[trailmike]

...I am looking to put a SRAM X9 groupset on my stripped apart Raleigh Talus 4.0. Why because Shimano Acera sucks!! On estimate how much will a group cost with possible Avid disk brakes? How does it compare to a shimano brand I'm thinking XT category.

Any thoughts, and is this a good idea?

 

[jonKranked]

x9 is good stuff for sure. might be a little on the pricey side for that level of bike. i might suggest checking out x.7 too. performance wise they are comparable, the main benefit of x.9 is that it is lighter. x.7 would be better priced.

also, i'd recommend shimano brakes over avids.

for a full grouppo (front & rear deraillers, cassette, chainrings, chain, shifters) you're looking probably around $400 - $500. another $150 or so for cranks, and then between $200 and $300 for brakes.

 

[trailmike]

Just went to the local shop and they are putting X7 on my Talus and it should be ready in two weeks. I am thinking about having an x9 rear derailleur, because you wanna do one better on that, but they'll give me a call this week.

 

[ingenio]

for brakes I would suggest the use of avid bb7 brakes matched with avid speed dial Ti 7 levers and quality cable/housings.
modulation, easy actuation, stopping power (180F/160R disks) at a fraction of a decent hydraulic set.
my 0.02.

 

[blindboxx2334]

x9 is good stuff for sure. might be a little on the pricey side for that level of bike. i might suggest checking out x.7 too. performance wise they are comparable, the main benefit of x.9 is that it is lighter. x.7 would be better priced.

also, i'd recommend shimano brakes over avids.

from what i was told, the x9 stuff is very similar to the x0 stuff.. just dont have the colors, carbon, and the cool ti bolts... not sure if this is 100% sure, but i dont see the x9 lacking anything in what the x0 has.. i plan on doing an x9 shifter/der combo on the big bike. cant wait to try out the clutch der..

and id also recommend shimano brakes over avid too.. being an avid guy for as long as i had my first mtb, starting off with my garbage BB7s (see below for more of that), i am finally making the switch over to shimano brakes and i dont think ill ever be looking back. some days im impressed by my code on my dj, and other days i hate it, it also felt like it took a while for it to brake in and give me the very little bit of modulation that i have.. i also cant get a consistent bleed on it to save my life (nor can my 2 other riding buddies who are HUGE avid heads).. ive bled it atleast 5 times, only to make it feel slightly better than it did before..

my buddy bought a dj from another one of my friends who doesnt really ride anymore and it came with the new SLX or XT brakes on it (i dont remember), and while it didnt have more outright power (of course i knew it wouldnt), the modulation is MUCH better on his bike.. so i imagine when i put my saints on, theyll feel like that but with more powaaa

oh and btw im piecing mine together with zee levers to save some monies, mr kranked if you have a different suggestion on shimano levers (xt, xtr, etc), i am all ears.. i had someone explain to me why people prefer zee, xt, and xtr levers with the new saint calipers, but it didnt make any sense to me..

'its more of a preference in feel'...?

for brakes I would suggest the use of avid bb7 brakes matched with avid speed dial Ti 7 levers and quality cable/housings.
modulation, easy actuation, stopping power (180F/160R disks) at a fraction of a decent hydraulic set.
my 0.02.

he's trying to upgrade to something nicer.. not replace crap with crap. i had a bb7 on my first DJ and hated it.

the technology for hydraulic brakes has gotten so much better over the last 5 years, i honestly dont even know why they make mechanical disk brakes anymore.. lol

.02

edit:
also worth noting that the codes i have are NOT taperbore, my 2 buddies both have elixir 5s, and can get their stuff bled properly sometimes. they also have issues with bleeding some avid brakes that they bleed at the shop they work at, but they tell me they have no problem with shimano stuff (and then they proceed to talk sh!t about shimano.. lol)

so if you must get avid brakes, i say get the new stuff..

edit 2:
damn this is long! lol
dont worry about answering my question in here jon (im sure you were just soooo eager to read my book that i wrote and then answer my question), im just gonna make another thread..

 

[jonKranked]

from what i was told, the x9 stuff is very similar to the x0 stuff.. just dont have the colors, carbon, and the cool ti bolts... not sure if this is 100% sure, but i dont see the x9 lacking anything in what the x0 has..

x9 is the previous gen x0 (or at least it used to be, not sure if that still holds true), with maybe fewer carbon bits. trickle down approach. they would redesign x0, the old x0 would become x9, the old x9 would become x7, etc.

oh and btw im piecing mine together with zee levers to save some monies, mr kranked if you have a different suggestion on shimano levers (xt, xtr, etc), i am all ears.. i had someone explain to me why people prefer zee, xt, and xtr levers with the new saint calipers, but it didnt make any sense to me..

i know on the older stuff you could mix n match between xt, saint, and xtr. not sure if it still holds true (but i think it does). i have first gen saints with same gen xt levers on my dh bike and really like it. my only experience with any of the new stuff is the new xt brakes, and i really really like those.

 

[blindboxx2334]

yeah, i was blown away by my buddies slx/xt brake.. granted its got some sh!tty 140 'wavelite' rotor on it that fades faster then amy winehouse did. but i still liked the power and modulation before it got hot.. it also doesnt help that we go find the steepest hills in sf and go bomb with just a rear brake

 

[jonKranked]

i'm not using those ice-tech rotors either, just older style shimano rotors. i'd honestly say they're on par with the first gen saints i have in terms of overall power (the first gen saints when they were single piston calipers)

 

[jonKranked]

fwiw i know some really fast guys racing DH on slx and zee brakes. i'm considering a set of zee's myself.

 

[blindboxx2334]

hmmm, i looked into those zees, but i keep going back to the hybrid setup the more and more i think about it. its really not much more than the zees (believe it or not), so i was just gonna spring for the little bit nicer stuff cause imma sucker like that.. we'll see what happens though. if i can get the zees at a better price than what i can find now, i might just go for those guys

oh and thanks for the help btw, i appreciate it!

 

[jonKranked]

yea, the price difference between zee & saint is way smaller than say, xt and xtr. but i just bought a house, and the price difference between zee and saint is enough for a lift ticket.

 

[blindboxx2334]

well right now, the best 'deal' im finding right now for a pair of saints is about 500 bucks, while the zee is 300 for the pair.. the m820 calipers im finding are brand new for about 100/per

and yeah, when you buy a house you gotta think like that, otherwise you may not be able to keep it!