When SRAM rolled out the Guide R, RS and RSC brakes back in the spring of 2014, expectations were fairly low and the sniping was plenty high. But here’s the thing. Several of us editors at Bike rode that brake for a year and were impressed. It wasn’t a good brake. It was a damn good brake. Even the Avid haters amongst us had to admit—SRAM had done something—a lot of things—right. But what, in fact, had they done? What was the story with Guide?