SLX or XT - worth saving money here?

[rudi-h]

Replacing a stolen bike with a partial insurance payout, so shopping around for the best deals on good quality bits that I can find.

 

Groupset wise it seems that a full SLX 2 x 11 groupset is going for ~R3500 cheaper than a 1 X 11 XT based on a few quotes I got...

 

Is XT worth the extra cash, or should I rather use this money towards a fork/wheels?  My feeling is that wheels and a better fork will improve my ride more than what I'll get with a more expensive groupset?

 

I had a full XT bike before so know what XT feels like, just not sure if I'll be saving in the wrong place if I go the SLX route.

[Paul Ruinaard]

Yes - SLX is much cheaper and often it is just the badge. SLX =last years XT.

 

I have seen it many time. Cranks, Brakes, Shifters etc.

[lerouc]

I went m8000 a month ago coming from previous gen XT and i am happy. I installed a M7000 on a friends bike yesterday and the XT just feels a bit better.

 

I read a review a while ago on bike radar or some site where they said they only real difference between the two is the weight which is not significant.

 

From look and feel the XT is better, i did not ride my buddy's bike so cannot comment on how the SLX performs. If i had XT and now had to put SLX on i would not be very happy and i would always be keeping my eye out to upgrade again.

 

I bought my XT groupo just after brexit from CRC and i paid less for my 1x upgrade kit than my buddy did for his SLX upgrade kit from CWC on of their one day only sales.

[shaper]

Nothing wrong with SLX, as you say put the money into fork and wheels which is where you will benefit the most.  As parts wear out you can replace with XT should you wish if finances dictate.

[DJR]

Nothing wrong with SLX, as you say put the money into fork and wheels which is where you will benefit the most.  As parts wear out you can replace with XT should you wish if finances dictate.

This!

[madbradd]

I still don't understand how 1x can be more expensive than 2x.

 

I also never really understand the whole "slx is last years xt" when on 10 speed systems the only "change" to the group sets was the introduction of the clutch derailleur..... Certainly not 5 iterations of and entire groupset from 2010 to 2015. Yes trickle down technology from one generation to the next, and weight saving comes from material changes and more precise machining.

 

For my money I'd probably go for the SLX bike and ask for an XT shifter and RD off the bat. I upgraded my 10 speed bike from slx to XT (shifters and crank at the time of purchase, and then from Avid brakes to XT later), and doing it again I would upgrade the shifters (cos it is a cheap upgrade), leave the slx crank as I don't think that made much difference, and if the bike came with slx brakes I'd leave them but make sure I had ice-tech rotors. That way you get the better shifting of XT, are not paying the big cost of the crank and brakes for a small weight saving and an adjustment feature you probably won't use.

[PhilipV]

I'd rather ride an SLX bike with better wheels and a better fork, than an XT bike with heavier/weaker forks and wheels. 

If you want crisp shifting, the shifters are as important as the derailleur.

Crank wise there is much of a muchness between XT and SLX.

The performance of XT and SLX brakes are very close to each other, I'd save money here. 

[Fox3]

SLX will be just fine.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I'd rather ride an SLX bike with better wheels and a better fork, than an XT bike with heavier/weaker forks and wheels. 

If you want crisp shifting, the shifters are as important as the derailleur.

Crank wise there is much of a muchness between XT and SLX.

The performance of XT and SLX brakes are very close to each other, I'd save money here. 

This, though I'd say the shifter is more important than the derailleur. 

 

But no, nothing wrong with SLX at all. It's the workhorse of the Shimano range. It's extremely versatile, well built, not that much heavier than XT and almost half the price, depending on where you look.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

 

 

My feeling is that wheels and a better fork will improve my ride more than what I'll get with a more expensive groupset

 

 

100% correct. 

[slickjay007]

Myles did you quote from the Shimano brochure?

 

"nothing wrong with SLX at all. It's the workhorse of the Shimano range. It's extremely versatile, well built, not that much heavier than XT"

 

hahahahah

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Myles did you quote from the Shimano brochure?

 

"nothing wrong with SLX at all. It's the workhorse of the Shimano range. It's extremely versatile, well built, not that much heavier than XT"

 

hahahahah

LOL. No, and I'm an SRAM fan. 

[Tatt]

I'd go SLX, especially on the drive train. My XT M8000 is done after only 4000km since January.

 

Tom

[dirtypot]

I fitted an SLX 1x on Friday - my opinion is that it's just as good and crisp as the XT.  The only noticeable difference is the lack of multiple downshifts with a longer press of the lever as the XT does, so with SLX it only goes down one gear for each click.  But then you could always get the XT shifter and SLX everything else if that was a problem for you.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I fitted an SLX 1x on Friday - my opinion is that it's just as good and crisp as the XT.  The only noticeable difference is the lack of multiple downshifts with a longer press of the lever as the XT does, so with SLX it only goes down one gear for each click.  But then you could always get the XT shifter and SLX everything else if that was a problem for you.

That's what I'd do. XT everything else is just a waste of money, IMO

[JXV]

look up the differences on the specifications listing on si.shimano.com

There is a 3MB pdf you can download with all specs.

 

Very little weight difference except for crankset and cassette.

 

XT shifters have slightly improved feel due to use of bearings instead of bushes and the double downshift and max 4 upshifts per stroke. SLX M7000 has only the single downshift and max 3 upshifts.

 

On 10spd SLX the double downshift could be enabled by removing a moulded tab inside the shifter cover. i.e. this functionality was deliberately disabled on SLX.

 

On the brakes, XT has bite point adjustment. This was not very effective on the M785 series, dunno about M8000.

 

On the brake discs, although interchangeable the standard discs for XT are ice-tec with steel/alu sandwich (RT-86) vs steel only (RT-76) for SLX. This makes a big difference in performance and if buying a full groupset that includes discs, you sometimes get lower spec discs or smaller sizes that you don't want.

 

In general, XT parts sometimes have better sealing, bearings instead of bushes, more corrosion resistant metals and better finish. Otherwise very similar.

 

 

 

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