SLX M665 brakes for DH?

[MarkDH]

Pretty much just the question in the title, anyone use SLX brakes with 203mm rotors for regular DH use? My old style Saint brakes are getting a bit sloppy and I need a set for a hardtail build anyway, so I was thinking of retiring them onto that.

Originally I was going to get the new Saints, but they are a wee bit pricey for my budget at the moment. A couple of mates have them and say they are really powerful, almost too powerful in fact. I never had issues with power on the old Saints, so I'm wondering if the SLX brakes will be roughly comparable? I'm pretty average in terms of both weight and speed, so I thought I might get away with it, but I do take a holiday in the Alps and ride Ft. Bill a few times a year which is were the Saints would have the edge I suppose.

Buying from chainreaction I could get 3 sets of of SLX for less than a pair of Saints, so they are a fair bit cheaper, but I don't want it to be false economy and wish I had gone for the full bhuna.

Any thoughts?

[pajamas]

My girlfriend ran the SLXs and 180mm discs for a couple of seasons including several stints in the alps and she loved them. Pretty slick looking aswell.

[scottishmark]

I've been thinking about getting the same brakes Daly. Was originally thinking about 2011Codes but they're even more than Saints!

SLX and XTs are supposedly 25% more powerful than the old version (M765/M800) so they should be grand. Ford's used XTs for 3 years or so and gets on fine with them....and you know he likes to abuse kit!

[Gary]

A mate has them on his XC bike (with wee rotors) and they're more powerful than anything I've ever had on any bike.

[Udi]

Is everyone from scotland called mark?

[MarkDH]

Yeah I was thinking they will be plenty good enough for 99% of the time, it was just that 1% where they might cause an 'oh f*ck' moment where you wish you'd gone for the Saints! I'd forgotten that people used to use old style XT's on DH bikes as well (weren't they practically the same as old Saints?), so if the new ones are more powerful then... yeah. Of course Penman I could just let you guinea pig them for me. Kinda want this hardtail build finished soon though, brakes are all I'm needing. :S

Udi, thinking about it, I have known a disproportionately high number of Marks in my time!

[jet]

what the hell is a 'bhuna'?

[Gary]

a curry.. not even a very hot one

Mark, can't believe how much you worry about things.. I must have a good 3 - 4st and 10yrs on you and rarely have brakes that work well (usually on the last slither of friction material and probably needing a bleed) and still ride stuff you won't! almost all the brakes out these days are amazing just get them bought!

[norbar]

Mineral oil on smaller brakes?(ie not saint/gustav) I wouldnt trust them for the alps or anything longer.
Maybe get saint calipers and slx levers? Look around. I got my saints <300$ new.

[scottishmark]

Eh? Lots of people used M800 Saints for years without issue, why shouldn't SLX's work just as well?

[j-posch]

What about Deore? Cannot see much difference between them and Slx and even cheaper.

[RayB]

SLX 665's are the exact same as the XT 775's, minus tool-less free-stroke adjustment at the lever. They're also a different colour. Calipers are exactly the same.

Both made in Japan. Both feel identical.

[norbar]

Eh? Lots of people used M800 Saints for years without issue, why shouldn't SLX's work just as well?

Lots of light people who didnt do long runs. All the people I know on them were happy at first but then prefered their new other brakes that faded less.

Any 2 pot brakes that arent v2s, ones or gustavs (ie power wise in the realm of 4 pots) fade unless you use a high quality dot 4/5.1 fluid. In case of mineral the boiling point is close to 70deg lower. Thats 25%

[j-posch]

Lots of light people who didnt do long runs. All the people I know on them were happy at first but then prefered their new other brakes that faded less.

Any 2 pot brakes that arent v2s, ones or gustavs (ie power wise in the realm of 4 pots) fade unless you use a high quality dot 4/5.1 fluid. In case of mineral the boiling point is close to 70deg lower. Thats 25%

I have found the opposite of what you are saying and I live in the alps. Friends still having problem with new hopes fading and my older saints have been flawless and really reliable. I have used a lot of brakes and always go back to shimano. Best by a country mile in my opinion. Think I might try the Deore or Slx for this season.

[norbar]

I have found the opposite of what you are saying and I live in the alps. Friends still having problem with new hopes fading and my older saints have been flawless and really reliable. I have used a lot of brakes and always go back to shimano. Best by a country mile in my opinion. Think I might try the Deore or Slx for this season.

What hopes? What year? Hopes have problems but not due to fading but crappy builds and them failing. M4s fade but those are trail brakes. V2s + proper fluid will fade much much later than most brakes. Ive tried Xts and SLXs and they are not the most fade resitant brakes, my oros with rbf 600 faded much less.