I prefer brakes that engage quicker for 1 finger braking. The original MT5 levers had to be nearly in at the bars before they would actually stop me. The XT kick in a lot stronger, faster. Could also be that I found the XT lever much easier to bleed too...
I have wondered this myself, everything I read says it's the servo wave that makes Shimano feel on/off but when people fit Magura calipers all of a sudden there is heaps of modulation.
Sounds like a bleed issue to me. I've heard that some people have issues bleeding the maguras, particularly with air getting through where the bleed cup presses in. Get a bleed kit with a syringe that screws in has meant bleeding worked well for me.
Power is at least the same but feels better. More of your squeeze goes into the brake with a solid lever as opposed to a plasticine one like the magura. Maybe it's a placebo thing, maybe it's my Shimano preference showing through, but the mt5s were greatly improved by adding a Shimano lever.
There might be differences in the caliper cylinder volumes between Shimano and Magura which will affect brake feel with the same lever. If the Mag slave cylinders are larger than the Shimano, for a given oil push from the lever the pistons/pads move less, so you get finer control of the brake. For the same reason 4-pot calipers have better modulation than 2-pot on the same levers. The ServoWave cam in the Shimano lever gives the master piston a real shove early in the stroke to get the pads onto the rotor, and that can give the harsh feeling, but when you learn how to ride the cam there is modulation in spades.
To be honest I've never had trouble with Shimano and modulation but I know everyone complaints about it. Probably also helps I'm only 80kg wet and ride like a wimp.
I've never had a problem either. That said. the M775 XTs on my spare bike and related M665 SLX (both first-gen ServoWave) that I also had for a few years do have a softer, more progressive cam profile than the oft-criticised M785 & relatives, but lack a bit in total grunt. Subsequent series have also tamed the cam profile a bit for a more progressive feel.
that is my worry, that I will have brakes and have to order pads from Europe, which isnt a deal breaker, just annoying for someone who tries to buy within australiaEurocycles and Pushys stock Magura pads.......scratch that, just did a quick google. Apparently Eurocycles went out of business last month and Pushys have zero stock
I fitted Miles pads last time. I got those within Australia. They are an absolute bastard to fit though as they are slightly thicker than standard.
Which ones did you go and from where did you get them? I am considering the same upgrade over my 2 pot XT's and have boiled it down to Magura/TRP so have been watching this thread closely.
bikebug have pads for Magura albeit in the SwissStop brand.
In a moment of Irony I purchased the gspec R's from chain reaction, they have not arrived yet, but neither have the rotors which I ordered from mountain bikes direct. Well have ordered parts from a few places and I am waiting to see what comes when
Probably just need to reset the pistons and re-centre the calipers on the disc.
Go the Xts...