[Closed] M785 XT Brakes Free Stroke Adjust - what does it do?

Nothing.

Seriously.

Sets the reach, pretty much.

That's all I've found it does. Useful when you've had a gutful of bleeding the damn things.

Nasty brakes to bleed, work great though.

Probably the easiest brake out there to bleed, can't understand how you'd get it wrong!?

I think it is meant to adjust the amount of lever throw from all off to all on...

Increases the amount of lever movement before the pads hit the disc. I have always found that it has the opposite effect to what I need.

If they're anything like the 775s sod all!

Anyone that says "nothing" is doing it wrong.

As it's unscrewed it increases modulation, but it relies on the brakes being set up right in the first place. Take the lever off the bike & look underneath as you unscrew it & you'll see how it works.

So rondo101 how should we do it correctly? Absolutely no point posting what you did if you're not going to enlighten us.

Most reviewers seem to concur that the bite point adjuster does stuff all.

If they're anything like the 775s sod all!

Works for me, changed from SLX to XT m775 levers just to get this feature to increase distance between levers & bars at biting point 🙂

Make sure the calliper is centralised & you don't have a dominant piston so that, with the screw all the way in, the bite point comes pretty soon into the lever stroke.

Then, by unscrewing the free stroke screw, you will find the lever will need to be pulled further for the pads to fully engage, with the motion earlier in the lever pull allowing you to apply more precise braking.

Works with both the 785s & 775s.

Hi rondo101,
Thanks for the details, I'll take a good look at it tomorrow night.
The brakes have bled ok and the lever is rock solid.

Have also just gone back to 2x10 after a spell over the winter of 1x.
Have just fitted my new shadow + rear mech.
Riding on thurs, quite excited to see if it's any good and if I can avoid a lower roller.