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Shimano 2012 XT brakes vs. Formula RX????

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Discussion starter · #21 ·
Modulation is in the fingers....true....but some brakes do have more progressive and therefore more controllable stopping power. It is annoying when brakes are a sort "on or off" affair. I trust that is not the case with the new XTs.

One thing I do have to say about the Formula RXs I have though is that they have superb modulation. Maybe a little lacking on overall power perhaps, but enough for what I do around here.

But the XTs may be too hard to pass up
 
#22 ·
bowler1 said:
It is annoying when brakes are a sort "on or off" affair. I trust that is not the case with the new XTs.
Click to expand...
IMO, it depends on what type of riding you do. XT takes some getting-used-to when you ride wheelie, manual, etc. RX is definitely more suitable for that kind of things. On the other hand, I don't have any problem with XT for normal trail riding.

I don't see any problem OP installing XT on his wife's bike, but I strongly suggest she gets ABTS (arse behind the saddle) down pat before tackling steep descent to prevent OTB.
 
#23 ·
I had a couple runs with the new XT's and they were badass!
Loved them!!

I have Formula The One's on my Bike and (Just got them and it's only been 2 ride) But they are also awesome!

I have tried other brakes in the past but these two have been the best so far. I would have kept the XT's but the forumla's that I have (different than the RX's) were also good with the one finger and they were also lighter.. :)

For the record, I run 8" front and 7" rear on my 29'r Stumpy FSR.
 
Discussion starter · #25 ·
I ended up buying a set of XTs for my bike as well. The sale at Performance Bike was too good to pass up.

I am getting them put on this weekend and should be able to ride some time this week.

I will post an update that compares their performance to my Formula RXs. The Fromulas will be going up on ebay.

I went with a 180 from rotor and 160 rear, just like I had with my Formulas.

I am expecting the XTs to have a lot better power, and more adjustability. I will be curious to see how the modulation compares. Personally I think it will be tough to beat the modulation of the Formulas.

I did almost go with a used set of Formula R1s that I found on ebay. I passed on them because I could get the XTs cheaper, but wonder how they would compare the both the RXs and XTs. Definitely nicer levers, but I can't imagine that the braking power would be significantly different from the RXs, along with teh overall performance.

Matt
 
#28 ·
I'm a certified card carrying member of the " Church of Sram" when it comes to drivetrains both on my mountain and road bike but Shimano brakes just plain work and work very well. I think that the XT/XTR brakes are one the few high end components that are truly set and forget.

Hell...I have an older set of 755's installed on my wife's bike that I have not bleed or even had to adjust the calipers in close to two years
 
#30 ·
I ran the Formula RX for a year and a half but recently moved back to BB7s.
When the RXs are on they're great but the minimal pad clearance led to constant rub. I also developed some play in the levers. I ended up spending as much time tweaking them as I did riding them. Limited parts distributors was also frustrating. Cost of parts was also another consideration for me.
If I ever do go back to hydraulics it'll be the Shimano XTs, hard not to lend some credence to the number of fans and the volume of their voices.
Cheers,
M
 
#32 ·
I'm running XTs on my kiss 26er. They replaced elixir Rs, which are good brakes. Xts are excellent. Competitively priced, easy to set up and work flipping awesome. I live in Whangarei, New Zealand where the trails are regularly seriously wet and muddy - no problem for the XTs - just keep on trucking. Very little noise or loss of performance. Final point - I'm no expert, but the finger feel is exceptional - quality all round.
 
Discussion starter · #33 ·
Okay, I did my first ride today with the new XTs. At first I thought that I did not like them that much. They felt a little too grabby for me and seemed that they may lack the modulation of the Formulas.

But after riding a bit I realized that there was a bit of a learning curve required for me to adapt to the new brakes. They required a much lighter touch than the Formulas. Once I got used to this , I felt that they did perform better than the RXs.

They definitely have more power with less "squeeze" required. When you feathered them correctly they offered good modulation and control,

I felt that I rode the trails faster and with more control due to my ability to provide higher braking power in a well-modulated fashion. They were also much better on the more technical descents, as they provided great power with little effort.

Additionally they did not rub like the Formulas did and were pretty silent.

I think they are a step up from the Formulas for me, but the Formulas were quite good too. I think I will like the XTs better overall, but I probably still need to get used to how lightly you need to touch them. They require a very light touch.

Matt
 
#34 ·
cbrock450 said:
I have a pair of formula rx calipers with R1 levers that have been used 3 times. They came of an xl rocky mountain vertex 970 rsl. Anyone want to trade their 2011 or 2012 xt brakes for them? :)
Click to expand...
Are they Black? I might be interested. Contact me @ talbottsettle@gmail.com.
 
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