I have 6 year old xt brake/shifter set and they work perfect. Nothing has ever broken and they have worked flawlessly. The price of replacement if somehting goes wrong with either the brake or shifter is a downer but I love the setup I have now. Never had a problem with shifting and braking getting in the way of eachother. I actually found my other bike with separate brakes and shifters were impossible to set up so that there was no interference. I couldn't brake and keep my finger on the trigger without unintentionally shifting but the combo brakes/shifters seem to be made to accomodate it.