Consistent, reliable power
Featured Member ReviewPower - 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 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.
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 accustomed to and require in my riding style. However, there is a downside to these brakes is that there always seems to be an air bubble in the line or caliper which causes you to pump the brake levers a couple to a few times before getting full power at the desired brake lever pull. Other than that, these are the ones.