The quad-piston caliper looks good on the bike due to its narrow shape and compact design. It also allows a larger brake pad to be used with a narrow rotor. The stainless steel rotor features a drilled-out pattern to reduce weight and aid cooling. Available in Fronts with 51mm caliper or 74mm caliper to fit Manitou. Kit includes caliper, rotor, lever, and hardware. Hoses sold separately 421g
Submitted by
AKK
a Weekend Warrior
from Portugal Date Reviewed: February 9, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Sintra - Biscaia
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
TNC - Online Shop
Strengths:
Light, Strong, Easy setUp, Powerfull, Modular, Reach and pad adjustment.
Weaknesses:
None `till now.
Similar Products Used:
Magura Louise
Bike Setup:
Cannondale Prophet. XT Crankset. Mavics. Lefty Carbon SPV Max - 180 rotor - front and back. Sram drive train.
Bottom Line:
Just Upgraded from Juicy 3. I do agressive riding AM. The XT 09 are very ease to set up. No rub in the rotors. Easy to bleed. easy to change the pads ... and the best part (wich i like) a very modulated feel. Awsome feel on the lever (easy adjustment) and the power is there when you need it (180 rotors front and back). No fuss brakes that work (no fade or wobbling). First opinion ... Nice / good brakes - very nice lever feel (if you like modulation).. open up new lines on the trail/single track ...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
dirt_merchant
a Weekend Warrior
from Philly Date Reviewed: January 21, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Too many to choose from
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
Can't remember
Strengths:
**This review is for the quad piston calipers** Super feel and modulation, super durable. I have had these brakes for almost 10 years!
Weaknesses:
A little tricky to set up because you have to use spacers but that is it!
Similar Products Used:
Shimano XT and Saint new double piston calipers (not happy with them) Hayes HFX9 (horrible) and Hayes stroker (nice so far)
Bike Setup:
I have these calipers on my Cannondale Gemini trail bike as well as my Rocky Mountain RMX DH rig. I started out way back using the original XT levers but upgraded to Saint Levers
Bottom Line:
**This review is for the quad piston calipers**
These are the best brakes EVER! I bought these way back in 2000, maybe even before that, and they are still working like when they were new! All I ever had to do was bleed them to get out the old oil and refresh with new, and it is soooo easy, not like any other brakes on the market. These things are so strong and durable! You can still buy these brakes on eBay so if you want a super reliable and strong set of calipers, get these. You can lace them up to any Shimano levers too which is nice.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jules Evans
a Cross Country Rider
from hobart, tas Date Reviewed: October 25, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Mt Wellington
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Very strong braking power!
Light.
Very adjustable
easy to bleed
Weaknesses:
designed for big hands.
setting up shifters close to fingers is a bit tricky if you want these as 1 finger wonder brakes.
Similar Products Used:
Avid BB7, J5, Magura Julie.
Bike Setup:
Merida Hardtail
Bottom Line:
Great brakes for my big hands. Anybody with small hands or short fingers may struggle with these.
Modulation and overall power is fantastic.
Adjustability is great although the phillips head screw doesn't seem to move the pads much just the levers which is what the black knobs do so maybe a bit useless.
Calliper and pad setup is excellent.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
singlespeedsycip
a Racer
from Mesa, AZ USA Date Reviewed: August 11, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Hawes Loop
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
This review is for the xt 765's. Solid lever feel. Good modulation. Zero rotor drag. Easy bleed pushing fluid from caliper to lever.
Weaknesses:
Centerlock rotor only unless you use an adapter.
Similar Products Used:
Hope Mono Mini's, Avid Juicy Carbons.
Bike Setup:
2005 Rocky Mountain Blizzard...
Bottom Line:
Excellent brake set. Modulation is on par or even better than my juicy's and no more turkey warbling sound. If you are in the market for a no fuss set it and forget it disk brake system these may just be for you....
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
hippy al
a Weekend Warrior
from UK Date Reviewed: June 9, 2008
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
e bay
Strengths:
Reliability,power,modulation EVERYTHING!
Weaknesses:
absolutely none so far.
Similar Products Used:
hope mono mini & M4
Bike Setup:
trailstar LT,03 Bomber Z1 FR sl's
Bottom Line:
I got these after based on the reviews here after being very disappointed with the reliability and durability of the hope stuff.
and I have to say I LOVE THESE BRAKES!
strong good feel they have everything a freerider wants from their brakes.
got mine on e bay for 60quid with 203mm disks and brackets and this combination of large disks and 4 pots give IMO much better performance than M4 monos.
They do have to be accurately shimmed to avoid drag but once set they seem bomb proof.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
sothira
a Weekend Warrior
from NorCal Date Reviewed: March 27, 2008
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Excellent power and modulation. Incredibly low maintenance.
Weaknesses:
Steel lines mean fixed length, and they scratch paint. Shimano pads howl like pigs.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes
Bike Setup:
Five Spot
Bottom Line:
I bought these nearly seven years, Shimano's first year, I believe. I rode them a few years before I ever changed the oil! Power is as strong as the Hayes I've ridden, and provide better feel. Rarely, the disc will rub a little more than extremely minorly, but it seems to vanish after a ride. I use EBC pads, since the Shimanos howled like mad. I wish all my bike parts lasted this long, worked this well, and required so little care. The only person I wouldn't recommend these to would be a fanatical weight weenie.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Fritz Lehr
a Cross Country Rider
from Raleigh Date Reviewed: January 2, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Beaver Dam
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
Various Stores
Strengths:
Powerful braking, never squeals(I will not keep brakes that squeal), great ergonomic lever design, reliability, braided steel lines
Weaknesses:
Heavier than the current line of brakes offered, adjusting/alignment not as easy as Avid system, braided steel lines can scratch frame if not secured, slightly squishy feel of lever, but rarely notice it on the trail
2003 Santa Cruz Blur(Classic), Marzocchi Marathon S, 2007 XTR Cranks, Shifter and Rear Derailler, XTR Disc hubs & XTR 6" rotors, Mavic 317s, XT cassette, Monkey Lite bars, XTR Pedals
Bottom Line:
These have been a great brakes. MBA Magazine once said they felt like they could stop a motorcycle, but I don't feel they are that strong. Perhaps because I am a bigger rider at 205lbs. I recently tried out a pair of Juicy 7 with 7" rotor and my XT brakes easily have the same amount of braking power. Also, for whatever reason, almost every Juicy 7 brake I have tried squeals which I can't stand and the brake lever is terrible. I didn't like the Avid Mechanicals I owned, they feel grabby where the XT seem to modulate much more. V-brakes just feel weak compared to discs and inconsistent. On rare occasions I have felt just a little fade with the XT Discs, but nothing that made me feel I needed a different or better brake. I have never had a bake squeal problem or a reliability issue. In fact, I have only bled them once for the almost 4 years that I have owned them. The only drawback is the weight when compared with some of the newer brake systems. The new XTR stuff is significantly lighter, but I haven't tried them out on the trail. For the money I spent, the reliability and just plain great brakes they were well worth it. Hopefully, when it comes time to replace them I can get the same value in a new set as I had with these.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Thu Beav
a Cross Country Rider
from Decatur, GA, USA, Duh. Date Reviewed: November 9, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Pinhoti North
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$99.00
Purchased At:
Traded for dental work. :-)=
Strengths:
They just work. No issues.
Weaknesses:
Perhaps weight and they aren't too esthetically pleasing. They could have a little more bling-itude.
Similar Products Used:
None. First discs.
Bike Setup:
Jamis Dakar Pro '03. XT hydraulic with XTR combo shifters.
Bottom Line:
I just changed the XTR metal pads out after ? a year. The pads were shot. Read the package and fully depress the pistons before replacing the brakes. Remove the wheel and don't lever off of the rotor and use a plastic tire tool so as not to scratch anything. Then you re set the lateral adjust by loosening the allen bolts on the brake calipers, pinch the lever to hold the rotor and retighten. Then you're all centered up and ready to ride. MICHAEL LIKES BRAKES has got a great suggestion there to paint the calipers red. Why didn't I think of that. Next week though. It's already Friday nite and too late for my ride on Sunday.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nate
a Racer
from Neenah, WI Date Reviewed: June 21, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Calumet County Park
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Gearn' Up
Strengths:
They have a simplistic design and are very easy to disassemble and replace pads.
Weaknesses:
They are somewhat difficult to adjust and the pads wear out quickly. Also, when you squeeze the brake lever, there seems to be a rather "squishy" feel.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes Sole hydraulic disc brakes
Bike Setup:
Cannondale Optimo frame, headshock fork, Mavic 819 wheels, full Shimano XT except for a Shimano XTR rear derailleur.
Bottom Line:
If you enjoy adjusting your brakes and buying new pads you should get these. Or you could purchase different brakes
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nate
a Racer
from Neenah, WI Date Reviewed: June 21, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Calumet County Park
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Gearn' Up
Strengths:
They have a simplistic design and are very easy to disassemble and replace pads
Weaknesses:
They are somewhat difficult to adjust and the pads wear out quickly.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes Sole hydraulic disc brakes
Bike Setup:
Cannondale Optimo frame, headshock fork, Mavic 819 wheels, full Shimano XT except for a Shimano XTR rear derailleur.
Bottom Line:
If you enjoy adjusting your brakes and buying new pads you should get these. Or you could purchase different brakes
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andrew Curtis-Cody
a Cross Country Rider
from New Zealand Date Reviewed: April 9, 2007
Favorite Trail:
QCT
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
ChainReactionCycles
Strengths:
Power, modulation and consistency. Exquisite quality, pads have long life. Don't fade on the big downhills.
Weaknesses:
Front brake squeals like a pig.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano Deore 556, Hope Mini.
Bike Setup:
'06 SantaCruz Superlight.
Bottom Line:
Fantastic power and modulation. Consistent, relaible, no fade when the going gets tough. Possibly overkill on the Superlight but we have some big hills here in New Zealand. They take some time to set up right and I had problems fitting the adaptor bracket to the '06 MX pro eta forks. Ended up polishing some metal off the post mounts to ensure bracket fitted perfectly. Pad life is good, six months and still on originals. Suspect new pads may fix squealing problem. Definitly recommended.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
MICHAEL LIKES BRAKES
a
from CA sanjose Date Reviewed: February 28, 2007
Favorite Trail:
alum rock only one near
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
4 piston 2x2 design
Weaknesses:
not that i know
Similar Products Used:
no brakes at all!
Bike Setup:
friends bike not mine.
Bottom Line:
if you go to a car parts store and find RED heat resistant paint, it will look like a porshe 911 brake!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
MICHAEL LIKES BRAKES
a
from CA sanjose Date Reviewed: February 28, 2007
Favorite Trail:
alum rock only one near
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
4 piston 2x2 design
Weaknesses:
not that i know
Similar Products Used:
no brakes at all!
Bike Setup:
friends bike not mine.
Bottom Line:
if you go to a car parts store and find RED heat resistant paint, it will look like a porshe 911 brake!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
westin
a Cross Country Rider
from USA Date Reviewed: November 16, 2006
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$145.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Excellent modulation, easy pad changes, mineral oil, great power.
Weaknesses:
Hoses are expensive if you need longer lengths.
Similar Products Used:
Everything in the 160mm rotor world
Bike Setup:
The usual
Bottom Line:
The oldie but goodie. Kinda heavy but bombproof. Absolutely no complaints. Know how good these are? I don't even think about "what if" when I grab the lever. Modulation is tops via 4 pistons and durability is bombproof. I had the Juicy 7 and Magura Marta and blah blah. Most brakes have a lot of good attributes, but most have one "flaw" that takes away from the overall package. I sold all of them to run the 755 calipers, and I have not regretted it one second.
Try to find a good deal on eBay. I got front and rear for $145!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sean
a Weekend Warrior
from Vancouver Date Reviewed: August 28, 2006
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Mineral Oil / easy to bleed, modulation, power, durability
Weaknesses:
pad changes, 8 inch rotors and shimming a hassle - thats it!
for my money best brakes around ... Better than $600 Hope M6s or Gustavs, Juicys, etc ... and I didn't even want to like them since they were Shimano!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
M
a Cross Country Rider
from H.I.Ambacht Date Reviewed: June 14, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Portes du Soleil - France
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
www.bike2build.com
Strengths:
Good stopping power, great modulation, easy on maintenance, long pad life, foolproof design
Weaknesses:
Once in a while some padrub, a pain in the @ss to set up
Similar Products Used:
no other discbrake
Bike Setup:
Storck Adrenalin, RS Reba Team U-turn, CK/CX-ray/XR4.1d wheels, XTR shifting, Race Face I-beam cranks, Tune parts, Conti tires, Syntace VRO cockpit
Bottom Line:
Overall great brakes, even after all these years. I used them for about 4 1/2 years now and have no intention to swap them for other brakes yet. They always work fine, only some padrub once in a while. When needed I re-shim them and then curse them for the tight clearance and tight tollerances, but once done they work perfect again for some time. It also helps to keep you calipers clean and once in a while lube your pistons. I had no reason to re-bleed them apart form swapping a brakeline for a longer one. I use these brakes with 180mm/7" Hope Floating disc's front and rear + Koolstop pads and have excellent power and modulation. In the winter with lots of mud and wet stuff I use the Shimano metal pads that last for ages. I've used them on steep and long decents in te French Alps and never had the fading on me. They tend to get hot but never to a point where it can get you into trouble. At the end of the day they are almost the perfect brakes. The smal issues I tend to forget after a long epic ride with no problem at all. People around me complain about fading but never with these brakes. I only subtract one chili for the pain in the ass to set up and shim.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
M
a Cross Country Rider
from H.I.Ambacht Date Reviewed: June 14, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Portes du Soleil - France
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
www.bike2build.com
Strengths:
Goor stopping power, great modulation, easy on maintenance, long pad life, foolproof design
Weaknesses:
Once in a while some padrub, a pain in the @ss to set up
Similar Products Used:
no other discbrake
Bike Setup:
Storck Adrenalin, RS Reba Team U-turn, CK/CX-ray/XR4.1d wheels, XTR shifting, Race Face I-beam cranks, Tune parts, Conti tires, Syntace VRO cockpit
Bottom Line:
Overall great brakes, even after all these years. I used them for about 4 1/2 years now and have no intention to swap them for other brakes yet. They always work fine, only some padrub once in a while. When needed I re-shim them and then curse them for the tight clearance and tight tollerances, but once done they work perfect again for some time. It also helps to keep you calipers clean and once in a while lube your pistons. I had no reason to re-bleed them apart form swapping a brakeline for a longer one. I use these brakes with 180mm/7" Hope Floating disc's front and rear + Koolstop pads and have excellent power and modulation. In the winter with lots of mud and wet stuff I use the Shimano metal pads that last for ages. I've used them on steep and long decents in te French Alps and never had the fading on me. They tend to get hot but never to a point where it can get you into trouble. At the end of the day they are almost the perfect brakes. The smal issues I tend to forget after a long epic ride with no problem at all. People around me complain about fading but never with these brakes. I only subtract one chili for the pain in the ass to set up and shim.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ty Weiss
a Weekend Warrior
from Orlando Date Reviewed: April 7, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Santos (Bellview)
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
Greenfishsports.com
Strengths:
Great stopping power, easy to maintain (ie... bleed, pad changes), awesome modulation & Looks Good.
Weaknesses:
I really do not have a gripe with these brakes. They have never let me down, or stranded for that matter. Never an accident that could have been prevented by a better braking system!
I love these brakes! If you can find them, grab a set - BELIEVE me you will no go wrong. I bought the FF and RR for $250 Complete. If still around there may be even better deals to be had. I have read of some who experience some probs with these brakes (sticky pistons and the like) Nothing of that nature has ever happened to me - HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sam
a Cross Country Rider
from Sydney, Australia Date Reviewed: January 10, 2006
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Good stopping power, piece of cake to adjust, no dramas
Weaknesses:
none
Bike Setup:
Scott hardtail, sram x7 drivetrain
Bottom Line:
Really good value, its easy to tune them perfectly, little maintainance required, nothings gone wrong
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andy kinrade
a
from isle of man Date Reviewed: November 14, 2005
Favorite Trail:
coed-y-brenin
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$280.00
Purchased At:
Chain reaction cycles
Strengths:
excellent all conditions stopping power, modulation, looks
Weaknesses:
can be noisy when wet
Similar Products Used:
hope mono mini, hayes hfx comp
Bike Setup:
marin mount vision
Bottom Line:
reliabvl all qweather stiopping power, very easy to m,aintain and bleed, pads last ages, look good
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
danK
a Cross Country Rider
from USA Date Reviewed: October 14, 2005
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$142.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Modulation, power, durability
Weaknesses:
Not for the weight weenie; still not heavy.
Similar Products Used:
2004 and 2005 Juicy 7, 2004 Hayes Mag (many headaches with this one), XTR disc
Bike Setup:
just stuff
Bottom Line:
Finally, a relatively lightweight xc disc that feels like it can haul my mx-inspired antics down. It's not flashy or super lightweight, but there's a reason so many are looking for the 4-piston XT calipers and 756 levers. The last thing I need is to worry about my brakes hours from anywhere. These are keepers, that's for sure! And I got them for less than $150 front and rear for everything!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
matt
a
from hamilton, ontario, canada Date Reviewed: August 24, 2005
Favorite Trail:
urban/ street
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Bottom Line:
SHIMANO SUCKS DICK GO HAYES!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
KC
a Downhiller
from Ca. Date Reviewed: June 19, 2005
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Bottom Line:
if anyone knows a website (jenson, cambria, etc.) or anywhere else that i could find a rear xt disk break system (the old kind with 4 pistons) an email would be greatly appriated. thank you.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jordi Odlin
a Cross Country Rider
from Cape Elizabeth, Maine, USA Date Reviewed: June 15, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Wells Trails
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
4 pot POWER Sweet LOOKS Easy SETUP easy on the land OIL
great brake for everyone- XC riders to Red Bull Rampage people
Weaknesses:
I found out Shimano makes two XT brake levers. THey look almost the same too. One can use SS hose, one cant. I have the one that cant. I also had a SS hose. Shimano should make a bolt so you can use a SS hose on both levers. (if they do could someone please email me where to get one)
Similar Products Used:
No Hydos. Had some stock Promax discs Also used XT rim brakes
Bike Setup:
K2 Razorback 4.0- full XT, Onyx, cane creek, Mars- full lockout
Bottom Line:
These brakes stop you! I only have a front brake on this bike right now and it stops me fast.(170-180lbs) Endos with one finger. NO pad/disc rubbing after a short break in. When wet, makes noise until you hit the brakes for like 2 revs of the disc. No need for wavys. Also the disc looks cool because its so thin! Id think with that small of a rim it wouldnt have too much power but I guess it makes up for it in the pad because its pretty long (4 pot) CANT GO WRONG WITH THIS BRAKE or any other 4 pot Im guessing (hope, Grimeca)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Roehl Acosta
a Cross Country Rider
from Paranaque,Philippines Date Reviewed: May 20, 2005
I sympathize with Dave of Santa Barbara, after constant tweaking and adjustments you just get tired. Lubed the pistons,shimmed,bled,everything, complete annoyance.Dave has already written what I have in mind. Maybe I'll just give it to my kid who has an urban assault bike. Might replace it with a saint, heard the xtr's has the same problem. But mind you, I'm not putting this product down, they're great stoppers. If you're into dual slaloms, downhill and anything that takes only a few minutes to finish, get them, hey, Brian Lopes uses them. But if you're into a whole day affair with your bike, I won't recommend them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a
from Santa Barbara, CA, USA Date Reviewed: March 21, 2005
Favorite Trail:
area 51, ithaca ny
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
Beyond bikes, Pricepoint
Strengths:
Power, modulation
Weaknesses:
Rubbing, lack of clearance-- and it won't go away-- (have lubed the pistons, bled, shimmed, everything)
This is a follow-up from my post of 12/12/2003. At that time I was having some trouble with pad rubbing/piston assymetries. Other than that, the brakes were fine. Two years later, its the same story. I've been extremely pleased with the power and modulation, and the assymetry of piston movement has gone away. What hasn't gone away, and what other reviewers have commented on, is brake rub. After over a dozen reshimming and bleedings, I still have less than 1mm TOTAL on both sides between rotor and pads, so there's literally no margin of error for caliper or rotor warping, wheel/frame QR alignment, etc. And since its an open system, its set up to be impervious to small changes in fuild volume (which is in most cases a good thing), etc- so tweaks that work with Hayes (bleeding a bit of fluid out with the lever compressed) won't work with these. It hasn't been a huge problem for local riding, but I don't want to race on rubbing rotors. After trip to my local shop to have them compare my pad clearance with what they're used to seeing (they said my clearance and lever throw was at most 3/4 of what would be considered typical), I called shimano. Basically, what shimano told me, was that the four piston caliper was their first design, and they know its a tight clearance; they decided modulation and power were more important than clearance, and they'd gotten plenty of feedback from WC and other pro wrenches that the clearance was tight and finnicky (the rep also mentioned that many a WC had been won with these brakes--pretty gratuitous). It sounded like the new 2 piston model caliper is improved, but I couldn't get the rep to commit to the relative clearance of the new model compared to the old. So, basically, shimano is still selling the old four piston caliper knowing its problematic with respect to clearance. Its a good brake if you don't mind brake rubbing, or tweaking your bike after every ride (maybe a pro DH application is best?). But if you're planning on doing 100 mile races, like me, or don't necessarily like working on your bike more than riding it (like me), then the newer caliper or a different brake may be worth it. Right now I'm stuck with permanently semi-rubbing brakes (forget it if you every take your front QR off), so I'm either going to buy new larger rotors and put these on my new Freeride steed, where I won't mind the rubbing, or I'm going to buy the new shimano calipers, or just get new brakes (hayes or avid) I've been mtn biking for at least 10 years, and I'm growing more ambivalent about shimano. They're really the only R&D game in town, and their derailleurs rock. But their other drivetrain components and their custumer service...? (this isn't a venue for comments on brands per se...but)... I'm a loyal ellsworth and king custumer because of good products and custumer service. Maybe shimano's big enough to not care, nor need to care, but that's reason enough for me to start seriously looking at SRAM and Campy for ALL my componetry. Who knows how many more known inferior products they have out there? --That is unknown, what I do know now is what their response to me will be if I happen to have strapped one of those problematic components onto one of my babies.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Danny
a Racer
from Thousand Oaks Date Reviewed: January 1, 2005
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Maintenance free; excellent stopping power; not at all hinderded in the wet.
Weaknesses:
After two years (new pads since) started to squeal badly!! Was getting frustrated and then decided to replace the rotors. Found that even though the rotors looked good, they were the problem. After a new set of rotors (@ $30 bucks each), I have brand new brakes again.
Similar Products Used:
HOPE Mini
Bike Setup:
Tracer w/ Romic, mostly XTR, Thomsen, Chris King, SpeedDream Wheels.
Bottom Line:
Solid brakes... though not the latest XT brakes, I believe that they are far superior than the new ones and better than other brakes that are out there.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Wen Ping Cai
a Weekend Warrior
from Shanghai, China Date Reviewed: August 19, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$230.00
Purchased At:
Giant Jiangsu Road
Strengths:
1.Good stopping power (4 pistons and metal pads) 2.Nice look 3.Easy setup/maintence 4.Use mineral oil, no rust
Submitted by
Jan
a Cross Country Rider
from Ballerup, Denmark Date Reviewed: August 15, 2004
Favorite Trail:
around the city
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$220.00
Purchased At:
a local bike store
Strengths:
Well its looks, and its modulation of brake power. The brake caliber is rigid enough to ensure firm braking, and the brake disc is 100 percent without flaws. Also the copper backplating of the pads ensures quick dissipation of the generated heat when braking, and the metallic compund ensures longer pad life compared to organic pads.
Weaknesses:
Well, the brake(despite its four pistons), in my opinion, lacks some hard braking force. But instead it has excellent modulation. Also, in the beginning the brake lever sometimes felt a bit spongy, and other times after just having applied brake pressure the piston inside the brake reservoir would not return to its starting position. This made the brake lever feel sort of loose, but once braking a couple of times the piston would return back ensuring a firm feel. That sort of problem has gone away with time. Occasionally while riding or after hard braking one of the pads would rub against the rotor for some time, but once braking the problem stopped. The brake pads also took a while to break in, but that is just because they are made of sintered metal. Unfortunately the brake is quite expensive, even for Shimano stuff.
Similar Products Used:
Formula MD1(it just plain su cks!, don't buy this brake, (nor the ACTIVA as it is the same) it is not worth having on your bike!)
Bike Setup:
Centurion(Danish) frame, Rock Shox Judy XC front fork, Shimano XT disc front, Promax V-brake rear.
Bottom Line:
The Shimano XT four-pistoned disc brake system is worth purchasing. Despite some smaller flaws it has never failed on me and the brake performance is definitely OK! Also its race-type caliber looks cool on the bike!
I give this brake 4 Chilis for value rating, because of its price. For overall rating I give the brake system 3 Chilis, because it had some initial flaws.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin
a
from Michigan Date Reviewed: August 1, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
supergo
Strengths:
Relatively easy setup, considering it was my first time working with hydros. Impressive one-finger stopping power, great modulation. (Of course, I've never used anything other than mechanical brakes, so I really don't have a basis for comparison)
Weaknesses:
Even when I get the caliper centered just right with those Y-shaped shims, the pads begin to rub after a few minutes. Maybe not a true weakness, but still annoying.
Similar Products Used:
Promax mechanical discs (came with bike) Tektro V brakes
Bike Setup:
Univega DS 900- stock, other than the XT discs
Bottom Line:
Big improvement over the promax discs. Great power.
Is the constant caliper realignment part of break-in, or does that never end?
Even with the ongoing shim adjustments, I still love these things
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
michael
a Cross Country Rider
from berkeley, ca, usa Date Reviewed: July 20, 2004
Favorite Trail:
tamarancho
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$220.00
Purchased At:
cambria and pricepoint
Strengths:
Very simple setup. Quick and easy to bleed. Amazing lever feel. Quick and easy pad replacement. Quick to bed-in. Stop very well. Easy on pads.
Weaknesses:
None so far.
Similar Products Used:
Magura Louise, Hope c2, Hope Minis, Hayes.
Bike Setup:
nrs
Bottom Line:
See my notes above. Very nice brake. Haven't tried sintered pads yet, haven't seen the need. These provide excellent stopping power for cross-country riding. I've never experienced brake fade with these.
Buy 'em if you can find 'em.
Too bad they no longer make these -- though they are grimecas (I think) so there's that...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kelly Gunthorpe
a Weekend Warrior
from Batesville,IN,USA Date Reviewed: June 3, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Not Sure
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$125.00
Purchased At:
greenfishsports.com
Strengths:
Easy to set up, Stops great, pretty strong...rotor didnt bend when i dropped it on a cement wall.
Weaknesses:
Needs some tweeking now and then, not with bleeding, that was easy...but it seems like ive needed to change the shims every now and them to keep the pads from rubbing, although they barely rub, i guess im kinda a perfectionist when it comes to my bike though.
Similar Products Used:
Mech discs, v-brakes
Bike Setup:
03 Sinister h-tail, set up for urban riding
Bottom Line:
Great brakes, they stop great, took some time to get them worn in, maybe about 3 hours of hard riding but now they are awesome. I dont know what people think, but they were really easy to setup and bleed, just read the directions and you can do it, sooper easy... They feel awesome too, modulation is great!!! I recamend these if you want hydro's and for a while now they have been completly maintenence free.
***3 chili's for value just cause brakes are friggin exspensive for what they are.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
George
a Weekend Warrior
from Rochester, NY USA Date Reviewed: April 26, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Helmet Cracker Ridge, Tryon Park
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$99.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Stops on a dime and gives you change. Levers are way stiff once you bleed the brakes right, incredible stopping power. I can use my pinky finger to lock the brakes up. Makes my old V-brakes seem like 18th century technology. Still on the first set of brake pads, and I haven't had to do any adjustments at all, boy, how different v-brakes are. Looks nice on the bike.
Weaknesses:
Well, the Shimano directions are a little confusing and bleeding the first brake the first time I got mineral oil in the rubber gasget thing (didn't say not to) , so oil came out of the overflow hole and I figured that was a bad thing, but after calling up Jenson and getting help on the phone (thanks) they said not to worry and it would stop leaking, which it did, which was my fault because I got oil above the seal (phew!) I also used rubber bands to hold the levers down while I was tightening the bleed valve, which would have been a nice suggestion in the directions, but a willing friend will also due. The rear brake was a lot easier to install because I knew to not get oil above the rubber seal thingie and to use rubber bands to hold down the lever after bleeding but before you tighten the bleed valve.
Similar Products Used:
Just a heap of V-brakes and center pull brakes from Shimano deore to Pro Max to Avid center pull.
I really like these brakes and would buy them again in a heartbeat, unfortunately they have been discontinued. If you see a pair (or even one) buy 'em! Can't go wrong. You might want to get a beefier front fork because my Judy 100 seems to be flexing a bit from the disk brake, but it's a few years old, so not to be unexpected. I'm installing a Marzocchi Z1 Dropoff 2 next week to solve this side effect of hydrolic disk brake power. I would recommend this to anyone that wants disk brakes, but doesn't want to be constantly adjusting them. Also, anybody who thinks v-brakes are good enough should try these, I used to love my old Deore V-brakes--until I tried these. Your confidence improves when you know you can stop on a dime, even in the rain. No more wet, squeeling v-brakes almost making me stop in time.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
kent
a Cross Country Rider
from hong kong Date Reviewed: April 5, 2004
Favorite Trail:
agressive xc
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$141.00
Purchased At:
yuen long, lbs
Strengths:
1. very very strong braking power. 2. wide choice of different compound on disc brake pad from shimano or third party products. 3. open reserviour system so the mineral oil won't expand under heavy braking on long downhill trial 4. maintance free 5. come with different screw shims so if setup correctly there is no disc rub problem 6. self adjusting when brake pad wear out
Weaknesses:
1. a bit too heavy for xc bike 2. metal hose are far too heavy for xc bike 3. metal hose are hitting the top tube creating noise 4. Shimano XT M-04 downhill brakepad compound don't last very long 5. 6" stainless steel brake disc are a bit too heavy 6. shimano mineral oil are expensive compare to DOT fuilds
Similar Products Used:
Promax wire disc (totally crap) Avid wire disc (very good !!) shimano M-01, M-02 brake pad are no good
i weight 149lbs, riding mostly agressive xc trials and light downhill, fireroad
Front & Rear setup ================== Front capiler: Using A2Z brake pad compound with Avid 6" brake disc @ 138grams (6" M-755 is too heavy @ 187gram) will give very very strong braking power with 1 finger but less modulation
Rear capiler: Using shimano M-04 DH compound with Promax 6" brake disc (6" @ 155grams) giving very good modulation and less chance of locking up rear wheel
Product preformance: Very Very good modulation. Extremely strong braking power with 1 finger on a feather light lever. No maintanace at all, just check the fuild level and open up the reserviour to release air bubbles every 3 months will do fine.
If you are riding fast then you will know how important for a good brake system setup with different pad compound.
Quite heavy weight xt brake system if you are a weight weenie.
Low maintance problems, extremely high braking power. Power of quard pistons. It won't yell like a pig when braking.
Recommend to all agressive xc, freeriders & downhillers
XT is too heavy? look for Avid juicy(pay more) or avid ball bearing wired disc brake(cheap and good).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Terry
a Weekend Warrior
from Fukuoka, Japan Date Reviewed: March 15, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
Pricepoint.com
Strengths:
Great Modulation-stopping power-basically EVERYTHING
Weaknesses:
NOTHING-if you set them up right.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes, magura, avid cable discs
Bike Setup:
Anchor-8inch front and rear Shimano xt 755
Bottom Line:
The people complaining about these brakes either bought a dud set(pretty hard to do if you bought new) or didn't set them up correctly. The first thing to do is take the pads out and put a piece of sandpaper on a flat surface and rub the pads a few times to get them perfectly flat to start with.Then put the smallest(I mean slightest) rub of grease on the back of the pads (to prevent any rattles etc). Next use the same piece of sandpaper and rough up the discs-both sides. After this, fit the brakes and get them shimmed so that the wheel keeps spinning freely without rubbing etc. The final thing is to bleed them correctly-Just make sure that the reservoir is always full-and pump the lever a few times, hold it and loosen the bleeder. Then tighten the bleeder (Keeping the brake squeezed). Repeat as many times as you have to until the lever is rock solid. Once you have it solid-do two or three more just to make sure all the air is totally out. Next thing is to ride and enjoy the instant brakes-no wearing in period required.No noise-NO Problems. They should be perfect from day ONE. Easy and unbelievable stopping power. If you have any queries or want advice on how to set them up-feel free to mail me and I'll help you out. Enjoy the ride knowing that when you pull the lever-they STOP. Instantly.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a Weekend Warrior
from Maiden, NC Date Reviewed: February 19, 2004
Favorite Trail:
I like all that I ride
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$230.00
Purchased At:
Clarks
Strengths:
Non corrosive mineral oil Easy to bleed inexpensive compared to others levers fit well
Weaknesses:
hoses aren't cut to fit
Similar Products Used:
friends shimano discs
Bike Setup:
GT I-drive 4.0, Marzocchi Z1,sun Mammoth rims
Bottom Line:
I think I got a BUM pair. the back brake doesn't stop as well as it should. I found a bad O ring and that fixed part of the problem of having to bleed all the time but it still doesn't stop as well as my friends (he bought his after me and his work alot better) so i still think i got a bum pair Over all they stop well and have great modulation I like the mineral oil and i like the fact that you don't need any special tools to bleed them. Despite the problems i have had i would buy another pair. PROs out weigh the CONs
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jason
a
from modesto, ca Date Reviewed: January 12, 2004
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$335.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Similar Products Used:
hayes hfx-9 hd
Bike Setup:
santa cruz bullit with an aggressive trail/free-ride set-up
Bottom Line:
i've been very pleased with these. they have a ton of stopping power. some people may not like the abrupt feel. i love them for trail riding (6" rotors). i have hayes on my DH bike (8" rotors) and like the feel of them on DH a little better, but i haven't tried the XT 8" rotors yet. i'll probably buy the XT 8" DH kit when the hayes poop out because the shimanos are so much easier to service (i.e. bleed). they have been very durable and reliable...i've had them 3 years! they've been a great investment. i plan on getting 1-2 more years of service out of them. i'd definately buy them again.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a
from santa barbara, ca, usa Date Reviewed: December 12, 2003
Favorite Trail:
area 51, ithaca, ny
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$125.00
Purchased At:
Beyond bikes, Pricepoint
Strengths:
Good modulation, nice lever feel (and levers). New cuttable hose
Weaknesses:
None yet (hose/lever interface kind of sketchy- you have to push the hose in while tightening a bolt that slides freely along the hose- I assume tightening wedges the 'banjo'(metal cylinder being pushed by the tightening bolt) onto the hose- not very satisfying to my engineering and wrenching sense of a 'stay put' design )
Similar Products Used:
grimeca system 8
Bike Setup:
Ellsworth Truth, Zocchi Marathon, 8spd,
Bottom Line:
Installed the new 2003's- which have thinner rotors and a different lever- (and cuttable resin hoses). I'm not sure if the caliper/pison unit is different. Anyway, I'm in the processes of setting up- I'd recommend you lube the pistons behind the pads before you do any caliper position adjustment- I had constant squealing on my dial-in rides- the pistons on one side of brake pad were sticking (which may be a sign of either a good thing- high tolerances- or a bad-imprecise tolerances. ). Pop out the pads (for shame if you get mineral oil on your brake pads), let the pistons push in and out a bunch and squirt some of the hydrolic mineral oil on them- this should loosen them up and you'll have symmetric piston movement. Anyway, just thought I'd warn you before you start a chess match between your pistons, caliper position, rotors, and brake pads- start with piston lubing first and you'll have one and only one caliper position adjustment to do. Otherwise, your intial caliper adjustment will have been for what will likely become less sticky pistons- and you'll have to constantly redo your adjustment.
Otherwise, they're sweet brakes so far- though I haven't put many miles on yet.
Performance- I'd give a five, other than how set-up intensive these have been so far. Not exactly bolt on and forget about.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason
a Weekend Warrior
from Austin, Tx Date Reviewed: November 22, 2003
Favorite Trail:
one w/o people walking on it
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
Buck's Bikes
Strengths:
Nice stopping power, good looks, uses mineral oil, easy to service
Weaknesses:
What’s up with that rattling noise
Similar Products Used:
Hayes, XTR V's
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz SL, King headset, Mavic crossmax wheels and hubs, XTR shifters and derailleurs, Thomson stem and seat post, continental vertical pro and explorer pro tires
Bottom Line:
I’m very pleased with these brakes so far. They are much lighter than my Hayes. A little noisy when not in use (rattling sound form the rear break pads) but it may go away with use. I plan to post a follow up review in a few months for potential XT buyers. Overall, if you weigh over 185 lbs. And you want to stop your bike in any situation where stopping is important, go with hydro discs. You will never regret it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jay
a Cross Country Rider
from Tulsa, OK, USA Date Reviewed: October 5, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Jenson
Strengths:
Stopping power, light weight, easy to install, use Mineral Oil
Weaknesses:
None yet
Similar Products Used:
Hayes, Magura
Bike Setup:
EPX TerraShark, Full XT components, Marzocchi DJ III, Grimeca Aero 3-spoke Magnesium wheels
Bottom Line:
They were easy to install and were broken-in after the first ride. Good modulation and stopping power. Shimano uses U-shaped shims which make aligning the caliper a breeze. There was some pad rattle, but this was fixed by adjusting the pad springs.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
cid salcido
a Downhiller
from austin, tx Date Reviewed: September 28, 2003
-takes a while to bleed if you don't know how -kinda high in price if you pay retail
Similar Products Used:
-avid juicy -mangura -hope
Bike Setup:
-specialized'01 p3
Bottom Line:
first two-three weeks they sucked but once they broke in they became the sh*t. now everyone at work and my friends want them or use them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mtt
a Weekend Warrior
from Irvine Date Reviewed: September 22, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$220.00
Purchased At:
Jenson
Strengths:
Stopping power, looks nice, better design and built better than others i've tried. Mineral oil is a plus.
Weaknesses:
annoying shims
Similar Products Used:
Hayes hfx Xc; Hope mini
Bike Setup:
Ellsworth id, bomber z1FR; raceface...
Bottom Line:
Great brakes, cheaper than hope/hayes Mag. and better. 4 piston provides plenty of power. Modulation is also better than the mini. I've tried both Mini and hayes hfxHC and they both were less reliable, less powerful than the xt. I'm definitely sticking shimano for a while. Don't know about the Hayes Mag, but the HFX 9XC sucks, very low quality parts and weak.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mtt
a Weekend Warrior
from Irvine Date Reviewed: September 22, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$220.00
Purchased At:
Jenson
Strengths:
Stopping power, looks nice, better design and built better than others i've tried. Mineral oil is a plus.
Weaknesses:
annoying shims
Similar Products Used:
Hayes hfx Xc; Hope mini
Bike Setup:
Ellsworth id, bomber z1FR; raceface...
Bottom Line:
Great brakes, cheaper than hope/hayes Mag. and better. 4 piston provides plenty of power. Modulation is also better than the mini. I've tried both Mini and hayes hfxHC and they both were less reliable, less powerful than the xt. I'm definitely sticking shimano for a while. Don't know about the Hayes Mag, but the HFX 9XC sucks, very low quality parts and weak.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
TC
a
from Pasadena Date Reviewed: September 12, 2003
Favorite Trail:
JPL
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
$79 F/ $99 R
Strengths:
Superior stopping power, 4 piston design, comfortable brake lever....
The XT brakes provide awsome stopping power. It's really easy to set up and maintain these brakes, too. So, NEVER NEVER ruin that with the after-market POS brake pads!!! The after-market POS sqeeks like hell, your biking buddies can hear you from miles, and it has really weak stopping power when wet. If you go shopping for pads, please avoid any non-Shimano brake pads!! especially the YPK brand.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
antonio
a Downhiller
from switzerland Date Reviewed: September 3, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
acefactory
Strengths:
shimano XT with 203 disc, best stoping power i am ever hafe used
Weaknesses:
a litle bit faiding (steep downhill longer than 20 min.)
Similar Products Used:
nothing!!!
Bike Setup:
gt dhi M 2002, maxxis minnion 2.5 st42a front and rear, thomsen, mavic, sdg, tioga stem and handelbar, shimano: Deore LX XT XTR, odi, mrp, boxxer.
Bottom Line:
after i am hafe test: hayes hfx mag, and hope m4, is this disc "shimano xt" my favorite awesone!! buy shimano xt disc brake system, best stoping power ever.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Wayne
a Weekend Warrior
from Oregon Date Reviewed: August 28, 2003
Favorite Trail:
This is not a trail!! =)
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$180.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
Great stopping power and very, very easy to use. They also look sharp, matching the rest of my XT components. Using mineral oil instead of brake fluid is a plus. I used some $2.00 "pure" mineral oil from the grocery store. Find it in the laxative aisle. No problems.
Weaknesses:
Those stupid shims! Lack of hose availability for the BL-M756 levers.
Great stopping power and looks but the setup/tuning has been a pain in the rear. I recently upgraded to a larger bike and now I need new brake hoses. NOBODY local stocks the correct hoses for my BL-M756 levers (Hose P/N is SM-BH62).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Wayne
a Weekend Warrior
from Oregon Date Reviewed: August 28, 2003
Favorite Trail:
This is not a trail!! =)
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$180.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
Great stopping power and very, very easy to use. They also look sharp, matching the rest of my XT components. Using mineral oil instead of brake fluid is a plus. I used some $2.00 "pure" mineral oil from the grocery store. Find it in the laxative aisle. No problems.
Weaknesses:
Those stupid shims! Lack of hose availability for the BL-M756 levers.
Great stopping power and looks but the setup/tuning has been a pain in the rear. I recently upgraded to a larger bike and now I need new brake hoses. NOBODY local stocks the correct hoses for my BL-M756 levers (Hose P/N is SM-BH62).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kiwi in London
a Weekend Warrior
from London United Kingdom Date Reviewed: August 20, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Penhurst in the UK and Les Gets /Morzine in France
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
Evan's in London
Strengths:
Brilliant modulation. With the 203mm disk set up these babies throw you over the bars if you're not careful. As good if not better than Hope M4's power wise. Definately better than M4's modulation wise.
Weaknesses:
None so far.
Similar Products Used:
Hope M4 205mm disks for 1 year, Hope Mini's for 2 years
Bike Setup:
2003 Santa Cruz Bullit. 5th element. Boxxer Teams. 2003 XTR drive train. XTR 2002 shifters. Mavic 521 on Chris King rear hub. Hope Bulb up front with a 521. Goodridge brakelines (These babies rock!!)
Bottom Line:
Buy these brakes if you like awesome stopping power and don't like brake squeal ie: THEY DON'T SQUEAL LIKE A STUCK PIG LIKE MY HOPE'S DID.
This is the main reason I changed to XT Shimano because I was sick of the squealing. I went to Les Gets/Morzine in the French Alps this year and you could tell when a bike with Hope brakes was coming cause all you could hear was the squealing............ including my BIKE!!. Believe me I have tried everything to stop the Hopes squealing.
My friends who came with me had XT's 203mm front and rear. One on a Giant DH and the other on a Santa Cruz V10. No noise was heard from their brakes all week and we did some very serious descents. This is what convinced me to make the change.
Don't get me wrong now. The Hopes have great stopping power and are good brakes.......BUT THEY SQUEAL LIKE A STUCK PIG!
I'm am now one happy boy!! Thank you Shimano and of course my 2 friends you've made me see the light!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rick Hutchison
a Weekend Warrior
from north van/Canada Date Reviewed: August 18, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
These are great OPEN system brakes not closed as others have said. They work as advertised and are much better with the M756 levers and resin hoses which trim to fit unlike the old steel braided fixed length hoses. Excellent modulation and no fading on long downhills.
Weaknesses:
None to date.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes Mag brakes which are on my other bike.
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Tazmon with specialized disc brake adaptor and Hope 7" rear disk. Standard Marzocchi with 8" disk on front.
Bottom Line:
Good value for money and work as advertised.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Marcel van Houtum
a Cross Country Rider
from Eindhoven, The Netherlands Date Reviewed: August 15, 2003
Favorite Trail:
ardennes in belgium
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$75.00
Purchased At:
Profile,Vermeulen, Geldrop
Strengths:
*Closed oil system unlike magura clara, using mineral oil, so no messing around with toxic DOT fluids *Good brake power. *Modulation perfect *A little piece of metal pushes the brake pad outwards so no grating. *Perfect bleeding kit available ($30)and instruction on the shimano website *brake pads eazy to check *Brake lever is made out of one piece of metal, robust *eazy bleed nipple at the caliper *Do not fade when doing a down hill route (rate 4) from Alpe d'Huez (France alps)
Weaknesses:
Expensive brake pads (20euro=$20)per wheel
Similar Products Used:
Magura Clara, brought my bike 6 times back to the bikeshop. Magura replaced both calipers to Louise type and new levers (MORE THAN ONCE). The lever kept leeking/sweating and the calipers kept grating. When descending from one slope in the ardennes (Spa) my rear brake faded and the oil came out of the lever. Bleeding did not fix my bike in any case. I went back to the shop and demanded new brakes as long as they were no magura's. the shop together with the bike manufactures (KOGA MIYATA) arranged Shimano XT for $75 extra. These are MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH better than magura. Open oil systems (MAGURA SYSTEM) do not work to my opinion. (In the lever there is a small split used to draw air).
Bike Setup:
Hardtail bike, XT/LX equipments. Shimano deore Hubs, Mavic Rims.
Bottom Line:
XT shimano once gave me problems because I had to place the bike up side down to replace my crank axis. The rear brake was not firm anymore. When I arrived in France Alps the air in the caliper went back up to the lever and the brake was firm again. NEVER SPENT YOU MONEY ON MAGURA'S. Another friends have Magura Marta's and he also not happy with them. Do forget to brake-in your brakes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben
a Cross Country Rider
from Norway Date Reviewed: August 4, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Fantastic! Awesome! - Great stopping power (I haven't tried other discs, but definetly far superior to those ordinary old V-brakes) - Operation of the brake lever is a great, smooth & linear, one finger is enough - Installation is easy, though bleeding does take time
Weaknesses:
Personally, I don't have any problems with these brakes, but .... The biggest weakness is the damage done to my bank account. Maybe, just a slight maybe - the non-cuttable hoses. As long as you measure correctly it's fine. (though, I see now that Shimano have a new lever that lets you use some new cuttable hose - I think)
Bottom Line:
I have had no problem at all with these brakes, so far. Only had them for like, 3 weeks. I had my LBS build up two new wheels using the XT disc hubs and Mavic disc only rims - I did the rest. Piece of cake! I've read reviews further down this page and read about people with squealing brakes. I have had none of this!
When I was in the process of screwing the calipers on, I noticed that one of the discs didn't actually run true. So I had to give it a little bend by hand to stop it rubbing when the brakes weren't in use.
The bleeding process for me did take quite abit of time. Though, like I said earlier, you should hopefully only need to do it once. But once you're done, it's definetly worth the effort, these things are fantastic!
Are they worth the money? They weren't cheap, but I have no regrets and they work flawlessly for me. Performance is fantastic! (once they're burnt in)
100% Satisfied!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
JUANJO
a Weekend Warrior
from NORTH BERGEN, NJ USA Date Reviewed: July 22, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
PERFORMANCE BICYCLE
Strengths:
COOL, STRONG ,STOP YOUR BIKE NO MATER WHAT.
Weaknesses:
NONE
Similar Products Used:
HOPE
Bike Setup:
K2 EVO 4.0 : SHIMANO XT SHIFTER , XT BRAKES , XT F.D. , XTR R.D. , RACE FACE CRANK, BAR, STEM,SEATPOST, MANITOU BLACK COMP 100-120 FORK. AND MUCH MORE.
Bottom Line:
THIS IS A GREAT DISC BRAKE...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
JUANJO
a Weekend Warrior
from NORTH BERGEN, NJ USA Date Reviewed: July 22, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
PERFORMANCE BICYCLE
Strengths:
COOL, STRONG ,STOP YOUR BIKE NO MATER WHAT.
Weaknesses:
NONE
Similar Products Used:
HOPE
Bike Setup:
K2 EVO 4.0 : SHIMANO XT SHIFTER , XT BRAKES , XT F.D. , XTR R.D. , RACE FACE CRANK, BAR, STEM,SEATPOST, MANITOU BLACK COMP 100-120 FORK. AND MUCH MORE.
Bottom Line:
THIS IS A GREAT DISC BRAKE...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
JUANJO
a Weekend Warrior
from NORTH BERGEN, NJ USA Date Reviewed: July 22, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
PERFORMANCE BICYCLE
Strengths:
COOL, STRONG ,STOP YOUR BIKE NO MATER WHAT.
Weaknesses:
NONE
Similar Products Used:
HOPE
Bike Setup:
K2 EVO 4.0 : SHIMANO XT SHIFTER , XT BRAKES , XT F.D. , XTR R.D. , RACE FACE CRANK, BAR, STEM,SEATPOST, MANITOU BLACK COMP 100-120 FORK. AND MUCH MORE.
Bottom Line:
THIS IS A GREAT DISC BRAKE...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dunko
a Racer
from Oxford Date Reviewed: July 15, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Pipeline, Porcupine Rim
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Merlin
Strengths:
"03 spec XT (no spot for them yet). Modulation, power, set up, light etc etc
Weaknesses:
None, these are the best I've used
Similar Products Used:
Hayes hfx, hayes purple, older xt
Bike Setup:
m4 sworks fsr xc
Bottom Line:
Go get em. If youre downhilin, get the 8". these babies are the dogs!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John H
a Downhiller
from BC,Canada Date Reviewed: June 4, 2003
Favorite Trail:
North Shore Blue
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$425.00
Purchased At:
Xtreme Sports
Strengths:
These Brakes are amzing.... they are the 2002 model. I have the 8" rotors the Best brakes i have ever ridden on such a great feeling. so easy to make a great setup. great modelutation.Cables are bomb proof. and the brakes look great too
Weaknesses:
Caliper hits Ground when tire is off and resting but you should have a stand. there is not weakness really!!!
Similar Products Used:
Hayes HFX-Mags (THEY SUCK) i sold them,Hayes Purple DH
Bike Setup:
Super8,Dorado DH,5th Element rear,Mag 30 rims,XT rear,XT casset,Cris King Hubs,8" Shimano XT Brakes,FSA BB,MRP 1 Chain Guide,North Shore Cranks,Love Seat,XT 9spd shifters, Easton Monkey Lite DH bars,Race Face Diabolus Stem,FSA PIG DH Head set,Gazzie 2.8 front 2.6 rear.
Bottom Line:
These Brakes are they best out there i think a must buy there so great for XC- DHing 8" rotors are great
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott
a Weekend Warrior
from Marblehead, MA Date Reviewed: May 31, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Lynn Woods
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$90.00
Purchased At:
Jensonusa.com
Strengths:
Powerfull, easy to maintain: install & bleed, looks great too. 90 degree hose mount.
Weaknesses:
None, not even the steel brake hose.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes
Bike Setup:
Bullit 5th element, Jr T 2003, WTB 2.5 tires, Chris King, Mavic D321
Bottom Line:
Shimano XT disc brakes the best. I own four sets of them, not a single problem with any. Awesome modulation, and stopping power. I can't stress enough how good these brakes are, and they are more affordable than Hayes, Hope, and others. If you're shopping for hydro brakes or switching from another brand, get the Shimano XT disc. Never have to worry about brake performance again.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Larry Hanson
a Cross Country Rider
from California, Md U.S. of A. Date Reviewed: May 24, 2003
Favorite Trail:
The ones north of Seattle, Wa
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
Frankford Bicycle
Strengths:
Durability, excellent stopping power, relative ease of maintenance, lack of brake cables.
Weaknesses:
Steel braided cables, price of pads, difficult to center.
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
'99 Specialized FSR XC M4 with MSR X-Link mod, XTR front and rear der., FSA Carbon Pro cranks, RS SID XC (80mm), Race Face stem, Monkey Lite .75" rise bars, Thompson Elite post, 317/XT disc wheelset
Bottom Line:
Great brakes for the price. I have NEVER had any problems with these at all, except that they were a little difficult to center on my bike. I will sometimes hear squeaking and rubbing when my rotors are wet, but other than that, they have been great. Bleeding is straightforward and so are the pad changes. I haven't had a leak yet and nothing has broken, even after many a crash. They still stop as powerfully as when I first bought them in October of 2000. I am thoroughly impressed with the big S.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a Downhiller
from Thousand oaks Date Reviewed: April 24, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
colorado cyclist
Strengths:
have just enough power for easy one finger braking, zero mantenence, quiet, arent bad looking either.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes
Bike Setup:
Uzzi Sl, Z1 fork, the rest is nothing special mostly scrounged up old parts.
Bottom Line:
In my opinion these are much better that Hayes. Ive never had any of the problems mentioned below and I grind on them every day. Cant beet em for the price, I would reccomend them to anybody.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
K2footsrgn
a Cross Country Rider
from Alliance, Oh Date Reviewed: April 24, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Any single track
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$90.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Great modulation, light, esthetic brake handle, easy to hook up, good stopping power, brake hose was included from seller.
Weaknesses:
some mild squeaks when drenched with water
Bike Setup:
Single track front rim w/ XT hub, Sun 0 XC rear rim w/ LX hub, XT BB, Race Face cranks, Kore elite stem, Syncros post, WTB headset, Shimano XT front disc brake etc.
Bottom Line:
These brakes are great, they stop well even when wet. You can fly though the mud without having to worry about stopping later. The great thing about disc brakes is that if you wheel goes slightly out of true, the brakes don't rub. I would definitely buy these again. I just have them in the front, so I can save some weight.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris Gracheck
a
from Ann Arbor, MI Date Reviewed: April 17, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
they definatly have some power, I installed these brakes on my own, it was plenty easy, nothing any average joe can't do.
I am the type of rider who appreciates performance over weight, I usually make a comprismise. I am a trail rider who occasionaly races. In my race in the past weekend these brakes actually gave me confidence on the DH's and on going into the turns. Fact was I could brake later with less effort, and I could stop more powerfully. Stopping is much more important than weight to me.
Compared to the Mini's, they are lighter, no lie to that. They do have slightly better modulation (not a difference really) But the power is definatly superior. The modulation is a non-issue, and the weight is not noticable
Take the performance, stop in a second with these
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tony
a Cross Country Rider
from Lafayette, La. Date Reviewed: April 9, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Perfomance
Strengths:
Easy to install, all parts needed are included. I got the new improved M4 pads (NO noise).
Weaknesses:
None that I can see. Maybe the hyd. lines could be better.
Similar Products Used:
IRD Interlock system.
Bike Setup:
Stumpjumper FSR
Bottom Line:
After the burn in period which wasn't to long, they get better with each ride. They handle the steepest fire roads with ease, way better than the V brakes it had. I had no overheating problems with sustained use yet. The mineral oil works fine, very easy to bleed and get you on the trail quick. For the money these are a good investment in performance and safety. If you ride in the rain or in hill country these are a must have.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sam
a Cross Country Rider
from Vancouver, Washington Date Reviewed: March 2, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Ape Canyon, Siouxon
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Strong, great modulation, easy setup, no squeal
Weaknesses:
None for me.
Similar Products Used:
03 XTR discs, Hayes discs, rims.
Bike Setup:
Ellsworth Truth.
Bottom Line:
Best disc brake I have used. Powerful, predictable modulation. No squeal in wet conditions.
I am now using 03 XTR's which are way more expensive, they currently have a squealing problem when wet - which I am sure I will solve (probably different pads).
The only benefit of the XTR over the XT is weight and good looks.
The XT is the best disc brake I have used for my $$$. Solid, works good, coming down in price...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
scb73
a Downhiller
from Escondido, Califor n i a, Estados Unidos Date Reviewed: February 17, 2003
Favorite Trail:
the downhill in carmel mountain
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
www.bicyclewarehouse.com
Strengths:
modulation is incredible and to describe the stopping potential of these brakes would be like having you ride as fast as you can away from a tree, rope attached to your bike and strung up around the tree, and when all the line is out the bike will stop. well that's what kind of stopping potential these brakes have. i have been one finger braking since i put these on and i have to say it's unbelievable.
they look badass!
four piston power, amaaaaazing!
bombing downhill is evidently faster, especially now because i know that the braking power is there and i can brake last second if need be, however going faster is the way to go. but controlling your speeds in turns is sometimes necessary and when all you peripherally see is a blur it's good to know you can control yourself.
Weaknesses:
none, anyone that has posted any weaknesses down below are frickin smokin pole.
Similar Products Used:
hope minis, all types of cantilever/v-brakes, state of the art coaster brake and last but not least, flinstone brakes
Bike Setup:
santa cruz "firearm projectile", phenomenal xt disc brakes, tom's son post, westoff monkeylite dh steering mechanism, sun rims, Mr.King's componentry, race face prod crizzies, xtr railleurs, diabolous bar holder, race face good and evil grips (the best grips in the world), weirwolves, cheeep ass tubes, fox talas rlc to hold down the fort in the front
Bottom Line:
most powerful brakes i have ever used!
flood of power that eminates from the calipers is bar none the best.
modulation is better than you think, one finger braking is preferred so i can keep the rest on the grips while bombing down at high velocity. extremely instills confidence.
i have tried 3 other types of discs, anywhere from hydraulic to mechanical. the best i've ever ridden are the shimano xt four piston brakes, by far the best.
just put an 8" XT rotor in the back plus XT adaptor (because my fork will not accept an 8" in the front) i said to hell with it, i'll take 8" inches where ever i can, except for where the sun don't sun, and i couldn't believe how much more power i got out of the back end, now my braking power is perfect.
eaSY TO bleed, easy to maintain.
bicyclewarehouse in vista, ca has the friendliest most knowledgeable guys and can hook you up, build you up, and fix you up better than any other shop i've done business with. their sales staff is also the braintrust and they are all the mechanics. what better place than that, guys that do everything good sell, buy, repair, fix, adjust, and build all with a pumped up attitude about the sport. they are not a bunch of guys trying to know their products just to throw you some b.s. as to why you should buy something. these guys at bicyclewarehouse.com have tested and abused, fixed, built, destroyed everything on the market and they'll tell you what is good and what is unacceptable. eric, diego, ryan, trevor thanks for all your help.
i wouldn't give a shop this much props but these guys really kick arse. peace
as for the xt brakes, get them because you'll be kickin yourself later for not getting them. anything other than shimano xt disc brakes is unacceptable, there is no excuse not to have these.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kingtyee
a Weekend Warrior
from Bellingham Date Reviewed: February 10, 2003
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$240.00
Strengths:
Very smooth and powerful, no fade, easy to bleed and service, good modulation, bomb-proof cables and cable junctions, mineral oil, very little noise when wet, good looking, nice lever feel, components readily available from LBS
Weaknesses:
NONE
Similar Products Used:
XT v's, Magura Louise, Avid mech
Bike Setup:
Steel hardtail, Z5
Bottom Line:
These brakes have exceeded all expectations over the past two years. I have had zero problems with performance on the local trails which are steep, muddy, and technical. I bled and installed the brakes at 1am in near darkness and have had no trouble since (haven't had to re-bleed in two years). These brakes have performed more to my liking than other brands of discs, but I must say that Magura and Avid put out good products that have served my riding buddies well. Disc brakes, along with a solid 4-5" fork are the best upgrades for dedicated hardtail riders who want to go faster down steep, gnarly sh-t, and fly off taller and taller drops.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason
a
from Modesto, CA Date Reviewed: February 4, 2003
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Bottom Line:
I have 6" rotors on a SC Bullit that gets a lot of DH abuse. They had enough power to slow down my 225 lb. butt on the World Cup DH course at Whistler! I can imagine how nice the 8" rotors are. I highly reccommend them. Easy to maintain/bleed. Little to no rub on the pads (if there is any just add/subtract spacers where the calipers mount). Just make sure you wrap the hoses with electrical tape so they don't scratch your frame. I'd buy them again in a heartbeat. They are very affordable now online.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
alex
a Downhiller
from ottawa, ontario, canada Date Reviewed: January 30, 2003
Favorite Trail:
fortune DH
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
looks, power, modulation, ase o installation... price
Weaknesses:
long break in period... very limited compatabilty with forks for 8 inch rotor (but tht's changed now)
Similar Products Used:
hayes 8 inch
Bike Setup:
urban hardtail... 24 inch wheels avid rear 8 inch shimano xt front's manitou millennium fork
Bottom Line:
these are amzing more power and modulation then the hays and a better price and looks... wish it was easier to get parts though
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gil
a Cross Country Rider
from San Bruno, CA, USA Date Reviewed: January 17, 2003
Favorite Trail:
any singletrack
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Colorado Cyclist
Strengths:
Excellent modulation and stopping power. These brakes will improve your downhill skills. Setup is easy, but don't get any oil on the pads, if you do throw them away because they will squeal. Then go buy EBC reds.
Weaknesses:
Steel braided lines, they will cut into your frame. Wrap them with electrical tape (use the same color as the frame).
Similar Products Used:
XTR V brakes
Bike Setup:
Superlight,xtr,crossmax,marathon
Bottom Line:
Performance and looks at a great price. If you're thinking of switching to disc brakes, stop looking, these are it. Also there is barely any weight penalty for you calories counter. Go buy them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Cara
a Downhiller
from Los Angeles, CA Date Reviewed: January 7, 2003
Favorite Trail:
gspot/tunnel
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
VeloPro/Trailhead-Santa Barbara
Strengths:
great braking power and modulation. comfortable levers.
Weaknesses:
I'll post again when I find one.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes
Bike Setup:
Stinky Dee Lux 2003 w/ Super T Pro and Shimano 8" Kona Score Marz. Z1 and Shimano 6"
Bottom Line:
I was a Hayes fan for years then got the Shimanos on my Score because they were the best bargain. the stopping power and modulation was so good I couldn't believe it. I still thought though that the reason the brakes felt so good is because they were on a 31 lb. bike. when I got the new Stinky I decided just to give it a shot and put the 8" Shimanos on the Stinky -- OMG - whatever! The brakes are amazing - such great modulation that I'm one -finger braking (never could do that w/ the hayes) and nose wheelies (I could only do them sometimes before) are now easy - the modulation and power is sick! I've been warned that the Shimanos fade on long downhills - I haven't noticed that yet, but I haven't done any long, fast, steep DH's where my brakes have been on for a sustained period of time. I'll write more once I've had a chance to test them on the long DH.
Bottom Line: the Hayes don't compare. I've never tried anything besides Hayes and Shimanos, but so far, Shimano's superior hands down.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
bobo
a Downhiller
from usa Date Reviewed: January 4, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
colorado cyclist
Strengths:
nice looks, the set I got has the new cuttable resin hoses included. braking power is significant increase from v brakes. also, it's shimano, so you can't go wrong.
Weaknesses:
none so far
Similar Products Used:
none, xtr v's before
Bike Setup:
i-drive with mavic d3.1 UST laced to xt disc, z1 freeride, and all the rest
Bottom Line:
The stopping power is very good, although i think it will be even better once i truly break them in on a DH run. some people complain about the pads taking weeks and months to break in... i broke mine in in just a few minutes of hard stopping. I did, however, take time to clean the rotors with isopropyl alcohol before using them.
the worst part was not in the brakes, but the problems i had with colorado cyclist. I got a set with the newest levers, (the m756 levers, which look more like hayes style) and somehow I got two left hand levers. So, i requested that a right hand lever be sent to me. I got it, but it was the old style m755 lever. keep in mind the banjo fittings are different for the 755 and 756. Luckily, i got some free hoses, but the hoses were for a shimano DEORE lever (m550 or something). To make a long story short, I basically salvaged parts from all the parts they had sent me, and finally set up my right hand lever.
bleeding the front was easy, but the rear took a little longer since there is more hose. standing the bike vertically on its rear wheel helped, that way i wasn't fighting gravity or getting u-traps in my line. after i bled the brakes the first time, i bled them a second time because rogue air bubbles got trapped. after this, no problems at all.
shimming the rear brake was a pain in the ass, i spent a good 3 or 4 hours perfecting it, and it's still not perfect. i must say, however, that my rear disc brake mounts are probably off centered (since GT doesn't take too much care in making them straight). I will most likely file the mounts a little bit to make them flat.
other than my few problems, i like the xt's a lot, they look hot, and they stop well. oh, mad cheap $$$ too. hayes are so expensive, people are just buying them for the name. shimano xt's give more modulation and 4 pistons.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
michael
a Cross Country Rider
from England Date Reviewed: December 22, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
These disc brakes kick so much A*SE!! when they were broken in i just had 2 tap them and it wud stop straight away!
Weaknesses:
i will tell u when/if i find one, but so far (touch wood) they r the best thing on my bike
Bike Setup:
giant mcm team frame, Sram 9.0, rock shock sid race carbon forks, xt disc's front and back built onto mavic D321 rims.
Bottom Line:
the bottom line is, u pay hundreds 4 some brakes, wot ur paying 4 is the name! thats it, XT!!! buy it nice and cheap at £100 and it will kick a*se
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
fauzi
a Weekend Warrior
from singapore Date Reviewed: December 19, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$450.00
Strengths:
bloody strong. nothing like it. easily raplaceble brake pads.
Weaknesses:
not that powerfull at first but after a few weeks.....
Similar Products Used:
maugra gustav
Bike Setup:
2002 identiti dr jekyll, 24, 26 inch doublewide on highrollers, xt bits and pieces azonic bar and stem.
Bottom Line:
very very good brake for any type of riding. best for cross country rider because it is light weight and best for downhill because it is a real heart stopper.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Duke
a Cross Country Rider
from Jacksonville, FL Date Reviewed: December 15, 2002
Favorite Trail:
san felasco
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
JensonUSA
Strengths:
Solid performance, Very pretty, Price and excellent build quality.
Weaknesses:
setup, bleeding rear caliper
Similar Products Used:
None, V-brakes only
Bike Setup:
GT I-drive race, CNC'd DH stem, flat bar, cutom wheels with HoPe XC hubs and Mavic X3.2 tubeless rims
Bottom Line:
I always though V-brakes did a very good job. At least in dry conditions. I though it would be hard to beat those. How wrong could I be? Very wrong indeed! The braking power is enormous, the modulation precise. Being used to braking with two fingers I had some problems getting used to the discs. These brakes only need ONE finger and nothing more.
Setting up the system was not difficult, but I wouldn't say it's easy either (to do it correctly). You have to be very precise with the shims. I actually ground flat the posts on my bike first, to insure a good seat. After that I installed the calipers and adjusted them. Then I hooked up the levers and cables and bled the system. After bleeding the brakes, the calipers were off a little and I had to re-adjust them. Bleeding by the way was easy on the front brake, but I had some initial problems with the rear caliper, probably due to the horizontal position, pushing the air to the back instead of out. The brake had enough braking power that I decided to ride it anyway, and to re-bleed it later, after the ride.
The first couple of feet, the braking power was in one word: disappointing. Bit after a couple of runs up and down the street they started to break in and perform like........like what? I guess like disc brakes. Now after riding them a couple of times I must say I'm really impressed and never knew how much confidence a brake could add to my riding.
I'm sold and I think for this price, this system is hard to beat. To me it's unbeatable anyway, just because the way it looks :-) drool, drool.......
Now, I have read some comments about long decents on a downhill ride......... well, I have one comment to that: these are XC brakes. There sole purpose is to perform on XC riding and nothing else.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
dirk
a Cross Country Rider
from bonn, germany Date Reviewed: December 3, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
friend
Strengths:
brakes faster than you can say "stop" looks really good 4 caliper system
Weaknesses:
oops, this wasn´t intended to be a front wheelie.. sometimes makes noises - but they quit after short braking
Similar Products Used:
canti only
Bike Setup:
rocky mtn element deluxe
Bottom Line:
i haven´t crossed the alps with this brakes (nor with others) but i definitely would without any fear. the longest duration of use was maybe 10 minutes, it felt as this was nothing to them and my fingers and forearms didn´t hurt like they did with cantis. i´m able to block both wheels with just one finger a hand - what else should i say ?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Master Blaster
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney NSW Austraila Date Reviewed: November 30, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Nepaen
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
Campbelltown
Strengths:
No real strenghts, however they do a reasonable job..
Weaknesses:
After trying and now owning a set of HOPE DH4's everything on the XT's is a weakness..
Similar Products Used:
HOPE DH4's, not similar but the ultimate..
Bike Setup:
GT I-drive, full spec..
Bottom Line:
Not a bad brake system if your on a budget, I would recommend everyone who wants the best performing brake system on the market to save some more money and purchase the HOPE DH4's or if your a XC rider, one of the other HOPE offerings.. I know of a guy, lets call him SV, he purchased a set of XT's and spilt the mineral oil supplied with the brakes all over his bedroom floor while trying to bleed them..Rather than purchasing some more compatible mineral oil he used vegetable cooking oil, upon asking him "what the hell are you doing?", his rational or should I say irrational idea was that vegetables have minerals and it's oil.. I think I'll leave it at that..
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael
a Racer
from Cotati, CA, USA Date Reviewed: November 14, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Rough Go
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$275.00
Purchased At:
supergo
Strengths:
Work gread. So much better in the rain that v-brakes
Weaknesses:
none yet
Bottom Line:
If you want good disc brakes for a reasonable price get these ones. 1,000,000 times better than any v-brake. Only hold back is the weight and as a x-country racer weight is everything.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from SF Bay Area, CA Date Reviewed: November 9, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Skeggs Point
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
-Easy setup -Unbelievably perfect modulation thanks to 4-piston design -Excess of stopping power -No fade problems even on long descents
Weaknesses:
-Lever throw is adjustable, but take-up isn't. Would be nice to be able to bleed them to the point that there's only 1/2" of slack in the lever
Similar Products Used:
None, just v-brakes and some test-rides on Hope- & Hayes-equipped bikes.
Bike Setup:
2001 Santa Cruz Superlight, full XTR, Mavic .317 rims, Chris King hubs & headset.
Bottom Line:
These brakes are at least an order of magnitude better than v-brakes. The stopping power & modulation are incredible; I haven't locked up the tires since getting these brakes set up--you can feel exactly what the bike is doing in any terrain, at any speed. At 230 lbs., I expected problems with fade, but have had none so far, even on long descents. Break-in was easy too, just one good afternoon ride without doing anything special.
Setup is crucial. Correctly shimming & bleeding these brakes, which is not difficult, is critical to the performance of the system. I think incorrect bleeding is probably the root cause of some negative reviews below (spongy feel, poor modulation, lack of stopping power etc.).
I think Shimano has made an imoportant leap by using mineral oil; it's non-toxic, easier than DOT fluid to clean up, non-damaging to paint an components, and readily available (12 oz. at the local hardware store, sold as 'honing oil', is about $1.49US). Shimano's and the hardware store's are both food-grade 100% mineral oil and are interchangable, regardless of what the Shimano marketing dept. says.
One word of caution: ANY mineral oil on the pads will render them useless & ruined. Even touching the rotors with bare hands that have a teeny bit of oil on them will reduce the efficiency of the brakes markedly. I recommend a thorough wash-down of the brake system & hands with soap, as well as a rubdown of of the rotors with rubbing alcohol or other solvent before final assembly.
5 chilies for value thanks to eBay, and 5 chilies for overall rating--these 4-piston brakes are every bit as good as the Hopes & Hayes that I've test-ridden, but with none of the hype and high price associated with those brands.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Biking Brazilian
a Cross Country Rider
from San Jose, CA, USA Date Reviewed: October 8, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
JensonUSA
Strengths:
Easy to set up, nice looking, quality
Weaknesses:
Hard to find hydraulic line that can be cut. Stainless steel lines will chip away paint if not protected
Similar Products Used:
Hayes MX-1 Mechanical
Bike Setup:
1999 GT XCR3000
Bottom Line:
Excellent product. Shimano is like Starbucks and Microsoft: Everyone hates them, yet everyone uses their products. Why? Because they're good. And not only that, they look nice on your bike.
I set these up and was riding within an hour. A few more fine tuning adjustments, some fluid here, some shimming there, and I was set. The front worked great right away but the rear was spongy initially. I added some fluid but still spongy. But that was just test riding in my driveway. Then I took out to the mountains and after a few hard turns and brakes, they started to deliver.
When you bring your brand new BMW home from the dealership, you don't drive 100 MPH on the first day. Let these babies brake (haha) in before you make up your mind whether these are good brakes or not. After that, if you still hate them, 1) you didn't install them correctly, or 2) Your paycheck says "Hayes" on them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a Weekend Warrior
from Altus, ok Date Reviewed: September 15, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Tom Steed
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$99.00
Purchased At:
Colorado cycle
Strengths:
Easy to intall, bleed. Very well thought out design. Excellent stopping power.
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
Magura Julie....garbage
Bike Setup:
Raleigh M800, Psylo XC, WTB Speed disc rims.
Bottom Line:
Excellent product. I found these brakes very easy to install and bleeding the brakes was equally as easy. I was able to bed these brakes to "an acceptable" level within 30 min, I would sprint up to 20 MPH then slam the brakes on, after about the 5th time they started to "bite"...they keep getting better and better. They also look great on my bike, and have absolutely no rubbing. Brakes were very well thought out!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Drew
a Cross Country Rider
from Marin County, CA, USA Date Reviewed: September 6, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$240.00
Purchased At:
Performance Bike
Strengths:
Excellent Stopping power. Fairly easy to set up and very easy to maintain. Modulate well. Relatively inexpensive. If you are a "heavy" rider, say 175Lbs. or more disk brakes will improve your riding. You realize how poor your braking was with V brakes.
Weaknesses:
None Really, except steel braided lines. More on this below.
I want to respond to some criticisms of these brakes. First, the steel braided line can be replaced (or purchase them new this way) with Shimano cut-to-length hose model SM-BH61. It works great! No srathcing your paint and perfect length. Second, These brakes ARE made by Shimano not Grimica. They are designed by Grimica that's why they use different fluids! SRAM also uses Gramica's design. Third, If the brakes are compressed w/ out the wheel on, spread the pads and calipers apart with a flathead screwdriver-easy. Fourth, I'm surprised a downhiller had problems because many World Cup Pros use these same brakes. Be sure to use the larger rotors for downhill use. Lastly, Be very careful not to get oil on the pads, if you do they are ruined and have to be replaced. I'm using Kool-Stop now which seem to work fine. Remember not to fault a product because of being unfamilliar with it's operation.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
louis kirby
a Cross Country Rider
from gifu city japan (Australian) Date Reviewed: September 3, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Any
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
local bike shop
Strengths:
Modulation power easy bleading no maintance
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
prostop
Bike Setup:
custom cro- molly anchor frame all xt M z2 atom race
Bottom Line:
these brakes are HORN BAG and do the business all day long,once they are are broken in your forearms will be thanking you
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Allen McFadden
a Cross Country Rider
from Conway, AR Date Reviewed: September 2, 2002
These brakes were easy to set up and adjust with the supplied shims. Bleeding was easily done with a vacuum pump.
These brakes took about 20 miles of overusing my brakes to seat in the pads. After that, they work much better than my LX V-brakes. Now, I can do 1 finger front wheel stands if I want! The modulation is great, so wheel stands are only done when I want to.
I haven't had a chance to ride on wet trails yet, but Fall is coming soon.
If you are thinking disc brakes, get the XT Hydraulics.
I wrapped electical tape around the braded steel line where it contacts my fork. The paint is unaffected so far.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matthew Stenberg
a Cross Country Rider
from Hazelwood, MO Date Reviewed: August 6, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Berryman
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$99.00
Purchased At:
Colorado Cyclist
Strengths:
Great lever feel, modulation. Work great in sloppy conditions. Power(it keeps getting better).
Weaknesses:
Had a few problems getting the calipers shimmed correctly for the rear of my Cannondale. Had to use some of the shims from the front.
Similar Products Used:
None, V-Brakes only.
Bike Setup:
Cannondale SuperV 1000 with Chris King ISO Wheelset, XT Disc brakes, Race Face cranks, XTR drivetrain.
Bottom Line:
Wasn't that difficult to set up once I figured out how to bleed correctly. I can tell the product is made well and will last.
Had the most trouble with shimming and keeping the pads from rubbing, but now that it is set up they work great.
When I first rode them, there was no power AT ALL. I was ready to get mad, until I read all of the review saying that there is a LONG break in period.
I had about 30 miles on them and I tried the Oven method (see reviews below) and didn't notice much difference.
Then this weekend I rode some more, it was very dry and dusty here, and they started working. Maybe the dust helped break them in, but I was coming down a hill and they all of a sudden had power.
I don't think they are to their full power yet, but I am not disappointed now. They seem to only be getting more powerful everytime I ride.
I am giving them a 4 for now, but I believe they will deserve a 5 after they are fully broken in.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jacek Krawczyk
a Cross Country Rider
from Poland Date Reviewed: August 3, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Tatra Mountains
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
internet
Strengths:
good looking, nice modulation
Weaknesses:
squeaks as hell, rust on disk !!!
Similar Products Used:
Shimano V-XTR, V-XT.
Bike Setup:
Specialized Rock Hopper with XT, Ritchey.
Bottom Line:
I thought I am buying nice disc brakes, now I am swearing as hell. Hope soon gets better
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike Hromadiuk
a Downhiller
from Calgary AB Canada Date Reviewed: August 2, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Monkey Suit
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
single track cycle
Strengths:
Powerful 4 piston brakes work well in all weather, never have had a problem yet.
Weaknesses:
Has on-off feeling none other.
Similar Products Used:
Magura Julie Hydros.
Bike Setup:
2001 Diamond back XTS-3 with 2002 Jr T and Shimano XT hydroulic disc brakes front and rear
Bottom Line:
Very strong brakes with no real wieknesses.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mr Ploppy
a
from Australia Date Reviewed: August 2, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Modulation, power, easy maintenance, yes ... looks good
Weaknesses:
braided cables need binding before you even think about a ride.
Similar Products Used:
No hydro, only XTR v's
Bike Setup:
hardtail XC MARS fork
Bottom Line:
I've had these for 2 months now and they came oem on a new bike. Having come from xtr v's the first time i rode with these was interesting - no power at all. I wasn't worried cause i'd read reviews and after a while the rear started to feel really nice. I'd say it was 300km (200miles)of varied off road riding before the rotors wore in. Now they are awesome. The modulation is the outstanding feature of these brakes.
The reason for this is the quad piston arrangement. Someone in a review said quad piston is overkill on a bicycle but the reason is not for power but for feel. If you look at the calipers there is a wide bore (low pressure) piston and a narrow bore (high pressure) piston. Initially the low pressure piston actuates but as you apply more pressure the high pressure "kicks in" resulting in full power when you need it with no grab or surprises.
The best way to test them is on a downhill trail with loose rocks and dirt and an upredictable surface. You can actually feel exactly what the wheels are doing and react before something terminal happens. This results in a huge increase in confidence and speed.
My bike has a 160mm disk on the rear but a 170mm on the front because of the Mars fork which needs a special adapter. I figure this has given me a bit more stopping grunt for nix. My only concern is sourcing a 170mm replacement if needed.
oh yeah. you MUST bind the hoses before you ride. i just wrapped electrical tape around them (matching frame colour) and it's been ok.
Buy them but be patient. Initially I was sprinkling dust on them on the trail and I think it helped to wear the rotors in.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
1500MPG
a Cross Country Rider
from Michigan Date Reviewed: July 30, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$220.00
Purchased At:
Jenson
Strengths:
Modulation, looks, installation, pimp factor, price. bleeding. mineral oil fluid.
Weaknesses:
added weight, stainless cables look ugly IMO.
Similar Products Used:
V-brakes and canties only.
Bottom Line:
built a new bike over about 1 years time. Finished the bike 3 weeks ago. Took 5 days to burn off build/assembly residue on the front rotor to obtain good braking power, the rear was kick arse right out of the box. bleeding was no problem.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
BC Dude
a Racer
from Canada Date Reviewed: June 25, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
These are by far the better brakes out there. Design paid off in superior modulation and predictable power.
Weaknesses:
Lack of understanding of the system. Shimano does not show up on as many OEM bikes, so people think they are not as good as Hayes.
Similar Products Used:
Formula, Hayes, Avid, Hope, Grimeca, Magura
Bike Setup:
Too many to list, xc to DH and evrything in between.
Bottom Line:
Lets dispell with the myths right here. Mineral oil is used for a good reason: bicycle dic brakes will never reach the temperature that DOT fluid is designed to not break down in, DOT is harmful to paint and hand etc, and DOT does NOT add any advantage to the user. Hays hasd been making MOTORCYCLE brake foe a long time, all designed around DOT, why change. Shimano waited and engineered these from the groundup.
If you noticed a trend in the circuit this past year, it is more teams using XT's for DH and DS. This is when the 8" roto cam out. Not a coincidence. Modulation is important to riders, especialy on the 'shore whre traction isn't something that can be taken fro granted.
Find a bike that has XT's broken in, then a Hayes bike. Judge for yourself.
OH, and one more thing kiddies, XT's are easier to bleed then Hayes, just use a srynge from the bottom with the res cover taken off. Set up brakes in under 5 minutes an end. You can see the air and the fluid level, unlike hayes. Try it, you'll like it
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Don Giberson
a Downhiller
from Milpitas Date Reviewed: June 25, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Soquel Demo
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Sun Bike
Strengths:
Good modulation, braided lines
Weaknesses:
Pre-cut lines, fade under load (I am 220 lbs), setup
Similar Products Used:
Hayes
Bike Setup:
Uzzi SLX, Jr. T, XTRd, Hadley, Pro Taper
Bottom Line:
I love these brakes, right up to the point they start fading. The stock pads howled and faded under extended braking. I changed over to Cool Stop pads and the howling has decreased but I still have the fade problem. In fairness, with my weight, I should be running 8" up front. I had Hayes on another bike with no problems at all.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
JonnyCruz
a
from Corvallis, OR usa Date Reviewed: June 20, 2002
Favorite Trail:
campus
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$330.00
Purchased At:
universalcycles
Strengths:
Great modulation, looks cool, stops like a beast
Weaknesses:
installing the brakes is a pain in the rectum, pre-cut hoses are stupid
Similar Products Used:
magura, xt-v
Bike Setup:
who cares
Bottom Line:
get these brakes if you are a patient mechanic and want some dope brakes
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a Downhiller
from Orange County, CA Date Reviewed: June 14, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Noble Canyon
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$119.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Great modulation, good power on rear, fade free performance, excellent lever feel
Weaknesses:
Insufficient power with stock 6" rotor up front for true one-finger braking on hairy decents. Time consuming set up with washer spacing.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes hydraulic, XTR V brakes
Bike Setup:
Uzzi SL, Fox RLC, XTR'd out
Bottom Line:
I stayed on the fence for the longest time about discs because it never rains here and hence mud/wet isn't an issue. While I'm not a weight wheenie, the extra 1/2 to 1 lb didn't exactly entice me.
However, I was blown away by the modulation...discs are so much smoother - I can't believe I waited so long. And the weight isn't really noticable.
That said, the front is not strong enough for true one finger stoppies and gnarly descents for my weight and riding style (180 lb, expert caliber DH).
I tried the red EBC pads and they are indeed more powerful (more friction), but they wear extremely quickly (approx 1/3 gone in 2 weeks of XC riding). Because of the higher friction and greater disparity between static and dynamic friction in these, they tend to pulsate a bit under extreme braking or while doing stoppies.
I also tried the green EBC pads - same issue as the reds but they dont wear as quickly (I've got a brand new set - used one day only if anybody wants to make me an offer pls e-mail me).
Finally I went with the 8" rotor (4" radius vs. 3" radius gives a 33% mechanical advantage over the stock rotors). This was a chore as Shimano does not make an 6" IS to 8" IS adapter for a front fork other than Manitou or RS Boxxer thru axles. They claim the added torque is too much for a skewered fork. That's total BS - the torque applied at the hub axle/dropout maxes out with a front wheel skid/stoppie...whether it be from a 6" rotor or 8". I had to get the Grimeca adapter.
All told, I might choose Hayes if i could do it over again just B/C the 8" setup for the front is so much easier to obtain.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Wes
a Downhiller
from Ona,WV,USA Date Reviewed: June 12, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Sport DH @ Snowshoe WV
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$195.00
Purchased At:
Jenson
Strengths:
Great Power in all conditions! Levers feel really good, great modulation, and they look good!
Weaknesses:
Takes a while for them to break in. What I did to solve this was I hooked my self to a riding lawnmower and pulled me while I braked. Works like a charm!
Bike Setup:
2000 Kona Stinky with boxxer
Bottom Line:
These brakes are great! The front with 8" rotor is incrdible! I believe my front is just as good as hayes. The back isnt as strong but it still works good. One problem that I did have was that my bike shop didnt put enough oil in the lines. It made my brakes go in and out. I thought that they needed to be blead but it wasnt full of oil. They put more oil in it and now they work incredible! I recommend these brakes to anybody that wants great power with their brakes!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Todd
a Weekend Warrior
from scanton, pa Date Reviewed: June 3, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Any singletrack
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Modulates well strong braking power(most of the time) disks stay pretty clean
Weaknesses:
They suck if you are doing any type of downhilling Have to constantly fill up the brakes because the pads get too hott and boil away the cheap ass mineral oil
Similar Products Used:
Hayes, magura
Bike Setup:
Giant xtc ac 1 custom with full xt kit and race face on this bike, giant nrs 1 pretty much stock with hayes and a crackedtale jekyll with magura's
Bottom Line:
These's are great for some weight wussy who wants a light disc brake that works well, but if your going down hill and wanna stop quick go buy yourself a pair of hayes... Even though we all know hayes squel like pigs in heat they are better for long hard braking.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Me
a Racer
from Evergreen, CO Date Reviewed: June 2, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Wheat Ridge Cyclery
Strengths:
Best feel out of all the disc brakes I have tried. Work so well.
Weaknesses:
break in period, which isn't as long as everyone makes is seem. Not as easy to bleed as Hayes.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes and Avid mech disc (road version)
Bike Setup:
Fox Forx Float RLC, XTR, Easton Carbon/MAG components, Mavic CrossMAX UST, shimano XT disc, Time Carbon pedals
Bottom Line:
I think these are the best hydraulic brakes on the market. From what I have seen working in my bike shop, if your going to buy disc brakes for mechanical get either Avid or Hayes and for hydraulic get Hayes, Shimano (which is the same as Grimeca or SRAM).
The break in period on these brakes isn't as bad as people make is sound. After a month of riding, they work full power, but it only takes a ride or two to get them to work as good or better than V-brakes.
PUtting fables in their place: Don't do anything with the pads (like putting them in the oven or any of that junk) -> just put them on the bike and ride them. It helps to rub the rotors down really good with rubbing alcohol before you install them. I hear of people going down big hills with the brakes on the whole time to break them in, that will warp your rotors. Just ride them normally. Don't slam on the brakes in the first 5-10 minutes of riding, after that is doesn't matter how hard you hit the brakes. What actually takes so long for the brakes to break in, is the rotors, not the pads. when you replace pads, in 5 minutes of normal riding they are completely broken in, and the rotors are what take a couple of rides to break in.
These are great brakes, but so are Avids and Hayes. Hayes are easier to bleed and get all the air out, but don't have the same modulation that Shimano (Grimeca & SRAM) have. Avid are sweet cause the work awesome and can be fixed by most people quickly. If on a vacation it can get hard to find places that have a selection of hydraulic disc brakes parts if a probably arises (i.e. -> bring your own stuff incase of mishaps, which isn't a common thing)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a Weekend Warrior
from Huntington Beach, CA Date Reviewed: May 30, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Skages up in San Francisco
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$220.00
Purchased At:
Wheel World
Strengths:
Easy setup, great power and modulation....braided lines are a + excellent for XC and moderate downhilling...
Weaknesses:
none yet....
Similar Products Used:
Hayes hydraulic
Bike Setup:
stock 2001 stumpjumper fsr except for chris king headset,easton monekey lite bar and stem...Michellin Wildgrippers
Bottom Line:
Excellent disc brakes...setup was a breeze, anybody can do it if you have enough common sense to put it together. levers feel great...i'm glad i got these when I did and I dont think i'll ever go back to V's again. break in period wasn't too bad like some others mentioned...it took me just one ride to do so, also the brakes are quiet no real obnoxious squeals like what some people say...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
T
a Downhiller
from Daly City Date Reviewed: May 29, 2002
Favorite Trail:
The Pines
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$240.00
Purchased At:
Jenson USA
Strengths:
Good breaking power, due to the four piston design, looks cool
Weaknesses:
Run on mineral oil, not DOT 4, needs to be blead often, not self adjusting, stock rotor bolts strip easily
If you are thinking about getting these brakes and you are a downhiller, go with Hayes, Formula, or Hope. These are good for low impact breaking (XC), they are not meant to be ridden on drops and jumps, for minutes downhiller
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
alex ....
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney,NSW, Australia Date Reviewed: May 17, 2002
Favorite Trail:
yerr
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
ICC
Strengths:
um..they stop....8inch FR and RR they work.
Weaknesses:
they dont make an adapter for marzocchi Super t's had top get a mod 1
Similar Products Used:
hayes(etch), shimano Deore hyraulic(good but not powerful)
they are great especially the 8inch if u get em get the 8inch discs
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joe
a Weekend Warrior
from Concord, MA Date Reviewed: May 16, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$110.00
Purchased At:
www.jensonusa.com
Strengths:
Works very well. Looks.
Weaknesses:
hmmm....setup. getting it to work right may take several adjustment.
Bike Setup:
2001 GT Zaskar Team. Full XTR w/ XT disc brakes
Bottom Line:
XT disc brakes rule. For it's price, nothing beats the performance. It's a pain to setup. I put about 50 miles on these brakes, and I don't think they're broken in yet. I recommend it highly.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
PEter Tønnesen
a Cross Country Rider
from Denmark Date Reviewed: May 14, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
- Good Looks :-) - Strenght - they actually can break! - Its discs, so no stress to the rim - Really really nice feel in the grips - Really easy to dose the breaking power - Easy to clean
Weaknesses:
- Takes a long time to break in - Makes your bike look nice...for thieves :-( - The pads are a bit noizy, because they sit a little loose in the caliper
Nice nice breaks. They look nice and works nice. It takes a while to break them in, but when they are, nothing will hold them back (found out today, when i was flying downhill at 30 mph) Saved me a lot of times from death :-D I cant say much about durabillity, but so far, there hasn´t been any problems at all. I can recommend them to all who needs stable breaks to a really fair price. (who doesn´t)
So, 5 hotties for breaking power and fair price :-)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lau
a Racer
from Macau, China Date Reviewed: May 12, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Strengths:
Light rotors, good look anyway
Weaknesses:
The outer the hoses are made of steel, weak braking(2002 Deore hydraulic discs are powerer), look a bit strange between levers and hoses
Similar Products Used:
2002 Shimano Deore hydraulic discs, RST mechanical discs, Hayes Semi-hydraulic, Promax hydraulic discs(made in Taiwan)
Bike Setup:
2001 Giant XtC (hardtail, made in Taiwan) Team, 01' RS SID XC, Shimano WH-M 575, Deore F. mech, XT rear, cassette, BB ES 70, XTR chain, FSA V-drive ISIS, XT discs of course, Titec stem, Unbranded Carbon bar, Kore Lite post & Selle Italia nitrox
Bottom Line:
The brakes are weaker than Deore's when low-speed braking. I don't know why.This made me a problem, Light brakes make weak braking? ...but they works when riding at more than 50km/h (31.3 mph)...I have no idea of this!
$ 150.00
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