Shimano brakes – which ones for best value/power?

edward2000 – Member
So if you were concerned about heat build up which shimano brakes would be the most heat resistant?

Look to the rotors.
From personal experience though Shimano brakes don’t react well to overheating.

Zees or Saints.

SLX with RT66 rotors are rated for sintered as well as resin pads.

Had XTs before and they were fine in the Alps heat-wise, but maybe I got lucky. Think I’ll splash out and get more Zees. Thanks for the tips tho.

Another set of zee then you only need one type of spare pads, and in a brake emergency you have a set you can swap in with no change, think spare set of brakes for holidays etc…
IMHO you won’t regret the extra spend it’ll soon be forgotten….

Excluding those reasons, Deore

Now you’ve mentioned going t’Alps – Zee is the right choice yeah

Brakes are for my hardtail, which won’t be going to the Alps to be honest. Even so, that extra Zee power will still be welcome, and ‘fitness’ has a good point above.

Moved off Hopes 10 years ago as found them dreadful and very needy three years running in the Alps. Now thinking of returning as they just seem more consistent.

I’ve XTs but if I was buying again would be sticking to Deore or SLX.

Two sets of Deores here, both have suffered bad fade, moving bite points

Ditto on both previous sets of M775 XTs and one of my set of M785 XTs is heading the same way. Can be recovered for a little while with a good bleed. These seem very finicky about pad wear and it really compromises the lever.

never lost a drop in 18 months, but first pull was a bit of a mystery pull you could slow, or just find the bar, nothing I did could fix it,

Ditto again but only rears!?