Keeping your bike as light as possible is a huge priority for cross country racers, but as race courses continue to get rougher and more challenging, it's important to have plenty of stopping power so you can brake later and with more control. SRAM kept these things in mind when designing their new Level Ultimate Disc Brake, packing as much stopping power as possible into an even lighter package than the previous version. The Level Ultimates are the flagship XC brake in SRAM's lineup, featuring a 2-piston caliper and trimmed down lever that saves as much weight as possible compared to the trail and enduro-ready Guide G2 brake. Changes on the new Level Ultimate start with a new 2-piece caliper that aims to provide excellent heat management and smoother piston actuation, while at the same time reducing weight compared to the previous 1-piece design. The lever body has also been trimmed down to shed some grams, but retains the carbon fiber lever blade and still pivots on bearings for a crisp lever feel and reduced hand fatigue. The lever also features tooled reach adjustment, as well as Direct Link action for a positive lever feel. The easy-to-use hinged lever clamp remains the same, as does the seamless Bleeding Edge port on the caliper which makes brake bleeds simpler than virtually any other brake on the market. Titanium hardware is used throughout as a further nod to weight savings. The Level Ultimate also features the same heat-dissipating technology as the Guide brakes, most notably the stainless steel Heat Shields and the improved heat management of SRAM's DOT 5. 1 hydraulic fluid. SRAM claims that the latest generation of DOT resists boiling for three times longer than its predecessor, DOT 4, and the Heat Shield inserts serve as a firewall to separate the brake pads from the calipers so that less heat overall makes it into the fluid system.