Previewed: 2009 Shimano Saint M810

Shimano Saint components have been around since 2004 and since that time have become renown for their strength and reliability under extreme use. It's very exciting then to announce the second generation of Saint. Shimano has given the group a complete top-to-bottom redesign taking into account current riding trends in aggressive mountain biking. Mountain bikers these days tend to be riding more precise and technical lines on shorter travel bikes than five years ago, the new group has these riders in mind as Saint sheds a lot of weight, improves it's stiffness and can adapt to even more bike build options.

The new Saint M810 hydraulic caliper.

More powerful brakes
The new Saint disc brake system yields 50% more stopping power. The Saint Hydraulic Disc Brake Caliper uses a 4-piston, dual-diameter design that accommodates more oil for better temperature management while maintaining superior modulation and improving pad wear. The new Saint Hydraulic Servo-Wave Brake Lever improves modulation and uses an intuitive tool-free brake lever reach adjustment for on trail adjustments. A redesigned brake lever blade incorporates a more solid ergonomic construction for a more comfortable and confident grip.

The new Saint M810 brake lever

More precise shifting
The new Saint Shadow Rear Derailleur uses the same Shimano Shadow low profile design that tucks into the rear dropout to avoid unexpected impacts, but the new Saint design is reinforced using a super-wide link design with a skid plate for a more rigid and durable structure. Spring tensions are revised for added response and controlled shifts while a mode converter allows versatility to fit cogset gear ratios that suit both downhill and all-mountain use. The new Saint Shadow rear derailleur is no longer mounted to the rear hub axle, it mounts off of a standard derailleur hanger, saving 100 grams from the previous M800 version.

The Saint M810 rear derailleur

What do you think of the new Saint? Leave a comment below.

Reader Comments 

Posted Sat Apr26, 2008, 12:40 PM — By DISCO

A company with the resources Shimano has would do well to take a look around at what is actually selling. Although I like the new components, and know they will sell, there are too many choices and price points across their line. I will specifically target hubs: though the SLX and Saint improve upon their predecessors they fail to evolve in the way XT and XTR have. Rather than dated hubs why not make us a wheel set that rivals the new offerings from Crank Bros and has wide enough rims and strong enough pawls and axles to take the abuse. I could care less about better seals, build me a product that will not bend (thank you for listening in the crank department however). The problem lies in the behind closed doors development approach, this only adds unnecessary time from the market and imparts obsolescence before launch. Furthermore play nice, stop reinventing the wheel with center lock, Dual Control, and 15mm axles? Don't make me say Biopace or expect riders to shift every time a new idea could be viable.

Posted Sun Apr27, 2008, 2:02 AM — By jOHN

Better is better whether or not the consumer is ready. Shimano makes the best stuff whether or not it sells. I'd rather buy best Shimano at any price than Taiwan-made "American" brands that fail to pass any production cost savings on to the consumer. Instead, these Taiwan-made "American" brands spend your extra $ on graphics and finishes on their products to fool consumers into thinking theay are getting value.

Posted Sun Apr27, 2008, 5:41 AM — By Doug H

Nice to see high quality still rules at Shimano. The Saint rear D looks great for aggressive riding as XT and XTR don't take the knocks so well and some quality hubs to put with what ever rims you please instead of the crap most manufactures put in the built up wheel sets.

Posted Mon Apr28, 2008, 5:57 PM — By trailrider

Disco - in one sentence you say Shimano's Saint hubs are dated and they should try to compete with Crank Brother's untested and unconventional wheel design, and then in another sentence you plead with Shimano to "stop reinventing the wheel"... Make up your mind, you're totally contradicting yourself!

Posted Sat May 3, 2008, 7:27 PM — By bipolar-xc-ridin-fool

when can I buy this stuff :)???? This is what I need for my Trek Liquid 55 to make it an even better All-Mtn cruise and abuse weekend warrior...

Posted Sat May10, 2008, 1:56 PM — By DISCO

Trailrider; My issue is Hubs, specifically regular flanges and the lack of straight pull spokes. I am particularly enamored with the new crank bros because their driver has six pawls versus two or three for Shimano. Being a person who blew up three freehub bodies over the last year leaves me wanting durability and think the Allen bolt axles are a good place to start. The phrase "innovate or die" comes to mind when I see a warmed over previous edition that is the same design as the lower end units (flanges and pawls) with new seals and eye catching anodized bits that account or the weight savings over the hone's steel parts. What I would like is to see a complete wheel set that would rival the Dee-Max or Atomlab's offerings in terms of strength to weight. With all the advances of the last decade or so it seems foolish to neglect the needs of average riders who abuse their equipment to embrace the minority of leg shaving gram counters who chase podiums and spend more money on spandex and nu

Posted Fri Jun20, 2008, 2:35 AM — By Jonathan

I guarantee you that any serious American brand that makes their products in Taiwan, will have must higher standards of quality than what they build in the good ole USA. I tell you this because I am in the manufacturing business, and we have both factories in the USA and in China, and our products from China are far superior in quality than the product made in the USA. USA quality rules and requriements are at best outdated. My bike is made in Taiwan, and it is $1,500 dollars cheaper than a TREK Top Fule9.9 or than a Specialized Works blah blah, and I can assure you the quality is at least as good, but I am pretty sure it surpasses the quality of the trek and specialized bikes made in the USA. And my bike is a GT Marathon Team 2008. I will buy some parts of the new Shimano Saint group, starting with the rear derailleur. My XTR R.Drlr. will probably only last until the end of the year. I saw this group set tried out in the moview SEASONS, you guys should check it out. If that guy can do that safely, I'

Posted Tue Aug 5, 2008, 2:58 PM — By David

Sounds like Disco has some pent up aggression towards shimano. I have been into mountainbiking since 1991, there have been so many improvements and technology upgrades, it can be hard to keep up. I think the 15mm axle will be huge. I think this is all good and we can learn from mistakes like "biopace and centerlock". But Keep hope alive, and remember, its all about having fun and shredin' some singletrack or whatever ur into. Shimano rocks!!

Posted Tue Aug 5, 2008, 2:59 PM — By David

Sounds like Disco has some pent up aggression towards shimano. I have been into mountainbiking since 1991, there have been so many improvements and technology upgrades, it can be hard to keep up. I think the 15mm axle will be huge. I think this is all good and we can learn from mistakes like "biopace and centerlock". But Keep hope alive, and remember, its all about having fun and shredin' some singletrack or whatever ur into. Shimano rocks!!

Posted Thu Sep11, 2008, 5:06 AM — By Gigiri

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