Can anyone comment on the reliability of saint disk brakes please? I was all set to get them and was instead recommended formula the ones by a lot of riders who ride long proper downhills out here in the alps. They said they had had lots of issues with saints, often due to the mineral oil. The formulas are now out of stock and I’ve been told about reliability problems with these brakes resulting from the dot oil degrading the seals.

Since the saints are cheaper and I love the power and feel of shimano as well as the servo wave, I’m considering them again. What will the reliability be like if I re-bleed them every 6 months or so?

Preferably looking for input from people who have regularly run these brakes on looooong steep down hills.

Thanks in advance!

Tim

I ran Saints for my first Morzine trip last year and they were fine. Still okay now. I did have issues with them when new. not sure if it was the brake or the shop but they spongy a couple of times. Touch wood never had an issue since.

I’m running XTs at the moment and they are very powerful and fine in the UK but when I rode a 45 minute steep DH out here they faded like a goodun. I’ve been told the mineral old can degrade and absorb water over time, hence the need to bleed them regularly. My XTs have not been bled for over a year I think. They may be ok after a bleed but if not I’m looking at getting the Saints.

My saint’s need an occasional bleed but generally are fantastic. So much power that you never worry.

but when I rode a 45 minute steep DH out here they faded like a goodun

I have used XT brakes for all my last 3 Morzine 2 week long trips, never had an issue with them, super reliable. The saints will be more powerful.

If you drag your brakes on DH runs all the time, maybe they will fade?!

saints are good i have them my self its just some people are to moronic to be able to bleed them properly

Ive been running some every weekend and almost twice a week every week since September last year. All weather.

Faultless, flawless and perfect every time.
Ive been through several sets of pads in that time.
All Ive done is wash the bike and clean them.
Stop now as good as they did on day one.

I killed a saint in the alps – I used to drag my brakes tho, and they were the first generation ones (seal went).

saints can be a pain in the ass to bleed, I use them in the bike parks in Canada every Summer, my only complaint{apart from bleeding} is they are noisy due to the sintered pads

Sure, if you drag them down the Alps for a few days you will probably boil them. You can boil anything that way.

Brake hard and properly at the right time and your eyes will pop out.

Haha, brilliant. I knew some people would come out with the “don’t drag your brakes” comments. No one can really make those comments without knowing how good a rider I am or what kind of stuff I ride.

Thanks for all the useful comments though. Sounds like they are as reliable as any other brake out there as long as I bleed them every once in a while.

my only complaint{apart from bleeding} is they are noisy due to the sintered pads

i like the noise, makes em seem more powerfull, sound a bit like the brakes on a really big tractor.

Tim… I’ve had (old) Saints on my hardtail since uni days (even when you were there) and another set on my Commencal for the last 3 years. No probs, including the obvious BC & Alps riding. The only thing I’ve done to them in the last 2 years at least is new pads and they all work fine.

Ellis has the newer Saints and likes them a lot.

You’ll be fine, even with your girly riding style…

Ha, look who it is! You heading out to whistler again this year? I’m there second week of July, BC road trip first week in July. Have you bought a proper bike yet? FB me up if you venture out to the Alps…

My Saints are faultless incl 2 trips to Verbier, where I had previously boiled Hopes. Saints didn’t miss a beat.