Source: Matthew Mallory
Brakes tend to make a heck of a difference on your bike. Just a rumour going around but I have heard that they are rather important. I am sure most of us can relate to having a set of poor performing hydraulic disk brakes. I have had models that lacked modulation, they were either on or off, other's have had problems with fading and disappearing all together and sometimes it is just a matter of liking the feel and lever shape of a particular model or brand.
For the past year I have been running the Shimano SLX's. They are designed and packaged as a budget hydraulic disc brake giving money conscious consumers an affordable option. I must admit that it was one of the reasons I decided to throw my cash down on them.
My SLX brakes started life on the Rocky Mountain Flatline World Cup prototype frame that I was lucky enough to get my hands. After I had to return the bike I swapped the brakes onto my Rocky Mountain Slayer SS396 because I was not completely happy with the feel of the brakes that came on the bike and now they reside on my Chromag OSX bars that are in charge of the handling of another Rocky Slayer SS.
Performance wise the Shimano SLX has surpassed my expectations especially considering that they are almost half the price of most brakes. I have taken these brakes around B.C. from the flow of Whistler Bike Park to the sustained steeps and high speeds of Kamloops and the gnar of Squamish and the Shore and they have yet to disappoint.
I am a sucker for the levers on Shimano's, they just seem fit me right. The SLX provides lots of modulation which I like, if you like a strong set of brakes that are either on or off this may not be the set that you are looking for. To me the SLX felt a lot like the old Shimano Saints which I had used for years. The new lever and body design is much more comfortable though. I did find that during extended use they had a tendency to fade as the heat built up, but they never stopped working, it just required a little more lever pressure to make them slow me down.
Over all I found the brake to be an able performer and it just may be one of the best deals going for a freeride or dh bike that sees mostly bike park use or hits up flow and short steeps. If your riding is always steep, gnarly and sustained then this may not be the best choice of brake for you. Make the step up to the Saints in that case, I am sure you will not be let down. In the end I found that the SLX was probably the best dollar to braking ratio on the market right now. You definitely get much more than you pay for with it.
Features
Caliper Mount Type: International Standard Post Mount
Caliper Material: Aluminum
Caliper Finish: Painted
Piston Type: Opposed 2-Piston
Average Weight: 300g (pair)
