Here's the list of brakes I've owned (f+r sizes). With loaded camelbak and various things like camera and multitool, all in I weigh about 15st

Mini's (not mono)185, 165, (145 overheated too much)
Mono M4's 200 +180 XC (200 R in alps)
XT 160, 160 (smells like a woodfire)

And here's my thoughts on them

Mini's worked fine in UK, overheated and blew seals in Alps (without alps pistons).
Easily servicable and bobbins easy to work on

Mono M4's survived 2 weeks in morzine and then blew a seal in peak district, otherwise they're great, fantastic modulation and therefore control, though the levers start to squeak after about a week of use. You can pull rolling stoppies on them and lock the front wheel up on dry tarmac at will whilst doing the stoppies. It need's a special tool to remove the bore caps if you want to fix/service them yourself (same scenario for mono mini's).

My mates Ti6's worked a treat and he's never had any problems with them, though they weigh a lot more than M4's

XT's worked fine and then a jammed stone ripped the rotor off the hub, but the original pads smell like someones been burning a forest somewhere nearby, so far so good in the UK very nice modulation but not as controllable as the hopes, no idea of what they're like to service

my thoughts, go with the biggest size disk you can with the largest pad area and piston/pad interface, though don't go bigger than your fork manufacturer recommends, unless you want the front wheel to pop out of the dropout under the force of braking or do something nasty and wholly unstructural to the forks design.

If you ride lots of downhills then a bigger back brake will do nicely for when you are dragging the brake to keep speed in check, without overheating it

Bigger disks equals greater stopping
power, but therefore there's less heat build up because when braking normally there is a larger surface area to dissipate heat, which makes for more reliable discs over a long period of time and less chance of brake fade, which completely negates any power questions when it happens.

The mini's did me fine round the peak district for two years but they could not take consistent braking on something like Morzines descents.

I also had a rear sintered pad shear off on M4's in the alps, which was solved by using DH compound pads.

and Dylan if you're so fast downhill how come I got down to Fairholmes Cafe with my one remaining XT 160mm rotor, compared to your dual braked Ruckus, baring in mind that I'm not that fast downhill myself?

Thanks for the review Phil.

Not quick on rocks, nothing like that where I ride, rocks scare the crap outta me, been getting 30mph+ down some hills with the odd rock, but mainly roots and the like.

I also, drag the rear brake alot, thats why my rear 160 deore, gets totally cooked.

i've got some 500ft 30degree descents on a local hill, that in the summer just cooks my breaks.


that and your just crazy mate :)

I did stop, to make sure Ceefa was okay, but ever then, you toasted me, I find it hard to ride that kinda terrain.

Mmm. Cheers for the info. I have yet to finish the rest of the bike but at the mo I have fitted a friends cast off Deores (low cost always twists my wrist).
I agree that a little in reserve is a good thing (any one old enough to remember the warning sticker fitted to the first disc braked cars?)but 6pots is OTT.
I have found Mini's for £95 and M4's for £110 so for the extra £30 the 4 pots probably get the nod.
T

Rude not to TD, if you don't you risk regretting it !!

Interesting banter from you lot....just fitted my new anchors tonight......mono m4 front (180), mono mini rear (160)....replacing the deore 555's. Let's see how we get on....

Have to say though, that I wasn't much impressed with the rotors.....buggers were far from true straight out the box....especially the 180....spent about 20 mins truing the rotor but still hits the damn pads.....will try again tomorrow.

I was tempted with the M4 rear as well, but frankly other than the overheating I doubt it makes much difference to someone of ten stone like me, the rear locks pretty damn easy as it is. Nice soft compound pads should do me when I am out in Chamonix.....

P.s. I know that Morzine is the European Mecca - but any of you guys ride out in Chamonix? That descent from the top of Le Tour (3,400) to Vallorcine (c1,000) makes most brakes burn!!! Still, with that amount of arm-pump it's hard to tell if your brakes are working at all!!!

Ian