What brakes?

ednino

My old basic shimano brakes are starting to die. Don't think its worth replacing the leaky piston, I think its upgrade time.

They were never powerful anyway, even in good working order. Any suggestions for XC brakes? Think i'd like to stick to mineral oil (I've got loads) but want something with more power.
Was looking at SLX ?
Suggestions?

cooldad

Deore, if all you want are good powerful brakes at a very reasonable price, SLX or XT if you want a couple more features.

passout

SLX would be a sound choice. Worth checking Merlin Cycles & Ribble Cycles.

Edit: some cracking deals on other brands at On One too.

tarbot18

cooldad wrote:

Deore, if all you want are good powerful brakes at a very reasonable price, SLX or XT if you want a couple more features.

What he said , i have the m596 deores on my full suss and they are as powerful as my mates xt just a few less features , shop around you ll get a set for £90.

Kowalski675

passout wrote:

SLX would be a sound choice. Worth checking Merlin Cycles & Ribble Cycles.

Edit: some cracking deals on other brands at On One too.

Big reductions on Shimano brakes on CRC currently (plus and extra 10% off orders over £99 until 20th November. When I bought my XTs a couple of weeks ago they were cheaper than SLX, but they've reduced SLX further now, and raised the price ox XT slightly. I got my XTs for £113.68. The new M615s are £86 currently, £106 for SLX or £126 for XT.

Kowalski675

tarbot18 wrote:

i have the m596 deores on my full suss and they are as powerful as my mates xt just a few less features

XT has "servo wave" too, whatever that means...

Barrelmaker

I've got deore 615 and slx 666 and both are excellent. The Deores need an Allen key to adjust the lever reach but that's about the only difference. Just buy whatever your budget stretches to.

rockmonkeysc

Shimano Deore, SLX & XT are fairly similar for power. SLX and XT are lighter and have more adjustment. They also get completely pointless ice tech pads.

poah

Hope mono M4 - recommend the Deore's or SLX for power and lever shape but they do lack modulation compared to other brands which may be a issue.


I've got hope MM4 front (203 RT-86) and SLX rear (160 RT-86)

cooldad

Lack modulation? That would appear to be an opinion shared by you and, er no one.

poah

cooldad wrote:

Lack modulation? That would appear to be an opinion shared by you and, er no one.

well maybe my family just happen to have the only sets of shimano brakes that lack the modulation that I like but hey if you search you'll find I'm not the only one that thinks it :roll:

Kowalski675

cooldad wrote:

Lack modulation? That would appear to be an opinion shared by you and, er no one.

I was thinking that, but couldn't be bothered saying it, lol.

stubs

A mate has recently got some Magura MT2 first 2 or 3 rides he hated them and they howled like a banshee. Last week it was muddier than a muddy thing and after about 2 miles his brakes stopped howling and started working awesome. Magura pads obviously need a lot of work before they bed in. Got them from CRC for £120.

jimothy78

Kowalski675 wrote:

XT has "servo wave" too, whatever that means...

SLX and the latest Deore brakes (everything from 596s onwards, I believe) are meant to have "servo wave", too.

As for what it is, my understanding is that it's essentially a non-linear progression curve between lever pull and piston travel. So the first bit of lever travel leads to a lot of piston movement, but with less mechanical advantage, to quickly take up the empty space between pads and rotors. The second part of the lever stroke causes less movement of the piston but at greater mechanical advantage to give greater stopping power and modulation.

So don't write off newer Deore brakes based on experiences of the older versions.

ednino

really helpful posts, thanks all

Kowalski675

jimothy78 wrote:

Kowalski675 wrote:

XT has "servo wave" too, whatever that means...

SLX and the latest Deore brakes (everything from 596s onwards, I believe) are meant to have "servo wave", too.

As for what it is, my understanding is that it's essentially a non-linear progression curve between lever pull and piston travel. So the first bit of lever travel leads to a lot of piston movement, but with less mechanical advantage, to quickly take up the empty space between pads and rotors. The second part of the lever stroke causes less movement of the piston but at greater mechanical advantage to give greater stopping power and modulation.

So don't write off newer Deore brakes based on experiences of the older versions.

I was all set to buy M615s, but the XTs were just too cheap to pass by.

pesky_jones

I reckon you must work for crc kowalsaki ha

shindig

Hope X2 . I have M4's on my three bikes. Bought the first set in 2004 been brilliant since. Great modulation, great performance and much easier to bleed that Shimano. I replaced Shimano SLX brakes as they had very little modulation. Hope are a significant setup in performance. Merlin cycles seem always have good deals on these.

Kowalski675

Pesky Jones wrote:

I reckon you must work for crc kowalsaki ha

Nope, never been to Ireland, lol.

frankspencer1979

Deore pair is £78 on bike discount, slx £104. If you can wait for offers it might be worth it, I got my slx for Well under a oner (I think about £80 but I can't quite remember)

Tom Barton

Another vote for all brakes shimano here. Current crop of brakes are all fantastic!

bennyy

I have a pair of deore m615's on my stumpjumper, replaced the avid elixir R on previously, there awesome, great one finger power, great feel and very good price

Barrelmaker

My riding group use either hope m4 evo or Shimano. We all like our own brakes. Hopes look good work well and are British. Shimano work well and are well priced. Neither is a "better" brake. Just depends on budget.

lawman

shindig wrote:

Hope X2 . I have M4's on my three bikes. Bought the first set in 2004 been brilliant since. Great modulation, great performance and much easier to bleed that Shimano. I replaced Shimano SLX brakes as they had very little modulation. Hope are a significant setup in performance. Merlin cycles seem always have good deals on these.

Which model slx did you replace? I'm guessing from the bleeding issues they were the old style with these levers -



All of the newer style shimano brakes like the new slx, deore, slx, xt and xtr walk rings round my old x2's. Much more power and the modulation is still very good. They are also dead easy to bleed. Merlin may have good deals, but you can still get a pair of slx brakes for one hope brake, so you're paying over the odds for an inferior product. The Hope's aren't bad brakes, the shimanos are just better!

shindig

lawman wrote:

shindig wrote:

Hope X2 . I have M4's on my three bikes. Bought the first set in 2004 been brilliant since. Great modulation, great performance and much easier to bleed that Shimano. I replaced Shimano SLX brakes as they had very little modulation. Hope are a significant setup in performance. Merlin cycles seem always have good deals on these.

Which model slx did you replace? I'm guessing from the bleeding issues they were the old style with these levers -



All of the newer style shimano brakes like the new slx, deore, slx, xt and xtr walk rings round my old x2's. Much more power and the modulation is still very good. They are also dead easy to bleed. Merlin may have good deals, but you can still get a pair of slx brakes for one hope brake, so you're paying over the odds for an inferior product. The Hope's aren't bad brakes, the shimanos are just better!

Replaced the ones in your first pic. Modulation was terrible. Each to their own, i have just gotten used to hopes. I'm sure the new slx brakes are fine but i have the hopes now. No point in spending more money.

lawman

shindig wrote:

lawman wrote:

shindig wrote:

Hope X2 . I have M4's on my three bikes. Bought the first set in 2004 been brilliant since. Great modulation, great performance and much easier to bleed that Shimano. I replaced Shimano SLX brakes as they had very little modulation. Hope are a significant setup in performance. Merlin cycles seem always have good deals on these.

Which model slx did you replace? I'm guessing from the bleeding issues they were the old style with these levers -



All of the newer style shimano brakes like the new slx, deore, slx, xt and xtr walk rings round my old x2's. Much more power and the modulation is still very good. They are also dead easy to bleed. Merlin may have good deals, but you can still get a pair of slx brakes for one hope brake, so you're paying over the odds for an inferior product. The Hope's aren't bad brakes, the shimanos are just better!

Replaced the ones in your first pic. Modulation was terrible. Each to their own, i have just gotten used to hopes. I'm sure the new slx brakes are fine but i have the hopes now. No point in spending more money.

Yeah the modulation was pretty poor on the older style brakes, so I can see why you changed. I actually had a set of x2's and the 2007 silver mono minis on my two bikes, I tried the new XT's on demo bike and was so blown away by them I sold the hopes, bought 2 sets of XT's from rose bikes with Icetech Rotors and because Hope fetch stupid used, I had brand new and better performing brakes and actually made £90!!! Used the money on some new carbon bars

chrisrobs

cooldad wrote:

Lack modulation? That would appear to be an opinion shared by you and, er no one.

Shimano brakes are by far the best in terms of stopping power, price and more importantly function.

Avid brakes do have better modulation but they are too unreliable and need fettling with all the time.

Ive had a pair of deores on my camber for 12 months now, they work great.

cooldad

Avid whats?
They make more than one brake.

mamba80

thats not my very recent exp of Avid 7s - the xt m785s i ve just fitted, are better (by miles) in every respect.

ma5on

bennyy wrote:

I have a pair of deore m615's on my stumpjumper, replaced the avid elixir R on previously, there awesome, great one finger power, great feel and very good price

I'd like to to the same with my stumpjumper. Is it a straight swap using the existing mounting posts etc?

mike hunts alpine

Defo another vote for shims. Can't believe some of the deals they do on them you'd be silly not to. POS like a safe style advert.