XTR Brakes

Paul 8v

I've recently bought some XTR Levers and I'm just about to order the calipers, only thing is the guy in the LBS tells me they're rubbish, is he right? Can't remember the last time I heard XTR described as rubbish?
Cheers

paul

joshtp

well, they are light, look good, and probably have decent power, they may may not be bombproof, and may not be the most powerful, but they arnt likely to be rubbish.....
i often find that lbs's only sell/recomend what the owner personaly likes, I.E my LBS wont sell certain brands cuz the owner doesnt like them, even if they are the best, like he insists on Sram casstes despite the fact they are widely regarded as inferior, and more expensive than shimano.....

Paul 8v

Fair enough, as long as I haven't made some horrible mistake, to be fair as long as they work I don't mind, my last XC bike had V Brakes which were positively scarey in the wet the other day, poor old things on it's last legs!
I used the LX brakes on my missus bike and they're amazing compared to them!

nicklouse

ask him why they are rubbish.

it will be interesting to hear his reasons.

bomberesque

I have XTR brakes on my XC bike and they're great for that. not sure I'd put them on a big heavy FR/DH bike, but that's probably more to do with the look than anything (they "look" lightweight)

That said, I've been looking to replace the front caliper (because I changed the fork and the new mount is different) and I discovered that the XT calliper seems to be almost identical to the XTR one only half the price. Even the weight is only 12gr difference iirc. Have a look on CRC.

Paul 8v

he said it's because they use mineral oil and they aren't so easy to bleed. also they are a bit dear, which is fair enough but they are top of the range

bomberesque

They are probably overpriced (but what top of range kit isn't?)

your missus' LX brakes are mineral oil ... are they rubbish?

joshtp

nothing wrong with mineral oil, its very good infact, its got a slightly lower boiling point than dot, but its nothing to worry about unless you are going to the alps, even then, the sait brake manages with mineral, they arnt a pain to bleed, they are similar to Hope, I.E very easy, he prob doesnt like them cuz you only need a piece of hose to bleed them which means your less likely to take them to his shop for them to be bled, unlike something like avids....

Paul 8v

Lol, fair enough, i really like the feel of the LX brakes (they are an old design but I got them for £45 new) and he was saying about a spongey feeling with mineral oil, I found it was OK as it gave a degree of modulation rather then ON/OFF. If the XT calipers are nearly the same weight it makes me wonder if I could actually go for SLX calipers as it said in MBUK this week they are more powerfull than the XT or is that more down to the levers than the calipers?

joshtp

i think the extra power of the slx's is prob down to the levers, but hey, worth a go, much cheaper too!

Paul 8v

Just got some XTR-M965 calipers, I know they're a bit older but they weren't that much and they were brand new

The Spiderman

I have a pair of 3 year old M765 XT brakes.Very similar.In fact calipers are almost the same.

Easy to service,boringly reliable.Like other Shimano stuff,they "just work".

Paul 8v

That's good to know, that's why I'm not tempted by sram, always used shimano, fit it and forget it, taken 12 years for my stx shifters to break and I've never even touched them with regards to maintenanance, only new cable inners!

DamonC

My Giant has XTR except for the brakes (Hayes Stroker) and I fancy changing them.

XTR would be a nice way to finish the bike. I thought them a tad expensive at £200+ an end, but they compare pricewise to the Formula brakes.

Have to save I am really impressed with the rest of the XTR kit and I can't imagine Shimano failing at the brakes.

supersonic

Sunds like the man in your bike shop is a tit. To put it bluntly.

Paul 8v

Lol! Well I say local it's the one near where I work, I've got Chelmer cycles and Danbury Cycles near where I live, they're both pretty good to be fair, this was a new "local" one, think I'll stick to chelmer and danbury then.

loltoride

That the thing about some bike shops a lot of the time they just tell you there personally preferences but to say XTR Brakes are rubbish - I personally would start using another bike shop as there information cannot be trusted at all.

I have used XTR equipment for a number of years and have tried almost everything Formula, Avid, Hope & Hayes, the durability, maintenance, power & style win for me every time with XTR. They may be slightly expensive but well priced for other high end products ie sram xx etc.

daveb

Does he sell XTR? In my experience XTR brakes while expensive are a very good and reliable piece of kit.

Paul 8v

No, all started when I asked if they could get th calipers in as I allready had the levers, he said to sell the levers and buy something else as they weren't all that...

The Spiderman

Armstrong and miller mode on "Kill him!" Armstrong and Miller mode off.

Andy B

Paul 8v wrote:

No, all started when I asked if they could get th calipers in as I allready had the levers, he said to sell the levers and buy something else as they weren't all that...

in other words he wanted to sell you something else that he had in stock & couldn't be bothered ordering the parts you wanted



...probably...

biff55

if a shop-owner told me to sell perfectly good parts i already had just to buy something
he was selling , well....
the words off and f*ck spring to mind.
hardly impartial and sensible advice is it ?

Dick Scruttock

You might want to keep a eye on these?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Pair-XTR-Disc-Cal ... 3a56d0bec6

bigboned

am i wrong but it looks like crc have em up at 85 to 135 an end?
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=16944