SRAM G2 RSC Brakes: 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. 

Released earlier this year, the SRAM G2 RSC brake has improved upon an already winning formula. Although they are not quite as powerful as the Codes, they still get the job done. Our customer Philip picked up a pair and is stoked on them. Check it out!

Overview

I recently decided to build up a brand-new Yeti SB130 frame and I was contemplating throwing an older set of brakes on it from a previous bike. But right as I was about to order new brake hose for said brakes- Alas: the SRAM G2 RSC brake was released, the trigger (lever?) was pulled, excuses were made to my wife, etc... I grabbed a set of new SRAM Centerline 2-Piece 6-bolt 180mm rotors and sintered metal pads to complete the set. The stock pads are of the new power organic variety, but I never bothered to use them as I have exclusively run metallic pads for the last 10 years with no complaints.

Installation

Installation was pretty straightforward. I've never had an issue with kinked brake lines before, but the new finish of the hoses is extra supple and resistant to this sort of thing so good on SRAM for this. Bleeding was also pretty uneventful as expected for fresh out of the box brakes and using the SRAM bleed kit. Setup was also pretty standard, I used the matchmaker system for both my OneUp dropper lever and GX Eagle shifter. The pad contact point adjustment blew my mind, as it lets you make your brakes as grabby or touchy as you like. I run mine as far in as possible and found that I notice little difference between these and several sets of Shimano XT brakes I've run in previous years in terms of bite.

Riding Impressions

I've used these brakes now for nearly 2 months, with ~4 rides/week. I live in Marin county where things rarely get too steep and gnarly for an extended period of time, but they feel much more solid than previous Guide and XT brakes I've had. Braking power doesn't seem to wander as much as other brakes I've used and these brakes just feel very precise. I've used them on one trip to Oakridge, OR consisting of several 2+ hour descents and found them to perform extremely well in terms of fade-resistance and holding up in high-speed, muddy conditions. The only thing that I've noticed is that my rear pads seem to have discolored a tiny bit, though this has not impacted performance in any way.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I would say they are definitely an upgrade over the previous SRAM Guide lineup and are worth the tiny bit of extra cash.