With many brakes nudging the £400 mark (or above) for a full set up, it sometimes seems that to get high performance braking you really need to have deep pockets. Sure, when you’re writing the wish list for a custom build few riders would be adding the Deore name to the spec. This mid-tier Shimano groupset often brings to mind mid range hardtails or entry-level full suspension bikes maybe. But if you’re clever, and look at spending your money wisely, these brakes sit alongside components such as the Manitou Mattoc and SRAM NX as kit which really performs well above their price tags. These are products that have benefited from a brand’s technology trickling down the range from the top.

‘Just like the recently revised Deore transmission, these affordable brakes are well worth a look’

With Shimano’s short but well shaped levers, a solid two pot calliper and mineral oil flowing through its hoses the Deore brake is a very straightforward piece of kit. Fitting is easy, and in the age of internal routing trimming of hoses and bleeding is simple (a one way system) and reliable. These brakes are supplied as a pre-bled kit, without a disc rotor or mounts, leaving those choices to you. With a broad range of Shimano discs available a rotor of 180mm or above will suit most trail bikes and even longer travel bikes (with all but the heaviest rider on board). The ‘open clamp’ bar clamp has a hinged construction for easy installation removal.