspension telemetry as a complete package under one product umbrella.
  • 2 4
 @chrod: sram wouldn’t bother. They could knock something like this that works with all their existing data acquisition products for next to nothing. These guys probably want $9 billion for the company. BeCaUsE We WiLl SeLl 5 MiLLiOn UNiTz PeR yEaR!
  • 2 0
 @chrod: as far as i can tell they already are a niche, not overly popular but have their place I see them holding in the market better than 2.8-3.0 tires but time will tell.
  • 1 0
 @chrod: SRAM is already working on their own stuff. There were some prototypes spotted at Crankworx I think.
  • 2 0
 I wouldn't compare this to the car systems you mention. These indeed take something away from you while driving. Analysis afterwards doesn't interfere with the moment. Filming yourself or having someone film you doesn't affect the actual riding, but it does help you analyze what you have done and learn from that. And in a way, it actually affects your riding less than when you try to do the analysis during the ride. Because for the analysis, you need the third person view. And you can't be in the first person and the third person simultaneously. And you can't be in the moment and at the same time analyze what just happened. Now, there is stuff a camera or a trailside coach may not be able to see and that is braking. As braking is so important in technical mountainbiking, a system like this could help monitor that too (without trying to be actively aware of what you're doing). But as I mentioned, unlike camera footage the data this system collects is much harder to allocate to a particular section of trail. Did you brake just before the corner or already in the corner? GPS just isn't that accurate in hilly terrain. One "solution" that pops up in my mind is to just ride with huge braking lights. Ideally diffferent colours for different braking intensities. It won't be graceful "look, he's braking!" but at least it is something that makes it easier to analyze on video footage.
  • 14 2
 Does it track Shimano wandering bite point or when sram pistons stick?
  • 11 0
 I have a buzzer that sounds so I know when I'm braking. It sounds a little like a turkey.
  • 2 0
 I had a pair of Avid Juicy 5s that sounded EXACTLY like a turkey gobble when I braked hard.
  • 2 0
 Can you get them for Shimano brakes?
  • 11 1
 Do they have an adapter for a size 13 shoe? I still use my foot to stop myself on the rear tire
  • 7 1
 Heh so everyone in the comments clearly brakes at exactly the right time and point. It's not knowing when to go fast that it's knowing when to go slow that takes you to the next level.
  • 1 0
 Well put.
  • 6 0
 Without using this app I already know where my three Key Opportunities are - top, middle and bottom of the track. 892 bucks saved
  • 7 0
 So Strava but for braking?
  • 9 2
 I'll save everyone $900. If you want to get faster, use your brakes less.
  • 4 7
 Yeah that's the cheapest way but kids today need tech, just look how they have their phones glued to their faces.
  • 6 0
 @UncleGrandpa62: username checks out, even if nothing else does.
  • 7 0
 I don't need an app to tell me I'm braking too much
  • 17 0
 Thought your username was "brakewell" at first glance.
  • 3 0
 With so much tech* in today's bikes, why the need for more?

GPS that measure how much time in the air
Cameras that record video with track location and actual speed
And with extra cameras pointed to the suspension and some editing you can have your anaylises of your ride.....

A product for any KOM or QOM wannabe
  • 6 0
 Spend a thousand bucks to let you know how much you suck.
  • 3 0
 Not something I think I need, but I would like to see how much and when pros brake. Would be kind of like the displays you see on televised F1 racing that show what the driver is doing with the pedals.
  • 5 1
 If you need an app to let you know when to hit your brakes you're pretty sad, if you pay 900 for said app you're just a f****** idiot
  • 2 0
 I thought about this years ago and was thinking about it even before shockwiz was a thing. The idea is the same, of the many variables that makes someone faster or slower is braking and suspension setup. Knowing when you're braking in a trail and if you're braking too hard or too little will certainly make someone more mindful of their riding. Combine the data with live sections in strava and compare with other riders will be a cool thing. The price tag is heavy though.
  • 2 0
 Pick a corner, drop into it always from the same spot. Brake at point of yor choice before corner, then release before corner.
Go back to start, brake 1m later than first time.
Repeat until you ride out of corner apex.
Congrats, you reached optimum braking for desired corner. Spend 1K $ elsewhere, donate to my paypal what you can Big Grin
  • 2 0
 Awesome to this come into fruition. I used to follow Matt’s stuff when still living and it’s been a journey.

I always used to worry that I was relying on my back brake too much. An early blog post by Matt explained that using more rear than front was far more common. He had the science to back it up, so I stopped worrying about it and never thought about it again!
  • 5 0
 Video had me intrigued, but that price brakes the bank.
  • 1 0
 @brakeace so your system requires the use of a 20mm larger rotor than the minimum my frame accepts. How would I correlate your outputs given that your system requires me to run in a configuration with more power than I actually ride with? My 21 Meta TR has a minimum 200mm rotor so I'd have to upgrade to 220mm rotors to do testing and get recommendations only to size back down to what I actually ride with.
  • 2 0
 @kleinschuster this shouldn't be a worry as the power will actually not change if you are going the same speed with each rotor size. You'll notice a difference with line pressure/lever force needed if swapping rotor sizes though. If you're not using BrakeAce when you have the smaller rotors, you'll still know your Key Opportunities and where you got faster during your runs with BrakeAce, but you won't be able to compare them directly. Would you just stick with the 220s? Looks like a lot of people using them this year.
  • 5 4
 sure, its overpriced and pretty pointless, but i have no doubt that people will buy it anyway, just like wireless derraileurs that are heavier than cable operated ones, and shockwiz, and ridiculous carbon wheels with digital pressure sensors built into them...
  • 6 2
 “ to get faster without getting fitter”. I thought the entire point of doing a physical activity is to get fitter??
  • 1 0
 E-bikes are a thing Smile
  • 5 0
 Spoiler: you brake too much
  • 3 0
 Now you can see how much you drag your rear brake, and won’t have to wonder why you go through 3 sets of rear pads for every set of front.
  • 1 0
 Yeah, maybe now we'll stop seeing bikes stocked with bigger front rotors Smile
  • 6 1
 April 1st?
  • 4 0
 Anyone else just read "wireless brake" in the title and clicked?
  • 1 1
 I want real wireless braking, keep the front hydro but stuff has gotten reliable enough to fly jets by wire, a rear wireless brake would be amazing. Have it powered by regen so you never need to charge the caliper and just a coin battery in the lever.
  • 5 0
 You would be surprised at how difficult that would be. The motors involved in providing a realistic lever feel would weigh a lot more than the hydraulics you use, and it would be another two products you need to ensure you have recharged before you go for a ride. The haptics involved in aircraft FBW and automotive BBW are quite sophisticated. Counterintuitively, the lighter forces involved with brake levers would be even more difficult to execute properly.

Of course there are upsides like possibly having the brakes locked when not in use, which could add an extra layer of security when you’re out in public places, etc.
  • 4 1
 I do not think this is a good idea because it would justify another overpriced thing brands can try to sell us on. Also its one thing to forget to charge ur wireless dropper and another thing to forget to charge your brakes.
  • 1 0
 @Afterschoolsports: no doubt be obstacles but it be sweet never to worry about routing cables the rear, and you make a good point about feel, that be hard to replicate
  • 1 0
 @WestC0astWanderer: my hope would be self charging through regen. No doubt there be some challenges
  • 1 0
 @bmied31: I’m not saying it’s impossible but in the foreseeable future it’s not going to happen. Maybe 40 years down the trail, but not in our riding lifetime. I suppose a rudimentary system that uses similar hydraulic actuators to the braking cylinders could be possible, but it would be super heavy.

I’ve recently finished development on an UAV control station that has haptic feedback through the controls. Despite the fact there is decades of development in flight simulators, it was still an extremely difficult project to get right, and involved very power hungry servos and actuators.

That said, having no hydraulic lines, and an automatic parking brake would be very cool.
  • 1 0
 I also think most people wouldn’t be too keen on potentially adding any latency into my braking system.
  • 1 0
 @Afterschoolsports: latency can easily be resolved, I think that's the least of the obstacles, but there are plenty of others.
  • 4 1
 Sounds like one of those sharktank pitches that gets absolutely destroyed by all the sharks.
  • 2 0
 I just hope that one day I won't even have to ride my bike to get faster. KOM's from the couch - that is the real dream!
  • 1 0
 Let's face everyone skips over my Gopro footage. Now I just point my hero at my brake lever, reviewing the footage with friends will def make you stop over braking.
  • 3 1
 Guys, remember this moment. We may have reached peak crowd funding with this.
  • 3 0
 800 pounds to tell me I use my chicken switches too often. Sign me up!
  • 3 0
 Snake oil
  • 1 0
 Shimano are working on a device that predicts where the bite point will be in two corners down the tail.
  • 2 0
 Nothing to see - NOT WIRELESS BRAKING!!! False advertisement!
  • 2 0
 Will the app require a paid monthly membership in the future?
  • 1 0
 I dont need some fancy tool to tell me I am squeezing the skid lever too much
  • 1 1
 Bit of advice . Want to go faster? Use your bakes less. Keep your fingers off those levers. I don't need to spend 900$ to figure that out. Most people drag the brakes.
  • 1 0
 And you guys thought the Ibis bike was expensive!!
  • 3 1
 why
  • 2 1
 Because they dare... or... because some dare the ridiculous without noticing that it's ridiculous.
  • 1 0
 I’ll admit, they had me in the first half.
  • 1 2
 I want real wireless braking, keep the front hydro but stuff has gotten reliable enough to fly jets by wire, a rear wireless brake would be amazing.
  • 1 1
 I’m gonna wait for the Vee brake model
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