HEL Performance Advocate Brakes: Moto-Inspired Power for MTB
HEL Performance is storming the MTB scene with their Advocate brakes, bringing 30 years of superbike engineering to the trail they seem to be making their mark quickly.
I’ve spent 20 days thrashing these Advocates on my Titonatron and Gamux Sego without real issue. HEL’s moto DNA—forged aluminum, titanium hardware, Kevlar-braided hoses—delivers the most razor-sharp bite I’ve ever felt. If you’re like me, a modulation junkie hooked on Hope Tech4s, these are more solid than svelte. But for riders craving instant power, these could be for you.
The CNC’d but almost organic shape? Total marmite—riders either seemed to love the futuristic vibe or some found it too weird.
HEL’s so new to MTB they weren’t shipping rotors when I got these. I paired them with my custom AstonMTB rotors (Brakestuff-made, 2.3mm thick x 203mm front/180mm rear). The 'Vapour Grey" anodised finish matched my Titonatron and Segos’ vibe.
At £699 for the complete brake (excluding rotors), these fully UK made brakes are lining themselves straight up against my current favourites, the Hope Tech4 V4s which cost £500 for a pair (excluding rotors).
Details & Specs
Caliper: 4-piston (17/15mm), forged CNC body. Free-flow 2-piece design for even pressure and heat regulation.
Hoses: Kevlar-braided stainless.
Rotors: Custom AstonMTB/Brakestuff (203mm front, 180mm rear, 2.3mm thick)—HEL’s rotors weren’t available.
Pads: Gorilla Black Resin; switched to Green Factory Racing compound.
Fluid: DOT 5.1 only.
Weight: 285g/caliper, ~150g/rotor—~1.1kg total.
Price: £699 (calipers/hoses/pads, GBP via HEL)
Colors: 7 colours / Vapour Grey tested.
Warranty: 2 years; UK-made, lifetime hose service.
Setup & Install
Unlike every brake I’ve ever tested (pre-bled and connected), HEL ships these dry and in pieces: calipers, levers, hoses, Gorilla pads, fittings, bleed block, titanium bolts (Hel use all standard Allen key bolts, no Torx in sight). This initially looked like a faff, but it was a win in reality—bolt on caliper and lever, then join the dots without wrestling hoses, fill with DOT 5.1, and bleed. Bleeding’s easy, but took three tries for perfection. First two bleeds felt spot-on in the garage, but on trail revealed a shifting bite point. Third bleed? Flawless for months. Tip: Bleed multiple times even if they feel good in the garage.
Hels’ main business seems to be high quality hoses and connections in the moto world, and they bought this expertise to the Advocate. The connections are awesome quality, everything is re-usable and deep insertions make them bombproof. This quality extends to the entire brake system.
On the Trail
I thrashed these over 20 days—a mix of lift-accessed descents and pedal-heavy grinds—on Italian tech and alpine downs.
Power & Modulation: They have great power with the sharpest, most solid bite I’ve felt on any brake. They are ‘anti-modulation’ with the firm bite point. I'm a 'more modulation is better guy' as for my style I can control the grip better, I also felt like these were making my fingers more tired as the range of motion was very low
For riders who like a very short lever throw like me, the Advocate's hit the pad contact very early.
Climbing: Not normally a segment in a brake review, but there was one tiny annoyance: On long, slow climbs, the lever rattled slightly when not covered. Touch the lever, and it’s silent—minor, but noticeable.
Descending: The Gorilla Black Resin pads I started out with got melty on extended downhill runs and faded. I swapped to Green Factory Racing compound and they were awesome. Zero fade, crisp bite, and they held strong for 18 days of riding. After a aforementioned multiple bleeds, there was no bite point change even on some super long alpine runs, maybe this is thanks to the Hels' 'Free-Flow caliper's system for even pressure and heat management?
Verdict
They are definitely different, if you’re an enduro/DH rider craving instant and sharp power and minimal lever throw, I advocate the Advocates. Modulation lovers like me? Stick with Hope T4. Build quality, finish, power and consistency is awesome.
Hel have their work cut out entering such a crowded market place, but they are of to a good start.