[gianthead]

Already posted this in tech talk, but thought Id get more of a response here. Sorry if youve already seen it.

Im looking for some market feedback from actual riders. Thats where you guys come in.

Also,
Post up your general likes/dislikes about the external derailleur system. Mostly, are you happy with how your shifting system performs under the harsh downhill environment (mud, rocks, etc..)

Thanks guys!

 

[Zark]

One retired due to being really old.

One of my buddies went through 6 XT's last year.
He keeps hitting the cable clamp bolt and pushing into the paralellogram, an XT shadow is in his future

 

[DavidMakalaster]

Way too wide a range.
There's a big difference between 1 and 5 and I'm betting most people fall into that range.

I break way more hangers than derailleurs but I've taken out 4 derailleurs this year. I demolished a brand new 07' X9 in 30 minutes.

 

[Jeremy R]

None in the last two seasons.
Either that XO is that strong, or I have gotten lucky.
Before that, I tore up about 2 to 3 a year.

And performance is spot on.
I don't give 2 turds about a gearbox.

 

[Dusty Bottoms]

Once Shimano makes a Saint have sex with a Shadow, the greatest derailleur of all time shall be born.

 

[gemini2k]

zero! gearbox for the win!

 

[jonKranked]

Once Shimano makes a Saint have sex with a Shadow, the greatest derailleur of all time shall be born.

wrong. unless its 1:1 cable ratio it will still never work as good as sram. i wasn't convinced until i started riding sram consistenly.

 

[BadDNA]

None, right behind the gearbox with my Rohloff.

 

[jonKranked]

and to the OP, this year none, last year, 8. FWIW last year I ran shimano all season. this year i switched to sram.

 

[Zark]

wrong. unless its 1:1 cable ratio it will still never work as good as sram. i wasn't convinced until i started riding sram consistenly.

Have you tried Shadow?
I have, and its good

 

[jonKranked]

Have you tried Shadow?
I have, and its good

haven't tried it. i know the cable actuation is not 1:1 and until it is i have no desire to try it. not to say it isn't good though.


edit: my comment was more to the "greatest derailler of all time" claim. when shimano does this AND makes it 1:1 actuation this statement may hold some water.

 

[Dogboy]

haven't tried it. i know the cable actuation is not 1:1 and until it is i have no desire to try it. not to say it isn't good though.


edit: my comment was more to the "greatest derailler of all time" claim. when shimano does this AND makes it 1:1 actuation this statement may hold some water.

Well you should if you get a chance. The Shadow with the XTR triggers blow away my XO.

 

[MtnbikeMike]

haven't tried it. i know the cable actuation is not 1:1 and until it is i have no desire to try it. not to say it isn't good though.


edit: my comment was more to the "greatest derailler of all time" claim. when shimano does this AND makes it 1:1 actuation this statement may hold some water.

Are you sure it's the 1.2:1 actuation ratio that makes SRAM so awesome?

 

[jcook90]

i have both SRAM and shimano and i must say i like the shimano more.

i've gone trhough 2-3 this year. an XT and an ultegra. XT was bent, and tweaked the ultegra a little, then the tube on my chainstay became unwrapped and it got pulled into the derailleur and i pedaled and cracked it. 105 works well at the moment.

i'm not a fan of the sram shifters, w/ the dual thumb levers. its kind of like 2-foot driving in a car, you can brake and shift up (or down?) at the same time. that, and i find the shimanos easier to use because you cant accidentally hit the shift lever while just holding the bar (you can with the new dual shimanos)

 

[DavidMakalaster]

i find the shimanos easier to use because you cant accidentally hit the shift lever while just holding the bar (you can with the new dual shimanos)

If you have the shifters WAY too close to your grips.

 

[Jeremy R]

I think its scary that I share the trails with people who can't use both systems. I bet these people actually drive their cars to the trailhead too, and I have to share the roads with them. Shudder.

 

[DavidMakalaster]

In all honesty I use lots of X9 stuff. On dirt I think it's best. But I also use a Shimano road mech with an Attack shifter and a road cassette on my HT. The HT setup shifts better and takes less maintenance. I think it has more to do with the cassette than anything though.

 

[Zman]

Are you sure it's the 1.2:1 actuation ratio that makes SRAM so awesome?

DING DING DING!!!! we have a winner. the reason people like the sram better isnt the ratio, it is the stronger return spring that is in the rear der. hence why the shadow has stiffer return and cage springs now......used to be a die hard sram fan, now with the shadow...that is no more. back to shimano for me!!!!

 

[Pow pow]

I'v done a Dura ace in this year and the 105 that replaced it is looking a bit worse for wear. I'v also done 2 mech hangers. the 105 is being replaced with a shadow for this weekend and it will become my spare. I have used both SRAM and shimano and work as a bike mechanic so set the stuff up all day. I personaly think SRAM is not worth the extra money it costs (here in the UK anyway).
The only problem with shimano now is that the shadow doesn't come in SS. I dont need a cage that big when I only have a 12-25 cassette

 

[Vena]

I just changed my derailleur, it was the second this year.

 

[bdamschen]

i'm not a fan of the sram shifters, w/ the dual thumb levers. its kind of like 2-foot driving in a car, you can brake and shift up (or down?) at the same time.

Lots of very fast guys who race cars use left foot braking...

 

[Iridemtb]

None, right behind the gearbox with my Rohloff.

How do those rohloff hubs work out for ya?
Do you ride downhill or freeride with it?

 

[Rye_Bread]

there is a really big different between 1 and 4 or 1 and 5

 

[norbar]

Done 9.0sl than 4.0, sx 5.0(actualy this one was ripped in 2 pieces) and again 4.0. Now on a new bike x.0 but I now know what was wrong with me so probably I will stop smashing them.

Don't really care so much as which system is better as dh and fr isn't xc - you don't shift so often that it can make a differance.

 

[dan wask]

I blowed up two this year. Then I decided to switch to shortcage road stuff.

 

[Sandwich]

been using sram/gripshift 9.0 for a year and a half now...

 

[EVRAC]

I have rohloff on my big bike and shimano Alfine on my commuter, so no derailleurs for me!

 

[jake133]

Why would you smash derailleurs? Maybe i have just been lucky but i have never smashed a deraileur. Just look for rocks in the trail and don't plow everything.

 

[MttyTee]

I generally hit something back there everytime I ride (rotor, derailleur, cable). Usually it's cosmetic only.

 

[DirtyMike]

Took out two xt's this year, one short cage, one medium rapid rise, moved up to Sram x9 now, havent had enough riding on it yet to see if its the brand, or if its just trail abuse. I will know next time i need to replace it.

 

[thejames]

never broken or bent a derailleur in 16 years of racing all kinds of bikes. i have mostly run shimano but i have one bike now with x9 and i have had 4 or 5 bikes with sram in the past. i prefer shimano as a mechanic but sram definately has a few good ideas. i like the shifters and the way the cable runs to the derailleur on sram but i think that shimano feels more refined and tends to shift smoother and a little faster.
my 2 cents

 

[dirttastesgood]

i have both SRAM and shimano and i must say i like the shimano more.

i've gone trhough 2-3 this year. an XT and an ultegra. XT was bent, and tweaked the ultegra a little, then the tube on my chainstay became unwrapped and it got pulled into the derailleur and i pedaled and cracked it. 105 works well at the moment.

i'm not a fan of the sram shifters, w/ the dual thumb levers. its kind of like 2-foot driving in a car, you can brake and shift up (or down?) at the same time. that, and i find the shimanos easier to use because you cant accidentally hit the shift lever while just holding the bar (you can with the new dual shimanos)

cause your a pvssy. jcook likes to take my idea's and make frakenstien der's. and since i switched to sram i've beaten the crap out of it and i'm still on it. unlike those damn shimano's

 

[gemini2k]

who are u people who have never broken a derailleur? Have you never ridden your first skinny? Never ridden through a rock garden? Never crashed in a rock garden? Never crashed above 5mph?

 

[thejames]

i have been racing mountain bikes since 1992 and downhill since '98 all but the first year have been at the expert level, maybe i am just lucky, but that is a lot of luck. i think part of it is the persons riding style, i do not plow through obstacles. i don't crash very often, but when i do, it is usually pretty spectacular. maybe the derailleur gods just know that i have to pay for a kid instead of a broken derailleur.

 

[Rip]

1, usually 0.

 

[greenhood]

I don't trash derailleurs, just lots of hangers.

 

[MtnbikeMike]

who are u people who have never broken a derailleur? Have you never ridden your first skinny? Never ridden through a rock garden? Never crashed in a rock garden? Never crashed above 5mph?

Just pick the right lines and don't plow and you're golden

 

[Red Bull]

i have been racing mountain bikes since 1992 and downhill since '98 all but the first year have been at the expert level, maybe i am just lucky, but that is a lot of luck. i think part of it is the persons riding style, i do not plow through obstacles. i don't crash very often, but when i do, it is usually pretty spectacular. maybe the derailleur gods just know that i have to pay for a kid instead of a broken derailleur.

I agree. I know people who go through upwards of 25 sram derailluers a year, yet I have ruined 2 in my lifetime, simply because of sticks getting stuck in my spokes. It has alot to do with riding style.

 

[jonKranked]

I agree. I know people who go through upwards of 25 sram derailluers a year, yet I have ruined 2 in my lifetime, simply because of sticks getting stuck in my spokes. It has alot to do with riding style.

you also broke a manitou fork this year

 

[DhDork]

I've bent 5 so far at the Parallelogram. I also haven't really ridden in the last 2 months, so I'm sure I would have gone through atleast 1, maybe 2 more. I have a tendency to bend more because of the 24" wheel that my old Big**** frame had to have. That and I live in AZ, and there is a TON of rocks that are just aiming for it.