XT or XTR derailleur?
- Thread starter stu125
- Start date
My XTR derailleur is now six years old and still shifting as new.
Spend the cash on xtr shifters, that's where you'll notice the real improvement.
Personally, Unless you go the very top end, I'm not a fan of Shimano shifting at all. It's fine until it gets a bit old and then it goes to hell. XTR shifters and derailleurs (aside from feeling orgasmic when new) tend to last quite a while.
Just don't bend the b-pivot link (thin bit of aluminium connecting the derailleur to the hanger) or the cage, because Shimano Australia doesn't carry spares (nor are they available it seems), so your $200 derailleur becomes a paper weight but for a $5 part.
Edit: Only directional chains are the new XTR 10 speed. Also, having had an xt shadow, the pivots tend to wear out quite quickly.
Personally, Unless you go the very top end, I'm not a fan of Shimano shifting at all. It's fine until it gets a bit old and then it goes to hell. XTR shifters and derailleurs (aside from feeling orgasmic when new) tend to last quite a while.
Just don't bend the b-pivot link (thin bit of aluminium connecting the derailleur to the hanger) or the cage, because Shimano Australia doesn't carry spares (nor are they available it seems), so your $200 derailleur becomes a paper weight but for a $5 part.
Edit: Only directional chains are the new XTR 10 speed. Also, having had an xt shadow, the pivots tend to wear out quite quickly.
harmonix1234
Eats Squid
I run an XT shadow RD and for the last two years have used it with deore shifters.
Upgraded to XTR shifters last week (and some new XTR cables) and it is soooo much snappier and crisper.
The XT shadow has never missed a beat in two years of riding EVERY day.
I just wish I had upgraded my shifters earlier.
Honestly, I can't imagine how shifting could actually be better than this.
If I were you I'd upgrade my shifters first and get some good cables.
I have seen a few sets of XTR shifters lately in the trading section for around $100 - $120. Well worth it.
Upgraded to XTR shifters last week (and some new XTR cables) and it is soooo much snappier and crisper.
The XT shadow has never missed a beat in two years of riding EVERY day.
I just wish I had upgraded my shifters earlier.
Honestly, I can't imagine how shifting could actually be better than this.
If I were you I'd upgrade my shifters first and get some good cables.
I have seen a few sets of XTR shifters lately in the trading section for around $100 - $120. Well worth it.
Bodin
GMBC
Listen to these guys.
Bike manufacturers have this nasty habit of speccing high end rear mechs to make their bikes look good, but the mech only works as well as the shifters and cables allow it to work. Added to that, a rear mech generally cops more damage than the shifters, so the shifters are a better long term investment.
I got my XTR shifters 2nd hand for about $150 and they are a massive improvement over the XT shifters that were brand new.
tomacropod
Likes Dirt
harmonix1234
Eats Squid
$80 gets you a set here http://www.rotorburn.com/forums/showthread.php?214246-Shimano-XTR-front-and-rear-shifter-set.
Bodin
GMBC
Holy f***. That is deal of the century. I paid almost twice that for mine.
Bjorn
Likes Dirt
XTR will increase your attractiveness to the opposite sex and make you 5% faster. Or maybe not.
I have a set of XTR shifters on an '03 bike. I've raced it in the foulest conditions, including a 12 hour where I was immersing it in a dam each lap to remove the mud. Apart from a degrease and re-lube this year I've done nothing to them in all that time and they shift like new. I recently replaced the rear mech with another XTR and it's absolutely divine to ride.
I have the dual control levers that combine shifting and braking; they seem to be more susceptible to worn cables and outers than Rapidfire Plus. If you are a bit suss about your cables etc. replace them, paying attention to the length of the final loop of outer, before you spend money anywhere else.
XT stuff is great gear and I wouldn't be replacing it without a good reason, so be diligent before you start spending money. You don't say how old it is, but I have a ten year old XT mech that still shifts crisply and an even older one that works adequately enough that I'm not replacing it. It could be your dérailleur hanger is bent if all else is good but the problem remains.
I have a set of XTR shifters on an '03 bike. I've raced it in the foulest conditions, including a 12 hour where I was immersing it in a dam each lap to remove the mud. Apart from a degrease and re-lube this year I've done nothing to them in all that time and they shift like new. I recently replaced the rear mech with another XTR and it's absolutely divine to ride.
I have the dual control levers that combine shifting and braking; they seem to be more susceptible to worn cables and outers than Rapidfire Plus. If you are a bit suss about your cables etc. replace them, paying attention to the length of the final loop of outer, before you spend money anywhere else.
XT stuff is great gear and I wouldn't be replacing it without a good reason, so be diligent before you start spending money. You don't say how old it is, but I have a ten year old XT mech that still shifts crisply and an even older one that works adequately enough that I'm not replacing it. It could be your dérailleur hanger is bent if all else is good but the problem remains.
markyh990
Likes Dirt
Have to agree with Bjorn here, people don't realise how good their kit is because it's not what pro racers are using. XT is a serious peice of kit that will work well for years, we arn't talking about 8 speed alivio on a k-mart huffy, but gear that comes spec on some boutique frames worth thousands. Im a sram man and the differences between x7 and xx arnt that drastic, bike technology has come along way!
SRAM equipment works better because it has twice the cable movement of Shimano, so it's not as susceptible to problems caused by movement and stickiness in the cable.
Secondly, bent dérailleur arms are a major cause of problems. This can be eliminated by going to carbon arms, which are stiffer and always stay in the same position after a hard knock.
Secondly, bent dérailleur arms are a major cause of problems. This can be eliminated by going to carbon arms, which are stiffer and always stay in the same position after a hard knock.
AngoXC
Wheel size expert
Close but the other way round. SRAM operate off a 1:1 ratio so for every one "unit" of cable that gets released or pulled, your derailleur moves the same amount (so less cable movement than Shimano).