Weight difference for SLX M675 vs XT M785 Shimano Brakes

coursemyhorse

I cannot find these weights published in any Shimano Documentation or websites.
I have found random threads on the internet where there are pictures of them on scales, but the models are often not published and they also vary based on whether the hoses have been cut/finned pads etc. I want to know definitively what the difference is. Does anyone know?
Posts stating that the difference is marginal is not what I am after. I want to make a purchase decision and one of the factors is weight, but I want to be able to decide if the extra for XT is worth it, only I do not have any reliable weights.

I have seen forum posts suggesting SLX is both 288g and 304g per caliper with hose and lever attached.
I have seen someone do the same for XT stating both 304g, 282g, 285g.
I know there may be some difference based on hose length.

Does anyone know?

Thanks

supersonic

As hose varies in length, so does the weight. As far as I am aware the caliper and lever/body of XT is around 20g lighter.

bernie1973

According to the WMB test the weights are 485g vs 466g.

The Rookie

Which is very heavy, so I suspect includes Discs which may be a different weight...

On Sicklines they weighed out the same!

cooldad

Buy them both, weigh them, and return the ones you don't want if it's that crucial.

coursemyhorse

See what I mean, nobody appears to know. 485g vs 466g as said above is probably including discs, but what discs? XT Ice-Techs vs SLX Ice-Techs? The biggest claimed difference I have seen posted has been 282g for XT caliper/hose/lever vs 304g for SLX. That's still under 8%. Price difference where I am buying is much more than 8% difference. Depends if I get the ones with finned pads (heatsinks on the pads). I wonder if they are worth the extra. £18 or £27 for ONE set of pads depending on material. So potential for over £50 for a front and rear pad change. Hmm.

I also have read of people saying the XT adjustment is not worth paying extra for as it "does nothing" etc.

Is the only other difference that the XT have the Chromed out reservoir covers? Or do SLX get that too? I don't like the chrome. In fact, I find it a bit strange that selecting the "black" coloured brakes still has silver reservoir covers regardless.

coursemyhorse

cooldad wrote:

Buy them both, weigh them, and return the ones you don't want if it's that crucial.

It's not crucial I just want to know the weights so I can justify my spenditure. I'm only trying to find specs since weight is one of the primiary selling points for buying XT over SLX/Deore. My money, so I'd like to know the weights. Why is it so hard for manufacturers to publish them. The only thing more annoying is when they DO publish them...wrong. Like Schwalbe tyre weights.

mcnultycop

If weight is related to justifying your "spenditure" get some Magura MT2 or 4s.

Greer_

Who do you need to justify it to?! If you want it, buy it!

coursemyhorse

I don't understand some of the responses here. Have I offended some of you asking the question? Do you feel it a stupid question?

Yacoby

coursemyhorse wrote:

I also have read of people saying the XT adjustment is not worth paying extra for as it "does nothing" etc.

From what I can tell it isn't that hard a job to add bite point adjust to SLX if that turns out to be a concern?

supersonic

coursemyhorse wrote:

I don't understand some of the responses here. Have I offended some of you asking the question? Do you feel it a stupid question?

It is not, but the values will vary, even if just manufacturing tolerances. There is no doubt they are close - and XT has extra adjustment. it is, on average, slightly heavier.

I echo above comments, if you want ligth weight at a good price then Magure MT2/4.

The Rookie

Instead of asking, why not look?

http://www.sicklines.com/weights/discbrakes/

The Spiderman

Buy SLX without rotors then buy KCNC razor or similar rotors.
You'll save much more in weight on the rotors than you will on the rest.

felix.london

mcnultycop wrote:

If weight is related to justifying your "spenditure" get some Magura MT2 or 4s.

+1

coursemyhorse

Thanks all. Will look into the Magura MT2 or 4's. Never heard of them so will check out reviews. I want fit and forget brakes that work reliably with minimal maintenance as a primary concern.

DodgeT

Copy of my post in a similar thread.

I've got SLX's on the session and they are just brilliant. Bedded them in at Antur Stiniog on sunday and there's lots of power there. No sign of fade whatsoever. From top to bottom there's just so much power available with single finger braking.
Re weight, t'is a bit of a myth according to the photo's I found on mtbr (or similar). They have XT 785's and SLX 675's and the weight is the same.

here you go

xt


slx

Chunkers1980

Can't see if the slx has finned pads or not. Don't know about hose length either.

DodgeT

You can see the finned pads on the SLX, caliper is upside down.
I'm guessing that theyre fresh out the box, so should be same length hoses. Look similar dia bundles and same amount of coils. Near enough for me.

coursemyhorse

Thanks, yes, that's the same picture I saw on some forums. The Maguras recommended above I see are not as popular. Well, at least I see much less information posted about them. Not that this means they are bad/good. Just saying. So many people seem to be happy with the latest Shimano offering (myself included having tried a friend's bike) that I think I may give the SLX with non finned pads ago. £120 from Germany.

DodgeT

Cant go wrong with them IMO, I have the 675's on both my Enduro and my Session and they are great.
No finned pads either.

coursemyhorse

Where is a good place to buy those KCNC Light weight discs mentioned earlier? Or an equivalent light set of discs 180/160? Cheers.

DodgeT

Depending on what your doing, XC / AM etc, you could always consider going down a size with these brakes.
My Enduro has 200mm fr / 180mm r and i'm thinking that they would be fine with 180mm fr and 160 rear and would shave a bit of weight at the same time.
Just a thought....
Superstar do some fairly light discs for not too much money.

The Rookie

Alligator discs (ebay) and light and so far I've not had to replace any (I run 3, 2 on the commuter, one on the MTB rear with a slightly heavier Hayes up front).

njee20

Like Schwalbe tyre weights

Had at least 15 pairs of Evo tyres, all of which have been pretty damn close, if not slightly under. Which have you found to be wrong?

Where is a good place to buy those KCNC Light weight discs mentioned earlier?

XCRacer do them, get some alu bolts for the levers while you're at it, saves a bit more.

coursemyhorse

njee20 wrote:

Had at least 15 pairs of Evo tyres, all of which have been pretty damn close, if not slightly under. Which have you found to be wrong?

Schwalbe Racing Ralph quoted as 550g on bike-discount.de and every other website including Schwalbe's own one. This is the new 4 way Gatestar compound with snakeskin. I weighed on the other day at 610g. Personally if it's anything more than 10-20g over stated weight, I find that annoying, and frankly a lie. The manufacturers should at least over state the weights, not under state. How hard is it to weigh something accurately when your a million pound worldwide tyre outfit? I'm aware during manufacturing they cannot always keep it constantly accurate, but you would think they could get pretty darn close.
Yes, the above was only 60g over, but what if I chose that tyre because it was 60g lighter than tyre X? It becomes a waste of any extra cash I paid for it.

coursemyhorse

Thanks for the advice above on brakes. I decided to get SLX and just the normal SLX rotors/discs. I couldn't be doing with Ice Tech at £25/£30, when I can get SLX RT66 for £12/£15. I also think going too light on the discs may be asking for trouble so I compromised. The RT66 are quite good value at that price being genuine Shimano and at only 115g/139g (160mm/180mm) they are lighter than my current Avid discs they are replacing.
I got the full SLX kit from rose for £113 - £10 voucher (potentially 2 x vouchers if they allow it) which would bring it down to under a ton.

EDIT: Can someone tell me what I need to buy to bleed them. It's confusing because I see people selling "kits" without the yellow thing, and sometimes with just a bottle of mineral oil but no syringe. What do I need including everything, to bleed and service them. Thanks

The Rookie

Maybe it's your scales?
Still on packaging?
Schwalbe don't quote a weight for Gatestar so maybe BD.de got it wrong?

To bleed you need the funnel, syringe (with tube) and mineral oil - all on the shimano techdocs pages.

Greer_

you don't actually need the funnel http://www.epicbleedsolutions.com/produ ... plete-kit/ you need the 2012 on - I used this bleed kit for my deores, dead easy.

coursemyhorse

The Beginner wrote:

Maybe it's your scales?
Still on packaging?
Schwalbe don't quote a weight for Gatestar so maybe BD.de got it wrong?

To bleed you need the funnel, syringe (with tube) and mineral oil - all on the shimano techdocs pages.

These are bare tyres. I weighed them on very accurate kitchen scales. Also used my hanger scale as well to check. Same. I found the exact compound quoted weight on schwalbe website. It is there, and it stated 550g.

Greer_

The weight is there - http://www.schwalbe.co.uk/x-country/racing-ralph/ - 550g - weird it's that much off, mine have all been close if not perfect as well.