HINE-R Wilfred Brake Development Update
Development of the HINE-R Wilfred mountain bike brake system has moved into an exciting new phase, with our second production run now being tested by a growing group of riders across the UK and in the Alps.
What began as an ambitious engineering project is now becoming a complete braking system made up of the HINE-R Wilfred caliper, HINE-R brake rotor and HINE-R Kevlar brake hose.
We have made several refinements following the first production run, and the latest brakes are now being used in genuine trail conditions rather than only being tested in a workshop.
Some of our testers will be riding the brakes in the Alps throughout the summer. If you are heading out there, you may come across a set of HINE-R brakes being put through its paces on long, steep and demanding mountain descents.
Real-World Testing of the HINE-R Wilfred Brake System
Laboratory measurements and workshop testing are important, but mountain bike brakes also need to perform consistently in the conditions riders actually experience.
That means rough trails, repeated braking, changing temperatures, long descents, dust, mud and the sustained heat generated during alpine riding.
We now have multiple test riders using the second production version of the Wilfred brake system. This gives us a much broader range of feedback on braking power, modulation, lever feel, heat management, piston movement and long-term consistency.
The Alps will provide one of the most valuable tests so far. Long mountain descents place considerably more thermal load on a brake system than shorter UK trails, making them an ideal environment for evaluating the caliper, rotor, hose and brake pad as one complete system.
Improvements to the Second Production Run
Feedback and testing from the first production version allowed us to identify several areas where the internal design could be refined.
For the second production run, we have made adjustments to the piston retraction. Correct piston retraction is important because the pistons need to move smoothly towards the rotor during braking and then retract consistently when the lever is released.
This helps maintain the correct pad clearance, reduces unnecessary brake drag and supports a consistent lever feel.
We have also widened the internal fluid-transfer channels within the caliper. These channels allow brake fluid to move between the two caliper halves and around the hydraulic system.
The wider internal channels are intended to improve fluid movement, make the system easier to bleed and support more consistent piston operation throughout the caliper.
Piston Seals Performing Successfully from the Beginning
One part of the Wilfred caliper that has performed extremely well from the beginning is the piston seal design.
The seals have provided the movement, sealing performance and piston control we were aiming for from the first production run. This gave us a strong foundation from which to refine the rest of the caliper.
Piston seals play a major role in hydraulic brake performance. They do more than simply prevent fluid from escaping. Their shape and movement also help control piston advancement and retraction as the brake lever is applied and released.
Getting this part of the design right was essential, particularly because of our plan to make the Wilfred brake system compatible with more than one type of brake fluid.
Titanium and Stainless-Steel Piston Options
We plan to offer the HINE-R Wilfred caliper with a choice of titanium or stainless-steel pistons.
This will allow riders to select the specification that best suits their requirements and budget.
Titanium provides an attractive combination of low weight, strength and corrosion resistance, while stainless steel offers excellent durability and a more cost-effective option.
Rather than building a brake with only one fixed specification, we want the Wilfred platform to offer meaningful component choices that can be maintained and upgraded over time.
Titanium Caliper Hardware and Banjo Bolts
All major caliper hardware is also planned to be manufactured from titanium, including the caliper bolts and banjo bolts.
Titanium offers excellent strength, low weight and high corrosion resistance, making it well suited to a premium mountain bike braking system that will regularly be exposed to water, mud, cleaning products and changing weather conditions.
The aim is not simply to add titanium for appearance. Each material and component choice is being considered as part of the complete brake system, with serviceability, durability and long-term ownership in mind.
New HINE-R Kevlar Brake Hoses Now in Production
Our new HINE-R Kevlar brake hoses have now entered full production.
These hoses have been developed for use with the HINE-R Wilfred brake system, but they are also being made available for compatible Shimano and SRAM hydraulic brakes.
The reinforced hose construction is designed to provide a firm and controlled lever feel by limiting unwanted expansion under hydraulic pressure.
A hydraulic brake hose needs to remain flexible enough to route around the frame while resisting expansion when the brake lever is pulled. Excessive hose expansion can contribute to a softer or less defined lever feel because some of the hydraulic pressure is absorbed by the hose rather than being transferred directly to the caliper pistons.
The HINE-R Kevlar hose is another important part of our goal to develop a complete braking system rather than focusing only on the caliper.
Developing a Brake for DOT Fluid and Mineral Oil
One of the most ambitious parts of the Wilfred project is our plan to make the brake system configurable for use with either DOT brake fluid or mineral oil.
Most hydraulic mountain bike brakes are designed around one fluid type. Shimano systems generally use mineral oil, while many SRAM systems use DOT fluid. The seals, hoses and internal components must all be compatible with the selected fluid.
Our plan is for each Wilfred brake set to be supplied with the appropriate seal options so that the customer can configure the brake for the fluid they prefer.
This does not mean DOT fluid and mineral oil can be mixed or changed without rebuilding and thoroughly cleaning the system. The brake would need to be assembled with the correct compatible seals and components for the chosen fluid.
However, building this flexibility into the core platform means riders would not be permanently locked into one fluid type.
To our knowledge, this would make the Wilfred one of the first performance mountain bike brake platforms designed from the outset to give customers a genuine choice between DOT fluid and mineral oil.
Why Offer a Choice of Brake Fluid?
Riders, mechanics and workshops often have strong preferences regarding hydraulic brake fluid.
Some prefer mineral oil because it is easier to handle and is commonly used across Shimano brake systems. Others prefer DOT fluid because of its established use in high-performance hydraulic applications and compatibility with many SRAM braking systems.
Allowing the Wilfred brake to be configured for either fluid gives customers greater freedom and may also make the brake easier to integrate into an existing workshop setup.
A rider already maintaining several Shimano brakes may prefer the mineral-oil configuration, while someone accustomed to SRAM brakes may choose DOT fluid.
The important point is that the fluid configuration must always use the correct seals, hose components and assembly process. The two fluids must never be mixed within the same system.
Testing the New HINE-R Brake Rotor
The Wilfred caliper is currently being tested alongside our new HINE-R brake rotor.
A brake caliper cannot be properly evaluated in isolation. Rotor design, pad compound, hydraulic pressure, piston movement and caliper stiffness all influence how the brake performs.
Our rotor testing is focused on several key areas:
- Braking power and initial bite
- Modulation and control
- Heat management during sustained braking
- Consistency on long descents
- Pad contact and transfer-layer development
- Resistance to vibration and brake noise
- Rotor stiffness and long-term durability
Testing the HINE-R rotor with the Wilfred caliper allows us to evaluate how the components interact as one system and make adjustments where necessary.
Building a Serviceable and Future-Proof Brake
From the beginning, the HINE-R project has been about more than producing another mountain bike brake.
We want to create a system that is serviceable, adaptable and future-proof.
That means replaceable internal components, a choice of piston materials, configurable fluid compatibility, high-quality hardware and parts that can be maintained rather than treating the complete brake as disposable.
The ability to choose between titanium and stainless-steel pistons, DOT fluid and mineral oil, along with access to replacement hoses, seals and hardware, is central to that approach.
We are not trying to rush the brake into full production before it is ready. Every production run and testing stage gives us more information and allows us to refine the design.
From UK Trails to Alpine Descents
Having a growing number of riders testing the Wilfred brakes is an important milestone.
Different riders place different demands on their brakes. Riding style, rider weight, bike weight, rotor size, tyre grip, terrain and brake pad compound can all influence the way a braking system performs.
By testing the brakes with multiple riders across different trails, we can gather a much wider range of feedback than we could from a single bike or test location.
The riders using the brakes in the Alps this summer will provide particularly useful information about heat build-up, lever consistency and braking performance over repeated long descents.
So, if you are riding in the Alps this summer, keep an eye out. You may see the HINE-R Wilfred caliper, HINE-R rotor and Kevlar hose being tested on the trails.
What Comes Next for the HINE-R Wilfred?
There is still more testing, data collection and refinement to complete before the Wilfred brake system is ready for wider release.
The feedback from our current testers will help guide the next production changes and confirm which component specifications will move forward.
Our current development priorities include:
- Continued testing of piston retraction and pad clearance
- Evaluation of the wider internal transfer channels
- Long-term testing of piston and seal durability
- Alpine heat-management and consistency testing
- Further development of DOT and mineral-oil configurations
- Testing titanium and stainless-steel piston options
- Finalising titanium hardware and banjo bolts
- Ongoing development of the HINE-R rotor and Kevlar hose
It has been a long and technically demanding project, but seeing complete HINE-R braking systems being used on real trails is a major step forward.
HINE-R Wilfred caliper. HINE-R rotor. HINE-R Kevlar hose.
Designed, developed and tested in the UK—and now being tested in the Alps.