The brake that felt like the best combination of top-end power and all-over feel was the Shimano SLX M7120.
- Price: £175.00
- Rotor weight: 168g (203mm)
- Brake weight: 286g
- Tested by: Benji
As one of the biggest Shimano brake fans from the XT M785 era (what a brake that was… sigh) it’s been saddening to see so many newer higher tier Shimano brakes let down by wandering bite points.
When a Shimano brake is operating at 100% there is nothing better out there. Super powerful, but with an almost magically controllable touch to the bite point, they have an instant feel to them combined with tons of stopping power. They aren’t instantly on with a disappointing lack of oomph to follow. Nor are they vague or delayed feeling when delivering the top end power. You know where and when the power is.
These SLX brakes have been like the good old days of Shimano. They are brilliant. The absolutely critical thing to bear in mind, in my experience, is that these are not ‘fit and forget’ brakes. They don’t like to be run until the pads have worn down to the metal (they will require a rebleed if you let them get that far gone). And they’re no longer happy just to have a quick ‘bubble bleed’ to sort them out.
Owning a Shimano brake is a bit more like owning one of the more demanding house plants… it’s not a cactus you can leave to gather dust. If you fail to keep an eye on your Shimano, it will let you know. Is this level of maintenance acceptable? Before I’d tested these brakes, I would have said no. But gosh darned if there isn’t still something amazing about Shimano brakes when they’re operating at 100%.
Overall
Not fit and forget, but you know what? If you like working on your bike anyway, there’s nothing like a Shimano stopper.
Review Info
| Brand: | Shimano |
| Product: | SLX M7120 |
| From: | freewheel.co.uk |
| Price: | £175 |
| Tested: | by Benji for Issue 144 |
