Value For Money Disc/DisK Brakes...

Levi_501

I am looking for a set of brakes for my other half’s bike.

From reading a few threads, is it the general consensus that the latest generation of Shimano brakes are pretty much as good as you can get “bang for buck” wise, esp. the SLX and XT versions?

Lastly, what are they like to bleed? The lovely and easy bleed screw type or the cra ppy two syringe method of chasing (adding more) bubbles?

Thanks in advance

bennett_346

Shimano aren't syringe bleed as far as im aware. Although double syringe bleeding isn't any harder.

thelonegroover

What sort of brakes are on the bike now?

EH_Rob

The Deores are also good. And even the Shimano M445s which came with my bike were pretty good. If you don't want to spend that much you can buy mine, as I upgraded to XT the other week - which are miles better in fairness, but miles more expensive (and a bit heavier!).

NickintheLakes

Last week I tested 4 bikes and between them they had XT, SLX and Deore (596) brakes.

Tbh I could not tell the difference between them and for my use of road/light trail I would be happy with any of them.

They all stopped the same, they all felt the same with a nice on/off action and they all had what to me is a strange stubby lever (old school rider here - levers used to be twice as long as these).

Interestingly not one of these brakes had any disc rub whereas a couple of bikes in the shop with Formula and Avids had disc rub. Maybe a co-incidence - I am no expert.

The Deore don't have ice-tech so I guess the SLX/XT would be better re heat dissipation although how much this matters I don't know. A long while back I descended Wrynose Pass here in the Lakes with some ancient Hopes and they were just fine.

b45her

get some second hand hopes ,they bleed the good old fasioned way , i hate all this seringe shit too .

felix.london

You can bleed Shimano brakes with a straw (I used the outer jacket of some telephone cable), a plastic bag and an elastic band..literally.

If you're on a budget the Deore's are great. My '06 M525's are still going strong and I'm pretty sure they weren't designed with Alpine downhill descents in mind. Will be upgrading to XT's (£125 delivered) in a couple of weeks as my Snap build is lacking brakes at the moment. SLX's won group test in one of the magazines a few weeks back too. Can't go wrong with any of them I reckon

Levi_501

Thelonegroover wrote:

What sort of brakes are on the bike now?

IIRC, Kooka cable brakes; they are the ones which moves both pads rather than letting the disc bend.

b45her wrote:

i hate all this seringe shoot too .

Tell me about it

Thanks for the respones, thinking will likly go for the SLX ones, our friends in Ireland have F&R for 155

stevieboy308

having had enough of the elixirs, i've just ordered xt's from tweeks for about £165 delivered

bennett_346

I bled elixirs for the first time two days ago and no problems at all. Just followed the instructions and was done in 15 minutes. Syringes aren't rocket science, you just push or pull when it says to.

stevieboy308

bennett_346 wrote:

I bled elixirs for the first time two days ago and no problems at all. Just followed the instructions and was done in 15 minutes. Syringes aren't rocket science, you just push or pull when it says to.

i fully grasp how to bleed brakes. but they are just shit, fact!

supersonic

Elixirs are a good brake - when bled properly...

Cheap and light, and don't mind waiting for delivery:

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/hygiy-alum ... 028?item=2

YeehaaMcgee

NickintheLakes wrote:

Interestingly not one of these brakes had any disc rub whereas a couple of bikes in the shop with Formula and Avids had disc rub.

Shimano brakes generally have more clearance. The lever is designed to move the pads less and less and less, along the lever travel, so it starts off by moving the pads to touch the disc, then increases the effective leverage to increase the braking force.

(Yes, Sonic - there's that misuse of "force" again )

bennett_346

stevieboy308 wrote:

bennett_346 wrote:

I bled elixirs for the first time two days ago and no problems at all. Just followed the instructions and was done in 15 minutes. Syringes aren't rocket science, you just push or pull when it says to.

i fully grasp how to bleed brakes. but they are just shoot, fact!

Well they didn't let me down when it really mattered today, fact!

DodgeT

I got my 665's off an ebay seller for 115 inc discs, just had to swap the levers/hoses. 2 min job and excellent brakes. Might be cheaper elsewhere now, but at the time was best price I could find.

monkey_man_1

i just changed my juicy 3 front brake to m785 xt and the difference is amazing! i have almost to much braking force avaiable as i found out locking up the front at the end of a fast downhill section lol. i kept the same disc but for the lever, hose and caliper was £63 delivered from rose, bargain!