SHIMANO Dura-Ace BR-9010 Direct Mount Brake Calipers Review

Go ahead and think of another top-tier component group that provides a direct mount brake caliper. We’re waiting. Well, we understand that you can’t because it doesn’t exist outside of the beautiful Shimano Dura-Ace BR-9010 Direct Mount Brake Calipers. Made to fit seamlessly with your TT or aero frameset, the BR-9010 calipers are Shimano’s greatest aerodynamic brake offering in its history. With a jaw-dropping design, improved modulation, and increased power, there’s no other logical choice for your aero-rig. For the Dura-Ace BR-9010 Brake Calipers, Shimano started from the ground up, and the result is a revelation. Finally using a ‘true’ dual-pivot design, BR-9010 deviates from the Shimano legacy of the mounting bolt doubling as a second pivot. Instead, 9010 has a direct mount design to fit contemporary time trial and aero road frames. The brake arms now reside symmetrically over the wheel, and work independent of the mounting plate because of an integrated rolling cam. Shimano kept the cable stop off to the side, but with the new dual-pivot design, any cable pull applies an equal tension to both arms. Taking a step even further, the arms operate on a twin bearing system that drastically reduces pivot friction, and thus makes brake application from the levers a light, predictable, and powerful experience. In fact, Shimano makes the claim that BR-9010 has 10% more power in the caliper than their 7900 counterparts. The arm placement is now closer to the rim, which, when coupled with an equal pull on each side of the rim, drastically increases modulation. Actuation from the levers is lighter than ever, and with Shimano’s new low-friction, polymer-coated BC-9000 cables, you can expect a braking experience unlike anything Shimano has offered before. And for all of you running larger tires, Shimano will also be producing a thinner brake pad option to accommodate up to 28mm tires.