Nice new light frame, XTR chainset, Deemax tubeless wheels now want to put XTR brakes on it. I only weight 10 stone and the bike frame is a small. I'm no Peaty but no slouch either. 1 trip a year to the alps.
How do you think XTR brakes with 203mm rotors will cope?
Looking at my old m800 saints, they seem little different, 1 pot with a small caliper. A friend of mine has said it is going to notice when I crash and they fall to bits, can't believe they are that weak??

XTs are better performance wise.

In what way?
I am guilty of looking for the Gucci factor if I'm honest, but function before form in my mind.

I would be interested to hear your thinking there RG3.

If youre riding downhill and weigh 10 stone Id have thought lead weighted kit would be more your thing

lighter wheels better brakes is what i would suggest,

rather than OTT wheels (for your weight) and lesser brakes

You'll be fine. You're only ickle, and XTR or XTs with 203 rotors are fine for DH.

The Athatons used to ride XTR brakes (obviously they'll brake less than the average joe), you'll be fine! with 203mm rotors any brake will be fine!

The old style Saints were Identical to old style XT's… both of which are perfectly fine for DH…

Although IMO XTR callipers will be 100% fine (they have the shimano logo hence will be fine!). What about 180mm + 160mm and XT callipers, for the overall weight saving annd more modulation?

edit. Rotors being rotational weight and all that, Floating rotors being even lighter etc?!

Yeah, that's what I thought. I have just bought a Mondraker Summum in small so the frame will be ridiculously light (for a DH bike) want to keep it that way. I understand what you mean by reducing the wheel weight but I do like big drops and jumps, not hard on the brakes, but very hard on the wheels so I wan't the Deemax.
As I said, I was struggling to understand the difference between old saint and new XTR.
But the general concensus is that XTR will be fine then??

XC steve. I do the alpine trip each year so feel i will need the 203 rotors. Have been looking at the new saints, M4's and codes. All nearly twice the weight of the XTR, not as Gucci and nowhere near twice the performance.
Any other opinions before I get my wallet out?

With 180/160 rotors although there's obviously an increase in leverage if your had 203, the main advantage of 203 is greater cooling abilities, so 180/160 or 180/180 floating rotors would cancel this difference. If your on the lighter side I'd say 203 isn't to much (nothing is too much) but if your looking to save weight that'll be the best place!

OOOR get both, 203's for the alps and swap back to 180's for the UK although don't think with today's technology you'll overheat at all with 180's for the alps!

Thanks muchly all, XTR's it is!!

Pics up when it's built.

my new xts are way better than my old m800 saints

Talking about new style- XTRs are lacking the Servowave stuff are they not?

Xtr's all the way:)

What about Formula The One 10's? Lighter than most 'trail' brakes, but silly powerful. Only downside is that they seem to be silly expensive too!

XTR M975 calipers in combination with XT M775 levers & Goodridge hoses is what I run, simply awesome and best brakes I've ever used…

XTR brakes for DH? Ten stone or not on a longish dh run they will fade badly. In the alps you can expect some trouble. Current saints are just awesome, are designed for dh, so unsurprisingly they are perfect for that application and blow most other brakes into the weeds.

Talking about new style- XTRs are lacking the Servowave stuff are they not?

New XTR lacks the servowave levers, has a smaller master cylinder iirc, less material on the calipers than XT and requires mega expensive titanium backed OEM pads to help keep them cool enough in use. A VERY nice XC brake, but I wouldn't use them on a DH bike, 10 stone or not!

The XT's however are a different kettle of fish. They're an awesome brake, capable of anything from lightweight XC to full on DH. They're more powerful than XTR, more adustable, cheaper and look almost identical. They're not much heavier either, going for XTR's over XT's on weight alone wouldn't save you any weight that couldn't easily be saved by say fitting some lighter bars for instance!

Would also echo other peoples comments on the wheels. You can get as much strength (or at least plenty enough strength) from lighter and cheaper wheels than the Deemax, that are much easier to replace a rim on if you do bend one. How about some Stans Flows on Hope Pro 2's perhaps?

mboy

Would also echo other peoples comments on the wheels. You can get as much strength (or at least plenty enough strength) from lighter and cheaper wheels than the Deemax, that are much easier to replace a rim on if you do bend one.

Disagree. Current Deemax are far from the bomb proof wheel people consider them to be and are quite light. I wouldnt want to go much lighter than a deemax for dh. The bike will feel skittish at dh speeds over rough terrain with light wheels.

Ultra light dh bikes (say sub 35lbs) are a bit of an excercise in futility imo unless your doing enduro dh style events. There are certain parts of a build where a litle weight is no bad thing.

i ride only alps rides living in Innsbruck

i run a 180mm fr and 160 rr and i will be going to a 203fr and 180rr as i find things do get a little hot but i have never had brake fade on a decent of 25 mins i will be changing purely for a little more power. im running magura julies which are cheaper end of the xt's so i think they should be ok.

just my opinion tho 😉

I live and ride in the French Alps with Deore brakes on my Cove Stiffee with a 203mm front rotor and 180mm rear and never have a problem. Then on my Bullit i have code Avids again no issues but i would hope not.

As lng as you have a decent size rotor you won't boil them up and they should be fine.

Having said all that i would like to upgrade to XT but purely on a weight basis.

I wouldn't go Shimano purely as mineral oil has a lower boiling point than DOT.

If you've not bought them already, go Formula R1 – lighter and more powerful.

br – have you had a set of Shimano or Magura boil on you then, to lead you to this conclusion?

Genuinely interested.