Just building up a new frame, orange st4, thrown all my bits on but have noticed my avid elixer r’s have seen better days, so have the rotors, and rear hose is too short so was thinking rather than sort them will treat myself to a whole new brake set.

was never that impressed with my avids and have always wanted a pair of hope tech M4’s. Thoughts anyone? or other suggestions?

x

t

SLX

shimano brakes have just never floated my boat for some reason

I’ve just had the same dilamma and I went for shimano Zee on cost and the amount of good reviews they get. I’ve yet to try them in anger yet but from just riding up and down the road they are mega powerful.

I put tech m4’s on my whyte last year with goodrich hoses, 180mm discs and wasn’t blown away by them, but they were a piece of art to look at and the hope back up is top notch. I’d say if that’s what you want go for it.

yeah, i tried some X2’s out last year on a demo bike and they were just brilliant, and hope stuff just looks the muts nuts. i know they are a bit pricey but just so easy to look after and no problem to get spares and service them and always good to money into a british company, think i will probably go out in the morning and get some most likely

May sell my tech v2/x2 with gold floaters
Davewilson634@gmail.com if anygood

Is there a big difference between the XT and Deore?

Is it just the weight?

I can rate the new XT ones highly enough… The cam/wave (or what ever its called) is great, but it may not be for everyone 🙂

I’ve owned tech m4s, X2s and the new XTs. The XTs blow the hopes away in every area except ease of bleeding. Cost, weight and above all performance, I’m sorry to say they’re just in a different league.

shimano brakes have just never floated my boat for some reason

That’s where you’re going wrong, they’re not for floating boats – they’re for putting on the anchors.

Seriously though, try some Deore 596 brakes – about £80 for a set (minus rotors) they’re pretty hard to beat for value. (and an absolute doddle to bleed with the little funnel thing)

Just swapped from Hope Mini Mono brakes to 2013 SLX. There’s no comparison. Slx will detach your retinas while being lighter and better in every way. Hard to think of a reason to buy more expensive options with performance this good at this price point.

What he said just above.

yeah i get what you guys are saying, price isnt really an issue for me, and like i said i kinda like putting the money into a british company.. the whole weight thing for me is negligible differences unless you are racing and it is actually going to make a difference.. i just dont know what it is about shimano brakes though i just dont like them for some reason, my mate just got a new xt set and didnt really impress me that much.

i think the thing that draws me to hope is they are simple, easily serviceable, ALL spare parts readily available, customisable, adjustability, and they last.. i know they aren’t the ‘best’ brakes out there in terms of price and weight but they are still very good brakes

The SLX are far better performers than my Hopes, but I never had a second’s problem with my various Hopes brakes over 10 years of constant use, and they were all gorgeous bike bling too. Weirdly I think the latest SLX look better though. Never thought I’d hear myself saying that.

Sorry, but SLX or XT for sure. Great brakes, and better than Hope at..er…stopping you basically.

never had to bleed my xt in a couple years, pad clerance is good and they work well. im using different rotors though

Sierra Lima X-Ray

I love Hope M4’s, had a few sets now, just put some Race M4’s on my new bike, they look the shiznit cant wait to try them.
Had a demo on a Cotic Rocket last year with Shimanos on and i wasn’t struck.

finally someone that likes hopes! lol

I just feel the m4’s suit my riding style, I have some Evo V2 on my Patriot and it was touch and go weather I sold them on as they felt too on/off.

Shimano are storming value. Personally if money’s not an issue then I can’t see past Formula, they are superb- not good value frankly but outstanding performance, excellent reliability but also excellent spares availability should you need it…

Gotta agree with everyone else on here about Shimano brakes I’m afraid. Hope’s work fine for sure, but they’re expensive and not especially light or powerful.

Shimano’s are cheaper, and a whole lot more powerful. Just fitted a new set of M596 Deore’s to my full sus, replacing the previous generation M775 XT’s, and they are quite frankly astonishing! I wanted some new generation XT’s but am a bit short on the cash, so looked at the Deore’s. The XT’s have got more adjustment, a nicer finish, but that’s about it. The Deore’s really are the strongest brakes I’ve ever used!

I went from elixirs to xt. Yet to truly get on with my xts. They are far more powerful than the avids I’ve had, but I feel they lack a bit of modulation. They’re just very in off. In saying that, my favourite ever brakes were juicy sevens, so maybe I like that sort of feel.

yeah the money isnt the issue really, ive used shimano, hope, and avid brakes, and everything ive read about them all is the same as what i experienced.
shimano are cheaper and a bit lighter but seem to be higher maintenance and not great modulation.
avid make a nice looking brake but not very consistant performance, a bit of a pain to bleed, and not overly powerfull.
hope just seem to be the good all rounder, more expensive yeah but thats because they are made in the uk, they are fully serviceable with all spares readily available, and fully customiseable, really easy to work on, great modulation and consistant performance.

i think some people seem to have a gripe with hope because of the price for some reason. and yeah the good points i personally like about them may not be for everyone because not many people do their own full maintenance or like to colour code their bike so thats fair enough, but i’m an engineer and a bike tart so those things are important to me

There’s someone selling brand new Formula RXs in the classifieds for £150.

Worth every penny, they’re really good brakes.

Didn’t like my SLX. Shit lever feel, bite point too far in and the levers look crap with that big reservoir cap thing sticking out. Plus the piston cracked when I was installing it and had to wait 3 months to get a warranty replacement via Rose/Madison. I’ve gone back to Avids (elixir 3) and no problems at all. I didn’t mind the Formula K18 I had but the lever blade was a bit chunky. I’d try some of their other ones.

_tom_ – Member

I didn’t mind the Formula K18 I had but the lever blade was a bit chunky

Think you have to look at the Oro in context, it’s still a decent brake today but it’s a 2005 design- not much else of that era that can still hold its head up. Though yep the original lever wasn’t very nice, and also had a weakness that could cause the reach adjust to fail- was revised in later years and much improved. Then replaced with the RX which is less good 😛

Shimano get my vote, I nearly die every time I go back to my Formula’s or Avids.