I think i need a new caliper as my XT is leaking aroung the piston so debating if I should replace it with the same again (cheap option)or get a new pair of something new. Do like the new XTR but the bank manager may have a different view on that idea.
Just wondered what everyone else uses or thinks I should try?
If it was just XC I rode I'd just have BB7s as they stop well enough and don't need bleeding 🙂 My do-it-all has Juicy 5s which are ok, but an absolute faff to bleed and the levers are so flexy.
On my 3 bikes i have Avid juicy 7's, Shimano XT's and Hayes stroker trail v7's
all are good brakes and they all do their job brilliantly...
http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/Bike+Shop/MTB++Parts/Brakes/Disc+Brakes/
Magura Marta
FTW/Thread closed etc
Juicy 7's
BB7 &
XTR V's
Formula R1
Bogo Deore or SLX or sub-group shimanos bike dependent
Hope minis. Reliable lots of feel enough power long pad life . Got 3 bikes with them
If you've the cash, Formula R1, otherwise Hope X2's.
I would avoid Juicys purely due to the crappy tool-free pad insertion/removal (fine in the warm garage...) and the need to also buy an Avid bleed kit.
Magura marta sl's have been my fave for the past few years.
160mm front and reas has given me plenty of power and they have been pain free to bleed /maintain.
I use M960 discs and they are more than good enough. Tried mono mini's before but the noise put me off.
Avid Elixir Cr carbons and Avid Elixir xx
Formula Oro, not really marketed as an XC brake but they're not too heavy and they work so damn well. Strong but controlled. And can be had for not much money to boot.
If you want to resurrect your XT you don't need an XT caliper btw, the current SLX and XT use the exact same pistons and seals and I think it's possible Deore does now as well so you ought to be able to swap the parts in assuming it's the seal rather than the caliper that's gone. Or just fit the cheaper caliper complete.
shimano deore stop my 15 stone fine and have not needed bleeding in 6 years
Avid BB7's - no bleeding, no pad drag, easy peasy to replace pads and adjust. This year's model is even nicer looking than the older ones.
<blast from the past> Hayes 9s <blast from the past>
I'm happy with the Formula Oros I have.
Magura sl's. Great brakes. Didn't like Avid's or older Hope. Can't comment on other makes.
Another one here for Marta SL's, powerful and light. Easy enough to maintain.
avid 5, xt and hayes 9, xt's are best all rounders out of these
XTRs here with new Ashima rotors after my last XT rotors warped
Shimano. Nothing else is going to be significantly better and they will be the cheapest.
I think the Hope X2 is good - used for 12 months - pads very easy to change
Been running XTR for a while, but put Elixir CRs on the mmmbop (cos they were available cheap). Took a wee bit of getting used to, but now I really like them.
Magura Louise. They're brilliant and bombproof.
I have always used Shimano after having loads of different ones. Had Shimanos on the last 5 bikes I built. I like the older ones before the Servo wave. Got XT on 29er and XTR on the bike I'm building up. Use 160mm rotors around 16-16 half stone and they do the job from singletrack and cross country riding and never gave me any problems, unlike Hope and Hayes
The Avid BB7 mentioned above are the most under rated brakes out there though. I would seriously consider those too. I have run 3 sets in the past and all have been superb. Easy to maintain and change pads. More drag free than a lot of brakes and you can choose one of the nice Levers Avid make, like an SD7. Stick some nice teflon coated quality cables on and you have a set of brakes that are as good as any hydro ones. The pads do wear a bit quicker though due to the way they work and the BB7 aint that cheap to buy!
proper XC bike, I'd be more than happy with XTR V brakes. plenty stopping power in all conditions, lighter and cheaper and cheaper to run, less maintenance.
I couldn't ever have a proper XC bike anymore though
I've got XTR on my 4 MTB's, just fit and forget.
XTRs when they work. I need to bleed them again though, they're a bit temperamental.
Do like the new XTR but the bank manager may have a different view on that idea.
Where have you been the last few years?... Turns out [i]those[/i] Bank Managers were fired in the 80s.
SLX
Hope Tech x2! Really like them!
Hope Tech X2's here too - best brakes I've used. I don't think they're as powerful as the Martas they replaced (which are also excellent brakes) but they are much more gradual in their action.
XTR disc on xc whippet.
SLX on my all mtn.
Formula R1's are pretty amazing.
Have just swapped to Hope X2s after my back Avid Elixir committed seppuku. They seem very good indeed; feel is quite different though (which may be due to less give in lever/hoses); I [i]think[/i] they might be slightly more powerful but the jury is out on this.
Andy
Shimano XT on all 3 bikes.
... fair point, I ran XTR v-brakes for years, stupidly powerful and light and much, much more effective than lesser quality disc brakes.XTR v-brake
I'd disagree there, I had XTR discs, and they were utter pish compared to every hydraulic disc I've ever used. Not to mention pad life, rim wear etc.
I've had SRAM XXs this year 160/140, bags of power, but needed lots of bleeding and several rebuilds to keep them working, still not perfect either. Going to use XTR Race next year, a bit heavier (although I'm sure some alu/ti hardware will sort that), but you know Shimanos are just going to work.
Marta's on my machine have been pretty much trouble free, even changing to goodrich hoses was an easy job. I fall off a fair bit and they have survived everything over the last 5 years with very little work.