[Whoops]

Hey all you monkies.

Anyone have any views on the new XTR disk brake setup? Too small for DH?

I'm a total punter who drags brakes a fair bit. Current setup is Hayes + Hope which work fine from a heat point of view (other issues are not so goodm hence the thoughts of change).

 

[SuspectDevice]

I have a set of the new Xt's on my DH bike at the moment which I absolutely despise. But I think you'd like them. They are designed for people who drag their brakes.

I call that "broken", but the media has termed it "modulation". If you pull on the levers very, very hard, they lock up. Otherwise they just slow you down.

Plenty of fast ****ers (like Peaty and Minaar) are fans of just light brake dragging, but I think I am just to retarded to hack it. I want brakes that with even the slightest pressure, lock up instantly. "Modulation" can be a brain stem thing too.

So um yeah, the new Xt's are really awesome, for the people they are designed for. And frustrating as hell for the others. Man they work great, just not for me!

 

[Whoops]

... I want brakes that with even the slightest pressure, lock up instantly.

Including the front brake? wow, you must lose a lot of skin.

(thanks for the answer though)

 

[nmr8]

sounds like your xt brakes aren't working right. do you have the metal pads?

 

[BmxConvert]

There are a handful of larger riders and downhillers around here running the XT brakes and really liking them aside from the fact that many of them complain that they squeal like hell.

Apparently people are getting different pad compounds with their brakes. Some get semi-metallic others get organic, some get both. Most people that are buying the calipers seperate haven't had the squeeling issue where as the pre-bleed XT kit(minus rotors/adapters) have been the squealers. Perhaps its coincidence.

I'm in the process of building a new bike right now that I'll probably finish out the year racing on and I, like you, am a brake dragger. I won't go into why I do it, but I do and I think the XT would work just fine.

I do not like the XT levers. They feel awkward, so I'll be going with an XT caliper with LX levers, another popular choice that seems to perform.

As one final note just to bring a detail to attention... Many people are rocking the Avid Juicy series (3 through carbon, myself included) on their big rigs and find that they stop well enough. The XT calipers have much more pad surface area and I believe the pistons are larger as well, but don't quote me on the piston size.

-Kevin

 

[Whoops]

There are a handful of larger riders and downhillers around here running the XT brakes and really liking them aside from the fact that many of them complain that they squeal like hell.

Apparently people are getting different pad compounds with their brakes. Some get semi-metallic others get organic, some get both. Most people that are buying the calipers seperate haven't had the squeeling issue where as the pre-bleed XT kit(minus rotors/adapters) have been the squealers. Perhaps its coincidence.

I'm in the process of building a new bike right now that I'll probably finish out the year racing on and I, like you, am a brake dragger. I won't go into why I do it, but I do and I think the XT would work just fine.

I do not like the XT levers. They feel awkward, so I'll be going with an XT caliper with LX levers, another popular choice that seems to perform.

As one final note just to bring a detail to attention... Many people are rocking the Avid Juicy series (3 through carbon, myself included) on their big rigs and find that they stop well enough. The XT calipers have much more pad surface area and I believe the pistons are larger as well, but don't quote me on the piston size.

-Kevin

Thanks for all that. Veery useful. Not keen on Avids at the moment.

Should've said - I'm not too heavy... say 80kg fully kitted up (uh, that's about 175 lbs I think).

Can anyone point out comparisons between the XT and XTR brakes?

 

[kidwoo]

I have a set of the new Xt's on my DH bike at the moment which I absolutely despise. But I think you'd like them. They are designed for people who drag their brakes.

I call that "broken", but the media has termed it "modulation". If you pull on the levers very, very hard, they lock up. Otherwise they just slow you down.

Plenty of fast ****ers (like Peaty and Minaar) are fans of just light brake dragging, but I think I am just to retarded to hack it. I want brakes that with even the slightest pressure, lock up instantly. "Modulation" can be a brain stem thing too.

So um yeah, the new Xt's are really awesome, for the people they are designed for. And frustrating as hell for the others. Man they work great, just not for me!

 

[Demomonkey]

Good to see you're getting a second opinion there Whoops.

Talk to Jay about his XTR's, he'll give you the low down.

On consideration, I'll sell you the Saint / deore combo for 2 spot if you want them. Mainly because I want another set of XT's for the rebuild.

And I don't drag my brakes, well, at least I think I dont

 

[Whoops]

talk / ride on the weekend?

Anyone else able to comment on the XTR?

(no, you don't drag your brakes... I'm not even sure you use them)

 

[RMboy]

Are the New Saints any different from the the XT's?

They look the same to me.. But i could be wrong..

 

[RMboy]

Sorry i am a Giddy Goat! lol

Yes i can see the Saints are 4pot, i mean the leaver?

 

[rico]

New saints are a different brake to the Servowave XT... but don't know any more. Apparently the Saints are 'too' powerful.

XTR - lighter due to no servowave

XT - heavier due to servowave, much more powerful.

Callipers are pretty much the same.

I used XT Servowave levers and XT callipers on 203mm discs in France and they were ace. I use XTR on my XC bike and they're definiely not as powerful.

XTR = put on XC bike and 4X
XT servowave = DH bike

 

[William42]

I have a set of the new Xt's on my DH bike at the moment which I absolutely despise. But I think you'd like them. They are designed for people who drag their brakes.

I call that "broken", but the media has termed it "modulation". If you pull on the levers very, very hard, they lock up. Otherwise they just slow you down.

Plenty of fast ****ers (like Peaty and Minaar) are fans of just light brake dragging, but I think I am just to retarded to hack it. I want brakes that with even the slightest pressure, lock up instantly. "Modulation" can be a brain stem thing too.

So um yeah, the new Xt's are really awesome, for the people they are designed for. And frustrating as hell for the others. Man they work great, just not for me!

what he said

 

[bizutch]

I have a set of the new Xt's on my DH bike at the moment which I absolutely despise. But I think you'd like them. They are designed for people who drag their brakes.

I call that "broken", but the media has termed it "modulation". If you pull on the levers very, very hard, they lock up. Otherwise they just slow you down.

Plenty of fast ****ers (like Peaty and Minaar) are fans of just light brake dragging, but I think I am just to retarded to hack it. I want brakes that with even the slightest pressure, lock up instantly. "Modulation" can be a brain stem thing too.

So um yeah, the new Xt's are really awesome, for the people they are designed for. And frustrating as hell for the others. Man they work great, just not for me!

Sounds like someone misses his 2002 Hayes Mags.

The XTR is very use specific for minimalist, lightweight stopping on top of the line $3000+ 26lb & less trail bikes. Nothing about that design indicates to me that they would be built to handle massive amounts of long term heat dissipation & modulated feel or aggressive lock-up.

The XT's however are intended for anything up to a full on DH bike so long as you run 8" rotors for max leverage & heat dissipation. BUT, just like Mickey said, they have modulation. They're intended mainly for trail riding b/c you can do more finesses things at a range of speeds...rather than honk on the lever & drag. They can handle the heat demands & braking load, but they lever & caliper aren't as specificly purpose built for non-stop beat downs from chairlifts, rocks & trees like a Saint or Code.

I know people want to save weight, but Hayes Mags, Avid Codes & Saint's are the least I want on my DH bike b/c it's the one and only piece that I NEVER want to touch all weekend. Snapped levers & rebleeds just are dead last on my list of things to go wrong.

I also was checking out the Formula One brakes at Morewood one day & while they are relatively stout, they just more fragile than I would want a DH brake to be.

 

[SuspectDevice]

I have been tempted to throw Non-servowave levers on the Xt calipers. I'll take less absolute power if I can at least get more initial power. I think I'll just throw them on one of the XC demo bikes. All of my demos all have Juicy 5's on them, set up the way I like them, and it seems to terrify a lot of customers. I get the "the bike rode great, but the brakes suck" comment a lot.

I just hope that we don't start to see brakes with extremely good initial bite disappear as companies seek to add more and more marketing features "modulation" to their brakes. The new Avid Elixirs are in the same "progressive" vein, All the new Hayes stuff appears to be as well.

Are we all have to start hoarding again, like with 8 Speed and 25.4?

 

[cableguy]

I tried the XT Servowave brakes, and hated them. Got rid of them after 2 weeks. I put on the Formula Ones, and never looked back. Has everything you need, power, modulation, feel, light weight. The only downside being the price.

PS I have had in the past Avids, Maguras, Hopes, Shimanos, and Hayes, and Formulas are clearly superior to any of these.

 

[Windowlicker]

2 of my friends just got XTR brakes at the Santa Cruz Bikes Wearhouse sale. 100 bucks each. So far they are amazing.
1 buddy is waiting for his next build:

and another just got them onto his Yeti DJ which he is prepping for the 2009 DS and 4x season. he doesnt take pics of it as he 'isnt done.'

 

[bizutch]

...

Are we all have to start hoarding again, like with 8 Speed and 25.4?

both of which are on my hardtail right now!!!

 

[ohio]

I used a friend's setup of XTR levers, old Saint/XT calipers, 8" rotors, goodridge lines for a run last week at Whistler. Not sure which pads he was using but they were facking amazing. I don't know why you would ever need or want servo-wave on top of that. One finger braking that could quite easily put me over the bars and that's with my hands already completely pumped from dragging my formulas all day. Modulation was there if you were really sensitive and had a firm grip on the bar in the rough stuff, but egads they were powerful.

 

[DaveyIntense]

The best brakes on the market at the momment bar none are from the Formula group rangeing from the 16, 24 to The one brake. They have everything you need in a brake The one has seperate pad contact to lever position adjustments on the fly and to be honest you can have them on so you pull them and you lock up or you can have them so soft you just drag em its all up to you so get them. nuff said

 

[RaID]

I used a friend's setup of XTR levers, old Saint/XT calipers, 8" rotors, goodridge lines for a run last week at Whistler. Not sure which pads he was using but they were facking amazing. I don't know why you would ever need or want servo-wave on top of that. One finger braking that could quite easily put me over the bars and that's with my hands already completely pumped from dragging my formulas all day. Modulation was there if you were really sensitive and had a firm grip on the bar in the rough stuff, but egads they were powerful.

Essentially the setup i run on my bike Saints with goodridge lines and goodridge sintered pads. Like you said solid, reliable, easy to service (if you ever have to)
great power yet still provide modulation. The addition of goodridge lines and pads has definitely transformed these brakes to a new height. And I was happy with the stock Saint setup.

 

[Banshee Rider]

The XTR brakes scare me. I'll never forget two-finger death-gripping both levers trying to regain control while riding those brakes. The XT's were considerably more powerful, but they don't work below 37 degrees, and for those of who pedal bikes when the lifts shut down, once again another shimano product comes up short.

On the bright side, it solidified the reason why I pretty much only own avids.

 

[bizutch]

The best brakes on the market at the momment bar none are from the Formula group rangeing from the 16, 24 to The one brake. They have everything you need in a brake The one has seperate pad contact to lever position adjustments on the fly and to be honest you can have them on so you pull them and you lock up or you can have them so soft you just drag em its all up to you so get them. nuff said

and there isn't a US technical service division so if you need warranty or technical support...yeah.

 

[cableguy]

and there isn't a US technical service division so if you need warranty or technical support...yeah.

Maybe you do some research first before commenting. Formula USA guys are very helpful. I have talked to them a few times since I bought the brakes.

http://www.formulabrakeusa.com/

 

[in the trees]

I agree that Formula USA's customer service is great! Very helpful. And my k18s are nice as well.

toby