how ever both companies could do with looking at their brakes long and hard. neither make a decent reliable hydraulic brake imo. Both make good cable options though.

Shimano brakes really seem to have gone downhill and are very hit and miss.

My XTR’s required loads of faffing with. One day the lever feel was great, the next it would be inconsistent. This seems common on friends bikes too. Mt XT’s were always powerful but a bit mushy despite being returned. The Zees were pretty reliable but had the odd tantrum. The best of the modern lot seem to be the Deore’s which were genuinely fit and forget (both sets I had). My original Saints were brilliant and never needed fiddling with.

I have ended up with Guides on both bikes and am very surprised at how good they are so far. And easy to get a good bleed.

As for mechs, Shimano have had issues with exploding Zee mechs so they’re not perfect either.

My experience of Shimano/SRAM:

16 years of ‘serious’ MTBing, 1 slightly bent (irritating, wouldn’t play nicely in bottom gear, but rideable) XT mech.

3 months of SRAM around 2012, X7 9speed – bent, X9 10 speed – bent, x7 – 10 speed, bent.

Could be fluke, but that failure rate was unacceptable and unsustainable when Shimano mechs were £25 and SRAM £75! I’ve had SRAM stuff last just fine when not riding anywhere ‘gnarr’, and I’d probably be happy on a road/CX bike, but the CNC’d mechs just weren’t as tough as the forged Shimano versions. I’ve not broken a Shimano mech since going back!

GXP seem to be far better than they used to be, the one in my fatty is still going strong (touch wood, it was creaking the other day and I flushed it with GT85).

Brakes, swapped my Elixirs to Shimano XT last month, actually slightly disappointed. Maybe it’s rose tinted glasses but the XT’s used to be neck achingly good, and I used to have trouble with Elixirs, but first few rides out with the shimano and, mehhhhhh, they’re definitely lacking the same bite.

I haven’t played around with any of the really expensive and/or 11 speed SRAM kit, but the X9 stuff I’ve used over the years has been patchy. The mechs go floppy and I had a nine speed X9 mech that refused to even entertain the thought of actually changing gear into the smallest cog. I’ve a 10 speed X9 mech that hasn’t been used (I’m a Shimano fanboy), but it looks nice and that locating pin for refitting the chain is a very good idea. Jockey wheels don’t seem to last well and are expensive to replace.

SRAM shifters can be a PITA. My first set of X9s broke their internal spring, I fashioned a replacement out of wire and spent a few frustrating hours trying to stuff it all back in. Swapping cables on SRAM shifters is a huge pain.

I hear a lot of reports about the XD driver on 11 speed setups being fragile too.

My last two bikes have been equipped with SRAM from the shop, but have been quickly swapped to XT.

I have been a happy SRAM advocate for the last 10 years, but the cost of new stuff has not pitched me to XT. Price of new Sram X0 10spd stuff was £280. XT 11spd was £220.

New 11spd stuff arrived today and can’t wait to try it.