I can't believe that you forget the "Cheers guys, cheers" in the end! It was the thrill of the trail that made you forget, I guess =D Keep up with your excellent videos.
I'm using the M9100 brakes on my XC bike and they're fantastic, plenty powerful enough with more modulation and a true weight weenie brake. I did consider the M9120s but thought they'd be overkill. The weight savings over XT are also so minimal, and even that extra opening on the underside of the lever is just another place for grit to get in!
You've point out silliness of cutting down on features just to split into price shelves. I saw video on YT (haven't watched) exploring how manufacturers split their products into price brackets by how much noise the product emits. They used vacuum cleaner as an example. So I assume cheap vacuum is not loud just cause it's cheap, but to make it more unwanted with time, and incentivise customer to "upgrade" World is messed up
I run Shimano M6100 (Deore) front and back. They`re perfect my type of trail riding. It is sufficient brakepower. I dont need M6120 for most of the riding. I have though shifted from resin pads to metallic pads and shifted rotors RT-54 --> RT70 180mm that are compatible with metal pads.
For me Deore 4 Pots or even the MT520 do the job. The tool free reach adjust is just one more thing that can brake and the dimpled levers can't keep up with grip tape on the lever or good gloves. For me the biggest improvement are metallic pads and a proper bleed job.
I have the 4 pistons SLX on my go to XC/light trail bike. I love them and they do the job perfectly. I had MT7 pros on my enduro but did not like the levers. I changed the levers for XTs and I am very happy with this shigura frankenbrakes setup with plenty of power and shimano levers feel.
I thought exactly the same when i tested them to the XT! I have switched my set up back to the XT what my bike came with 4 piston XT and moved on the XTR to a friend who wanted them! on an Emtb doesn't matter really the XT 203mm Ice tech standard on mine are incredible as they are and not even got the finned pads yet still standard! Alot easier to live with and maintain aswell i would think, my friend is happy with his new XTRs though so that's good, his bike came with TRP not bad by any means but can't beat shimano XT work horse's! I will be trying the vented resin pads in my XT now though only because got nothing more really i can spend on the bike lol bought everything I've needed to change on it before even took it out lol! Thats me though you know when your bike feels right and doesn't just sitting on!
I have a wide assortment of miss mash shimano brakes on my bikes. One bike has slx m675 on the front with XT m765 on the rear. The other bike has Deore m485 on the front with m675 on the back. And just purchased a bike with XTR m975. Love how simple the Shimano brakes are. Have Avid and hayes brakes in parts bins. Shimano's tend to be more reliable for me.
@@robroba10 one of my m765's had the bolt strip on the lever. Other than that they have been super reliable compared to my Hayes/Avid brakes(those have lots of piston seizing and leaking)
I have the same XTR brakes for 6 months with 203/180mm rotors, really great brakes, but you are right i was checking the specs too and SLX, XT and XTR are same brakes. SLX does not have the dimples in levers like XT and XTR and bolts are steel instead of titanium but its the same brake. I would buy SLX if i was buing brakes again. There is about 170€ difference and you save few grams. I was riding CODE RSC last year and i found XTR better for trail and Enduro riding. RSC were stronger and grippier even with 180mm front could send me OTB with ease, and i would choose them for DH. You should try XTR/XT brakes with Magura MDR-P rotors, performance is so smooth and even after some crashes i could not manage to bend them. But ofcourse weight penalty is pretty big because its much thicker rotor mostly used on Enduro/DH bikes but i am rotor bender so its a perfect option for me haha.
Run Hope e4's lever adjustability is 💯 % on 180's + 160's used RSC's in the past, stopping power is insane on 200's +180's but love to try XTR's anyday.
I have MT520 on my bike and the wifey’s bike has XT. When my bike out of commission for 6 weeks I had to ride my wife’s bike and was impressed with the slightly better performance but massive improvement in modulation. When I got my bike back it confirmed it so I replaced mine with XT. Just another data point
I am running SLX M7100 calipers and levers with 203 front and 180 rear SM RT86 rotors. Tons of stopping power. Completely satisfied and can't think of any reason to spend more money. Thanks for sharing
I'm replacing my RT66 rotors with the RTX rotors. If I had the XT rotors I'd probably not do it. My bike came with SLX 4 piston which I'm not going to upgrade. going to just ride them for a while until I have a reason to get new brakes.
Best explaining video on yt about these 2 brakes. So Xtr is better and stiffer and provide more power but it's about cooling too. The Xtr cool down better and absorb more heat so the braking power stays for longer not that much difference but still key to some riders. Both are still very good brakes and I'm struggling with I choose
I just installed the XT M8100 2-piston brake set, RT-76 160mm rotors on my hard-tail. 4-piston would have been overkill and more money for the type of riding I do.
Shimano says the XTR M9120 caliper features a MONO-BODY design which is machined from a single cold forged block to maximize rigidity and four ceramic pistons for perfect, Rider Tuned stopping power. However it is not mono-body it is two halves bolted together, BR-M9100 are the mono-body
Thank you for the great comparison🙏 I’m running the deore 2pod breaks with resinpads👍 on my HT also the deore 12speed is still going strong on it. On my superenduro/freeridebike I have the XT 4pods with metalic pads upfront and 12speed XT drivetrain. Also for shuttleing the best ever. I’m a diehard shimano guy and other than correcting my previous statement on your channel: “I like the deore shifting better then the xt” to “I love my XTs more” after 1O months of using them side by side. I am not going to change to sram ever my friend. ML and keep up the amazing reviews👌 Dave
Thanks, I really wanted to know if there was a tangible difference. But I think I'll stick with my Deore 4/2 setup. Works perfectly for me at the moment (great snappy action and feel which will haul me to a stop super fast.)
Hi, and thanks for the review. Actually, it's exactly as I expected. No difference. I'm curious if free stroke adjustment does nothing in XTR same as in XT? I never heard that it works in Shimano.
Very thorough review. The XT and XTR levers are different. Thickness and springs are different. I installed Flo Motorsport PRO 120 MTB LEVERS and I needed to procure XT style springs to make them work. I also added some nylon washers to lessen the rattle. I would like to know what is better about the XTR levers that make it worth a different part. In the previous version, they were carbon, so at least a material difference. Now, its hard to justify.
I ride the slx 7120,I did not feel the difference in braking power between the 7120 8120 9120,but the difference in weight is certainly present and there is still a very big difference in price
I've ridden Maguras since the RC33 came out. I called them rim crushers as they would destroy rims within a season of moderate riding. I now have Magura MT5 sport trail which offer 4 pot up front and 2 pot on the rear. I'm running 203/180 front and rear with no issues. I have these on three bikes, one DH, one Freeride/enduro and one one the GF rig, just so she can stop!!!
I run 203/203 with the MT7. It's not an overwhelming amount of power, yet I don't have to worry about not having the correct spare caliper: if I always have a 203 spare around, I can fix either front or rear.
What's the modulation like? Everyone is obsessed with all-out max power, but as an ex trials rider (many years ago btw) I'm desperate to find the level of modulation (for manuals etc). ps. still have a set of original flouro yellow Magura HS33s in a box somewhere!
I've had the new 8120 in 2020 and now run the 9120 (just because I got a good deal) and it's like you state @8:57 - it does make a difference on steep and long descends if you need to be hard on the brakes. Mellow trail riding, no difference.
Another great video my friend thx. I’ve said it before TSN needs to pick you up. 4 piston XT brakes must almost pull you off the bike. I think I will stay with Deore thou seems to be a all rounded group set. I’ll say it cheers 🍻 on this one hahahahah.
I run deore 4 piston xt 4 piston, but all my new builds are magura. I am moving my xt 4 piston bike over to magura. Hc 5. Keeping my bike park bike deore 4 piston. Have a set of magura ebike brakes that started it all on my ebike Have a 4 piston 5 set as well but the extra few dollars my recommendation is hc5 red magura 4 piston super light.
I have XT M8120 which offer great performance, especially over previous Sram Guide Rs. Could not justify the price of XTR though for minimal if any performance upgrade.
Hey Paul. I am in the exact same scenario as you were. Currently I use the Sram Guide R on my Trek Slash and I want to upgrade my bike. Is the difference between these two brakes worth the money? Greetings from Austria
@@raphaelskop6034 Combined with Rt86 203/180mm rotors the XT brakes are brilliant, the Guide R just adequate. Had mine on the bike over a year now faultless and easy to bleed.
went exactly as expected. 9020 and m8100 were similar like this. back then xtr trail was on sale for 150 per and xt was 119 per so going xtr was kind of worth it just for the carbon levers and pretty finish. now, they are about $130 per apart or $250-260 per set. that's a lot for 40-50g and a pretty finish. furthermore, this time with mag calipers we have no idea what the long term reliability will be like. mag is normally used only on racecars but never street cars, even exotic ones for a reason. corrosion
For what it’s worth. I don’t ride MTB as much as I fish. I strictly use Shimano reels in fishing. Just like there brakes they have high end and low end reels. The main difference is the materials they use. Bottom line the high end reels last years longer then the low end stuff. For what it’s worth.
My XTRs messed up and I had to get a the XTs in the rear I needed brakes for my upcoming trip to Sedona and let me tell you that the bite on the XTRs are better. Great thing about shamano they have a great warranty program so I’m waiting on my brand new set of XTRs soon 😎
@@LoveMTB I have both front and rear XTRs I went to get my brakes serviced at REI worst decision, they messed up something in the lever and it contaminated the brakes. That’s what this other guy at the bike shop told me cause they weren’t working correctly. They only had the XTs in stock and I needed brakes for my trip. But they said I can take the XTRs to a certified shamano seller and the trek shop sent in the messed up ones and I’m getting brand new ones for free. 3 year warranty. Shamano is legit 🤙
@@LoveMTB yeah something with the hydraulic piston cylinder idk but I’ll never take my bike to get serviced at REI again lol But yeah I can’t wait for my brakes 💪
@@MarioMartinez-is1cg Wouldn't let anyone touch my bike unless there is a warranty involved. Since I ride a trek I would take it to a certified trek shop. Though I'm thinking its just best to work and clean everything on the bike myself since its a good idea to be able to work on your own bike.
well if i had a chance to get the xtr well why not.. but xt for me is perfect , riding for 2 years without any problem .. i think i don't need any upgrade just for a 20g lighter brakes in very high price. and also XT amd SLX are also identical.
I find the deore off road 4 piston work amazing save lil cash works just as well and they hold up 200 mm rotor front 180 rear everyone that tries my bike askes about brakes
Xtr, xt and slx 4 pistons brakes have the same construction. Main difference are the materials used for weight saving with slx being the heaviest of the 3 but only about 60 grams heavier than the xt. I d go for the slx personally.
I do like a lot of the things Shimano offer, but personally I would never get XTR equipment unless I was racing. The other thing in this day and age, is I see less and less bikes specced with Shimano(my assumption is simply delivery issues), so as I most likely will be purchasing a trail bike next year, I might go full SRAM which I thought I'd never do. For the commuter bike I have now I recently purchased the M6100 brakes which I will be running RT-66 rotors and resin pads for the winter time, and for the summer I will ugrade to RT-86 rotors and sinter pads. I like to try it at least to see what difference it will make.
@@LoveMTB As I will be running different pads for winter setup vs summer, I might as well change the discs to get full benefit of sinter pads, larger rotor, better rotor etc for cooler running temps in higher air temps. Each set will have less wear than normal as well, so it won't cost that much more per year. I've run the RT66 discs for years already, and they are fine, but nothing more than that. Only been using them with resin so far, and some older Avid juicy 5 brakes. For winter use I just want something that works, and the least amount of noise etc. I at least believe the RT86 discs of same size will cool better than the RT66, and I'm more than willing to try so I get personal experience. They are noticeable different in construction.
Thanks again for the content. Do you notice any appreciable difference in lever feel? Do you think there'd be any difference in modulation if adding an XTR (9120) lever to a Deore (6120) caliper, for instance? Cheers
What are your thoughts on the Shigura brakes? I bought the Magura MT7s but ai really dont like the feeling of the brake levers… at all. I’m thinking about buying some Shimano XT levers and converting the infamous Shigura setup. Any thoughts?
Weird decision from Shimano to replace the carbon levers (used on BL-M9020) with aluminum ones on their high-end brakes. Weight savings on cut-outs shouldn't make a brake that much more expensive (compared to XT's). Do you think the material swap on levers is only a cost reduction decision from their side, or do you have any information about possible problems with those? (personally I have a pair of BL-M9020's, and had any problem with them yet, maybe I was just lucky).
My '21 Optic came with MT-420 and metallic rotors/pads, they are plenty strong enough for riding in Ontario but I'm planning to replace the brake levers at some point, they are way to long and even pushing them in-board of the handlebar, one-finger braking still hit my other fingers. I'll probably look for a set of SLX levers to replace them but have to learn how to bleed brakes first. XT/XTR seem just to pricey to me for the weight savings.
Slx m7120's here. Seemed kind of silly to buy the m8120's just for dimples on the levers and a screw that doesn't do anything. I've also read people don't like the finish of the slx and that it looks cheaper over the xt, I actually prefer the subtle look and the dark blue metallic flake look. If you aren't racing and don't absolutely need the dimples on the levers, the slx's are a no brainer.
Lot of this stuff is placebo, you won't get any performance improvements between the Deore 4 piston, SLX 4 piston, and XT 4 piston. IMO, it's better to buy the cheaper brake set, replace the lever with one that won't snap (Flo Motorsports Pro 120 Brake Levers), and get pads like MTX Gold or Red so you won't have a shrieking banshee of a bike when the rotors and pads get hot commonly associated with Shimano's sintered pads. The pistons are already ceramic, and coupled with ceramic pads, heat build up on the caliper is negligble. Get bigger rotors instead.
@@georgedaswani9155 I'll agree to some extent. Yes performance wise they all have the same however there are some things lacking from the deore like the tool free adjustment and finned pads that can cool them down faster. A banjo bolt connection could also be very beneficial for some with hard to reach places routing the brake lines, the biggest letdown though is the ispec ev on the deore for some reason has fitment issues with using some mismatched non ispec ev parts(all hear say)
@@25rsti15 the tool free adjustment isn't really an issue as nobody really messes with the reach trail side (and most of us carry a multi-tool anyways). One of the first thing I would do is to replace the levers with the "flo motorsports pro 120 levers" as breaking lever blades is a guarantee after crashing and finding shimano replacements right now is a pain. Those levers have reach adjustments built in - works on both XT and SLX levers, I'm assuming it fits the Deore brake levers as well. As for the pad material - honestly those finned pads are all for show IMO, as the Shimano pad material is still pretty bad for general trail riding. The resin pads pretty much suck (and melt), and the sintered pads shriek. The MTX ceramic pads are much better in all cases, and given the material it's made of, resists heat. The pistons are already made of ceramic so caliper heat soak is a none issue. Get bigger rotors if you want more surface area to get rid of heat, and proper brake pads.
@@georgedaswani9155 Out of curiosity have you tried the m6000's vs the m6120's, if so was there a noticeable difference in the lever action? I haven't tried the m6120's but I came from the m6000's and noticed a difference in throw from the m7120's. The lever itself is shorter too which I prefer. Also thanks for the mtx mention, I was wondering if anyone made ceramic pads for mountain bikes.
@@25rsti15 Sorry, I've only tried the BL-M6100, BL-M7100 and the BL-M8100 (and their corresponding 2 and 4 piston calipers). They all work the same way with the same lever feel as long as the bleeding was done correctly (with a bleed block). Levers and calipers are interchangeable between all three. Some of our local riders where who broke their SLX levers replaced it with XT, or XT -> Deore, or XT-SLX depending on what's available.
My XT's are still in the box un-opened. I'm still using the Amazon Chinese $50 hydro red Anazon brakes. I mainly do wheelies on a fat tire ebike and I run a cheap Amazon 203mm rotor (12$) I get powerful save your arse braking when doing fast long wheelies down hill.....When these fail I'm moving to a chinese amazon 4 piston, then maybe the xt's later ...lol
I ride pretty hard and I'm not the smoothest rider in the world and I have been using the 2 piston XT brakes for the past 8 years without issues and without need for 4 piston. But I'm not going to lie. I am curious to try them out 😁
Hey there not much different aside from the bar clamp is pea A/B/II/EV. They always also talk about modified or improved Servo Wave but that would be hard to quantify unless you do back to back testing it would be close to impossible to tell
I run deore 6120 4 piston calipers and RT66 rotors, my first 29er full suspension build that I'll test tomorrow. reviews tell me you'd be hard pressed (especially a weekend warrior) to notice the difference. I run XT Groupset for the rest.
@@LoveMTB I am using a 203mm rotor on the front and a 180mm on the rear. My first outing was epic. My bike is a Carbonda FM936 frame, rockshox Reba 120mm fork, SidLuxe ultimate 165 x 42.5 Shock (Giving 115mm rear travel), XT groupset (1 x 12 speed), oneup 150mm dropper, Syncros 1 piece carbon bar 760mm, AliExpress Fiberin 30mm wide asymmetric full carbon rim wheelset (1300 grams for the pair) and the Deore 4 piston brakes as mentioned. All up 12kg build. The stopping power was just amazing, stops on a dime! had a few close calls with traffic in front on some climbs and wow....she just stops! On the descents, I had amazing control/modulation and could throw it round tight corners at will! Now, as a track/roady based rider this was just amazing, loved it and the BR 6120 deore 4 piston brakes were just perfect, definitely awesome value for money! :-)
@@LoveMTB part shortages last year in the UK. I picked up a cheap xtr lever then had to hunt high and low for the other one. Ive got a blue theme on my fuel ex so slx works well. The slx looks like xtr upside down as well. Twice ive had to point out that they were slx not xtr.
@@LoveMTB 2023? Wow. That's crazy. Glad I don't need another bike any time soon. I had a clear out and sold a couple of bikes for far more than they were probably worth last year. Part shortage did force me to stop buying bike things so it's not all bad I suppose.
What about XT vs SAints? Have you test them out? Which one would you get? I have the saints on my old bike but on my new Nomad V6, I got SRAM Code R and they suck.... I just don't feel like spending 700$ for the saints again, XT at 529$ was smeeling good :) :) :)
I ride with br-mt520 brakes which I was happy with.....to the point where both levers started leaking within close time and also bleed nipple seems to require too much force to reseal after bleeding. To be fair, bleed nipple has this grooved recess around thread, where it can store a bit of bleeding leftover, which I forgot to spray with alcohol, but did stuff paper towel edge in there to pick it up. But after warming up, the caliper had some coverage of oil and dust in this area, so might not be leak, but also actually might. So I'm deeply disappointed now, Shimano levers are not crazy expensive, especially 501 or Deore, but having to replace them after ~1 year, and both is no fun. I guess I was lucky enough, to use kinda 3 sets of brakes without leaks, so the leak lottery (leakery?😋) finally got me 😕🤔 Also sad to see br-mt520 seem to be discontinued? Can't see them on website anymore, only mt420 now
@@LoveMTB nah, I've bought them as "taken off of a new bike", so no warranty. I have made a successful warranty claim on Topeak Ninja 16+ after snapping 5mm hex in my rear axle though. Very nice compact, light, versatile tool, but those bits that are shaped square before wrapping around multitool frame bolts- I think they're lowering the bit strength. It might be stronger when they're kept hexagonal all the way
But…. Is it worth it to go for the XT over the SLX? I remember that long time ago you did a video converting an SLX brake into a XT basically changing the screw for the free stroke adjust and the cover Tanks for the video 🇨🇱
At this point I already bought the 4 piston XT brake set at $249 so I'm sticking w/ these, and they work just fine. These are replacing Sram Code that I don't like?
Quality and performance wise...XTR is the same as XT...as R only stands for racing ....only the aesthetics has been amped up for XTR. That is ...for me..ill go XT and what you save ...goes for other parts to buy or upgrade.
Great channel I'm running shimano xt 2 piston brakes they are pretty good thinking of buying a Specialized stumpjumper Pro but it comes with sram g2 rsc brakes never tried them I've been using shimano for years how do sram brakes compare with shimano XTR? 🤔
I have the M9100 XTR race brakes. I really like the clean look of the lever without the reach adjustment . However I was thinking of trying the M9120 4 pistons. Will the M9120 calipers work well with the race brake M9100 levers ? Or would I be better off buying M9120 levers to match ?
great one man! I am running the SLX 2-piston on my hardtail and the lower end deore on my full sus not sure if the XT would be alot better. I am thinking about changing to the SLX 4-piston or 2-piston and 4-piston combo for my other bike. not sure the XT is even worth the extra money being weight is not a huge thing for me being I have both bikes setup as trail bikes not lightweight XC bikes otherwise I would think more about the XT or XTR ones. Cheers
thx for this detailed review, it helps me a lot. can u say something about the pistons? i killed one piston of my 9120, as far as i know there are no spare parts avalible, so i need to buy a new caliber. can i buy a cheap slx caliber and use the piston from that for my xtr caliber?
@@LoveMTB thx for that fast response. hmm, i guess, if the diameters of the pistons are the same i can interchange it, but on otherside ... . should i risk it, and buy a slx caliber ? i cant belive they make diffrent pistons because ceramic parts are not cheap and make a lot of different variations are unnecessary expensive. i dont know.🤷🏻♂️
question: new I-spec EV lever clamps are lacking the plastic band between the clamp and the handlebar that was found on previous versions of the levers. While installing some new SLX brakes I've noticed they are way harder to turn even with the bolt almost loose. Two of my riding buddies have the new XT brakes and they both damaged their levers while crashing, even if they keep the bolt fairly loose. Could this be the reason? too much grip between aluminium clamp and aluminium bar? what you guys think? any potential solution to this?
@@LoveMTB I've installed them with a thin slice of plastic and they seem to both hold well while riding, and turn if pushed firmly. hopefully this might prevent potential damage in a crash, which I wish I won't have to test myself, hehe ;)
Another great review, thanks. :) . In my case... Saint on an Enduro Bike... extreme power with Saint 203mm rotors... . The rest of my bikes have Shimano 4 pots with metallic pads. No matter what the calliper is as long as it's 4 pot Shimano, for the lever I prefer Zee or XT because I like the feel of the notches. Shimano Mix and Match :)
Great review. Just came across your channel. I just bought 2021/2022 fuel ex7 with SRAM NX group set. Brakes are shimano 4100. I also bought separately the XTR group set to swap them. Initially I wanted to get the carbon frame in (raw carbon/rage red) but just can’t find them. Also, why pay so much extra for better components (gx or XT) when I am going to swap them with new XTR crankset, brakes and derailleur. My question is I don’t want to spend another $400-$500 for XTR cassette (sram PG1230 eagle on bike) and Extra $ for XTR rotors. What would you recommend? Should I go with XT rotors? Bike comes with shimano RT56 180mm rotors.
I'd go with the Altus lever with XTR calipers, since all the adjustment gizmos on the lever are dead weight. I used my last hydraulic for 12 years and never had to adjust. Probably due to my clean riding. But with that said, Shimano manages to make XT levers lighter even with those gizmos. I wish there were a full lightweight version of it. edit: I've just changed the rotor and calipers at 10 years mark and bike resetted to factory defaults, never lost a single mineral oil drop. Amazing!
It looks like the race version lever also does not have the same engineered failure point as the trail levers (the thin metal pinched together) which are a huge hassle given how difficult it is to source the replacement lever member part. Honestly this failure point had probably left more people stranded on the trail than it has helped by saving the rest of the master cylinder. Bad design in my opinion
My XT's are kinda crap atm ( 8120 ) The rear lever goes back very slow, the piston broke in half while bleeding and the power is kinda low tbh... And the metalic pads are like zero power even when they are getting warm. I work in a bike service and most of em act like that dont know why. The old Shimano's were waaaaay better and the servo feel was also snappy.
I also got some OE m8120 for my 2019 Norco Sight. Couldn’t find packaged brakes without paying up the nose for them. Works just fine. But the caliper color is a little bit lighter Compared to my other ones.
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I can't believe that you forget the "Cheers guys, cheers" in the end!
It was the thrill of the trail that made you forget, I guess =D
Keep up with your excellent videos.
As much as I love XTR, XT 4 pot heavy duty reliability's served me well without worrying about fragility
I'm using the M9100 brakes on my XC bike and they're fantastic, plenty powerful enough with more modulation and a true weight weenie brake.
I did consider the M9120s but thought they'd be overkill. The weight savings over XT are also so minimal, and even that extra opening on the underside of the lever is just another place for grit to get in!
You've point out silliness of cutting down on features just to split into price shelves. I saw video on YT (haven't watched) exploring how manufacturers split their products into price brackets by how much noise the product emits. They used vacuum cleaner as an example. So I assume cheap vacuum is not loud just cause it's cheap, but to make it more unwanted with time, and incentivise customer to "upgrade"
World is messed up
Using the BR-M8120 with 203/180 on my Hightower V2. So far, so good. The free stroke screw does work, at least on mine☺️
I run Shimano M6100 (Deore) front and back. They`re perfect my type of trail riding. It is sufficient brakepower. I dont need M6120 for most of the riding. I have though shifted from resin pads to metallic pads and shifted rotors RT-54 --> RT70 180mm that are compatible with metal pads.
For me Deore 4 Pots or even the MT520 do the job. The tool free reach adjust is just one more thing that can brake and the dimpled levers can't keep up with grip tape on the lever or good gloves. For me the biggest improvement are metallic pads and a proper bleed job.
Mt520 Calipers are the 6100 calipers. Just different paint job
I have the 4 pistons SLX on my go to XC/light trail bike. I love them and they do the job perfectly. I had MT7 pros on my enduro but did not like the levers. I changed the levers for XTs and I am very happy with this shigura frankenbrakes setup with plenty of power and shimano levers feel.
Thanks for sharing. I come across that configuration in the forums from time to time.
I thought exactly the same when i tested them to the XT! I have switched my set up back to the XT what my bike came with 4 piston XT and moved on the XTR to a friend who wanted them! on an Emtb doesn't matter really the XT 203mm Ice tech standard on mine are incredible as they are and not even got the finned pads yet still standard! Alot easier to live with and maintain aswell i would think, my friend is happy with his new XTRs though so that's good, his bike came with TRP not bad by any means but can't beat shimano XT work horse's! I will be trying the vented resin pads in my XT now though only because got nothing more really i can spend on the bike lol bought everything I've needed to change on it before even took it out lol! Thats me though you know when your bike feels right and doesn't just sitting on!
I have a wide assortment of miss mash shimano brakes on my bikes. One bike has slx m675 on the front with XT m765 on the rear. The other bike has Deore m485 on the front with m675 on the back. And just purchased a bike with XTR m975. Love how simple the Shimano brakes are. Have Avid and hayes brakes in parts bins. Shimano's tend to be more reliable for me.
Do you have any issues with running the older shimanos in modern times? I'm looking at a pair of the m965 on Craigslist right now
@@robroba10 one of my m765's had the bolt strip on the lever. Other than that they have been super reliable compared to my Hayes/Avid brakes(those have lots of piston seizing and leaking)
I use XT M8000 2 piston brakes, and recently, I replaced brake levers. I installed new M8100 levers and everything work fine. Very good braking power.
I have the same XTR brakes for 6 months with 203/180mm rotors, really great brakes, but you are right i was checking the specs too and SLX, XT and XTR are same brakes. SLX does not have the dimples in levers like XT and XTR and bolts are steel instead of titanium but its the same brake. I would buy SLX if i was buing brakes again. There is about 170€ difference and you save few grams. I was riding CODE RSC last year and i found XTR better for trail and Enduro riding. RSC were stronger and grippier even with 180mm front could send me OTB with ease, and i would choose them for DH.
You should try XTR/XT brakes with Magura MDR-P rotors, performance is so smooth and even after some crashes i could not manage to bend them. But ofcourse weight penalty is pretty big because its much thicker rotor mostly used on Enduro/DH bikes but i am rotor bender so its a perfect option for me haha.
Run Hope e4's lever adjustability is 💯 % on 180's + 160's used RSC's in the past, stopping power is insane on 200's +180's but love to try XTR's anyday.
@@LoveMTB I always like the letter R's in Shimano
I have MT520 on my bike and the wifey’s bike has XT. When my bike out of commission for 6 weeks I had to ride my wife’s bike and was impressed with the slightly better performance but massive improvement in modulation. When I got my bike back it confirmed it so I replaced mine with XT. Just another data point
I am running SLX M7100 calipers and levers with 203 front and 180 rear SM RT86 rotors. Tons of stopping power. Completely satisfied and can't think of any reason to spend more money. Thanks for sharing
I'm replacing my RT66 rotors with the RTX rotors. If I had the XT rotors I'd probably not do it. My bike came with SLX 4 piston which I'm not going to upgrade. going to just ride them for a while until I have a reason to get new brakes.
Best explaining video on yt about these 2 brakes. So Xtr is better and stiffer and provide more power but it's about cooling too. The Xtr cool down better and absorb more heat so the braking power stays for longer not that much difference but still key to some riders. Both are still very good brakes and I'm struggling with I choose
Xt all day for me brother 👊
I just installed the XT M8100 2-piston brake set, RT-76 160mm rotors on my hard-tail. 4-piston would have been overkill and more money for the type of riding I do.
Shimano says the XTR M9120 caliper features a MONO-BODY design which is machined from a single cold forged block to maximize rigidity and four ceramic pistons for perfect, Rider Tuned stopping power.
However it is not mono-body it is two halves bolted together, BR-M9100 are the mono-body
😂
The XT brakes on my old bike accounted for 2 of the 3 parts that never got upgraded in the 12 years I had it. They simply work great are are reliable.
I run Saint levers with mt520 calipers, 203/180 RT86 icetech rotors, and fined H01a brake pads, can't complain, very good budget setup.
Thank you for the great comparison🙏
I’m running the deore 2pod breaks with resinpads👍 on my HT also the deore 12speed is still going strong on it.
On my superenduro/freeridebike I have the XT 4pods with metalic pads upfront and 12speed XT drivetrain. Also for shuttleing the best ever. I’m a diehard shimano guy and other than correcting my previous statement on your channel: “I like the deore shifting better then the xt” to “I love my XTs more” after 1O months of using them side by side.
I am not going to change to sram ever my friend.
ML and keep up the amazing reviews👌
Dave
@@LoveMTB you are welcome and happy trails😎
Thanks, I really wanted to know if there was a tangible difference. But I think I'll stick with my Deore 4/2 setup. Works perfectly for me at the moment (great snappy action and feel which will haul me to a stop super fast.)
For what i understand, the xtr have a better leverage because of the newer design of the sevo wave? Less pull movement but more power.
Ish...same with new XT/SLX/ Deore
Hi, and thanks for the review. Actually, it's exactly as I expected. No difference. I'm curious if free stroke adjustment does nothing in XTR same as in XT? I never heard that it works in Shimano.
th-cam.com/video/D0uSTtDWbI8/w-d-xo.html
Very thorough review. The XT and XTR levers are different. Thickness and springs are different. I installed Flo Motorsport PRO 120 MTB LEVERS and I needed to procure XT style springs to make them work. I also added some nylon washers to lessen the rattle. I would like to know what is better about the XTR levers that make it worth a different part. In the previous version, they were carbon, so at least a material difference. Now, its hard to justify.
I could just watch your videos all day.
I ride the slx 7120,I did not feel the difference in braking power between the 7120 8120 9120,but the difference in weight is certainly present and there is still a very big difference in price
I've ridden Maguras since the RC33 came out. I called them rim crushers as they would destroy rims within a season of moderate riding. I now have Magura MT5 sport trail which offer 4 pot up front and 2 pot on the rear. I'm running 203/180 front and rear with no issues. I have these on three bikes, one DH, one Freeride/enduro and one one the GF rig, just so she can stop!!!
I run 203/203 with the MT7. It's not an overwhelming amount of power, yet I don't have to worry about not having the correct spare caliper: if I always have a 203 spare around, I can fix either front or rear.
What's the modulation like? Everyone is obsessed with all-out max power, but as an ex trials rider (many years ago btw) I'm desperate to find the level of modulation (for manuals etc). ps. still have a set of original flouro yellow Magura HS33s in a box somewhere!
I've had the new 8120 in 2020 and now run the 9120 (just because I got a good deal) and it's like you state @8:57 - it does make a difference on steep and long descends if you need to be hard on the brakes. Mellow trail riding, no difference.
Always thank you to giving idea about high end components of bike
I don’t ride shimano brakes I’m sure there great but love contactpoint adjustment. Thanks for the great content!
Your are the best, the very best! Thank you so much for such another great video. I look forward to every video.
I have the XTR M9000 and I love it
Another great video my friend thx. I’ve said it before TSN needs to pick you up. 4 piston XT brakes must almost pull you off the bike. I think I will stay with Deore thou seems to be a all rounded group set. I’ll say it cheers 🍻 on this one hahahahah.
Nice review, thanks dude!
You’re welcome ☺️
I run deore 4 piston xt 4 piston, but all my new builds are magura. I am moving my xt 4 piston bike over to magura. Hc 5. Keeping my bike park bike deore 4 piston. Have a set of magura ebike brakes that started it all on my ebike
Have a 4 piston 5 set as well but the extra few dollars my recommendation is hc5 red magura 4 piston super light.
I have XT M8120 which offer great performance, especially over previous Sram Guide Rs. Could not justify the price of XTR though for minimal if any performance upgrade.
Hey Paul. I am in the exact same scenario as you were. Currently I use the Sram Guide R on my Trek Slash and I want to upgrade my bike. Is the difference between these two brakes worth the money? Greetings from Austria
@@raphaelskop6034 Combined with Rt86 203/180mm rotors the XT brakes are brilliant, the Guide R just adequate. Had mine on the bike over a year now faultless and easy to bleed.
@@ingopaul67 thank you so much for your fast reply.
excellent review as always! I using slx 7100 brakes with rt70 180/160 on my polygon extrada, everything is fine
I use xt 4 port m8120 and never had an issue wouldn't pay the extra for xtr over the xt on anything tbh
went exactly as expected. 9020 and m8100 were similar like this. back then xtr trail was on sale for 150 per and xt was 119 per so going xtr was kind of worth it just for the carbon levers and pretty finish. now, they are about $130 per apart or $250-260 per set. that's a lot for 40-50g and a pretty finish. furthermore, this time with mag calipers we have no idea what the long term reliability will be like. mag is normally used only on racecars but never street cars, even exotic ones for a reason. corrosion
For what it’s worth. I don’t ride MTB as much as I fish. I strictly use Shimano reels in fishing. Just like there brakes they have high end and low end reels. The main difference is the materials they use. Bottom line the high end reels last years longer then the low end stuff.
For what it’s worth.
M6120 front and M6100 rear with 180mm RT66 rotors on my Merida One Twenty 8000.
My XTRs messed up and I had to get a the XTs in the rear I needed brakes for my upcoming trip to Sedona and let me tell you that the bite on the XTRs are better.
Great thing about shamano they have a great warranty program so I’m waiting on my brand new set of XTRs soon 😎
@@LoveMTB I have both front and rear XTRs I went to get my brakes serviced at REI worst decision, they messed up something in the lever and it contaminated the brakes. That’s what this other guy at the bike shop told me cause they weren’t working correctly.
They only had the XTs in stock and I needed brakes for my trip.
But they said I can take the XTRs to a certified shamano seller and the trek shop sent in the messed up ones and I’m getting brand new ones for free.
3 year warranty. Shamano is legit 🤙
@@LoveMTB yeah something with the hydraulic piston cylinder idk but I’ll never take my bike to get serviced at REI again lol
But yeah I can’t wait for my brakes 💪
@@MarioMartinez-is1cg Wouldn't let anyone touch my bike unless there is a warranty involved. Since I ride a trek I would take it to a certified trek shop. Though I'm thinking its just best to work and clean everything on the bike myself since its a good idea to be able to work on your own bike.
well if i had a chance to get the xtr well why not.. but xt for me is perfect , riding for 2 years without any problem .. i think i don't need any upgrade just for a 20g lighter brakes in very high price. and also XT amd SLX are also identical.
I heard that XTR parts are also mechanic friendly just as for the rider. Maybe even more spare parts for XTR than XT
I find the deore off road 4 piston work amazing save lil cash works just as well and they hold up 200 mm rotor front 180 rear everyone that tries my bike askes about brakes
Xtr, xt and slx 4 pistons brakes have the same construction. Main difference are the materials used for weight saving with slx being the heaviest of the 3 but only about 60 grams heavier than the xt. I d go for the slx personally.
@@LoveMTB 😂
is it 60g all in the two calipers?
Or about 30 in caliper 30 in levers?
Good stuff 👍🏼 Thanks for posting.
I do like a lot of the things Shimano offer, but personally I would never get XTR equipment unless I was racing. The other thing in this day and age, is I see less and less bikes specced with Shimano(my assumption is simply delivery issues), so as I most likely will be purchasing a trail bike next year, I might go full SRAM which I thought I'd never do.
For the commuter bike I have now I recently purchased the M6100 brakes which I will be running RT-66 rotors and resin pads for the winter time, and for the summer I will ugrade to RT-86 rotors and sinter pads. I like to try it at least to see what difference it will make.
@@LoveMTB As I will be running different pads for winter setup vs summer, I might as well change the discs to get full benefit of sinter pads, larger rotor, better rotor etc for cooler running temps in higher air temps. Each set will have less wear than normal as well, so it won't cost that much more per year.
I've run the RT66 discs for years already, and they are fine, but nothing more than that. Only been using them with resin so far, and some older Avid juicy 5 brakes.
For winter use I just want something that works, and the least amount of noise etc.
I at least believe the RT86 discs of same size will cool better than the RT66, and I'm more than willing to try so I get personal experience. They are noticeable different in construction.
correct hose BH90_SBM banjo is black and coated for corrosion not the bolt....
Good Stuff! Thanks for this video!
Could you one day possibly make a video on rebuilding shimano brake levers?
Thanks again for the content. Do you notice any appreciable difference in lever feel? Do you think there'd be any difference in modulation if adding an XTR (9120) lever to a Deore (6120) caliper, for instance? Cheers
@@LoveMTB Many thanks. I'd like to try out Formula brakes at some point.
What are your thoughts on the Shigura brakes? I bought the Magura MT7s but ai really dont like the feeling of the brake levers… at all. I’m thinking about buying some Shimano XT levers and converting the infamous Shigura setup. Any thoughts?
Weird decision from Shimano to replace the carbon levers (used on BL-M9020) with aluminum ones on their high-end brakes. Weight savings on cut-outs shouldn't make a brake that much more expensive (compared to XT's).
Do you think the material swap on levers is only a cost reduction decision from their side, or do you have any information about possible problems with those? (personally I have a pair of BL-M9020's, and had any problem with them yet, maybe I was just lucky).
Awesome dude. Thanks, I have M8120's on mine but cheap rotors
And a year later I am looking for brake pads once again! May I suggest a follow up video on the various pads you can buy?
Good idea!
Formula Cura 4 is my pick. However I would like to try XTR
My '21 Optic came with MT-420 and metallic rotors/pads, they are plenty strong enough for riding in Ontario but I'm planning to replace the brake levers at some point, they are way to long and even pushing them in-board of the handlebar, one-finger braking still hit my other fingers. I'll probably look for a set of SLX levers to replace them but have to learn how to bleed brakes first. XT/XTR seem just to pricey to me for the weight savings.
Slx m7120's here. Seemed kind of silly to buy the m8120's just for dimples on the levers and a screw that doesn't do anything. I've also read people don't like the finish of the slx and that it looks cheaper over the xt, I actually prefer the subtle look and the dark blue metallic flake look. If you aren't racing and don't absolutely need the dimples on the levers, the slx's are a no brainer.
Lot of this stuff is placebo, you won't get any performance improvements between the Deore 4 piston, SLX 4 piston, and XT 4 piston.
IMO, it's better to buy the cheaper brake set, replace the lever with one that won't snap (Flo Motorsports Pro 120 Brake Levers), and get pads like MTX Gold or Red so you won't have a shrieking banshee of a bike when the rotors and pads get hot commonly associated with Shimano's sintered pads. The pistons are already ceramic, and coupled with ceramic pads, heat build up on the caliper is negligble. Get bigger rotors instead.
@@georgedaswani9155 I'll agree to some extent. Yes performance wise they all have the same however there are some things lacking from the deore like the tool free adjustment and finned pads that can cool them down faster. A banjo bolt connection could also be very beneficial for some with hard to reach places routing the brake lines, the biggest letdown though is the ispec ev on the deore for some reason has fitment issues with using some mismatched non ispec ev parts(all hear say)
@@25rsti15 the tool free adjustment isn't really an issue as nobody really messes with the reach trail side (and most of us carry a multi-tool anyways). One of the first thing I would do is to replace the levers with the "flo motorsports pro 120 levers" as breaking lever blades is a guarantee after crashing and finding shimano replacements right now is a pain. Those levers have reach adjustments built in - works on both XT and SLX levers, I'm assuming it fits the Deore brake levers as well.
As for the pad material - honestly those finned pads are all for show IMO, as the Shimano pad material is still pretty bad for general trail riding. The resin pads pretty much suck (and melt), and the sintered pads shriek. The MTX ceramic pads are much better in all cases, and given the material it's made of, resists heat. The pistons are already made of ceramic so caliper heat soak is a none issue.
Get bigger rotors if you want more surface area to get rid of heat, and proper brake pads.
@@georgedaswani9155 Out of curiosity have you tried the m6000's vs the m6120's, if so was there a noticeable difference in the lever action? I haven't tried the m6120's but I came from the m6000's and noticed a difference in throw from the m7120's. The lever itself is shorter too which I prefer. Also thanks for the mtx mention, I was wondering if anyone made ceramic pads for mountain bikes.
@@25rsti15 Sorry, I've only tried the BL-M6100, BL-M7100 and the BL-M8100 (and their corresponding 2 and 4 piston calipers). They all work the same way with the same lever feel as long as the bleeding was done correctly (with a bleed block). Levers and calipers are interchangeable between all three.
Some of our local riders where who broke their SLX levers replaced it with XT, or XT -> Deore, or XT-SLX depending on what's available.
My XT's are still in the box un-opened. I'm still using the Amazon Chinese $50 hydro red Anazon brakes. I mainly do wheelies on a fat tire ebike and I run a cheap Amazon 203mm rotor (12$) I get powerful save your arse braking when doing fast long wheelies down hill.....When these fail I'm moving to a chinese amazon 4 piston, then maybe the xt's later ...lol
The new xtr had better modulation, xt is more snappie and is the install and forget brake
I've tried lots of brakes from the low to high and the weight difference and performance is hard to differentiate between the groups.
You obviously never did Bike in Switzerland!
;)
Cheers
I ride pretty hard and I'm not the smoothest rider in the world and I have been using the 2 piston XT brakes for the past 8 years without issues and without need for 4 piston. But I'm not going to lie. I am curious to try them out 😁
@@gkelley77 i am right at 29 1/2 lb with my 2019 Hightower. I'm not a light rider at 215.
Actually on Magura MT5 and will change soon to Deore XT on one Ebike
Hi there can you make a video about comparison on shimano slx m675 or any old model's to the new m7000 or m7100 brakes thanks
Hey there not much different aside from the bar clamp is pea A/B/II/EV. They always also talk about modified or improved Servo Wave but that would be hard to quantify unless you do back to back testing it would be close to impossible to tell
i am currently running the xt m8000 brakes with dual 160mm rotors
@@LoveMTB which rotors would u recommend?
Thank for the knowledge sir.
I run deore 6120 4 piston calipers and RT66 rotors, my first 29er full suspension build that I'll test tomorrow. reviews tell me you'd be hard pressed (especially a weekend warrior) to notice the difference. I run XT Groupset for the rest.
@@LoveMTB I am using a 203mm rotor on the front and a 180mm on the rear. My first outing was epic. My bike is a Carbonda FM936 frame, rockshox Reba 120mm fork, SidLuxe ultimate 165 x 42.5 Shock (Giving 115mm rear travel), XT groupset (1 x 12 speed), oneup 150mm dropper, Syncros 1 piece carbon bar 760mm, AliExpress
Fiberin 30mm wide asymmetric full carbon rim wheelset (1300 grams for the pair) and the Deore 4 piston brakes as mentioned. All up 12kg build.
The stopping power was just amazing, stops on a dime! had a few close calls with traffic in front on some climbs and wow....she just stops! On the descents, I had amazing control/modulation and could throw it round tight corners at will! Now, as a track/roady based rider this was just amazing, loved it and the BR 6120 deore 4 piston brakes were just perfect, definitely awesome value for money! :-)
XT all the way… how about compare the Saint Vs The new XT Quad piston calipers?
Xtr levers with slx m7120 calipers. Best brakes ever
@@LoveMTB part shortages last year in the UK. I picked up a cheap xtr lever then had to hunt high and low for the other one. Ive got a blue theme on my fuel ex so slx works well. The slx looks like xtr upside down as well. Twice ive had to point out that they were slx not xtr.
@@LoveMTB 2023? Wow. That's crazy. Glad I don't need another bike any time soon. I had a clear out and sold a couple of bikes for far more than they were probably worth last year. Part shortage did force me to stop buying bike things so it's not all bad I suppose.
What about XT vs SAints? Have you test them out? Which one would you get? I have the saints on my old bike but on my new Nomad V6, I got SRAM Code R and they suck.... I just don't feel like spending 700$ for the saints again, XT at 529$ was smeeling good :) :) :)
Bike mechanics in Whistler still use the Saints...
I ride with br-mt520 brakes which I was happy with.....to the point where both levers started leaking within close time and also bleed nipple seems to require too much force to reseal after bleeding. To be fair, bleed nipple has this grooved recess around thread, where it can store a bit of bleeding leftover, which I forgot to spray with alcohol, but did stuff paper towel edge in there to pick it up. But after warming up, the caliper had some coverage of oil and dust in this area, so might not be leak, but also actually might.
So I'm deeply disappointed now, Shimano levers are not crazy expensive, especially 501 or Deore, but having to replace them after ~1 year, and both is no fun. I guess I was lucky enough, to use kinda 3 sets of brakes without leaks, so the leak lottery (leakery?😋) finally got me 😕🤔
Also sad to see br-mt520 seem to be discontinued? Can't see them on website anymore, only mt420 now
@@LoveMTB nah, I've bought them as "taken off of a new bike", so no warranty. I have made a successful warranty claim on Topeak Ninja 16+ after snapping 5mm hex in my rear axle though. Very nice compact, light, versatile tool, but those bits that are shaped square before wrapping around multitool frame bolts- I think they're lowering the bit strength. It might be stronger when they're kept hexagonal all the way
Cool vid 👍🏼 where are those trails you run in this vid .
But…. Is it worth it to go for the XT over the SLX? I remember that long time ago you did a video converting an SLX brake into a XT basically changing the screw for the free stroke adjust and the cover
Tanks for the video 🇨🇱
At this point I already bought the 4 piston XT brake set at $249 so I'm sticking w/ these, and they work just fine. These are replacing Sram Code that I don't like?
You have better brakes now!
Quality and performance wise...XTR is the same as XT...as R only stands for racing ....only the aesthetics has been amped up for XTR. That is ...for me..ill go XT and what you save ...goes for other parts to buy or upgrade.
Great channel I'm running shimano xt 2 piston brakes they are pretty good thinking of buying a Specialized stumpjumper Pro but it comes with sram g2 rsc brakes never tried them I've been using shimano for years how do sram brakes compare with shimano XTR? 🤔
I have the M9100 XTR race brakes. I really like the clean look of the lever without the reach adjustment . However I was thinking of trying the M9120 4 pistons. Will the M9120 calipers work well with the race brake M9100 levers ? Or would I be better off buying M9120 levers to match ?
great one man! I am running the SLX 2-piston on my hardtail and the lower end deore on my full sus not sure if the XT would be alot better. I am thinking about changing to the SLX 4-piston or 2-piston and 4-piston combo for my other bike. not sure the XT is even worth the extra money being weight is not a huge thing for me being I have both bikes setup as trail bikes not lightweight XC bikes otherwise I would think more about the XT or XTR ones. Cheers
@@LoveMTB I have the lower end 2 finger level style deore 2-piston not comfortable and not enough power.
thx for this detailed review, it helps me a lot. can u say something about the pistons? i killed one piston of my 9120, as far as i know there are no spare parts avalible, so i need to buy a new caliber. can i buy a cheap slx caliber and use the piston from that for my xtr caliber?
@@LoveMTB thx for that fast response. hmm, i guess, if the diameters of the pistons are the same i can interchange it, but on otherside ... . should i risk it, and buy a slx caliber ? i cant belive they make diffrent pistons because ceramic parts are not cheap and make a lot of different variations are unnecessary expensive. i dont know.🤷🏻♂️
question: new I-spec EV lever clamps are lacking the plastic band between the clamp and the handlebar that was found on previous versions of the levers. While installing some new SLX brakes I've noticed they are way harder to turn even with the bolt almost loose. Two of my riding buddies have the new XT brakes and they both damaged their levers while crashing, even if they keep the bolt fairly loose. Could this be the reason? too much grip between aluminium clamp and aluminium bar? what you guys think? any potential solution to this?
@@LoveMTB I've installed them with a thin slice of plastic and they seem to both hold well while riding, and turn if pushed firmly. hopefully this might prevent potential damage in a crash, which I wish I won't have to test myself, hehe ;)
Go for Saints brakes, better than xt but cheaper than xtr.
Dude, have you try the "shiguras"?? Shimano Levers, and Magura calipers? Could you do a video about it? Regards!
i run deore 4 piston as you reccomended
I have the XT M8120, i'm waiting for to see if Shimano update the saint brakes before i decide to get the xt again to build my second bike
2:10 for me this is the only reason to go with m9120 lever becaude the m8120 has plastic guide for the piston which break so easily...
@@LoveMTB maybe because you never fail ;)
Another great review, thanks. :)
.
In my case... Saint on an Enduro Bike... extreme power with Saint 203mm rotors...
.
The rest of my bikes have Shimano 4 pots with metallic pads. No matter what the calliper is as long as it's 4 pot Shimano, for the lever I prefer Zee or XT because I like the feel of the notches. Shimano Mix and Match :)
XTR are top!I want it 😇
Does XTR stuff still have a lifetime warranty? If so, I'm pretty sure that's the best (and only good) reason to go higher level than XT.
Great review. Just came across your channel. I just bought 2021/2022 fuel ex7 with SRAM NX group set. Brakes are shimano 4100. I also bought separately the XTR group set to swap them. Initially I wanted to get the carbon frame in (raw carbon/rage red) but just can’t find them. Also, why pay so much extra for better components (gx or XT) when I am going to swap them with new XTR crankset, brakes and derailleur. My question is I don’t want to spend another $400-$500 for XTR cassette (sram PG1230 eagle on bike) and Extra $ for XTR rotors. What would you recommend? Should I go with XT rotors? Bike comes with shimano RT56 180mm rotors.
Like your videos! If you can, compare xt 4 piston brake with xt lever and the deore 4 piston calipper/ Thank you
I'd go with the Altus lever with XTR calipers, since all the adjustment gizmos on the lever are dead weight. I used my last hydraulic for 12 years and never had to adjust. Probably due to my clean riding. But with that said, Shimano manages to make XT levers lighter even with those gizmos. I wish there were a full lightweight version of it.
edit: I've just changed the rotor and calipers at 10 years mark and bike resetted to factory defaults, never lost a single mineral oil drop. Amazing!
In hardcore MTb trail biking much better and cheaper if you buy the saint or the much lower price shimano zee.
It looks like the race version lever also does not have the same engineered failure point as the trail levers (the thin metal pinched together) which are a huge hassle given how difficult it is to source the replacement lever member part.
Honestly this failure point had probably left more people stranded on the trail than it has helped by saving the rest of the master cylinder. Bad design in my opinion
@@LoveMTB I'm ok with it so long as the replacement part is readily available and inexpensive. These days it unfortunately isn't.
Slx with metallic xt finned pads is what I use on my ebike.
Had no idea you could use the xt finned pads with them. I'll have to buy a set sometime in the future when I need a new set.
Oh and I have SLX 4 pods 180 front rear , thinking 203 front , just can’t figure out what adaptor to use on the pike and disk with 6 bolt .
My XT's are kinda crap atm ( 8120 ) The rear lever goes back very slow, the piston broke in half while bleeding and the power is kinda low tbh... And the metalic pads are like zero power even when they are getting warm. I work in a bike service and most of em act like that dont know why. The old Shimano's were waaaaay better and the servo feel was also snappy.
@@LoveMTB Old but gold ;)
Ive got XT on both my bikes.
I also got some OE m8120 for my 2019 Norco Sight. Couldn’t find packaged brakes without paying up the nose for them. Works just fine. But the caliper color is a little bit lighter Compared to my other ones.
Good video.