Shimano Saint M820 Disc Brake

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Where To Buy
Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
$219.99
Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
$259.99
Free Delivery on purchases over £20.

5 member reviews

Still one of the best
Rating:
The Good
- Reliable
- Powerful
- Easy to work on, find parts
The Bad
- Bit old and still pricy
Overall Review:

I run a few pairs of saints, some of them 10 years old and simply can't fault them. I've replaced some with M8120, but ultimately the Saint is still ahead thanks to more robust lever blade and possibly slightly more consistent feel, though I find almost no issues with either.

They simply work. I've tried magura, hope, sram, trp and hayes to some extent, and neither made me consider switching off the Saint.

The power is easily available but I find it easy to modulate. It may be a difficulty for someone switching from Sram or Magura, where you grab the brake by a handful while with Saints you can pull lightly and use force, rather than lever flex to modulate. It may not be for everyone - some people need the flex to adjust their power delivery, but I believe it's a matter of getting used to the feel.

Based on a short test on prototypes, the Maven might possibly de-throne the Saint as the top downhill brake from what I can see. But only time will tell, once they've been out for a bit.

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Best breaks for stopping power let down by two cravats...
Rating:
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.

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Post a reply to: Best breaks for stopping power let down by two cravats...

What Hasn't Already Been Said?
Rating:
The Good
Tons of power, set and forget, no fade
The Bad
Off/On feel, not a ton of modulation
Overall Review:

I've run Saints on both the DH and Trail bikes for the past 2 seasons. Takes getting a little use to as there isn't a ton of modulation but loads of power. I personally have had zero problems other than the very occasional bleed which is also super easy. Mineral oil is a bonus so I'm not wrecking my hands getting it on everything. Once you get the hang of riding with these, its hard to go back to a break with less power/more modulation, but it really is personal preference.

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Master cylinder faults
Rating:
The Good
Class leading power
Good heat management at the disk
Great looking
The Bad
Variable bite point
Pump up
Poor adjustability
I spec b only shifter mounts
Overall Review:

After a couple of seasons on zee's on another bike and a bad experience with guides I dicided to take the plunge and buy the saints. The zee's were flawless in terms of power and modulation, so the saints became the natural choice for a high end build. After installation I bleed as per all my Shimano brakes and rode. 

I noticed on my first ride that the bite point would change constantly, especially if you quickly reapplied the brake. I believed this was obviously air in the system so rebled. Again the same would happen even when no air was trapped. After researching the issue it is very common with xtr and Saint levers so I had them warrantied. Second and third sets did the same too, I eventually just got used to the feeling and used for 18 months in total. 

I persevered with them as the power is awesome. Did a few alpine races this year with no fade issues, but did scorch and destroy the icetech disks.

I was playing in the lbs the other day on a brand new gt fury with saints fitted and they did exactly the same! Double tap the lever and the bite point changed.

Installation - easy as with all Shimano kits, olive and hose guide supplied. I bought from European supplier so the hoses had to be swapped. 

Bleeding - easy with funnel tool, air can get trapped behind the reach screw. Make sure you adjust in and out as you bleed.

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Post a reply to: Master cylinder faults

Specifications

Product
Shimano Saint M820 Disc Brake
Riding Type
Freeride / Bike Park
Downhill
Lever Material
Aluminum with Added Dimples on Lever for Ergonomic Feel
Mount Style
Post-type
Rotor Sizes
180mm, 203mm
Rotor Mounting
Center Lock, 6-Bolt IS
Fluid Type
Shimano Mineral Oil
Colors
Black
Weight
0 lb 10.8 oz (306 g)
Miscellaneous
One Way Bleeding caliper
ICE TECHNOLOGIES heat management
High power 4-ceramic piston caliper
I-SPEC B Clamp Band
Lighter short SERVO WAVE lever
Free Stroke & tool-less reach adjust
One-Way Bleed for Easy and Clean Servicing
Finned Brake Pads
Super Stiff 3-Layer Brake Hose for a More Consistent Feel
Price
$243.00
More Info
What do you think?
Where To Buy
Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
$219.99
Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply.
$259.99
Free Delivery on purchases over £20.
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