After putting up with Elixir 5 brakes for a year and having to bleed them every time I change the pads I’ve decided it’s time to ditch them.

I ride an Orange Alpine 160 on natural trails around the dark peak with a bit of downhilling thrown in and weigh 16 st so I need decent power.

I was planning on splashing the cash on a set of Hope M4 or V2 but have read a few good reviews of the new Deores which are £80 for the set on Chain Reaction. My only concern is whether the Deores will be powerful enough. The Elixir were ok but more power would be good.

The other question is if my original rotors and mounts will be compatible with the above.

I’d be grateful for useful advice from users of shimano/Hope brakes.

Thanks.

Don’t worry, bwaarp will be along in a while to tell you to buy hope, and to argue with anyone that might suggest otherwise.

I bought Hope because they look nice. My cheap Shimano’s on my singlespeed seem to work better though

Hope V2 or V4’s – the deore’s will probably last years but they are just ok, i’d never put them on a big bike & again, no spares unlike Hope.

Shimano XT’s seem to be a pretty sound choice however I’ve just bought some Zee’s for my DH bike like v4’s, Supposedly awesome power and great modulation.

shimano xt all day long!

I plan to change my Avids for some shimano Xt’s, well that the plan anyway, but first need to get out on the bike, lacking a little lately.

Assuming you aint a-trolling: this is a chuckle worthy hope vs shimano read from last year:

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/deore-m525-brakes-review-please

Otherwise for the last few weeks there’s:
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/what-are-the-best-disk-brakes
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/hope-v-shimano-and-anywhere-selling-xt-at-a-good-price
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/new-brake-dilemma
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/brakes-hope-or-shimano

Anyway – dont let that worry you – its a weekly row – someone just needs to start it off!

#Edit – That’s not overly helpful to you – just a heads up that as a question it can go tits up. To me the bottom line is that both are great – both have plusses and minuses. Also consider Formula and Maguara, pick from one of those 4 for your budget. Come back in a few months and add fuel to the fire! 😉

I love my Race Evo M4 but bwaarp’s vehement opinions puts me off Hope brakes – until I ride the bike and they’re totally awesome. Way more expensive than Deores though!

They’re both good… TBH one thing nobody can say about the current Shimanos is that they lack power! Even the deores are pretty mighty.

I’ve just fitted some Hope Race X2 as an upgrade to Elixir 5s. They’re not hugely more powerful but they are so easy to bleed and the levers and modulation are spot on. The Hopes are way more expensive but you can get all the spares and so service them as needed, I guess it depends on your budget.

Shimano XT convert here, always used Avids but swapped out recently (as shimano are easier for me to bleed) and the power and modulation is wicked.

shimano xt all day long

This.

Funny that – just put shimano on today to replace hope minis – I’ll let you know

Anyone know where’s cheapest/got a good deal for XT’s at the moment?

I’m a 6 year avid man but now on xt awsome

groundskeeperwilly – Member
Anyone know where’s cheapest/got a good deal for XT’s at the moment?

Bike 24, or any of the other German sites..

My brakes over the years:

Avid Juicy 5 – OK. Needed bleeding. Lots.
Hope Mono Mini – Flippin Awesome. Withstood untold abuse & zero maintenance. Ate pads.
Hope Tech M4 – Just not as good as they should have been. Less power than the Mono Mini. Ate pads faster.
Shimano XTR M988 – Very very good indeed – sensitive to which disc I used – worked best on a Hope disc bizarrely.
Shimano XT M785 – Best brakes I’ve had. By a mile. amazing power, modulation, no fade, epic pad life.

I am a big lad, and am finding that I am going at a reasonable pace downhill these days. Shimano SLX are what I currently have on the bike and I am liking them a lot.

Will probably upgrade the new bike to them shortly too!

I had Hope M4s for a few years, and never thought they were all that good. And they were a pain in the arse to get “right”

Doesn’t sound like there’s much justification for spending an extra £170 on Hope. I do like to support UK business (I have a Brompton and Alpine 160) but £170 would come in useful elsewhere over Xmas.

The new Deore are only £80 so I’ll give them a whirl and report back. Thanks for the input.

From what I hear chatting to people on trails, it’s worth investing in at least the SLX over and above the Deore

Hope for feel looks and enough power with control. Add in the fact that servicing doesn’t include throwing it in the bin I’m still with hope. I see them as an investment with my previous sets moving from bike to bike with nothing more than a bleed.

i used hope for years. shimano xt are the best i have used

Deores are good but don’t have the servo of the xts. I’ve got a pair of both and it’s hard to tell the difference until it gets really steep and you need subtle modulation under heavy braking. The deores are fine at this but the xts are even better. Worth the extra £50 for a pair from rosebikes IMO

fizzicist – Member

From what I hear chatting to people on trails, it’s worth investing in at least the SLX over and above the Deore

Why’s that? Not disagreeing, just wondering.

I have had mixed experience with X2s. When I get the set up right they have been great, but they do seem to need fettling more often than I would have thought. Thinking of doing a full seal replacement and rebuild soon which if done earlier might have given me a better experience.

I really like the modulation and feel of them though.

Died in the wool, 10 years if running Hopes man here.

Got some XT’s in May – love them!

Shimano here, although I like the trickness of the Hope levers.

Deore do have servo wave, or at least it said on the box mine came in. I’m hefty used them in the alps, although I was more worried about them over heating, rather than them offering any real less stopping power than slx. I’d probebly go slx next time if anything for a proper brake pad retainer pin 😆

I put Hope Tech M4s on my lad’s Ragley, and SXL on my 140 bouncer. We swapped for a section with some tight downhill and after the SLX the Hopes felt awful. Even after a bleed and new pads I still can’t make the Hopes feel as good as the SLX. I also had some Deore (595) on my HT, but after finding the XT at Rose for a tenner more than the SLX I swapped again, so the HT has the SLX, the bouncer has the XT.

Rose were cheapest for XT, I got them for £130 all in, but their stock levels vary. Otherwise, SLX are every bit as good except they don’t have the bite point adjuster screw. (and they aren’t “in your face shiny”)

I can only confirm that deores are pretty good, in fact, you can’t get better brakes for the money. I run them on my inbred 29er, I’m 16st and there is plenty one finger stopping power.

Scamper you’re right they do have servo wave, just had a look inside mine. Wonder if its the caliber design that feels different or if its all in my head?!

XT, without batting an eyelid.

i had the same problem with bleeding bloody avid brakes…so i bought SHIMANO XTs and there the best…single finger breaking levers and they are really powerful…also they dont weigh a tone like hopes do!
😀
but again its personal prefrence i guess!
good luck

Used to be a hope faithful but converted to shimano xtr… far supreme I’m afraid to say!

Love the look of hopes but golly the new deore stuff shimano are banging out are brilliant. Ive got the old shimano XT and with regards to servicing its not a problem. Ive had them over 3 years with minimal faff so theyll just go in the bin when they finally go. They owe me nowt.