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Cheap brake dillema m6000 vs m7000

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
I have to upgrade my 4th bike brakes since my formula oro's died and I'm tired of working on them. It's an old trailbike that's worth 600-800$ so I don't want to spend much on it. Especially since I will probably be selling it in november and because it's my 4th bike. So I had my eyes on some shimano brakes but I wonder. Are there any big differences between m6000s and m7000 in terms of pure performance? I know 7000s have a different hose banjo and reach adjust but besides that?
 

LAP

Chimp
Mar 5, 2016
47
33
I suggest you look into Magura mt trail sport. They can be had for pretty cheap from ze germans. I got myself a set a few weeks ago and I like them a lot.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
I suggest you look into Magura mt trail sport. They can be had for pretty cheap from ze germans. I got myself a set a few weeks ago and I like them a lot.
Every person I know working at a bike service tells me to stay away from them
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
Have a look at the Shimano MT520, lil less $ than the M7000 SLX but it's a 4pot designed to handle ebike weights/heat buildup.
Strangely I can only find them for around the same money as the m7000s. Though it's for a 20 year old trailbike so no need for great stopping power. Especially given that I'm rather light.
 

DaveW

Space Monkey
Jul 2, 2001
11,160
2,685
The bunker at parliament
Strangely I can only find them for around the same money as the m7000s. Though it's for a 20 year old trailbike so no need for great stopping power. Especially given that I'm rather light.
Shimano's NZ branch has them for a slightly lower wholesale price than the M7000's, think we retail them $15-20 less per brake.
So if you had the SLX's in your price range these would also be in the same range.... Just thought I'd mention them as an option :)
 

LAP

Chimp
Mar 5, 2016
47
33
Every person I know working at a bike service tells me to stay away from them
It might be because the bleeding technique is a bit different than Shimano or Sram. When you know how to do it, I would say its Shimano level of difficulty. NSMB has both a review of the brakes and an article on how to bleed them. Check it out if you're curious.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
Suposedly incredibly unreliable. They are mounted on many complete bikes and customers from multiple shops that those brakes fail multiple times and full service, not just bleeding is apparently as pleasurable as shitting glass
 

troy

Turbo Monkey
Dec 3, 2008
1,006
739
M6000s can be had for around 400pln so 2/3s of that price.
Sure, You can get those or M596 or M615 for around 400PLN. IMHO there is no reason to go with M7000 at all, except for the looks.

If You need more power - go with M520
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
Sure, You can get those or M596 or M615 for around 400PLN. IMHO there is no reason to go with M7000 at all, except for the looks.

If You need more power - go with M520
It's not an enduro bike so I don't think I need power. If it was a more expensive bike I'd just get the 4 pot xt's or saints or even splurge on hopes but it isn't and it makes no sense to spend big money on a bike that's low on my list of priorities
Do you know what are the differences between 615's, 596's and 6000s?
 

troy

Turbo Monkey
Dec 3, 2008
1,006
739
Do you know what are the differences between 615's, 596's and 6000s?
615/596 same sh*t. My 615 lever came with a metal master cylinder piston, anything up is with a plastic one. Not sure about 596.

M6000 is a different brake construction wise. "XTR like" lever, different caliper shape. Different I-spec. Hydraulic's are the same.
 

Olly

Monkey
Oct 1, 2015
157
76
Do you know what are the differences between 615's, 596's and 6000s?
As far as I can tell, M6000 is current Deore. M615 is the previous model, and M596 the one before that. On the surface it looks like Shimano's usual programme of small refinements (they look prettier) without any huge fundamental changes.

I've been running M6000 levers with my old M985 callipers for about a year, and they've been great so far.

We had an issue with one lever on my GF's bike (where the removing the bleed cap also removed the thread from the lever body) but Chain Reaction replaced the lever straight away, without question.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
No he said cheap BRAKES. The stuff you posted had "shimano" printed on the side. It's the hidden costs of dental bills you're ignoring.
Shimano. As in good reliable brakes. Outside the ceramic piston problem I never had any problems with shimano. The only brake more reliable in my stable is 2003 Gustav.
 

Happymtb.fr

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2016
1,907
1,252
SWE
I rented a bike with the M520 recently and rode it at the Åre bike park here in Sweden. The bike was new and could not have been used for more than a month. What I noticed the most with both brakes was the long stroke they had before hitting the bit point which is very unlike other Shimano brakes I have had or tried... the brakes didn't feel mushy so that it shouldn't be a bad bleed, nevertheless you never know what the bike has been through since it's a rental!
FWIW and I would be interested in some other user's experience with those brakes if someone here has them.
 

slimshady

¡Mira, una ardilla!
My two cents: Deore level brakes don't have ceramic pistons in the calipers, so you have better chances of them staying good for a longer time. Anything SLX and above has ceramic pistons, and we all know how that ends.

On the Maguras I'll tell you my experience: they have those stupid venting holes in the handlebar clamp, and the lower end levers tend to suck air through them, past the MC diaphragm. You end up with unbleedable brakes and mushy lever feel no matter what you do. It happens on every single low/mid spec Specialized.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Shimano. As in good reliable brakes. Outside the ceramic piston problem I never had any problems with shimano. The only brake more reliable in my stable is 2003 Gustav.
Then party on garth!

I have used that brand since 2003 and with warranty replacements have had about 8-10 sets of the current design. There's a little bit of discussion on the issues on this site if you're interested.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
Then party on garth!

I have used that brand since 2003 and with warranty replacements have had about 8-10 sets of the current design. There's a little bit of discussion on the issues on this site if you're interested.
Yeah I know people have had issues but they seem nowhere near as common as the competition.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
My two cents: Deore level brakes don't have ceramic pistons in the calipers, so you have better chances of them staying good for a longer time. Anything SLX and above has ceramic pistons, and we all know how that ends.

On the Maguras I'll tell you my experience: they have those stupid venting holes in the handlebar clamp, and the lower end levers tend to suck air through them, past the MC diaphragm. You end up with unbleedable brakes and mushy lever feel no matter what you do. It happens on every single low/mid spec Specialized.
are the maggies you're talking about MT level or lower? MT5s?
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
My two cents: Deore level brakes don't have ceramic pistons in the calipers, so you have better chances of them staying good for a longer time. Anything SLX and above has ceramic pistons, and we all know how that ends.

On the Maguras I'll tell you my experience: they have those stupid venting holes in the handlebar clamp, and the lower end levers tend to suck air through them, past the MC diaphragm. You end up with unbleedable brakes and mushy lever feel no matter what you do. It happens on every single low/mid spec Specialized.
Oh yeah this makes sense since my friends work mostly in Specialized selling stores.
 

slimshady

¡Mira, una ardilla!
are the maggies you're talking about MT level or lower? MT5s?
The lower end ones, such as MTSport and whatever. Most mid-range Specialized bikes have them and a personal friend who happens to be a shop owner/mechanic who carries the brand is tired of them. He usually takes them out and replaces them with Deores when customers come back again complaining of the variable lever feel.
 
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norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
The lower end ones, such as MTSport and whatever. Most mid-range Specialized bikes have them and a personal friend who happens to be a shop woner/mechanic who carries the brand is tired of them. He usually takes them out and replaces them with Deores when customers come back again complaining of the variable lever feel.
Friends told me to stay away from lower MT's even 5s
 

djjohnr

Turbo Monkey
Apr 21, 2002
3,001
1,693
Northern California
I've been on MT5s for a few years now on both of my bikes. The biggest reason I stick with them is their reliability compared to my previous experiences with Sram/Avid and Shimano. The only time I've had issues is when I've gone multiple seasons without a bleed and then gone to high elevation. That's user error, and has always been resolved with a quick bleed.

They also go through pads quick, and the carbotech bar clamps eventually crack and need to be replaced with the aluminum ones, but I can deal with that.
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,827
13,063
They also go through pads quick, and the carbotech bar clamps eventually crack and need to be replaced with the aluminum ones, but I can deal with that.
Having the clamps fail when I'm braking hard sounds like a minor issue.