The MT501/MT520's 4-piston caliper is what sets it apart from Shimano's other budget brakes. Using 4 opposed pistons with 2 diferent diameters reduces pad wear and increases control. The calipers 2-piece construction is also lightweight and incredibly stiff, so you can be sure that none of the power generated is going to waste; these are designed to slow you down in a hurry!

There is a rating for the fork to describe the maximum rotor size; for example, a hybrid bike with carbon fork for road use probably will not be built for the forces generated by a 203mm rotor. The SLX and XT levers are essentially identical, however the free stroke adjust screw is missing from SLX. This feature is not very popular with users, so this is not much of loss. Both levers also have toolless reach adjust, which isn’t too important.Hydraulic disc brake with a high, precisely metered braking force in the powerful design. Opposing pistons prevent vibrations. Natural mineral oil as hydraulic fluid, environmentally friendly and is neither toxic nor corrosive, in bicycle hydraulic braking systems, the optimal medium works dar. The shifters from Altus to XTR are all ‘Rapidfire’, which refers to the position of the shift levers. However there are differences in the implementation of this.

The downhill drivetrain consists of a Saint or Zee shifter. Typically as downhill bikes are very expensive to buy, the higher quality Saint will be preferred to Zee. The Saint shifter and rear derailleur is similar to Deore XT, and compatible with the 10-speed Deore XT generation. The Zee shifter and rear derailleur is similar to Deore. Note: Weights and prices are for a single brake (ca liper, hose and lever, but no rotor or adaptor, unless otherwise stated). Also on testPrice, as you would imagine, is the most popular reason for someone buying one product over another. It is the single most important factor in choosing the majority of products we buy. The same goes for Brakes. The brakes had a spongier feel than others, but this could be down to the extra length and flex at the lever. This might not seem ideal, but it does allow you to feather speed when you’re going fast. Chain reaction Cycles and CRC are trading names of Wiggle Ltd (In Administration) registered in the United Kingdom at 1000 Lakeside, Suite 310, Third Floor N E Wing, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO6 3EN, The SLX M7120 might not have the same functions as Shimano’s pricier brakes, notably Free Stroke adjustment, but we didn’t miss this a great deal in testing.

the ‘cheap MTB’ drivetrain. This is designed for off-road use, although poor quality suspension often holds these bikes bike. At Chain Reaction Cycles we found 854 products from Shimano, of which 62 were in the Brakes category. the 2x hybrid drivetrain. E.g., 46/30t with a similar cassette. This provides a similar range to a road bike, but with flat bars. The lever has a flip-flop design, so it can be used as a lever for either a front or rear brake. It has a split clamp to attach it to the bar with a nice finish, like the whole of the brake.

Sidi Sixty Road Shoes

So, with the help of both leg power and some electrical assistance, we took them to the top of some of the South West’s steepest slopes and pointed our bikes downhill to see how these 12 stoppers coped. Some brakes come with four pistons in the caliper and others with two pistons. Four pistons offer more braking power but can increase weight.

Bleeding is easy, even though there might be a few extra steps than with other brakes, and the screw-in barb and screw-on olive make cutting and refitting hoses a straightforward affair. For a similar price, Matt liked the Giro Gauge MTB shoes, which look a bit more like a sneaker. They're a tenner less than the MT5s but don't have the Shimanos' Velcro strap or sliding lace-retainer. Since a downhill bike is ONLY intended to be ridden downhill, it does not need a large range.This is different from other 1x drivetrains.Shimano’s mid-priced SLX brakes offer almost as much performance as their pricier siblings. Russell Burton / Immediate Media So the first aspect of price that we’re going to look at is the price of Shimano BL-MT501-BR-MT520 4 Pot Disc Brake.