So I ended up buying a pair of XT M785 brakes for my big bike, mainly because they were less than 1/2 the price that I could get a set of Hope Race Evo M4s for, even at mates rate.

First ride today, and I have one or two issues I’d like to iron out.

Firstly reach adjust -v- bite point. I’ve got the freestroke adjust wound all the way out, but even with the reach adjust further in than I’d like, the bite point is about 6mm too far out for me. Are there any cunning ways round this? Has anybody tried draining a bit of fluid out the system to make the pads retract further? Ideally the lever position would be about 5mm further out, the bite point 5mm further in.

Next servowave. – The initial bit of lever pull is very heavily sprung as the servowave cam does it bit. Then all of a sudden the action gets much lighter, just as I get to the (too far out) bite point, and all of a sudden I’m overbraking. Part of this is finger calibration, but it’s a feel completely unlike any other hydro brake I’ve ever used. Does that smooth out/wear in with use? If I could make the bite point further in it would be less of a problem I think.

Modulation. Any way to improve it? I think I’m going to have to drop a rotor size on the back, but even so there’s SO little lever movement between “not doing anything” and “locked solid”, despite a brand new rear tyre. Compared to my Hopes they’re very on-off (but a stupid amount more powerful!)

Lastly has anybody managed to bodge up a mount to allow Sram XO shifters to mount onto the XT levers? They fit together fairly well on seperate brackets, but it’s always nice to optimise these things…

Cheers!

Jon

Bump for the weekday…

Knowing they were more powerful (but also becuase I was building a light bike), I went down to 160mm, and wound the bite point out.

Its is “lever halfway in and then BITE” but I like it like that.

Still time to upgrade to hope while you have the boxes……

Requoting myself from a previous post:

I’ve filled and bled XT and Zee brakes using the funnel & syringe as per the instructions.

One top trick though is that once you have completed the bleed process, you can “trick” the caliper into thinking there is a bit of pad wear, and so get a more positive bite point feel.

To do this, take out the bleed block and put pads in, then put about 1cm of fluid into the funnel, slowly pull the lever once (with lever at horizontal position and nipple on caliper CLOSED) and release. Pull it about halfway to 3/4 travel. Then close off funnel and bleed cap, insert wheels and away you go. Helps remove the very last little bubbles and ensures a really good lever feel.

anyone got normal sintered brake pads for the M786 brakes, the ones with cooling vent seem OTT for freezing wet uk decents…