 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
As the title states, what's best these days. XT used to be go-to but am interested in the RSC's.
Also, will they be compatible (matchmaker) with reverb and XT shifter?
Compatible: Reverb, yes, they use the single clamp for both.
Shifters... well yes, but no matchmaker.
My LBS have had lots of the new XT brakes back for warranty. Guides no, I've used three sets and they've all been spot on.
I think Bird Mtb said a similar thing that they're the most reliable brake they sell.
Modulation is top drawer, power is incredible, and reliability is superb. A lot of that is due to removing the overly complex taperbore.
Rs are good, but don't feel as powerful as the RS as they have the swinglink, the RSCs feel a tiny bit snappier with the bearing instead of a bush for the lever, but the pad contact is pointless IMO.
Guide RSC every day for me. Loads better than my xt's. I've got an xt shifter to mount to a guide brake with some bodgering but it was never ideal, I'd just get a bar mount shifter if not going full SRAM. Reverb is fine.
Oh, and pad contact adjustment for me is probably the best thing about them. Really noticeable when your riding hard and getting through brakes quick I.e, Alps holiday, you can just wind the contact in as they run down and they still feel fresh.
Guides. Got both and the new Shimano brakes have consistently unpredictable bite points which can be quite dangerous at times if you pull the lever and there is no bite until deep into the pull! [url= http://enduro-mtb.com/en/now-enduro-issue-022-get-creative/ ]Enduro Mag[/url] have just done a grouptest - worth taking a look at.
I used to be a Shimano fan as I love my M785s but they should have a done a full recall of the 8000s. Mine are being swapped on warranty and I'm using Zees for now but I'm not really keen on the Zees (rear always seems to drag a touch). Buy the Guides unless you can get some of the new new XTs and a guarantee they'll be ok (NK on the lever).
+1 for Guide.
Replaced both mine & wifes Shimano with them over a year ago and both pairs have been great with more modulation than the big S and plenty of power.
Another vote for the Guides too. I have R's on one bike and RSC's on the other. The latter feel nicer to use, but both offer good power etc and are easy to bleed. Only downside is they use DOT fluid which is nasty.
I was a total Shimano fan boy but the new brakes don't seem to be as good. My original Saints never needed fiddling with but my 785's and XTR trail brakes did. My XTR's were about to be returned before my bikes got stolen because of in consistent lever feel. Mt Deores were brilliant though.
Full Sram here, all works spot on.
Guides for me. Never thought I'd say that after numerous horrific experiences with Avid Elixirs
heard bad things about the new Shimanos. Seems they screwed up compared to the old XT and SLX and have let the competition catch them.
I have ended up sticking with a combination of Hope and the outgoing (10 speed) shimano and buying the Ispec B versions of the 11 speed shifters instead of the newer ispec II although I am wondering if I should have gone with bar mount just in case I switch to something else in future that doesnt work with ispec b.
Possible the most ridiculous STW thread ever.
Consensus.
Where the chuff are the Shimano Fanboys?!
In the garage bleeding their brakes.
neither get zee or saint ha ha ha ha
I have both and much prefer the guide RSC, and I've been a shimano fanboy for the last 10 years.
Where the chuff are the Shimano Fanboys?!
Shimano fanboi here. Yeah they are awesome. I can swap a caliper and bleed in next to no time. In fact, just done that on 2 brakes as the seals had gone in the calipers. Luckily I had some spare calipers from a set where the lever seals had gone, so that was handy. Luckily also had a massive tub of mineral oil because I'm doing this sort of thing all the time...
Oh wait, what was the question? Yeah awesome.... 🙂
tbf - these are a mishmash of older shimano brakes, not the latest xt. My 785s have been utterly reliable by comparison. 785's are still available btw, you just don't get the latest whizzy clamp.
Basic cheapo Guides here and they're spot on. Only 10 hours in so can't comment on reliability.
Never used Guides, but I love my XT 785s, but they've not been perfect - the random bite point thing effected them a lot early on and it took a lot of faffing to get rid off, now it's limited to the first pull, I've got into the habit of pumping them up before I ride which isn't great.
On my 2nd set of XT M800's now due to warranty issues on my SB5c, would not recommend them.
It seems that every 50km or so you have to bleed the XT's or eventually the lever develops a fault where you get an on/off bit point with zero modulation or the caliper simply seizes up.
Have Guide RSC's on my 601 and they have been good so far bar a user issue when on a recent bike trip.
Currently into around 500km of riding on each, if I had the money I would go Guide RSC for both bikes.
I've got the cheap R's and they blow XT 785 out of the water. They've been reliable but I think the lever feel would be nicer on the RSC's.
They're almost as powerful as old Code R's on my DH bike but offer slightly better modulation which suits technical trails well.
The only advantage of Shimano is the pads sits further from the rotor, so I think they suit more XC biased riding, especially for winter riding in gritty areas.
5000miles plus on a guide RCS. Single pad change and not bled once.
Works better than the XTR (m9000) and XT (m8000) on my other bikes.
Never had the "random bite point" on either set of my M785s and hadn't heard of it until reading this thread. I always thought that was a trait of Avid / SRAM brakes! I had a test bike with some top end Avid things a couple of years back that had constantly moving bite point. They weren't Guides though. My friend had some Guides (no idea which model) that she had no end of bother with random and dangerous bite points coming and going. No attempted remedy seemed to work and she ended up ditching them for some Shimano's. She seems more than happy with them so far.
Really happy with my RSs. Didn't go for RSC due to wanting to keep the costs down at the time, don't really regret it but I am glad I went for the RS over the R. Just feel so much nicer. Haven't had to bleed yet. May need to change pads. Not sure - they were making a weird sound the other day, then stopped.
A few months ago I went from m785 xt to guide RSCs for no other reason than I could.. Having given them a good testing now there's no way I'd go back. As much power as the xts but with more modulation.. What's not to like!
To be clear, my current bike has Deores, always had Deores, but with the new bike I'm able to chose between new XT's and Guide RSC's (20quid saving). I'm a shimano brakes fanboy but the 8000 XT's have had some bad press so wanted to get confirmation from users. But, I want a clean look and not having sram running gear so ideas on 1clamp for brake and shifter would be most appreciated.
M785's here.Where the chuff are the Shimano Fanboys?!
TBH I had good memories of them, but the dirt cheap DB5's on my fatty were really good, so I'm actually considering swapping back to see if it's all in my head or not! They're bled, clean, aligned properly, etc etc, just not convinced they're quite as good as I thought they were.
But, I want a clean look and not having sram running gear so ideas on 1clamp for brake and shifter would be most appreciated.
Well your choice is guides + shimano shifter clamp, or Shimano brake + reverb clamp. Wither way it won't quite work.
Doesn't bother me with shimano brakes anyway, I run a LH shifter clamp on the RH shifter which allows it to mount much further inboard out of the way than even the i-spec mounts as I don't like the sifters overlapping with the grips.
M8000's here.
I'm slightly worried by all the above comments but so far, mine have been spot on. I've run shimano brakes for years now across 3 bikes as I like to keep things simple for bleeding and that.
I'd say about 98% of the time my other M785's were brilliant, rock solid and reliable and I had a couple of brief issues. Other than that, I rate Shimano and will continue to use them.
But, I want a clean look and not having sram running gear so ideas on 1clamp for brake and shifter would be most appreciated.
I'm currently looking at switching my formula's for either xt's or guides and have found that you can get [url= http://problemsolversbike.com/products/mismatch_adapters ]mismatch adapters[/url] that link SRAM matchmaker with Shimano i-spec - I haven't tried them though.
Kayak - check for a little silver sticker under the levers and see what the last two letters are. The ones that have been checked and resolved via Shimano Europe should have NK (so I've been told). Mine should be back with me next week so fingers crossed it's a proper fix as when they worked they were great.
But, I want a clean look and not having sram running gear so ideas on 1clamp for brake and shifter would be most appreciated.
I'm back on SRAM after a few years of Shimano and the single clamp for each side does look nice and neat.
'm slightly worried by all the above comments but so far, mine have been spot on.
If you had a bad set you'd know by now I am sure.
Got Guides on my new bike not quite 1yr old, no problems. Feel and power is very good indeed, had originally wanted to swap quickly to XT's but not feeling the urge. Had swapped to Shimano a few years ago after poor experience with Avids and Formula's and then changed all the family bikes over too for simplicities sake. Not heard any bad rep regarding the Guides although we'll see what this years Alpine excursions throw up.
The RSC Guides on my Fatty Trail don't feel too dissimilar to the Hope V4 on my 'poon. I like them but it's only been a couple of rides so far.