I’ve got some non-series Shimano disk brakes (BR 446?? Maybe?) with 180mm discs but whilst they seemed ok for about 1 ride, the rest of the time they haven’t felt too convincing, and the pads lasted maybe 5 rides before they felt rubbish.

So would the new style Deore brakes be noticeably more powerful? I have some SLX on the other bike and they feel massively better, but I’m running a 200mm disc on the front with those.

So the options are use a 200mm front disc on the non-series brakes, or get Deore? Am off to the Alps in summer and the new style levers seem to have a better shape with more hook at the end.

Deore are on offer at Merlin over the weekend, so I don’t have time to try the bigger disc on the non-series before deciding.

New Deore.

Something is up with what you have, and should be sort-able.

They were a new set of brakes on a new bike…felt like they took a ride or two to bed in, a ride feeling ok and then the pads were so worn the lever throw was too much and the pads felt like they were glazed or contaminated.

I imagine they were Shimano resin pads. I’ve put some new pads in which has made the lever feel better when stationary but haven’t tried them yet on a ride.

New Shimano at any level are superb, Deore are an absolute bargain.