Shimano- Gear Selection

[CP Kloppers]

Hi All

 

I am still new here (and to MTB) so some advice please.. I am looking to upgrade the gears on my bike, they seem to be the weakest link... The question is:

 

1. What is the range of gears Shimano make.. XT XTR etc and from worst to best what is out there..? Sort of a hierarchy...

 

2. The second part of the question.... Is it wort the money to upgrade or to save for a better bike.. Current bike is a Silverback Saturn (upgraded from a OLD Alpine..)

 

Any advice will be welcome !

[braailegend]

Weakest link? Do they break, or dont work?

 

Xtr best

Saint(somewhere between here... For extreme riding)

Xt

Zee (somewhere between here... For extreme riding)

Slx

Deore

Rest of them

[shaun85]

Have a look at www.shimano.com. It ranges from top to bottom in hierachy of quality. Your shifting will improve and you will lose some weight on your bike, but it will be a costly experience.

[Antoo]

It often helps to ride what you have and hold on with the upgrades until you can feel the difference.

Reward yourself for being on the bike for X months, reaching goal weight etc.

 

Too little time in the saddle and too many upgrades are a common imbalance......

[CP Kloppers]

Weakest link? Do they break, or dont work?

 

Xtr best

Saint(somewhere between here... For extreme riding)

Xt

Zee (somewhere between here... For extreme riding)

Slx

Deore

Rest of them

 

The work but not as efficintly as I would hope.. Shifts take up to 5 or 10 seconds... SOme times if I shift nothing happens so I shift again and then it shifts one gear...

[Helpmytrap]

The work but not as efficintly as I would hope.. Shifts take up to 5 or 10 seconds... SOme times if I shift nothing happens so I shift again and then it shifts one gear...

That's most likely caused by your shifter cables that have stretched over time. It's a job that would take a maximum of 1min to fix.

[cadenceblur]

http://thesoiledchamois.blogspot.com/2009/02/mountain-bike-group-sets-beginners.htmlCheck out this link

[CP Kloppers]

That's most likely caused by your shifter cables that have stretched over time. It's a job that would take a maximum of 1min to fix.

 

Ok, thanks... Will take the bike to the local bike shop to have it fixed... What can I excpect to pay for a upgrade fro deore to XT... is it in the range of R1000 or R10 000 ? (As I say a newbee)

[braailegend]

Buying new drive train, usually not the best/economic option. As when you are going to sell your bike one day, its not going increase the price much.

 

From what I can deduce, it is a minor problem of gears just not tuned in and maybe not lubed. Even the most expensive gears wont shift right when not well kept.

 

Xt does not shift better than say a Deore groupset, it only weighs less and looks better.

 

As for price:

Here is a nice deal on SLX at evobikes at the moment.

http://www.evobikes....e-groupset.html

 

And Xt:

http://www.evobikes.co.za/components/groupsets/2012-xt-groupset.html

Edited June 2, 2013 by braailegend

[CP Kloppers]

Buying new drive train, usually not the best/economic option. As when you are going to sell your bike one day, its not going increase the price much.

 

From what I can deduce, it is a minor problem of gears just not tuned in and maybe not lubed. Even the most expensive gears wont shift right when not well kept.

 

Xt does not shift better than say a Deore groupset, it only weighs less and looks better.

 

As for price:

Here is a nice deal on SLX at evobikes at the moment.

http://www.evobikes....e-groupset.html

 

And Xt:

http://www.evobikes....t-groupset.html

 

Hi

 

Thanks for the info, I will try and find a good bike shop to tune the gears the guys in Potchefstroom I have used are not experts in my humble opinion... Is there some kind of tutorial available to do this yourself ? Someting someone can remember posted on the forum ?

[Helpmytrap]

Ok, thanks... Will take the bike to the local bike shop to have it fixed... What can I excpect to pay for a upgrade fro deore to XT... is it in the range of R1000 or R10 000 ? (As I say a newbee)

If you take the bike to them in the morning when they open, they should be able to help you out on the spot.

Prices as per CWC.

Rear Derailleurs: I believe you have a 9 speed?

Deore 9spd: R600

SLX 9spd: R700

 

Shifters: Both front and rear derailleur.

Deore: R500

[Helpmytrap]

Read here on adjusting, same applies whether the barrel adjust is on the derraileur or shifter.

http://bicycleswest.com/how-to/how-to-adjust-your-rear-derailleur-pg120.htm

[braailegend]

 

 

Hi

 

Thanks for the info, I will try and find a good bike shop to tune the gears the guys in Potchefstroom I have used are not experts in my humble opinion... Is there some kind of tutorial available to do this yourself ? Someting someone can remember posted on the forum ?

 

Have a look around on youtube, there is a nice one showing step by step tuning (How i tought myself) not at PC now to get link, but a quick google search will get it.

 

And since they are already out of tune, not much worse you can do, haha

Edited June 2, 2013 by braailegend

[akneethling]

 

 

Xt does not shift better than say a Deore groupset, it only weighs less and looks better.

 

Really? I beg to differ. There is a difference in shifting from lower end to top end shimano....... and in my experience....... a big one

[gummibear]

XT brakes and the rest SLX.....if your budget allows go full XT.

XTR for a beginner or weekend rider is a waste of money.

[rouxtjie]

XTR shifters

XT DR's

XT crank

XT / SLX brakes

 

sorted