I suppose the problem is compounded in that some LBS's wont bother supplying you with the leaflets if you pay for them to be fitted, the fact that not everybody reads all the documentation and the fact that not all LBS staff have perfect product knowledge. Even within a shop there are differing degrees of interest and knowledge.

XTR is top level race kit. So the fact you need to change pads and know exactly how they work isnt really that important because a racer would know his bike inside out. As do many trail riders.

However, the fact that XTR needs to swap pads for different conditions really compromises it as a trail bike component set -especially in the UK. Hopefully XT will have do-it-all pads.

Fair point,
However is till fail to undertand what ?MTB was on about wrt pad wear.

Even if you don't read the instructions, the pads should not evaporate the way they claim. They did not set the brakes up properly, they admitted this in a small column in the latest edition.

So I fail to understand how you can make any judgement on the performance of brakes you have not used long term. If you're basing your opinion on ?MTB's test then you're basing your opinion on incorrect data.
Their test was flawed. Of course they still maintain that the pads are to soft and wear too fast.
My resin pads have been in the calipers since May and they're still fine. Considering I ride every weekend mostly in the wet I'd say there is no validity in the claims made by ?MTB. - Toilet paper i tell you.

Of course nothings perfect and I'm sure M960 XTR has it's flaw's. I just have'nt found them yet. Thus far I find it to be a very robust, accurate and reasonably light weight groupset.

HI, bin reading this thread, and, although its long since finished I thought I'd add my two penneth worth. As some of you may remember I'm a devout Specialised fan, and as such, yesterday bought a 2k4 enduro pro in place of my rather tired 2000 sworks fsr, which is for sale incidentally. Anyway I digress, I went with a certain Mr Ward to buy the bike and instantly dismissed the dual control levers as crap and said " nah, I'll change em, theyll be shite ". Well bugger me backwards if theyre not the best thing since sliced bread,( forget the thumbie,you dont need that ) and remembering that the enduro is specced with a normal rear mech not rapid rise, I found it to be absolutley great, totally predictable and very easy to adjust to. I must admit to trying the old shifters ( that werent there :-) ) a couple of times. And all this at night on its first ride in the woods, woods that I didnt know either so no predetermined shifting because I knew what was coming. Brilliant. Another inovatinve move, where will it end?

Crikey Dave you gave me a fright there - I thought Dan had come out of the wood work.....

;-)

Lol, I've been hiding away hermit stylee