Thoughts On SAINT
- Thread starter WhoRyder
- Start date
I love the brakes. I love the cranks. I have 2 sets of both, tho not the '09 stuff. Supposedly its lighter and better.
edit: about the brakes, they've got plenty of power, ample modulation, not sure about the exact weight, but they're not tanks. Price wise I'd say they're the best bang for the buck, and its also pretty easy to get replacement parts for them.
I would keep your sram stuff unless you have regularly bust deraillers.
edit: about the brakes, they've got plenty of power, ample modulation, not sure about the exact weight, but they're not tanks. Price wise I'd say they're the best bang for the buck, and its also pretty easy to get replacement parts for them.
I would keep your sram stuff unless you have regularly bust deraillers.
I would get new cranks for sure, but keep your codes unless you're really dissatisfied. The codes I've felt were very solid and easily adjustable. I don't think there's an inherent advantage to running saints. They're still split caliper, two piston setup. If your codes are really that bad, then swap, but it seems to me like you'd be moving laterally rather than up.
I don't see any reason to swap shifters unless yours are not pretty enough. Replace them when they break.
I don't see any reason to swap shifters unless yours are not pretty enough. Replace them when they break.
So far the heavy duty spring in the rear derailleur doesn't have any noticable difference over XT, and the shifting still isn't as crisp and quick as X9. I'd keep your shifter and derailleur. Can't comment on any of the other stuff.
The new saint brakes have more bite and more power than codes I felt. My finely calibrated hands would rate them as 10-12% more powerful.
The lever pivot position and lever blade shape are nicer on the codes however (as with all avid brakes), the new saints are quite far out.
Anyone else who has tried both brakes have an opinion on the power? Curious to see if others' experiences are the same as mine.
The lever pivot position and lever blade shape are nicer on the codes however (as with all avid brakes), the new saints are quite far out.
Anyone else who has tried both brakes have an opinion on the power? Curious to see if others' experiences are the same as mine.
don't get the cranks. IMO they haven't really gone through that much of weight savings compared to last year, Incl BB the 170mm 1 Ring Saint w/ bash is 1060g. It used to be a tad less than 1200g so where talking about a weight savings of 12% or .31 lbs
the brakes look very promising and would give you more modulation which shimano's servo wave tech and the stronger return spring on the new shimano Rd would be worst looking into...I personally find you can't feel the sram clicks when shifting as much as the shimano's
the brakes look very promising and would give you more modulation which shimano's servo wave tech and the stronger return spring on the new shimano Rd would be worst looking into...I personally find you can't feel the sram clicks when shifting as much as the shimano's
I like the new saints. More so the cranks and brakes. The drivetrains arent anything that special. The body of the rear derailer is a little tougher, but it still feels just like an XT. I Prefer Sram for shifting on my bikes, Much cleaner and crisper.
im pretty sure you can get 6 bolt shimano rotors. i saw em on chainreactioncycles. they may come stock with splined though.
Find another place you can save 1/3 of a pound (or a 1/2 pound off the profiles). They are: tires, fork, ti spring, maaaybe wheels depending on what you're running. I'd say that's pretty significant.
You could just use the avid rotors on your bike now.. unless you plan on selling them or something.
Yup. You can get the standard 6 bolt. I've also run a Saint brake with a hayes rotor with no problems.
Theoreticly, the Saint brakes should have more ramping up feeling like the Elixir, as the different sized pistons come out slightly different providing more power increase as the ever comes in.
You could get Elixir leves for your codes. I'm trying this now.
I don't doubt that the Shimannos are a better brake, I just managed to get the Avids cheaper, and I'm guessig they're lighter, by choice I'd probably had got the Saints.
I'd keep your profiles, get a Ti spindle if you want to save weight, but as mentioned, save weight somewhere more important like wheels.
I'd also just stick with Sram shifting.
both shimano/sram have though of a way of increasing the ramp up in their own different ways: Shimano uses the lever pivot displacement with their servo wave when sram uses the bore system of the MC do achieve something similar
I tried the new saint derailleur. Sucked into the hype.
Did not like it at all.
I could not get the thing set up properly, even with the limit screws backed all the way out on both hi and low i could not get it to shift all 9 gears, best i could get was 8. Im no n00b either and know how to work on bikes. Why would they design something with the hi / low limits so close to the ends of the 1st and 9th gear? And the tension is held by the chain. Finally, i bent the thing first ride, the cage got mangled. Frankly i hated it and wasted good money on it.
Went back to my old trusty 3 year old m952 xtr, no worries.
Did not like it at all.
I could not get the thing set up properly, even with the limit screws backed all the way out on both hi and low i could not get it to shift all 9 gears, best i could get was 8. Im no n00b either and know how to work on bikes. Why would they design something with the hi / low limits so close to the ends of the 1st and 9th gear? And the tension is held by the chain. Finally, i bent the thing first ride, the cage got mangled. Frankly i hated it and wasted good money on it.
Went back to my old trusty 3 year old m952 xtr, no worries.
another very happy user of the
original Saint Cranks and Brakes
if that is anything to go by, the new models will be very good
Im especially happy with the original brakes especially with
goodridge lines and goodridge sintered pads, they have been bomb proof
providing great feel and power.
original Saint Cranks and Brakes
if that is anything to go by, the new models will be very good
Im especially happy with the original brakes especially with
goodridge lines and goodridge sintered pads, they have been bomb proof
providing great feel and power.
DO IT!
New toys, lighten things up, and you can keep spare parts if you like to do stuff like that!
(Ill buy your Straitline levers if that winds up an option!! - already have the codes!)
New toys, lighten things up, and you can keep spare parts if you like to do stuff like that!
(Ill buy your Straitline levers if that winds up an option!! - already have the codes!)
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Agreed. Mine installed like any other derailleur I have ever used. Sounds like a fluke to me.
i just rode a 09 giant glory dh w/saint and the brakes are super powerful, so much i don't think i would need 200mm front rotor (the back was 180). but i was surprised that i liked my clapped out x9 better. sram has a more positive shift and the derailleur was loud; it slaps on the gold tab.
i would get the cranks for SURE....they are sick.....
but your code breaks are fine, and i'm pretty sure they're lighter than the saints.....
X9 works fine too, so unless your stuff is beat, and you're curious about something more durable(but heavier) then keep the X9.....
but your code breaks are fine, and i'm pretty sure they're lighter than the saints.....
X9 works fine too, so unless your stuff is beat, and you're curious about something more durable(but heavier) then keep the X9.....
If you're looking for an upgrade, I'd recommend the dura-ace mechs. I've been running the 7800-SS (short) for the last two years and a tonne of races, and it has been great.
I changed over from a 952 of many years, and the dura-ace is lighter, gives snappier shifts thanks to a much stiffer spring, and the shorter cage stays out of the way. Pretty much an improvement in every way. Rollamajig makes it perfect.
I have Saint on everything I own.
Morewood DJ: Saint cranks/brakes.
Yeti 303: Cranks and soon the 2009 stoppers
Nomad: Cranks and brakes.
Titus Moto-lite: Cranks and stoppers.
They are the best, easy to work on, easy to find parts, and they work like champs.
Morewood DJ: Saint cranks/brakes.
Yeti 303: Cranks and soon the 2009 stoppers
Nomad: Cranks and brakes.
Titus Moto-lite: Cranks and stoppers.
They are the best, easy to work on, easy to find parts, and they work like champs.
Hi,
The cranks are sick (09 ) as for the rest not sure.
LBJ
The cranks are sick (09 ) as for the rest not sure.
LBJ
Rode the new Saint for a day this summer, and liked it alot. What I especialy noticed was the brakes. Holy cow, those babies are powerful! I rode'em on a 09 Kona Supreme DH. The brakes have the best bite and modulation I've ever tested. (I've got both the old saints and Avids on my own bikes). For the rest of the parts I didn't notis it much. That means it works good I guess.
Personally I wouldn't made Saint my first pick due to it's somewhat hi weigth. I'm a weenie I know
Personally I wouldn't made Saint my first pick due to it's somewhat hi weigth. I'm a weenie I know
Worrying about weight on a DH bike makes about as much sense to me as worrying your O2 mask doesn't work on a jet plane going into a mountain side.
non sense, where have you been for the last 5 years, under a rock???
That being said there's other, better places to shed some weight off your bike.The new Saints are amazing and I wouldnt hesitate for a second running them on my bike.
I have only ridden the cranks and they are amazing. Fairly light, strong as hell, and easy to install/remove. Go for the cranks Dave!
def. getting cranks...... i'm on the fence with the brakes... keeping my Sram Drivetrain...
The new mech feels good, but the shifter doesn't, feel "cheap" somehow, and hard to change gears, not pressed(on a showq bike on the Shimano stand, local bike show)
I agree, I'm not a fan of the Saint shifter either. I reckon the Saint derailleur and a M970 XTR shifter would be the way to go. I run a M770 XT shifter with a Saint derailleur but wish I had the XTR...