The Basic Differences...
for 2007 and prior...
XT (M765) had a monoblock caliper (one piece)
LX and Deore had 2 piece calipers, some think this is a negative (caliper flex=loss of power) others hardly notice.
Levers were basically the same just different finishes and I am told different seals but that hasn't been an issue with anyone that I know of.
2008 and newer
XT (775) has a servowave on the lever that increases the leverage and the power of the brake. There is also a "free stroke' adjustment that helps fine tune the lever feel. The Caliper it'self is also slightly different than before, the pistons that move the pads are a slightly larger diameter.
LX is now SLX. The levers have the servowave that XT has, but NO freestroke, this isn't an issue to me since I still get the more power from the servowave and I have large hands so the free stroke wouldn't be used anyway. SLX uses a 2 piece caliper as well.
Deore, doesn't seem to have the servowave, just a redesign of the old design (not a bad thing at all, I loved those brakes!!!). I could be wrong though since there are like 900 differnent Deore brakes (m525, 555, 535, 486, 485, 487?)
Between all of the brakes people will mention lines and pad compounds being different, but those are all easily changed and variables that you can change.
I am running SLX levers with 08 XT calipers, with 180mm rotors, awesome on my HT for my 6'5" 270lb butt.
for 2007 and prior...
XT (M765) had a monoblock caliper (one piece)
LX and Deore had 2 piece calipers, some think this is a negative (caliper flex=loss of power) others hardly notice.
Levers were basically the same just different finishes and I am told different seals but that hasn't been an issue with anyone that I know of.
2008 and newer
XT (775) has a servowave on the lever that increases the leverage and the power of the brake. There is also a "free stroke' adjustment that helps fine tune the lever feel. The Caliper it'self is also slightly different than before, the pistons that move the pads are a slightly larger diameter.
LX is now SLX. The levers have the servowave that XT has, but NO freestroke, this isn't an issue to me since I still get the more power from the servowave and I have large hands so the free stroke wouldn't be used anyway. SLX uses a 2 piece caliper as well.
Deore, doesn't seem to have the servowave, just a redesign of the old design (not a bad thing at all, I loved those brakes!!!). I could be wrong though since there are like 900 differnent Deore brakes (m525, 555, 535, 486, 485, 487?)
Between all of the brakes people will mention lines and pad compounds being different, but those are all easily changed and variables that you can change.
I am running SLX levers with 08 XT calipers, with 180mm rotors, awesome on my HT for my 6'5" 270lb butt.
