Latest Product Reviews

Rss

Shimano Deore XT M8000 2-piston Disc Brakes

The Good

The online discounted price.
The components (lever, caliper, hose) are all compatible with every Shimano brake of the last 20 years.
They're piss to bleed and if you're stuck in the middle of nowhere you can use literally ANY oil, eg Olive oil works fine (tested in the Alps!)
They work fine - power is average
Pads are available everywhere

The Bad

They're probably more reliable than anything, but they're still not exempt from the "master cylinder lottery" (ie they will eventually start to go wrong)
The levers are flexier than the previous version (M785)
They're only safe to use for 12 months before you should get rid and get some (identical) new ones
The finned pads are a waste of time and offer no noticeable "real" benefit

Overall Review

It's impossible to review these brakes without first mentioning that they're heavily discounted all over the internet, so the "real" price is closer to £100/pair (not including rotors). That makes them by far the best value performance brake available, from any brand before you even mention that they actually work pretty well too. They're light weight and pretty powerful, especially with a big ol' rotor. In theory mineral oil has a lower boiling temperature than DOT fluid, but I've never

Shimano Deore XT M8000 2-piston Disc Brakes

Member Rating:

Rate review:

Add comment

Tristan_Mayor

5/24/2018 6:30am

Shimano Deore XT M8000 2-piston Disc Brakes

The Good

Gobs of stopping power. Consistent braking. Tough as nails. Excellent lever shape and feel. Parts are easy to come by. Ease of maintenance, Shimano's are by far my favourite brake to bleed.

The Bad

Some times the lever requires a couple pumps to get things feeling right and the brakes grabbing. I was told this is an issue with the lever but I couldn't be bothered to send the brakes back and not ride and now I am just used to it. I did have an issue with a rear caliper leaking after 2 years of abuse and crashes, but I grabbed a new caliper on Jenson USA and tossed it on, gave it a quick bleed, and good to go.

Overall Review

These have been my go to brakes for years. I am a big fan of the way they grab. I couldn't care less about modulation, when I pull my levers I want the brakes to grab. I have used these brakes for everything from a 6 hour endurance event to trail riding to enduro racing and have no complaints. I had a couple issues with them, like the leaking caliper, but the new caliper is working perfectly with no issues. I would recommend these to just about anybody. They look great and can be found for a

Shimano Deore XT M8000 2-piston Disc Brakes

Member Rating:

Rate review:

Add comment

Amart1500

5/24/2018 5:58am

SRAM Guide RE Disc Brake

The Good

Old Code caliper mated to new Guide levers - I use the Guide RSC levers instead of the stock R's and it's killer

The Bad

The RSC levers make a big difference

Overall Review

I've never had an issue with my RSC lever/RE caliper setup. It's basically a refined older model Code and kicks ass on a trail bike setup. I never bothered to try and use the stock R levers but with the RSC setup it's a solid 10/10. Way better power and modulation than the Guide caliper. Would recommend.

original stitch.jpg?VersionId=1ldaTzO.L6ZqC xdtrmO67Il0OA

SRAM Guide RE Disc Brake

Member Rating:

Rate review:

Add comment

Iggz

5/24/2018 5:56am

Shimano Saint M820 Disc Brake

The Good

Unrivalled breaking power, Shimano reliability, easy bleeding, well built, good cooling, great one finger levers

The Bad

Poor modulation, wondering bite point

Overall Review

This break has saved my life so many times. However, due to the wondering bite point it has also put me in some scary situations. Absolutely some the reliability, easy bleeding, power and cooling this break offers. Hands down destroyed the competition until the new Code came along in 2017. Come on shimano, nearly perfect.

Shimano Saint M820 Disc Brake

Member Rating:

Rate review:

Add comment

hostforaxenomorph

5/24/2018 4:38am

2017 Lapierre Spicy 527 Bike

The Good

- very good rear suspension
- riding characteristics
- good base for tuning if you can get it cheap
- 1° angle set is included

The Bad

- steering stop limiter is missing on the headset, as the shift lever can hit in the top tube
- RS Yari RC
- heavy wheels and handlebar
- strange grips

Overall Review

I ride the Spicy 527 2017 since August 2017. The geometry suits me very well. At 1.89 m height, I chose L. If you want to race with them and do not value fun on any occasion, you can take the size recommended by Lapierre, which in my case would have been XL. As the seat position would be a bit too stretched for tours. I do it differently than the usual reviews and do not highlight the good qualities, but rather talk about negative experiences. Nevertheless, it is a great bike with excellent

2017 Lapierre Spicy 527 Bike

Member Rating:

Rate review:

Add comment

ingohp

5/24/2018 3:50am

SRAM Code R Disc Brake

The Good

Excellent Modulation
Good power Ergonomic lever Durable

The Bad

Get super spongey when pads wear to 50%

Overall Review

The sram Code R came stock on my aluminum Santa Cruz Nomad 4 s-kit. I have been riding the bike since October of 2017 and have definitely put it through the wringer. The majority of the riding I do is pedaling to the top and riding down, although I can't wait to take the bike to some chairlifts. Most of the trails I ride are technical, steep and awkward instead fast and flowy so having good brakes is very important. From the first ride I was stoked on how well the Code R preformed. They have

SRAM Code R Disc Brake

Member Rating:

Rate review:

Add comment

NWDommen

5/23/2018 11:29pm

SRAM Guide Ultimate Disc Brakes

The Good

strong brake force, adjustable, easy bleeding and rebuild, light weight

The Bad

stuck pistons, the lever gap changed by temperature,

Overall Review

would be a awesome brake if without stuck piston problem. wear out the piston for make it working good until now.

SRAM Guide Ultimate Disc Brakes

Member Rating:

Rate review:

Add comment

titic999

5/23/2018 8:53pm

SRAM Guide RSC Disc Brakes

c120 SRAM GuideRSC rotorcaliperlever.jpg?VersionId=kE65f1r0lSBzq1m1w

The Good

I really like the modulation of Sram brakes these are a great example lots of lever feel. This means it's really easy to keep the wheels from locking up. They're pretty powerful and they'll stop you when you want. If you're a heavier rider I'd recommend going for something burlier though. The contact point adjust is nice to have because you can always make your brakes feel the same, it's not a necessity but I got it because I work in a shop.

On the trail they performed awesome, the extra modulation makes it easier to brake late into corners and the power makes them easy to trust.

Bleeding them is also really easy thanks to the bleeding edge tool.

The Bad

In my experience they had some fade in hotter conditions. Anything over 90 degrees and after a moderate descent I could feel some fade. They are slightly noisy but I don't mind.

Overall Review

Really good brakes overall especially if you are looking for something with good control and you like having a lot of adjustment.

original SRAM GuideRSC rotorcaliperlever

SRAM Guide RSC Disc Brakes

Member Rating:

Rate review:

Add comment

bbonnett

5/23/2018 7:56pm

Shimano Deore XT M8000 2-piston Disc Brakes

The Good

Power - Enough to use on DH, Enduro or long descending trail rides.
Reliability - Through several crashes and hits, these brakes continue to perform like they did on day one of purchase.
Availability - Replacement parts and pads are available at most if not all bike shops even in the most remote locations.
Ease of Maintenance - These are by far the easiest brakes to bleed, repair, and replace by using simple hand tools.

The Bad

The only bad thing is that there always seems to be a need to pump the brakes a few times before they grab at the correct location, like there is an air bubble in the line no matter how good you bleed the brakes.

Overall Review

These are the standard, no matter what company you prefer, they will always need to compete with Shimano for power andreliability. There is nothing more consistent than the Shimano XT and the price point is good enough to cover most if not all aspects of Mountain Biking. With the introduction of the Shimano XT 8020, these can cover the enduro/DH riding style. There is not much trigger feel as the brakes bite with 80-100 power within the first few cm's of pulling the lever. Something I've gotten

Shimano Deore XT M8000 2-piston Disc Brakes

Member Rating:

Rate review:

Add comment

fueledbyAlex

5/23/2018 4:11pm

SRAM Guide R Disc Brake

The Good

When they are below 80 degrees they work ok

The Bad

When the levers are above 85 degrees once you pull on the brakes they are on till you cool them down.

Overall Review

These would be good brakes if sram could figure out how to get a working set out the door. I have warranted 2 pairs and everyone i know who has a set has exchanged theirs. Avoid at all costs. Get some zees, they are life changing

original sram guide r lever caliper rotor

SRAM Guide R Disc Brake

Member Rating:

Rate review:

Add comment

Downclimb4what

5/23/2018 3:48pm