Forum menu
I've been an Avid fanboy for 10 years now, even like bleeding them (easy once you know the nuances). I used Deore brakes for two weeks on dry trails in Oregon last year and was blown away by them, just amazingly effortless braking. Then, I swapped them onto my hardtail and used them for the first time in wet UK trails this weekend and was awful. I've had the same before borrowing a mate's bike with Xts in wet conditions -the power drops badly which I never had with Elixirs. Might be the pads but I don't like the way they pull to the bar so easily, feeling like poorly bled avids.
Which brings me to Guides. How do they Compare? And, anyone want to swap for my deores...?
I like them, always had shimano brakes but bought a new bike with guides and almost took them off new to sell but thought I would give them a go.
They work great and have a much nicer feel than avid trails I previously used(and hated), no plans to change them and they have not had to be touched in 5 months of riding.
Having said that if I was buying a set of brakes aftermarket it would still be some shimanos...
Whats the clincher for going shimano after-market?
The review I loved... "They're so good, when they work, that you can almost forgive them when they don't!"
Just the fact that they have a proven track record of reliability but the guides don't.
I work in a shop and we sell loads of shimano brakes (mostly deores) often as replacements for old knackered avids/Hayes etc and haven't had any returned with problems at all.
Only one ride on my Guide RS so far, replaced SLX.
I kinda forgot I'd changed them tbh, very similar feel but more bite to properly bring me to a halt.
Were very easy to bleed and get the right lever feel when I shortened the hose which was a surprise given my past Avid experiences.
Time will tell I suppose but for now I'm happy.
I've got a pair on my bike, I really like them, I was on XO trails on my last bike. They have a much more consistent feel to the guides than my old XOs especially once the pads wear down, they are have loads of power and it's not in one massive lump like shimanos, I had to shorten one of the hoses and then bleed it which was much easier than the old avids they use the same bleed kit which is handy.
HTH
I think I'm sold. Thanks.