SRAM Level TLM Disc Brake

We have some bad news. You may want to be sure you're seated for this. SRAM is effectively retiring its XO brake models. This saddens us because they've been like a good friend at the bar for so long, stopping us when maybe we've gone a bit further than we should however, the bright side is that the X01 brake is being replaced with the new Level TLM Disc Brake. The Level TLM recreates the upgrades field tested on the enduro specific Guide RSC brakes in a low weight platform designed for XC use. Compared to the Guide RSC, the Level TLM shaves a claimed 25g by cutting the pistons from four to two and replacing the tool free reach adjust with a design that saves weight but does require tool intervention. The discerning weight watcher will notice that, despite these savings over its Guide equivalent, the Level TLM gains a claimed 46g in weight over the X01 brake it's essentially replacing however, we contend that it's worth it for the Level's functional improvements. Instead of the two part body used for the X01 brake and almost every other member of the newly minted Level family, the Level TLM houses its pair of 21mm pistons in a forged, single piece caliper for net gains in stiffness and braking consistency. The TLM model does make some material concessions to the top end Level Ultimate. Instead of titanium hardware, the TLM features redoubtable steel instead of the carbon lever used on the Ultimate and Xo1 models, the TLM rocks alloy. The only other difference between the TLM and the Ultimate is that the former substitutes a bushing instead of bearings to govern the lever action. The Level design features a host of improvements over the occasionally disappointing Avid Elixir. Among these is the notoriously finicky bleeding of the Elixir, and the Bleeding Edge redesign we first saw in the Guide brake line carries over to the Level. Bleeding Edge involves a complete re imagination of the port and fluid path. It requires a specific adapter, but that adapter ens...