Hayes launch limited edition Dominion A4 Brake Kit in purple

Daniel Blackham 05/04/2023 Gear

Hayes has launched a limited edition version of its Dominion A4 Brake Kit – the “Purple Hayes”

To celebrate a quarter century of braking performance for mountain biking, Hayes is to produce a limited run of its highest performing brake to date, the Dominion A4, in a colourway that recalls one of the brand’s best-known models.

The original Purple Hayes, launched in 2000, was a success as much for the loud colour as for the zinc construction.

While the purple colourway wasn’t seen on the professional circuit, the same 2-piece zinc DH master cylinder bodies were on the top teams of the time (Specialized-Mountain Dew, Volvo-Cannondale, Trek Volkswagen, Tomac Racing, Maxxis, Foes, Fisher, Be-One Racing, Haro, Mongoose and several others) in the stock colour, Champagne, with purple logos.

Eventually this same brake garnered such attention that a version was made available to the public, in a purple anodisation, a play off of the purple Hayes logo on the team version.

The limited edition 2023 Purple Hayes A4 Brake Kits is a way for the brand to commemorate its impact in more than a 25-year history in the cycling world.

As one of the first brands to introduce hydraulic braking systems, Hayes has helped to develop standards around performance, rotor sizes, mounting hardware, mounting dimensions, open systems, fixed caliper, radial mount and slotted adjustments among others.

Parallel to developing the standards, Hayes worked with OEMS to integrate and with suspension manufacturers to set testing standards.

Innovations followed, some setting standards, others at proprietary technology that would dictate what a hydraulic disc brake and how an advanced one should look and operate.

Quantities of the Purple Hayes Dominion A4 Brake Kit, retailing at $249.99, are a limited release although an exact quantity has not been confirmed.

Read more: A long way to go – Women in the bike industry share their experiences

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