There hasn't been a four piston version of Shimano's XT disc brakes since the early 2000s, but now the powerful stoppers are back for another round. Aimed at aggressive trail riders, along with the eMTB crowd, Shimano says that the M8020 caliper delivers 20% more stopping power over the current 2-piston M8000 caliper.
For riders who already have XT brakes and are thinking about upgrading, the good news is that the caliper is backwards compatible with the M8000 lever. When the new calipers become available this December they'll retail for $119.99 each, or $199.99 for the caliper and lever.
www.shimano.com
If you ask me, I prefer the hex key instead of the knob. I have XT's and Deore by the way.
If I lived in Alps I'd be simply running 10sp drivetrain 11-36 rear and 36t chainring with 24 granny without front mech, moving the chain by fingers on the bottom and top of the mountain.
XTs are already damn powerful, and they have 4-piston variants in zee and saint. Why does there need to be an XT version?
I am super happy with my Deore 615. There you need a 2mm hex for reach adjust. SLX has tool-free and slightly bigger ceramic pistons, XT then has the "contact point" or whatever it is supposed to do wheel. Could be more powerful though, next thing I would do is to bolt a Zee caliper on the front one.
the time I lived in the alps i used to do the dirty finger trick as you mentioned -nowadays i just visit my parents there and every time i try to run the 32 ring (again 29er) i suffer hard. I guess 32-50 would be fine.
However there is no running away from the fact that all this gearing chit chat comes down to the terrain one rides in - how steep are climbs, what is the surface, what air temperature and what altitude we are talking anout. Then what tyres and what suspension. Each of those faxtors alone, has dramatic influence on climbability. For instance this summer I was climbing a fireroad at a really good pace, often dropping to 36t cog, then suddenly road gets steeper and I am suffering. Then it levels out, in less than 5 minutes later my body gets into "endurance high", I am dropping from 40 to 36, I am flying. Then it gets rough, some old cobble stones come through the surface and I am barely riding. I am almost getting off and see the mountain pass ahead. Roll onto it, turn into final ridge, steep, no more cobbles though, just getting on top, closer and closer, just before the summit It gets really steep with lots of fist size rocks. Perhaps Nino Schurter could pull it off. I can't. Would Eagle help for that last bit? Hell no, it would be even worse, if you ride such loose chunk you need to drop to really low gear, at least 1:1 and mash pedals like an idiot.
Setup: XT with sintered ice tech pads, 200/180 XT rotors. Guide RS, sintered Sram pads, 200/180 HS1 rotors.
I should have bought the Saints... may upgrade this winter.
With a dual piston you're limited to either giving it good modulation or good power, but can't really do both.
Had my XT8000's for about 2 months... crap. My Guide RSC's are much superior in feel and power.
@PHeller main (only?) difference I believe is the reach adjustment on Zee levers requires an allen key, while Saints adjustment is tool free. And the gold details.
The more fluid Thing does not seem true the only Problem i ever encountered was due to overfilling the reservior, bleeding the Brakes with out resetting the Pistons correctly.
@poah
Thanks!
Also, this is not taking into account Shimano's "Servo Wave" which introduces a different lever to piston curve. So just looking at the "pull ratio" doesn't really tell you what you want to know. Shimanos "Trail" brakes have a very different feel than their "race" brakes.
W
Saint: blog.artscyclery.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Brakes-Saint.png
Zee: chainreactioncycles.scene7.com/is/image/ChainReactionCycles/prod82437_IMGSET?wid=500&hei=505
XT: ep1.pinkbike.org/p5pb15078660/p5pb15078660.jpg
If 20% increase in power, still not as powerful as Saints...
enduro-mtb.com/en/best-mtb-disc-brake-can-buy/2
www.jensonusa.com/Cranksets/Shimano-XT-FC-M8000-Single-Crankarms?cs=Black
If you ride anything from trail to AM, there are some key areas where I wouldn't suggest sacrificing power over weight, brakes being one of them.
If you do this type of riding, why would you even consider XT 4 piston brakes when you can get Zee's for less? I'm not saying these brakes are bad (I haven't even tried them), I just think they are meant for those XC guys that have been wanting Zee / Saint power but at XT weight.
Don't compare MSRP to sale prices. Sale prices tend to be about 70% of MSRP so that $199 lever/caliper set is going to be $130, making an M8000 brakeset with 4-piston front caliper $220 at Jenson. Still cheaper and lighter than Zee, and WAY cheaper (and still lighter) than Saint.
XTR - DH
XTR - TR
XTR - XC
XT - DH
XT - TR
XT - XC
etc. etc.
A simple Good-Better-Best approach for each discipline. Would be much easier to find the right products for your riding needs.
Bad news is they will suck until Shimano does a secret recall on them on three months that no one in the MTB media will acknowledge until three years later.
"Shimano brakes are the best!"
Bravo Shimano !
The difference especially occurred to me when I got an XC hardtail that came with XTs and they felt like the perfect amount of brake. I then realized the Nomad could use at least a 4pot in front.
I will end up with bigger brakes on the Nomad here pretty soon, but the XTs are fantastic for the hardtail.
Dammed lever feel and consistency has me addicted!
Bigger rotors are cheaper, probably have more heat dissipation, easier to set up than and maintain than a 4 pot caliper (ugh).
For f@@@@kcs sake!
I've run Saints on my DH and trail bikes for a few years. I prefer the feel of the 4-piston shimano brake; better modulation, and tons of power. Shimano is going to sell a million of these.
@nvranka: Don't get me wrong, I prefer Shimano. No more corroded levers.
Like what Sram did with the Code.
It's bloody mob rule on here!
I'll take the Code RS with 100% more power....