Shimano SLX or XT brakes

Upgrading my brakes and would like opinions on whether its worth paying the extra for XT

Only additions to XT over SLX are bite-point-adjust that hardly anyone ever uses and a screw in pad retaining bolt rather than a split pin.

Up to you as to whether they are worth it or not

I have both, get the SLX

Can’t comment on the slx’s but the xt’s I have are best brakes I’ve ever had.

i have slx, tbh i find it hard to imagine anything providing more power, and its easy to control too.
(i do have a 203mm rotor on the front and a 180mm on the back though)

I have m666 and m675 slx and they’re both great (as they’re both the same). Just upgrade the rotors to rt86 and I wouldn’t bother with the finned pads.

Got both here as well, I’d go SLX if there’s more than £10 or so saved. Both are fantastic.

If they perform any better than the Deore ones, you are on to a winner either way. The Deore M596 ones I have are ace!!!

I’ve got both as well and if there’s any price diference between the two then I’d go for the SLX ones. as said already the only diference is the split pin holding the pads in and the free float adjuster, neither of which you actually need, the first saves you carrying pliers with you to change pads on the trail and the latter is just nice to have but you’ll set it once and never touch it again

From Rosé there was only a £15 difference, I went XT, but I’ve also had the SLX, no real difference, XT just marginally more pimp!

XT you tight arse

a screw in pad retaining bolt rather than a split pin.

And you can buy the XT pin for a couple of quid and fit it to the SLX, as it already has the threads machined into the caliper – more proof if you needed it that they are basically the same brake just painted a different colour.

So who is doing the best price on slx at the minute? Will they work with Avid Elixir 7 rotors?

Is changing the SLX style (split pin) pads tool free?

One other point re the XTs, I did a bleed on mine the other day, it came out very stiff, and I did need to use the bite point adjust to back them off a bit to suit me. In general though, using it is rare. If it was essential, it would be activated on SLX too.

have a set of 2013 slx and VERY impressed so far

Is changing the SLX style (split pin) pads tool free?

No, not really, unless you can bend a stainless steel split pin without a tool – teeth?

Mind you, the XTs screw-in pad pin isn’t tool free either, you need an allen key, but most people are more likely to have one of these in their Camelbak than a pair of needle nosed pliers I would have thought?

Does beg the question though – how often do you actually need to replace brake pads during a ride?

on my second pair of slx brakes.
awesome stoppers.
just fitted these cuz the split pins bite the big one imho:
xt retaining pin that fits slx brakes…[/url]

So who is doing the best price on slx at the minute?

This seems to be a pretty good deal, and 2014 model too – SLX

If you do buy the 2014, you won’t be able to run them with existing ispec shifters.

Is changing the SLX style (split pin) pads tool free?

it can be done with a number of different tools. I use the bottle opener on my pen knife

The split pin is removable with your fingers, I’ve been using split pins on formula fords for years to retain the pads which is a much more harsh environment.

Back to the point though 🙂 I have tried both and can’t tell the difference in performance so will be getting SLX again.

This seems to be a pretty good deal, and 2014 model too – SLX

Please note the rear brake is the righthand so you’d need to swap the hoses over.

Please note the rear brake is the righthand so you’d need to swap the hoses over.

Piece of pish, need to take hoses off levers to shorten them anyways, and this store sells only proper boxed retail stock, so you get all the bits you need included – spare olives, inserts, yellow bleed block and hose clamp.

I’ve never ever done it before- is it fiddly? Can you simply loosen with a ‘tiny spanner, tape to bars upright with (something over?) thumb over then into?

Somethings going to go amiss (i.e. fluid) but also air bubbles?

Any step by step guide(s)?

I’ve got the XT’s because they were only a wee bit more than the SLX ones and I’m a tart. To be honest, I think its hard to justify anything over the Deore brakes which I also have.

The free stroke adjuster does very little and I run it all the way in because I run my levers close to the bars. I’vennot used the tool less lever adjuster since I set the brakes up.

I’ve never ever done it before- is it fiddly? Can you simply loosen with a ‘tiny spanner, tape to bars upright with (something over?) thumb over then into?

Plenty of youtube guides to swapping hoses over and/or shortening, but as always I find the pucker Shimano tech docs the best here …

You’ll need an 8mm spanner for the compression bolt on the lever, and as long as you don’t open the bleed port on lever or calliper while the hose is off, you should be able to swap the hoses without losing any oil/letting any air in. However, a precautionary bleed is always a safe bet, and worth learning how to do anyway as it’s very easy on these brakes.

Have both. Like both. Really good brakes. I can’t say there’s a great deal of difference between either of them performance wise (both bikes have 180/160 ice-tech and I use finned pads).

I supppose I’d sway more to the XTs. A little bit more pimp as someone suggested. I like the screw in pad mount too.

If there’s little to no money difference and you’re not on a budget XTs.

I have SLX which are great but a mate has XTs which are simply awesome. They (the XTs) are the first brakes I’ve tried which have possibly too much power. You can howl the tyre with a light single finger. Just mega. Whether it’s the design or just the pad/rotor combo he uses, who knows.

Hmmmm Deore or SLX.

@hora yes switching them over is that simple

@perth, sure I get it re tools, I was more thinking is the SLX pad change was tool free it would be preferable to XT. But I suspect in practice (in a cold wet dark November night ride for instance), it’s not, and the XT is better as the tool is already carried.

@reggiegasket as far as I know, in terms of engineering, SLX and XT are identical. The difference you mention is probably bleed or set up or pads.

@perth, sure I get it re tools, I was more thinking is the SLX pad change was tool free it would be preferable to XT. But I suspect in practice (in a cold wet dark November night ride for instance), it’s not, and the XT is better as the tool is already carried.

Yep I’m with you there, but its a moot point anyway, because the SLX and XT calipers are identical, so no matter what they come fitted with from the shop, you can choose whether you fit them with a split pin or a screw-in pad axle as you wish. For me, I prefer the pad axles so I’ve have those on both my SLX and XT brakes.

@reggiegasket as far as I know, in terms of engineering, SLX and XT are identical. The difference you mention is probably bleed or set up or pads.

Precisely!

yeah … though it is a minor annoyance that the XT axle/pin have to to be bough separately (if lost, like I lost my snap ring in the dark). Still it’s an FWP I guess not worth getting in a stew about.

For reference should anybody need them: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-br-m785-pad-axle-snap-ring/

yeah … though it is a minor annoyance that the XT axle/pin have to to be bough seperately.

Guess they’ve gotta make something look different to justify the extra few quid on the XT 😆

FWIW, I’ve just replaced 4yr old XT’s with new SLX’s. The SLX’s are excellent.

Hora, the 2014 Deores which should be out now are compatible with the Ice Tech pads so there is very little difference. It comes down to how much of a snob you are and how much you value took free lever adjust.

As far as power goes, I can’t tell much difference between my XT’s and Deore. The Deore even looks pretty good too.

Oops my old servowave XT’s may be retired…… 8)

I’ve got the xt’s as the shop didn’t have the SLX in stock, there isn’t much between them and the price difference is small. The shiny XT finish isn’t my bag, baby.

M785 XT on all three bikes here.
No complaints

My new Trek Superfly sl came with XT brakes,They are amazing,nice levers and lever feel,I am changing the front rotor up to a 180mm,but am very tempted to fit another set to my other bike aswell.