Going From Sram Level To Shimano Brakes

[MTBRIDER1234]

4 minutes ago, love2fly said:

Yip. I shake my head at the fact that Shimano aren't serviceable.

It blows my mind. Parts for shimano are a sh*tshow to find here, if they are even imported (which is unlikely in itself). Shimano has to step up their parts game; and i will consider buying their products. But currently Sram drivetrains only 

[love2fly]

5 minutes ago, MTBRIDER1234 said:

It blows my mind. Parts for shimano are a sh*tshow to find here, if they are even imported (which is unlikely in itself). Shimano has to step up their parts game; and i will consider buying their products. But currently Sram drivetrains only 

Couldn't agree more. Every time I've had to deal with Cape Cycles they've been very helpful.

[DieselnDust]

Shimano sores are available abroad. But that is also drying up now. They’ve lost market share so they have limited spare parts now as well. Even SJS doesn t have many spares any longer. 
 

SRAM spares are at least available and the brakes are completely rebuildable. Better, they’ll actually admit a mistake and warranty a defective part out of warranty!!

try getting a warranty on in warranty Shitmano parts…. Ain’t gonna happen. They don’t have parts to furnish the warranty they don’t want to honour.

formula cura brakes are probably the best value for cash brakes out there. Lighter than XT , slightly more pricey than SLX but fully serviceable and they don’t really need that except for the usual once a year

Edited June 6, 2022 by DieselnDust

[MTBRIDER1234]

2 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

Shimano sores are available abroad. But that is also drying up now. They’ve lost market share so they have limited spare parts now as well. Even SJS doesn t have many spares any longer. 
 

SRAM spares are at least available and the brakes are completely rebuildable. Better, they’ll actually admit a mistake and warranty a defective part out of warranty!!

try getting a warranty on in warranty Shitmano parts…. Ain’t gonna happen. They don’t have parts to furnish the warranty they don’t want to honour.

formula cura brakes are probably the best value for cash brakes out there. Lighter than XT , slightly more pricey than SLX but fully serviceable and they don’t really need that except for the usual once a year

Funny you reccomend Curas, as they are exactly what I am going to put on my build. Definitely an amazing brake, I have yet to hear anything bad about them. 

Honestly I haven't had any problems with my XT 11 speed but prefer the feel and simplicity of eagle. It is a shame shimano have very little parts support as their products are great value.

If a company doesn't honour warranties then they should have no business. Problem is that 90% of bikes are specced with Shimano when new.

[Baron]

Bleeding Sram brakes easy.

[Murrob]

I think an important point to note is that it’s not Shimano that does not honour warranties in SA but rather the SA distributors. Same can be said for a lot of SA distributors of products in my experience. If you look at the overseas forums most warranty issues are handled quickly and without fuss. But in SA a completely different story, maybe due to market size and/or proper warranty processes not being in place or costs of shipping back and forth, nett result being a distributor who pushes back hard on claims. I also find it weird that bike shops do not push back harder against the distributors, because these ridiculous warranty processes hurt the relationship with the client at the end of the day. But apparently we are all thieves and liars when it comes to claims. 

[SwissVan]

After a few years of putting up with SRAM drive chain (clicking noises) and brake issues (pads rubbing on disks) I eventually decided to skip buying new wheels for my road bike and will spend the $ on a complete new Shimano XT drive chain and brakes... I really hope like hell my LBS can get the parts quickly, otherwise I think I'm going to tilt.... 

This is the first bike I've had with SRAM s h i t e parts, and the last

Long live Shimano

Rant over

[dave303e]

I have to laugh at all the comments on brake modulation. Especially when 90% of bicycles have the brakes the wrong way( right hand should be front brake.) So for most of you, your non dominant hand with less fine motor coordination(modulation control) is braking the front wheel where modulation matters the most and majority of your braking force is.

[DieselnDust]

40 minutes ago, dave303e said:

I have to laugh at all the comments on brake modulation. Especially when 90% of bicycles have the brakes the wrong way( right hand should be front brake.) So for most of you, your non dominant hand with less fine motor coordination(modulation control) is braking the front wheel where modulation matters the most and majority of your braking force is.

why do you assume the right hand is dominant......?

[dave303e]

2 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

why do you assume the right hand is dominant......?

given that a vast majority(some say around 90%) of people are right handed. On top of that many Left handed people end up going through life right handed and develop superior strength/coordination from this. Thus in my opinion it is fairly safe to say 'most' have their less dominant hand on the front brake.

[Dexter-morgan]

Separate question, is the 4 pot Brakes worth while? I am thinking of getting Deore 4 pot M6120 vs SLX 2 pot M7100, which would you choose.

[love2fly]

3 hours ago, dave303e said:

I have to laugh at all the comments on brake modulation. Especially when 90% of bicycles have the brakes the wrong way( right hand should be front brake.) So for most of you, your non dominant hand with less fine motor coordination(modulation control) is braking the front wheel where modulation matters the most and majority of your braking force is.

 

3 hours ago, dave303e said:

I have to laugh at all the comments on brake modulation. Especially when 90% of bicycles have the brakes the wrong way( right hand should be front brake.) So for most of you, your non dominant hand with less fine motor coordination(modulation control) is braking the front wheel where modulation matters the most and majority of your braking force is.

Not sure I buy that. I always immediately switch brakes on a new bike to front on right hand side BUT only because that's the way motorcycles work and that's what I started with way back I'm 1977. When I hit brakes I apply both and then modulate front/rear as needed. If is it into a cnr (more rear etc). I have no ability with my left over my right other than quicker catch reflex. I always only use one finger per lever. 

As an aside, 2 years ago some twat put a temporary fence across the trail and I arrived at 27kmhr. Only saw it at 10 metres away...I locked up both wheels. Still went OTB.

[MTBRIDER1234]

5 hours ago, dave303e said:

I have to laugh at all the comments on brake modulation. Especially when 90% of bicycles have the brakes the wrong way( right hand should be front brake.) So for most of you, your non dominant hand with less fine motor coordination(modulation control) is braking the front wheel where modulation matters the most and majority of your braking force is.

Sorry, but I have to respectfully disagree. Any good rider will notice the difference between a brake with little to no modulation and a brake with plenty of modulation.

When I had my shimanos and I needed to scrub speed before a turn or a feature, I would often find myself slowing down more than intended due to the lack of modulation.

Whereas with my SRAM brakes I could more accurately scrub small amounts of speed and therefore felt more confident to brake late and ride faster.

[El Duderino]

3 hours ago, Dexter-morgan said:

Separate question, is the 4 pot Brakes worth while? I am thinking of getting Deore 4 pot M6120 vs SLX 2 pot M7100, which would you choose.

Yes. I changed from standard XT brakes to 4 pot Shimano Saints, and the stopping power with same size rotors was noticeably different. If you're a heavier rider who enjoys steeper, gnarlier trails...4 pot is the way to go.

 

[Jewbacca]

I think, like anything, feel and the ability to learn is more instinctive in some than it is in others.

I'm a lefty who does things badly with both hands. Scrubbing speed with ANY brakes is about feel. Some people are actually just less naturally able than others, less able to pick up nuances and, very importantly, some people use their brakes incorrectly.

It's really difficult to lock your front brakes if you're moving and have any sense. 

Slow down with the front, manage with the rear. 

What I find funny is people telling other people the 'right' way to do something that has no right way. 

On the 4 pot vs 2 pot, I don't own 2 pot brakes. I don't buy the 'gnarlier' trails bit as I feel true Gnar has you going slower and needing less brake force, but fast, steep or fast flowy trails you will definitely appreciate the fact that it takes less lever action to get similar results due to the increased surface area pressure.

Super long descents are also better negotiated with less hand pump. 

If you have the chance it's a no brainer. That being said, I was fastestest with 23mm ID rims and 2 pot brakes 6 years ago, so despite all my 'new fancy betterer' kit I'm slower descending now. 

So really, most of us are over kitted 99% of the time so take everything read here with a huge pinch of salt

[ChrisF]

4 hours ago, Dexter-morgan said:

Separate question, is the 4 pot Brakes worth while? I am thinking of getting Deore 4 pot M6120 vs SLX 2 pot M7100, which would you choose.

 

On my commuter I was just not comfortable with the stopping power, even after upgrading to decent 2pot brakes.

 

I upped the disc from 160 to 203mm.  WOW !!!  ONE finger feathering the brake lever for perfect control 👍👍

 

 

Got to TEST it a few weeks later on the afternoon commute .... car took a gap that never was there .... once he realised it he stopped right in front of me ....  with the old brakes I certainly would have T.boned his door !!!  With this setup I stopped with 1m to spare 👍👍

 

 

 

Okay ... the 4pots on 203mm disc on the Giant works a treat 👍👍