I understand the genuine excitement around the pending release of Shimano’s next Saint brakes. Two decades in the making. Compared to Shimano stoppers of yore, the latest generation of 4-piston XT & XTR are a proper step forward in lighter action and better power control and Saint promises all that plus a boost in hydraulic pressure aka power.

But, while I have a few friends limping along old brakes in anticipation of their new Saint systems. And, while I’m amongst a pile of people impressed by Shimano’s latest high-end brakes, improved but with a still decidedly Shimano feel for the fans. And, while I would be pumped to spend hours on the latest XTR, or XT, deep down I feel that, in Shimano’s lineup, and maybe well beyond, these Deore M6220 brakes are the ones that really matter.

Bold claim Drew-Bob, back it up maybe? Over the next many words I’ll highlight what makes these, comparably affordable but still premium, brakes improved over the last generation, easy to ride, easy to service, and the affordability and ready availability of brake pads. And, I’ll drill some holes in my slightly hyperbolic title by talking about their obvious price point competitor.

M6220 vs. M6120 vs. M8220

Aesthetically, the latest Deore brakes and last generation {M6120} system look pretty darn similar in terms of the primary cylinder/lever and the caliper but there are a number of changes. Having put a lot of hours in on the previous M6120 I can say unequivocally that the new system is better, and given the SRP prices have barely increased that’s rather nifty.

At the caliper end, Shimano has switched to their more straightforward bleeding setup where a hex key opens the system instead of a wrench on the bleed post. There is now clearance for a thicker 2.2mm rotor instead of Shimano’s long-time standard 1.75mm. And, new caliper seals combined with their lighter viscosity mineral oil provide for more consistent piston movement on extension and retraction.

At first glance, it is, I admit, a bit of a let down that the Deore primary cylinder didn’t receive the same treatment as XT/XTR but it’s obvious from the first squeeze that the internal seal and brake fluid updates have made a positive performance difference. Plus, carrying forward with the previous-generation layout is contributing to the fact that the BR-M6220 system sells for ~ the same price as an XTR M9220 caliper alone and almost CA$90 per side less than XT BR-M8220 brakes.

I will say, money no object, given the choice, I’d pick up the M8220 brakes over the M6220 system. I actually don’t prefer the aesthetics {classic M820 Saint is my favourite Shimano lever} but the new XT/XTR lever pivot point does undoubtedly feel better and more natural. Whether it’s better/more natural enough to warrant the extra treasure will depend on preference and prosperity.

One last note. Like the previous M6100 lever assembly {M6120 system} the new M6200 lever assembly {M6220 system} uses a hex key for lever reach adjustment where Shimano’s higher end stoppers use tool-free systems. I like the tooled reach adjust aesthetically and don’t find it adds significantly to setup time.

M6220 vs. MT420

Shimano does make less expensive 4-piston braking systems, with the MT420 being a common spec choice on budget friendlier bikes. It’s certainly a reliable brake system and aftermarket it shaves about CA$40 per side off of the price of the Deore M6220 but with that comes a notable drop in performance.

In terms of power, a significant amount of the difference may come down to the MT420 using Shimano’s lower-pressure brake line {BH59} where the M6220 is using their higher-pressure smaller-bore {BH90} version. There’s also the ServoWave track of the M6200 lever assembly* to account for versus the simpler assembly of the MT401 lever/primary cylinder attached to the MT420 caliper.

Either way, where the new M6220 Deore brakes are certainly an improvement over the last generation of Deore, XT, and even XTR 4-piston stoppers, and are, in my mind, blind, only a minor action-ergonomics downgrade compared to the current XT, it’s a much larger performance drop to the MT420 for the cost savings.

I love to see MT420 coming OE on bikes that would otherwise be running much less impressive brakes, but if I’m sourcing the best aftermarket brakes for the buck, the M6220 is going to be worth every extra penny on the trail.

*{M6200 lever assembly is available new BR-M6200 2-piston or BR-M6220 4-piston calipers.}

Rotor Notes

Deore, XT, and XTR, Shimano’s latest performance 4-piston brake systems are all designed to be run with their new, extra thick, 2.2mm rotors or their lighter weight legacy 1.75mm discs. Put simply, larger discs are much better at managing heat but add weight to the system.

I’m going to contradict Shimano ever so slightly here. I did start off running these M6220 brakes with standard thickness rotors and performance was good, but once I reset the pistons and installed the thicker 2.2mm rotors the lever feel was improved, presumably down to the pistons’ reduced extension from the caliper. In a pinch, or counting grams, thinner rotors are fine but I think the improved feel as well as temperature management characteristics of the thicker rotors makes them well worth the extra weight.

I know that the smooth, rounded, edges of Shimano’s rotors have no affect on braking, and I’ve been comparatively happy with the performance of RT-66 and now these RT-6B750 rotors, but, on looks alone, I do much prefer the aesthetic of a square-edged machined rotor.

And yes, more rotor talk, CONFLICT! Look, I can admit that Cy won and Drew-Bob lost. These new Shimano gravity rotors, plus the availability of corresponding adapters from Shimano, are broadcasting the industry wide shift to 200mm rotors in place of 203mm rotors. And I know it looks pretty on paper – 140, 160, 180, 200, 220 – but I’ll always think that keeping the longtime 203mm size standard was the little bit less enginerdy choice.

And finally, I’ll talk more about this below, but with the Deore M6220 brakes I’ve moved from my ArctuHawk Voyager’s 203mm/203mm rotor setup to running a 200mm in the rear and a 220mm in the front. This was not because I feel any lack or power or friction running that Deore brake with a 203mm {200mm} rotor up front but because the somewhat heavier lever action makes the system feel more controllable, or balanced, with a larger front rotor and I didn’t want to loose the hardtail-heat management advantages of the larger rear rotor in dropping to a 180mm.

Easy Bleeding

Foreshadowing a future follow up, there is no brake system easier to bleed than the newest Shimano setups. That probably doesn’t matter if someone else is doing the work, most shops don’t differentiate one brake from another in their service pricing, but for the home wrench it’s worth considering.

Here, Shimano took what was already probably the most intuitive process, or at least the series of brake systems that the most people could most easily achieve a great bleed on the most consistently, and made it cleaner and simpler thanks to the caliper system they adopted on more budget brakes long ago*.

Where the caliper bleed hose used to push onto the same post that needed to be opened with a wrench to push fluid through, these functions are now handled separately by a bleed nipple and a hex key. I’m going to make have my grom bleed these brakes soonish for the experience, so we’ll talk more about that down the trail.

*{From giant jockey wheels, to the current cup bleeding system, to MegaRange shifting, etc., Shimano has a long history of bringing improvements that are significant shifts in thinking to their more basic products first and then trickling them up.}

Shimano, It’s Time For a Third Pad Compound‽

Shimano’s sintered brake pads are the control compound, the frame of reference, for a lot of riders when it comes to comparing friction* between different brake systems. Grab is good but controllable for more users, wear is impressive, and they’re fairly quiet to boot. For riders who want less grab and less noise, and less expense per unit but faster wear, Shimano also offers a resin compound.

While I’m almost allergic to adding SKUs and Shimano has a lot of them when it comes to counting their finned and non-finned pads, I think Shimano would do well to add a third ‘race’ compound to their lineup. If it wears out in half the time but offers a notable uptick in initial bite, even if it’s a tad louder when wet and cold, I think folks would buy in.

And yes, one of the beauties of Shimano using the same {non-finned} pad shapes for so long is that there are a plethora of aftermarket options boasting different performance advantages, but rather than invest in sorting through the feedback and marketing behind them all, Shimano selling a pad that offers X% more bite for Y% reduction in life and Z% more noise when cold/wet would be a simple choice of which I could take advantage.

*{What some riders mean when they say ‘power’, which I typically try to limit in use to discussions of hydraulic pressure.}

What About The Wanderlust?

I’m perhaps not the most reliable narrator of this particular subtopic. Certainly I could fully perceive the, at times more notable, wandering bite point that’s been present with Shimano brakes for years longer than it’s been a consideration. But, I could also ride a bike down some fairly serious terrain without it ever being a concern.

For me then, the key advantage of the updated seals and fluid are the lighter action these Deore brakes deliver without the full redesign of their higher level peers; however, I will note for any interested parties that I’ve experienced no noticeable bite point walkabout to date. Long term follow up to come down the trail.

SRAM Maven Base

The clear competitor for the M6220 brake system is SRAM’s excellent Maven Base brake. For what it’s worth, by lever feel these are my favourite Mavens and while I have only minimal experience with them I’m impressed every time I actuate a well-bled set. As with the Shimano 4-piston system they use readily available pads, with many aftermarket options, and the pads are very reasonably priced. They’re also a mineral oil system.

I imagine that most folks will choose one or the other quite incidentally based on what comes with their bike. The vast, vast, majority of either braking system will be as original equipment {OE} and, I assume, well bled from the local shop selling them as part of dialing in all the rigs they have on the floor.

I frankly don’t have enough time on these Maven’s to give a more nuanced comparison, but it’s been my experience that if someone wanted a differentiator in deciding between the two systems that the Shimano brakes are, on average, much quicker and simpler to bleed properly.

Deore vs. Dominion

Over the last half-a-decade-plus I have significantly more hours on Hayes’ Dominion T4 & A4 brakes than any other system. Second place goes to the almost equally light action Magura MT7 brake. That’s followed by the Formula Cura 4, which are significantly lighter action but less firm in the most-Mandrew-friendly setting of their two-piece FCS lever blade.

All these brakes are premium priced products compared to these Deore M6220 brakes, but I actually mention it because anytime I’m riding a bike with a, more abrupt, instantaneous-on, heavier-feeling, Shimano or SRAM system there’s a relearning curve, no doubt. And, I’ll also note here that I do understand why many riders prefer the more firm on/off-it feeling of the Big-S systems. Once I’m attuned to it that firmer feeling modulating the super-light but more vague lever setups takes a second.

Certainly, testing products aside, I’d probably choose to have ‘all’ my mountain bikes on the same braking system. Or at least very similar feeling systems.

Better Living Through Carbon Fibre

As the temperature drops, and the rain approaches, one thing I’ll never understand about Shimano brakes is why, with their epic experience in fishing, they don’t offer carbon lever blades with the exception of a couple generations of XTR XC race setups.

I know, these are Deore brakes, so even if they did there may not be compatible blades available, but maybe, from the last generation XTR? That is the beauty of shared architecture.

But actually, I was thinking about the latest G8040 Saint flat pedals, with their mixed materials construction and thinking that the resin outer structure could be perfectly applied to brake levers. Material could be chosen for improved grip in addition to better cold weather performance for those of us with poor circulation.

I know that not everyone is using these brakes in the cold or the wet, but enough folks are that I’d love the option for more comfortable usage in the ‘off-season.’ I’ll be playing around with some different coverings this winter. I’ll note that, for me, this would be the same story with their higher end brakes as well.

First Rides; Then Digger & Boundary

My first rides on lighter-black and the black trails went great. The re-learning curve to the heavier-but-not-heavy lever engagement was much shorter and more intuitive than I expected. For the first couple I was on dual-203mm rotors and there were moments in steeper and lower-traction sport surfaces where the braking was unbalanced, but all in all I was impressed enough.

Once I switched over to the thicker rotors with the 220mm-front and 200mm-rear setup I felt there was better action and much better front/rear balance during full-on braking situations. No matter what I’d recommend a larger front rotor with these M6220 brakes, and if you can bear the extra grams I think the thicker 2.2mm rotors, which should also prove more resilient to warping and bending, are worth their weight.

Upper Digger is one of my favourite old school brake control trails, where modulating is at least as important as power, and, along with Karen’s Boundary Trail, it’s a great choice for braking tests and testing brakes.

Full disclosure, for the first 100-meters I was thinking maybe the new XT M8220 system would be the best of both worlds for an extra couple of bills. It’s been years since I rode these trails on brakes that didn’t have super-light lever action. But, after I stopped, took a couple photos, and ate some Haribos, things really came together. I even busted out a couple of, yes on purpose, very nice euro-turns* {nose pivots}.

On the return visit I rode as much of Boundary clean as I ever have on my Chromag which I attribute to the excellent trail conditions, high confidence on the day, and dumb luck. Sorry, I mean, brakes. Clearly, being a write up of brakes, they were the main differentiator.

*{At least, they looked rad in my mind and there’s no photos or footage to prove otherwise.}

Down The Trail

I don’t commit to reviewing products lightly. Especially not brakes, which are the worst, or best, combination of vital mountain bicycle performance impactors as well as touch points. Plus, I feel that a lot of hours, preferably over years, are really necessary to see how lever pivots and caliper seals hold up.

I like my bikes as they are with their mix of old & new bits, and swapping from my years old Dominions is a gamble. But then, like XTR and the rest, one expects premium brakes to perform like premium brakes with nuanced differences in performance and I really want to refocus more effort in talking about best on a budget products* as well as creating value by riding what I own.

I’m planning to put a bunch of hours on these brakes, sort out some different cold-lever mitigation ideas, maybe try some different aftermarket pads even just to say I did {I’m quite happy with Shimano’s standard sintered pads}, and show my kid how to bleed them. Any questions? I’d be stoked to answer those too. In the meantime, Shimano says “Confidence starts at the brakes” and more information on the new M6220 {BL-M6200 / BR-M6220} from Shimano starts with the link I stuck there.

*{My exception may be rear hubs where I’m addicted to fast engagement and low drag.}

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