Righty ho, I’m after some new brakes for use in the Peak District primarily and the odd trip to the Alps and Scotland.

The obvious choice is XT, but I keep hearing that the modulation isn’t as good as Avid (which obviously have their own issues).

Zee/Saint seems a bit overkill.

Anyone actually tried the new Sram Guides?

How about Hope?

I’ve tried the new Guide brakes and they’re damn good. The only way I can describe them is that they’ve got the great modulation that you get in the current X0 Trails but the lever feel of the XTs. You really can set the lever up however you want. The adjustments are all really effective.

Elixir 9 trails. Job done.

I’ll do the same thing I always do and recommend Formula The Ones… Downhill powerful, XC light, pea-through mattress modulation, crashworthy and reliable, and all parts available to buy if need be. Only real downside is the very high cost (both new, and for parts), even I’ve got to admit they’re a hard sell.

Perfectly happy with the modulation from my Shimano brakes but if you’re traditionally a two-finger braker then I think you’ll find them grabby. On the other hand, I’m not convinced about their longevity and the power decreases slightly as the pads wear so that solves the grabby problem.

If money was no object and I was choosing, I’d go Hope.

Would be XT for me… I like the grabby feel but you can always set them up to have a bit more lever travel and they appear less grabby.

XTR Trails 🙂

Was a Formula fan, but managed to have quite a few issues with them surrounding reliability (no surprise there) as they are hit and miss at best.

I looked at Hopes before, but they didn’t (and still don’t as far as I’m aware) do anything that is as powerful, or as light as an XTR.

Shimano every time. SLX or XT.

I’ve just switched to XT. Pretty happy.

I’m a big fan of Formula The Ones, having had them on various bikes over the past few years, and also for the same reasons as Northwind, but I recently picked up a set of R0’s from Merlin when they were doing a complete set, including discs, for £280, and they are now my new favourites. Fantastic modulation and power.

slx if on a budget. no worries.

How about Hope?

Yup E4s here

Like an XT/Zee or XTR/Saint combo but with a proppa moto feel. Shimano are nice but sometimes I think the action is just too light. The E4s have the same precise feel but with a firmer action. Huge gobs of power I’ve gone down from 200/180 rotors to 180/160s

Also look and feel as though they’ve been carefully made in a big shed in Lancashire and not just churned out of a machine

XT all the way