The last pair of Shimano brakes we owned chez-Major was a mating of XTR M980 master cylinders and old M810 pre-finned-pad-compatible Saint calipers. They were quite excellent. They’d done a couple of seasons on my bike and then when I switched over to Magura MT-series brakes they found their way onto Nina’s bike.

That’s when the problems started. Not insurmountable problems, just a regularly recurring annoyance of surface contamination on the pads. Was it from the air? Micro-leaking from the ceramic pistons? Who knows. I’ve talked to many folks who experience the same issue, and I’ve heard almost as many explanations as those that accompany the endless chatter about wandering bite points. 

The real issue was that between daily cycle commuting, work, and life Nina just doesn’t get out on her mountain bike as much as I do, and after sitting for a while her brake pads would howl with the haunting cries of a thousand banshees in a box. The solution was simple enough, and I had it down to a couple of minutes max. Pull the pads, sand the pads, wet the pads, re-install the pads, and ride. I didn’t even need to clean the rotors. 

I actually know some folks who pull their pads between rides – which on the newer 4-piston brakes can easily be done without even removing your wheels – as part of their ongoing maintenance. And also, some folks who find a good squirt of water before every ride sorts them out. 

These are among a plethora of Shimano-specific rituals like regular bath-tub lever bleeds, engaging the brakes in storage, mix-matching pad compounds, and any number of fin-rattle quieting techniques that come with being a Shimanophile who’s in tune with their bicycle. 

And, to be fair, I know a number of riders who’ll happily go through their own pre and/or post-ride Shimano brake ritual as a trade-off for the snappy initial bite that their ServoWave system delivers. I doubt there’s anyone turning wrenches in a shop with a mountain bike bent that hasn’t been asked to make any number of other brakes feel like Shimano’s stoppers.

Whatever the cause, there doesn’t seem to be any solution, Shimano wandering bite point is real. That is the phenomenon where the lever engagement point changes during riding. Certainly, some individual brake systems are worse than others with examples from every price point. 

For example, the Deore M6120 setup I previously reviewed for NSMB was much less notable than, specifically, the front brake of my M8120 system I’m on currently. But, that’s not claiming Deore brakes are a better buy than XT in this regard as any system could be affected. 

The most important part is to note that there are plenty of riders whose brakes have a prevalent wandering bite but who don’t notice it at all on the trail, and in my case, I only ever notice it if I’m paying particular attention – in which case it bothers me – but otherwise I don’t have any issues in the heat of battle. 

What I don’t love about Shimano ServoWave brakes – 2-piston or 4-piston – is how abruptly the power comes on compared to other systems where there’s more of a curve. This is not a brake-related issue but a rider preference issue. I’m not trading my Hayes Dominion or Formula Cura4 brakes for any Shimano option, but that’s about how I prefer to access braking power, not about the bite point. 

It was a steep learning curve going from the Formula Cura4s to Shimano XT 4-piston brakes on my sag-wagon. A skidding the rear wheel down steep ladders learning curve. But after a couple of rides, my brain is used to them. I’d prefer the power not come on so abruptly, and that there was more of a transition through the lever stroke. I wouldn’t spec. them on a custom build, even min-maxing I think the Magura MT-5 is at least an even value. 

But, and I know a couple folks who need to hear this, it’s okay to like or even love Shimano brakes. You’re not alone in liking that initial FWAP! of pads on the rotor. Don’t tell me they’re the best for small hands until you’ve ridden some MT-5 brakes with HC lever blades, but in terms of what’s coming stock on most bicycles, they do as good a job as anything. 

It’s also okay to be okay with Shimano brakes even if you think there’s something on the market that would work better for you – and especially if I, or someone like me, thinks there’s something on the market that would work better for you. Mountain biking is not inexpensive, and riding the brakes that came with your bike, whatever they are, if they work for you is great. 

I’m going to be on the M8120 4-piston brakes for months of greasy North Shore riding. And that’s okay – it’s okay to like Shimano brakes.