Shimano XT 4 Piston Brake Caliper - Product Overview (Did the Best Brakes Just get Better?)

The current Shimano XT brakes have had great success and are much improved from the ones they replaced. With so many aggressive trail bikes and enduro bikes out there, the demand for a strong and reliable brake system is only natural. Those riders looking for the ultimate performance out of there brakes on their trail bike started to gravitate towards the Shimano Saint 4 piston brakes. With the "enduro scene" starting to pick up so much steam, Shimano realized they had a gap in their lineup. Now welcome the Shimano XT 4 piston caliper! 

The new Shimano XT 4 piston caliper is designed to increase performance for those aggressive trail riders and the XT BR-M8020 4-piston hydraulic brake caliper has shown 20% increased stopping power when compared to the BR-M8000 2-piston hydraulic brake caliper. The XT 4 piston caliper can be paired with the existing Shimano XT brake levers. When the new calipers become available, they'll retail for $119.99 each, or $199.99 for the caliper and lever.

Our Final Impression

Shimano is known for having very powerful brakes and you will often see riders that have been riding their brakes for years and refuse to change. For many of us at the shop and our close friends, this has been true. The other half of us have not been stuck on the bandwagon but with the news of these brakes being so powerful for their price point, we might see some people converting soon! Overall, if you are looking for a brake with a lot of bite that is easy to maintain, the Shimano XT 4-Piston Brake might be exactly what you are looking for!