No Levers
-cutable brake lines for custom fit
-user-friendly mineral oil
-powerful dual opposed piston design
-drilled rotor
-two pads available
-center lock system mounts disc to hub quickly thru a spline and lockring mechanism
Submitted by
ligfiets
a Racer
from delft, netherlands
Date Reviewed: March 19, 2009
Strengths: Stopping power, reliability, safety.
Weaknesses: Expensive pads
Bottom Line:
These brakes are very strong, and reliable as long as you change the pads before they wear out. No problems after some 25.000 km in Dutch weather. Nice detail is that the pad wear is a tiny bit overcompensated, which makes it impossible to ride with non-working brakes. Braking is very controlled and takes only one finger or thumb, even on a road recumbent which tolerates much higher decelerations than an MTB.
Bike Setup: Challenge Jester road racing recumbent
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Albert Manuel
a Downhiller
from Las Vegas, Neveda
Date Reviewed: June 15, 2008
Strengths: Easy to bleed and maintainance are simple.
Small and light.
Weaknesses: Pads wear out fast.
Bottom Line:
Front rotor 203mm, no stopping problem. Did plenty long downhill with these and works awesome. I keep and eye on the pads and use the shims, no rubbing so far and the hasn't add any oil, I rode the bike 60 miles a week.
Submitted by
Adam
a Cross Country Rider
from Sunnyvale, CA
Date Reviewed: April 17, 2008
Strengths: Lightweight, Brake pad choices included, nice packaging/finish, travel spacer
Weaknesses: Everybody hears me coming when I use the metallic pads (who cares?!)
Bottom Line:
Good price now that they're "obsolete" for a really lightweight, good XC brake kit. Nearly half the size of my Juicy 3s so they don't stick out like a sore thumb. Good modulation, good power. Easy to shim and bleed.
Bike Setup: 2003 Cannondale F1000 SL Sobe team edition with 2003 full set shiamno XTR and the crank is 2004 SHiamno XT 48T
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a Cross Country Rider
from Boise, ID
Date Reviewed: July 17, 2007
Strengths: Great stopping power. Dual control system. Light weight.
Weaknesses: Pad sticking (migration), howling metal pads, expensive pads wear quickly
Bottom Line:
I've got the XTR Dual Control (STI) brakes. Putting the review here since saw no other specific place for.
I'm starting to hate this set up. Just about since day 1 the pads (or pucks) haven't retracted properly & rubbed the rotor. Continuely take back to the shop & even sent back to Shimano, but no better. Was running the metal pads but due to extreme howling, switched to resin. It helped but they wear out way too quick. Going through 2 sets of pads a season (4 x $25 ea= $100 a season in pads???) Now trying one metal, one resin on each wheel. Still get the howl & of course the resin wear out much quicker than the metals.
With the "XTR" label on them, I expect better. What is this crap?!@?!?!
Submitted by
jim
a Weekend Warrior
from Los Angeles, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: February 5, 2007
Strengths: Easy setup and easy bleeding. Great stopping power for XC style. Very quiet. Somehow I feel that it stops better when it's wet.
Weaknesses: Not much stopping power with one finger. A lot of people mentioned that it rubs and drags, but never occured to me at all.
Bottom Line:
Cheap. No brainer setup/bleeding. I personally love it. The shims made aligning a snap. I never got any drag or rub. Not super powerful, but it does the job for me.
Strengths: Easy setup, easy to bleed, easy to change pads, great design , great modulation, and special XTR color. Never b****ed at me during steep descends or wet condition.
Weaknesses: Brakes aren't that powerful but still can stop you on a dime only with two fingers. Tiny rubbing once awhile.
Bottom Line:
I got it at a great/cheap price for top of the line Shimano hydro so I dont really care. No one finger action for me but it's powerful when you use two fingers. It's very easy to bleed/setup/maintain/use and it's very light too. I would recommand this for XC use.
Strengths: Reliablility, modulation, light weight, lever feel.
Weaknesses: Expensive
Bottom Line:
After 3 years of regular riding, these brakes have held up better than I expected. Perhaps I got the only good set but that's hard to believe. Lever feed back is excellent, modulation is terrific. I can always tell when lock-up is about to happen. This is really a case where the brakes help me to ride faster. I've ridden northern Michigan, Pisgah, Tsali, Land Between the Lakes, and Wisconsin. The brakes have never failed or dissappointed. I have no drag issues, no squeal issues (except when wet but every brake does), no dependability issues.
These really have been worth the money for me. It's an all around great group and the brakes are one of the stand-out aspects.
Submitted by
Cory Hirsch
a Cross Country Rider
from Canada
Date Reviewed: May 12, 2006
Strengths: Definitely light and I like the dual control levers.
Weaknesses: Nearly impossible to adjust so they don't rub.
Bottom Line:
Pretty much the same issues as alot of reviews I have read. I got these brakes in 2003 on a new bike. The first year they were pretty good. After not riding the brakes for a few months the rubbing issues began. One of the pistons wouldn't even move never mind moving and equal amount to the other piston. Sent them back to shimano and they sent me a completely new set of brakes and levers. I thought there was maybe some warranty issue. The new brakes worked well for about a year and now I have the same brake rub problems. Funny enough, it is with the front brake as many other people have mentioned. The rear seems to be ok.
Anyways, I am switching to either marta sl's or avid juicy's and in the proces also getting some x.o. trigger shifters and rear derailleur. Would be a great brake if shimano would send you a new set every year.
PLEASE pay attention to some of these reviews. there really is a problem with this disc brake system. In the last 8 months, my bike has spent more time in the shop than on the trail. i've had it in there 4 times for the same problem - these things have an enormous amount of drag. you can take hours to set them up perfectly, but it only takes about 2 - 4 hours of riding for them to suck once again. I got so frustrated the other day, i almost left my whole darn bike in the woods and walked out!! I'm contemplating scrapping the whole deal and starting over with SRAM and some other brake. i only wish i had brake bosses on my frame...i really do. for the money these things cost, you'd expect them to work right, or at least close to right. they are too finicky and that type of junk doesn't belong on a MTBike. who should buy these??? a perfectionist that want's to hang the bike on the wall and not ride it... or some masochistic idiot!
Similar Products Used: first time with discs - but i've been riding / racing for 15+ years and used to be a bike mechanic
Bike Setup: Custom Kelly with full XTR
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Cleaner
a Cross Country Rider
from Tampa Fl USA
Date Reviewed: April 28, 2006
Strengths: Superior modulation (relative to V-brakes) and stopping power. Lightweight easy to set up with shims and centerlock rotor mounting allows for fast removal install of rotors.
Weaknesses: Pad retention clips can come off and let the pads fall out. They could be more secure with a slight change to the design.
Bottom Line:
I have been running metal/resin pads mixed at each wheel with no noise from them unless they get wet. I am able to use them to keep the wheels rolling on the steepest technical sections, v-brakes would often lock up. Very little maintenance required to keep them running drag free once they are set up. I did lose the pad retaining clip and pin on a ride but the pads did not come out. I had picked up a stick in the wheel which probably unclipped the retainer.
I installed them myself and getting the air out of the rear took some work, it is best done with the caliper not mounted on the bike to insure all air is purged.
Bike Setup: Turner Burner with XTR disc hubs and XTR/XT build Fox float RLC /Manitou 3 way. XT hydro levers.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Ralph Latersky
a Weekend Warrior
from Westchester, NY USA
Date Reviewed: February 13, 2006
Strengths: Light, responsive.
Weaknesses: Pod is poorly made, have snapped a thumb shifter and the pod cover fell off.
Bottom Line:
Would not buy again. Shimano does not back up its products (called and was told twice that if it's broken it's my fault and if I want them to take a look at it, I'd have to send it in, rather than have it replaced and then send if for their consideration (catch 22)). I'm one of your older riders who does not abuse his equipment and these brakes are poorly designed. Parts that are damagable stick out. I've noticed a better design since I bought these, but it does little to help me.
Submitted by
Jamie Alackness
a Cross Country Rider
from Edwards, Co
Date Reviewed: February 11, 2006
Strengths: Great feel. Modulate perfectly. Single finger braking, I've never needed more with these brakes. Pads and rotors pretty cheap compared to some others. Easy to set up and Bleed.
Weaknesses: Very hard to keep running drag free. It can be done but takes constant attention. They do Howl when wet sometimes but every brake does.
Bottom Line:
The lever feel, the power, the modulation, and light weight are reason for Five chilies. But the constant fiddling with the calipers to keep them running drag free is real pain in the butt. Please note for the first year they ran relatively drag free, and that was roughly 3000 miles. The brake shifter combo is love hate, but you can always use XT levers. All in all these are great brakes. I would have no problem selling them to any XC rider. They feel awsome and with a regular tune up run drag free.
Similar Products Used: Magura Marta SL another Great brake Avid jucy 5s and 7s don't like the levers and they are pretty hefty, but other wise very good as well. Hayes HFX Mag great lever and feel just a little heavy.
Bike Setup: Foe's FXR Full XTR, Ti Curnutt, Fox Talas, King, Easton, Thompson, Stans wheels
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Teo Guerrero
a Cross Country Rider
from Pacoima
Date Reviewed: January 26, 2006
Strengths: Great Power, Less effort to engage than V-brakes, light weight
Weaknesses: Less adjustability than V-brakes
Bottom Line:
To be honest I would prefer not to use disc brakes but my new frame does not have v-brake bosses. Having said that, I am happy with my XTR discs. I have not experienced any of the squealing or rotor rub that some others have complained about. I read all the reviews and wanted to avoid this so I really took my time centering these things. It took me about 45 minutes to an hour to get them centered just right. With proper setup these breaks have power to spare. With my old XTR V-brakes sometimes during long descents my hands would become sore because of the effort required to stop. Not with these. It takes very little effort to engage the brakes. Overall this is a great set of brakes accept for one minor drawback.
The reason I would still prefer V-brakes is because of the adjustments that you can make to them. I had my brakes adjusted so that I would not skid until the brake levers were depressed all the way, almost touching the handlebar. With XTR Discs this doesn’t seem to be possible. The brakes engage very quickly and will make my bike skid when the lever is about 1/3 of the way to the handlebar. If I could have my disc brakes setup the way I setup my V-brakes then they would be perfect. If anybody out there knows how to make this adjustment shoot me an email, I would love to have them setup this way.
Similar Products Used: Avid Mechanical, XTR V-brakes
Bike Setup: Scale 30 frame, XTR drive train and disc brakes, 240s hubs on 717’s, Rock Shox SID WC, Egg Beater Ti’s and various other carbon parts from USE, Easton, Woodman.
hey all. Currently, im using shimano deore shifter and rear derail. After few months of using this pair, i would like to shift to new derailleurs. Sram x0 managed to get me excited Read More »
after came across the review of this product at mtbreview.com, it seemed that most of the users not happy with the performance such as chainring probs..etc etc.. My bike is current Read More »
i've heard that shimano designed this crank to fit both 68 and 73 mm BB shell lengths (designed for one chainline). however, to fit a 68mm you have to use the supplied spacers. i Read More »
How do I differentiate between XTR disc brakes from 2003 vs 2004 models? I know that when Shimano first released XTR disc brake to the market, there was a problem with pad rubbing Read More »
Does any one know if the current XTR rear derailluer is compatable with old school (2002) 9spd trigger shifters, either XT to XTR. I know they don't have the fine tune adjuster whe Read More »
