Poor mans problems - Deore vs SLX brakes

Sandro · Nov 21, 2018

I don't think there's any difference besides finish and the lack of a tool free lever adjustment, which isn't of much use to begin with. Ran a Deore on the rear of my trail bike for four years without any issues and have none of those popular Shimano horror stories to share.

slimshady · Nov 21, 2018

norbar said:
re SLX brakes a big upgrade over Deore (the older models, not the 4 pot newer ones).

The SLX gains the dreaded ceramic-crackpots and if memory serves me as it should, a metallic MC piston. All the things you don't want in a Shimano brake for their failure rate.

If you want cheap, powerful and reliable (although a little too much lever throw):

Shimano BL-MT501/BR-MT520, Deore levers with 4-pot calipers. ~~55 quid per end~~. Edit: 65 GBP per end

/thread.

slimshady · Nov 21, 2018

norbar said:
The bike doesn't warrant a 65gbp brake. If I find nothing else I will go for them but I'm still super poor and the bike is worth like 500 GBP.

You could probably find them cheaper online. I just posted the first reference price I found.

On the Shimano horror stories department, I'd say 7 out of 10 calipers with ceramic pistons I've seen became leaky sooner or later. And maybe 3 out of 10 levers got the Variable Bite Point™ feature.

Gary · Nov 21, 2018

Got Deore on 2 bikes. A short travel full sus and a do everything DJ hardtail.
The set on the HT has done over 3000miles of shitty conditions Scottish mtb
Other set has only done 500miles or so but I suppose this shows they're surviving the dreaded "being left alone" leak that seem to plague Shimano SLX and above brakes.
Both sets have been great TBH.
Being Shimano they come with a 2yr warranty and if a seal goes you'll just be sent a whole new caliper or lever.

canadmos · Nov 21, 2018

norbar said:
Variable bite point seems to be a feature of all brakes that are not old 2003 magura gustavs or newer hope models

Ummmm, variable as in pull to the fuckin' bar when you need the brakes the most. YMMV though. :busted:

But when it happens, better hope you took a pre-ride poop.

kidwoo · Nov 21, 2018

norbar said:
I've never heard any horror stories about shimano.

Lots of info here: www.ridemonkey.com

Gary · Nov 21, 2018

canadmos said:
Ummmm, variable as in pull to the fuckin' bar when you need the brakes the most.

FWIW All my friends with XT, XTR and SLX of the same era have had that or the nothing then pump the lever twice to activeate the brake feature while those 3000mile old Deores of mine ignorantly and blissfully just did their thing without any of that happening.
I did break a piston plunger on one lever (my fault) and replaced that lever (at maybe 1000miles in)

KenW449 · Nov 21, 2018

My bike has Shimano M365. Can be had for under $50. I have used them for 2 years now, from XC trails to double black trails on Mt. Lemmon. No issues with them. I have had to burb the air out twice in that time, and have not done a bleed. They still feel solid.

slimshady · Nov 21, 2018

Gary said:
FWIW All my friends with XT, XTR and SLX of the same era have had that or the nothing then pump the lever twice to activeate the brake feature while those 3000mile old Deores of mine ignorantly and blissfully just did their thing without any of that happening.
I did break a piston plunger on one lever (my fault) and replaced that lever (at maybe 1000miles in)

That's because the MC piston/plunger in the Deores is plastic, while on the higher models it's metal. Since Shimano didn't anodize the lever body after machining the MC bore, the softer aluminium gets deformed. With the plastic plunger you get a bit more room until the bore finally gets ovalized.

Gary · Nov 21, 2018

slimshady said:
That's because the MC piston/plunger in the Deores is plastic, while on the higher models it's metal. Since Shimano didn't anodize the lever body after machining the MC bore, the softer aluminium gets deformed. With the plastic plunger you get a bit more room until the bore finally gets ovalized.

Ah... Ok. Thanks man. Makes 'some' sense

Even though I disassembled that lever piston/plunger I couldn't have told you what any of the internals were made from let alone the finish.
:drag:

StiHacka · Nov 21, 2018

Gary said:
FWIW All my friends with XT, XTR and SLX of the same era have had that or the nothing then pump the lever twice to activeate the brake feature while those 3000mile old Deores of mine ignorantly and blissfully just did their thing without any of that happening.

That was happening on my Zee/Saint brakes until I replaced the calipers with throw-away Magura Pinkbike specials. I've done thousands of miles on the Saintguras and the levers are still going strong.

gratefulbiker · Nov 21, 2018

I've had the M6000s on the trailbike most of the season and they've been totally solid. No discernible difference in performance or feel compared to the SLXs on friends' bikes.

HardtailHack · Nov 21, 2018

norbar said:
My formulas gave up on my old as hell trailbike. Since it's not primary or even secondary bike I don't want to spend a lot of cash on it so I'm thinking of going as cheap as possible. Are SLX brakes a big upgrade over Deore (the older models, not the 4 pot newer ones).

Also any other cheap alternatives for a trashy trailbike? Magura I know is trash and no one wants to service formulas.

I had Deores, they felt like all the other Shimano brakes I had tried, sold 'em for $20 then bought Magura MT5s and couldn't be happier.

Olly · Nov 22, 2018

I’ve had much better luck with the current Deore M6000 levers than the last two generations of XTs.

Inclag · Nov 22, 2018

The Deore's that came on my Mega 290 have been very respectable and consistent. They did require a bleed right off the bat, but aside from that they just do their job.

First set of brakes that I've had in a long time that go about their business without any fuss. They do lack the outright power and bite some of the top tier things offer, but I'd imagine that you could make some reasonable gains with aftermarket pads and 203mm rotors.

troy · Nov 23, 2018

Deore had (not sure if still has) metal master cylinder piston, slx and above was plastic - so deore all the way. If You can stretch the budget a bit, then:

https://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8;product=271042;menu=1000,2,15,117;mid[931]=1;pgc[15600]=15603;page=2;orderby=2

Happymtb.fr · Nov 23, 2018

troy said:
Deore had (not sure if still has) metal master cylinder piston, slx and above was plastic - so deore all the way. If You can stretch the budget a bit, then:

https://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8;product=271042;menu=1000,2,15,117;mid[931]=1;pgc[15600]=15603;page=2;orderby=2

By any chance, do you know the difference between the mt500 and mt501 levers?

gratefulbiker · Nov 23, 2018

Happymtb.fr said:
By any chance, do you know the difference between the mt500 and mt501 levers?

Only thing I could find was via Shimano's website. Recommended caliper for the MT500 lever is the standard dual piston BR MT500, and the MT501 lever pairs up with the same dual piston as well as the new four piston BR MT520.
I vaguely remember reading something about the four piston caliper requiring a different lever to move more fluid, but can't find the specific article.

Happymtb.fr · Nov 24, 2018

Thanks @gratefulbiker !
My guess is that the mt501 has a slightly bigger reservoir than the mt500... MC area is the same across the range from the spreadsheet in the frankenbrake thread.

Poor mans problems - Deore vs SLX brakes

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