Despite bleeding and having no air in them at all, they always feel somewhat spongy. Plenty of stopping power, but the sponginess is annoying. Is this just what they are like?

hmm, i wouldn’t want to say ‘spongey’. but the lever does ‘give’ a bit.

more than my deore brakes – i guess it’s the variable leverage thing doing it’s thing.

groovy double post.

I love my SLXs, but yeah, they do feel a little bit ‘plasticy’ compared to XT. People who say they are the same are wrong. I’ll get XT/R next time round.

Ahwiles +1 bit of give in the lever unlike my m4’s but great brakes my sly group has made me realise that it’s all I need really!

mine do too. when i first got them i thought they needed a bleed but the have always done it. I think its the servo wave gubbins.

Despite being bought band new and meticulous bleeding, mrs julian’s slx and a mate’s servowave xt both feel spongier than the older style shimanos we have had between us (deore/lx/xt/saint), but as above, they still stop really well, its just they feel different particularly if you swap between bikes mid ride.

Definately spongier than my Hopes but like them just as much TBH.

so spongy is another word for modulation 😉