Borrowing the powerful 4-piston caliper from Shimano’s World Cup dominating Saint, the Shimano ZEE BL-M640 Disc Brake instills confidence into your riding with its brute stopping force and precise modulation. Ideal for trail and enduro rigs, the ZEE Brake resists fade on long downhill sections, thanks to its heat-dispersing 4-piston caliper design and improved pads with a new metallic compound for better consistency and control on the descent. Featuring Sero-Wave actuation with greater lever travel off the top, the ZEE allows its braking pads to sit farther from the rotor, reducing the chance of nasty brake rub, while providing a powerful bite for fast stopping. Its Shorty levers are almost identical to what you’d find on Shimano’s SLX brakes. However, they exchange tool-free reach for a dimpled, non-slip lever surface. This gives you added control when your hands are damp from perspiration, retaining reach-adjustment with an Allen wrench for a customizable trigger feel. Note that the Zee Brake is available in either left or right options. Disc rotors and brake adapters are not included.

Smoother, more responsive levers do little if the components they work with don’t improve alongside them, so we weren’t surprised to see Shimano revisiting its dual-pivot rim brake design while quietly overhauling Dura-Ace for this year. The resulting Dura-Ace BR-9100 Brake Calipers make their entrance boasting a new steel bridge between each caliper arm pivot, which reduces flex for more consistent braking power when you’re slamming on the levers. The bridge contributes to the calipers’ enhanced modulation and more fluid, linear behavior across the braking curve, working in tandem with the levers to provide responsive stopping power whether you need to lightly temper your speed or pull up quickly to miss a crash. On the aesthetics side, Shimano subtly reduced the gap between each arm to create sleeker lines that align with the rest of the groupset’s classy styling.