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My 2 pot slx breaks seem to suffer with power loss on longer downhills and cause a fair bit of fatigue.
I’ve bled them a fair few times and makes no difference really. I’ve just put some semi metallic Nukeproof pads on and not much improvement, if any!
I’m thinking of ditching or changing the caliper to a 4 pot but not sure what to get
Magura? Hmmm
I'd always lean towards 4 pot Shimano. Magura are good but fiddly.
Try bigger rotors first.
+ better pads - I like Kevlar Uberbike
+ bigger rotors
+ New 4-piston calipers
I run 203 up front. 180 back but the back it ok. Kevlar pads sounds interesting.
I had a similar issue, changed the front caliper to the sub deore 4 pot when it first came out years ago. It's been great ever since, uses the same pads as Zee/Saint etc and I run Chinese semi sintered pads with a 180mm rotor. Used it on Fortwilliam DH and Top Chief and never an issue since changing.
If you're issue is that your brakes are fading ("getting power loss on longer downhills"), I dont think 4 pot brakes will make a big difference (I could be very wrong though). As far as I am aware, 4 pot will not dissapate heat (which causes the fade) any better than 2 pot brakes. They just provide more clamping force on the rotor and feel stronger.
Perhaps try better rotors to dissapate the heat better. Shimano icetech or other bands that do nicer rotors. Or larger rotors. Better pads (finned pads?) or different pad material.
If you’re issue is that your brakes are fading (“getting power loss on longer downhills”), I dont think 4 pot brakes will make a big difference (I could be very wrong though)
4 pot calipers tend to have bigger pads / pad area and a bigger caliper. This means there is more material for heat absorbtion and radiation.
The 4 pot pads also tend to be narrower so the average radius on which they apply friction to the disc is ever so slightly larger than on a 2 pot pad.
We're talking pretty small numbers here though so whilst there is theoretically an advantage whether it is noticeable is another question altogether!
I'd say just grab some of these for cheap and flog your SLX brakes...
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-deore-m6120-oe-disc-brake/rp-prod213215
Brakes are one of the parts where I don't think you benefit going up the product ladder with Shimano. Deores work just as well and seem to be very reliable.
I found using a 220mm front rotor has added some extra bite to my Sram Code R front brake. Don’t generally have issues with a 220 front / 180 rear rotor - on a transition sentinel. I definitely drag brakes a bit too.
I don’t think it’s generally worth going above deore / slx 4 pot on Shimano - it just costs you more to replace when the calipers decide to micro leak. I’m also not convinced ‘better’ rotors make much difference and run sram Center lines with no fancy floating element to them.
Those M6120s are a bargain - I've got a set to replace Mrs a11y's suspected-microleaking Zees, and I doubt she'll notice any difference in outright power etc. I've got the even lower range MT420s on my hardtail (but with nicer Deore-lever shorter-blade levers) and they're superb.
Rotors. I've had good results changing from SLX/TR66 rotors to Magura Storm HC 2.0mm thick rotors. Thicker and more material in the design to disapate heat. No idea if it actually makes a difference or not but they work for me.
Do some upper body work outs, then swap to Magura or else arms will fail before the brakes fade.
I'm a big fan of magura mt5.
I haven't had any issues with them personally and I think for the price they are unbeatable.
https://www.tradeinn.com/bikeinn/en/magura-mt5-brakes/136813210/p
Cheap enough too.
+1 on Magura MT5's - amazing power.
These are a nice Magura deal with the one finger lever
If you’re issue is that your brakes are fading (“getting power loss on longer downhills”), I dont think 4 pot brakes will make a big difference (I could be very wrong though).
Brakes only heat up in use and cool when not so using 4 pots less and for shorter duration has other benefits as well.
As above 6120's are IMHO best bang/£ and identical stopping power with the same pads/rotors to Zee/XT 4 pots you'll just need to cut the banjo off.
Try EBC red downhill pads. Super grippy but don't last long and work just as well when baking hot. I use them in the Alps without any issue on my 4 pot XT's and prior to that on 2 pot XT's. I'm not heavy but am a rear brake dragger