Deore vs LX vs XT V-brakes

Jasper Janssen · Jul 30, 2005

Quick check: Is there any reason to want LX or XT brakes rather than
Deore, when buying new? Price difference is fairly minimal, but present.

I read something about XT brakes being the only one of the set to have
parallelogram linkage which makes them need less readjustment over the
wear life of the pads. Given that I probably won't be getting any mud on
this bike, so the extra parts to wear out aren't so much an issue, and I
think it might be *nice* to have that, but it seems that opinions are
divided on the usefulness of the feature.

Jasper

Zog The Undeniable · Jul 30, 2005

Jasper Janssen wrote:

> Quick check: Is there any reason to want LX or XT brakes rather than
> Deore, when buying new? Price difference is fairly minimal, but present.
>
> I read something about XT brakes being the only one of the set to have
> parallelogram linkage which makes them need less readjustment over the
> wear life of the pads. Given that I probably won't be getting any mud on
> this bike, so the extra parts to wear out aren't so much an issue, and I
> think it might be *nice* to have that, but it seems that opinions are
> divided on the usefulness of the feature.

LX also have this. It's good for keeping the pads aligned as they wear,
less good for squeal.

Jasper Janssen · Jul 30, 2005

On Sat, 30 Jul 2005 18:37:00 +0100, Zog The Undeniable
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Jasper Janssen wrote:

>> I read something about XT brakes being the only one of the set to have
>> parallelogram linkage which makes them need less readjustment over the
>> wear life of the pads. Given that I probably won't be getting any mud on
>> this bike, so the extra parts to wear out aren't so much an issue, and I
>> think it might be *nice* to have that, but it seems that opinions are
>> divided on the usefulness of the feature.
>
>LX also have this. It's good for keeping the pads aligned as they wear,
>less good for squeal.

LX it is, then. I like tinkering, but there are weeks or even months where
I really need the bike to just keep going with minimal effort. And
squealing just means the brakes are working right.

Jasper

Lou Holtman · Jul 30, 2005

Jasper Janssen wrote:
> On Sat, 30 Jul 2005 18:37:00 +0100, Zog The Undeniable
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Jasper Janssen wrote:
>
>
>>>I read something about XT brakes being the only one of the set to have
>>>parallelogram linkage which makes them need less readjustment over the
>>>wear life of the pads. Given that I probably won't be getting any mud on
>>>this bike, so the extra parts to wear out aren't so much an issue, and I
>>>think it might be *nice* to have that, but it seems that opinions are
>>>divided on the usefulness of the feature.
>>
>>LX also have this. It's good for keeping the pads aligned as they wear,
>>less good for squeal.
>
>
> LX it is, then. I like tinkering, but there are weeks or even months where
> I really need the bike to just keep going with minimal effort. And
> squealing just means the brakes are working right.
>
>
> Jasper

The new LX don't have the parallelogram linkage any more. I always found
that the parallelogram construction was shitty and made things too
complicated; to many joints.
I would look at Avids too.

Lou
--
Posted by news://news.nb.nu

Zog The Undeniable · Jul 31, 2005

Lou Holtman wrote:

> The new LX don't have the parallelogram linkage any more.

I didn't know they'd dropped parallel-push from LX. I purposely got
Deore to avoid it.

I always found
> that the parallelogram construction was shitty and made things too
> complicated; to many joints.

I've heard it gets worse with age, as grit starts to wear the pivots.

Lou Holtman · Jul 31, 2005

Zog The Undeniable wrote:
> Lou Holtman wrote:
>
>> The new LX don't have the parallelogram linkage any more.
>
>
> I didn't know they'd dropped parallel-push from LX. I purposely got
> Deore to avoid it.
>
> I always found
>
>> that the parallelogram construction was shitty and made things too
>> complicated; to many joints.
>
>
> I've heard it gets worse with age, as grit starts to wear the pivots.

Exactly. Stupid construction IMO. My simple Avids were better and more
durable than the XTR's.

Lou
--
Posted by news://news.nb.nu

Jasper Janssen · Jul 31, 2005

On Sun, 31 Jul 2005 16:55:11 +0200, Lou Holtman <[email protected]>
wrote:
>Zog The Undeniable wrote:
[parallellogram linkage for v-brakes]
>> I've heard it gets worse with age, as grit starts to wear the pivots.

>Exactly. Stupid construction IMO. My simple Avids were better and more
>durable than the XTR's.

Aside from things like this, where is the quality difference between an LX
linkage-free vbrake and a Deore (or for that matter Tourney) one? V-brakes
would seem to me to be mostly *so* mechanically simple that it would be
extremely hard to effectively design half a dozen different quality
levels, such as Shimano really needs for its marketing. Are the brake arms
of pricier brakes stronger? More adjustment for the pads?

Jasper

Lou Holtman · Jul 31, 2005

Jasper Janssen wrote:
> On Sun, 31 Jul 2005 16:55:11 +0200, Lou Holtman <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>>Zog The Undeniable wrote:
>
> [parallellogram linkage for v-brakes]
>
>>>I've heard it gets worse with age, as grit starts to wear the pivots.
>
>
>>Exactly. Stupid construction IMO. My simple Avids were better and more
>>durable than the XTR's.
>
>
> Aside from things like this, where is the quality difference between an LX
> linkage-free vbrake and a Deore (or for that matter Tourney) one? V-brakes
> would seem to me to be mostly *so* mechanically simple that it would be
> extremely hard to effectively design half a dozen different quality
> levels, such as Shimano really needs for its marketing. Are the brake arms
> of pricier brakes stronger? More adjustment for the pads?
>
> Jasper

Yes they are simple. They are just levers. Differences?
Finish, cold forged or not, cartridge pads or not, stainless steel or
even titanium bolts and other bits and pieces, little weight, ball
bearings or plain bearings or no bearings.
What I can see comparing LX to Deore is that LX has cartridge pads,
nicer finish, maybe stainless bolts and it's a little lighter.

They are just brakes you know. Peanuts in the total cost of a bike.

Lou
--
Posted by news://news.nb.nu

Peter Cole · Aug 1, 2005

Lou Holtman wrote:
> Peter Cole wrote:
>
>> My XT-V's are 5-6 years old, never had any problems -- perfect (1
>> finger) braking.
>

> Lucky you. In what condition do you use them?

Exclusively off-road, much more trail/singletrack than fire road, I
rarely ride them in wet conditions.

> My XTR font brake became
> so sloppy after 3 years that it became dangerous (pads almost hitting
> the tire).

No experience with XTR, never could afford it.

> One finger braking has more to do with conditions, levers and cables.

I have XT levers (would think that was typical), nothing special for
cables. Brakes seem to work the same in all the "conditions" I ride in.

Ned Mantei · Aug 1, 2005

In article <[email protected]>,
Jasper Janssen <[email protected]> wrote:

>Quick check: Is there any reason to want LX or XT brakes rather than
>Deore, when buying new? Price difference is fairly minimal, but present.
>
>I read something about XT brakes being the only one of the set to have
>parallelogram linkage which makes them need less readjustment over the
>wear life of the pads. Given that I probably won't be getting any mud on
>this bike, so the extra parts to wear out aren't so much an issue, and I
>think it might be *nice* to have that, but it seems that opinions are
>divided on the usefulness of the feature.

I couldn't get rid of very loud, polyphonous (high-pitched squeal plus
lower organ-like tone) brake squeal with XT brakes--greasing pivots,
using Kool Stop salmon colored pads, etc., nothing helped. Assuming that
play had developed in the parallel linkage, I changed the front brakes
to Deore, without the parallel linkage. The dealer mentioned that he had
made the same change for a customer that day (and offered a set of Deore
brakes cheap...). This cured the problem.

--
Ned Mantei
Zurich, Switzerland

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