Hine-R brake caliper

The Journey of HINE-R: Rethinking the Stop

For a long time at Gorilla Brakes, our focus was entirely on the point of contact the pads that bring a rider to a Stop.

However, after several months of discussions and late-night talks, we decided it was time to move beyond just the pads.

Our goal shifted to building a complete hydraulic braking system from the ground up, designed and manufactured right here in Lancashire UK.

The Core Mission: Maintenance and the YAS System

Most brakes are designed for power first, with maintenance treated as an after thought. We chose to flip that script.

The HINE-R project is built around our proprietary Y-Axis Air System, or YAS.

The caliper galleries are specifically engineered to eliminate air pockets, ensuring that the bleed procedure is simple and effective. We want a system where maintenance is a quick job rather than a stressful experience.

Engineering for Precision and Custom Feel

We are currently deep in the testing phase, focusing on the fine mechanics of the system. This involves a deep dive into piston retraction and lever feel. Some of the technical details we are currently refining include:

  • Four-piston architecture featuring 16mm pistons.
  • A hybrid material approach using stainless steel pistons and titanium hardware.
  • Advanced seal groove geometry designed to achieve 0.2mm to 0.2.5 of consistent piston retraction.
  • A move toward using 7075 aluminum for the best balance of stiffness and durability.
Gorilla Brakes Hine-R brake caliper the willfred studi shot


The Testing Rig: Building the Machines to Break It

Before these brakes reach a customer, we want to ensure they can survive the most brutal conditions. We have begun building our own custom testing equipment, including a lathe-based rig to measure thermal fade, braking force, and hydraulic pressure. Our philosophy is simple: before we release anything, we build the equipment to break it.

Looking Toward April 2027

The results from our initial real-world testing in places like the Lake District, Grizedale steep tech have been fantastic. While we are still refining the retraction , the power and consistency are already where we want them to be. We are now finalising the designs for the Wilfred caliper and the Albert lever names that carry a personal legacy for us.

We are aiming for a full launch in April 2027, following official ISO and TUV safety testing. We plan to update this journey blog weekly to share our progress and our data as we head toward production.

If you have any questions about the YAS system or our UK manufacturing process, please feel free to ask. We want the riding community to be part of this journey with us.

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