Many top-end, great feeling, brakes don't use magic to increase the pad/rotor clearance. Magura, Formula, Hayes - the pads sit very close to the rotors.
Shimano spaces the pads farther from the rotor - which makes the initial setup much simpler - and then uses hocus pocus (Servo Wave) to move the pads further/faster with the initial lever stroke.
The secret with the above-mentioned brakes is to center the calipers (with the pads retracted) and then push proud pistons back in until the pads are engaging equally. If you did that already and the brake pads are rubbing ever so slightly with the straight rotor then they'll probably be perfect after a short ride as they will self-clear and self-adjust a bit. If you centered everything by just squeezing the brake lever and tightening caliper bolts as most folks do Shimano I don't have great results with the method unless if I use my **[pad spacing tool](https://hayesbicycle.com/products/feelr-gauge)**at the same time.
Hope that helps!
Nov. 24, 2021, 12:04 a.m. - Andrew Major
Many top-end, great feeling, brakes don't use magic to increase the pad/rotor clearance. Magura, Formula, Hayes - the pads sit very close to the rotors. Shimano spaces the pads farther from the rotor - which makes the initial setup much simpler - and then uses hocus pocus (Servo Wave) to move the pads further/faster with the initial lever stroke. The secret with the above-mentioned brakes is to center the calipers (with the pads retracted) and then push proud pistons back in until the pads are engaging equally. If you did that already and the brake pads are rubbing ever so slightly with the straight rotor then they'll probably be perfect after a short ride as they will self-clear and self-adjust a bit. If you centered everything by just squeezing the brake lever and tightening caliper bolts as most folks do Shimano I don't have great results with the method unless if I use my **[pad spacing tool](https://hayesbicycle.com/products/feelr-gauge)**at the same time. Hope that helps!