Just had a load of faff with some 2012 XT’s (leaking fluid from banjo fittings, runs down calipers, contaminated pads). I understand this is a common problem but has it been resolved on the newer versions? I’d be quite happy to replace with the same brakes if I had some confidence the issue had been resolved by Shimano, but I don’t want to go through all this hassle sending back to RoseBikes again in another few months… They currently have no stock and are quoting 10+ weeks for replacement so am looking at refund and buy somewhere else (LBS!)

Is this a common problem?

Yup, loads of threads on here about it…

Is this a common problem?

Yep – see here

has it been resolved on the newer versions?

I believe Shimano has improved their hose crimping, so I haven’t seen the issue come up recently – certainly my new XTs don’t have the problem.

My 2 month old XT’s have been perfect.

Ah OK good shout then, i’ll keep an eye out

Will shimano only do warranty on these through the dealer you bought them with? I’m in NZ now and it would be a pain to send them back to Rose.

I spoke to Maddison and was told I had to send them back through Rose, couldn’t use a local UK dealer. And Rose have been pretty rubbish tbh, firstly telling me that replacements had been dispatched, then that they’d been sent to the wrong address and now finally that they’ve not been dispatched at all and they have no idea when they will be… 😥

I bought a new hose off the classifieds, that cured the issue.

Scruff – in hindsight, I wish I’d just bought some new hoses rather than have the cost and hassle of sending them back to Germany. So far been without brakes for a month and counting. I’m riding a lot faster tho 😀

I was tempted by the superstar hoses, but I decided against it and stuck with Shimano.

They currently have no stock and are quoting 10+ weeks for replacement so am looking at refund and buy somewhere else (LBS!)

I’d be worried the stock in the LBS had been sitting around a while and might be the old ones with the problem. Better to buy off someone with high thruput IMHO – like another online retailer – bike-components.de for example are saying they’ll hve stock in ten days time.