Wireless or mechanical?

[Reinardt van Heerden]

I currently ride the Shimano xt on my mtb, but looking for an upgrade. I really like the way the new sram derailleurs sit on the bike without a hanger, looks very clean and sturdy. I dont want to buy the newest axs models. Should I go for the mechanical sram eagle 90? Stick to xt or get an xtr? or go for the xx1 axs?

[MarcoDeS]

3 hours ago, Reinardt van Heerden said:

I currently ride the Shimano xt on my mtb, but looking for an upgrade. I really like the way the new sram derailleurs sit on the bike without a hanger, looks very clean and sturdy. I dont want to buy the newest axs models. Should I go for the mechanical sram eagle 90? Stick to xt or get an xtr? or go for the xx1 axs?

XT is very nice, why do you think you need to upgrade? Or is it just a nice to have upgrade you’re thinking of? 

[Reinardt van Heerden]

2 minutes ago, MarcoDeS said:

XT is very nice, why do you think you need to upgrade? Or is it just a nice to have upgrade you’re thinking of? 

Honestly a very good derailleur, I just don’t like the derailleur hanger concept. Mine bent 2 times now, that why I’m considering an eagle 90

[MORNE]

I can tell you that yes, it will “look nicer”, but you’ll be left utterly disappointed by the shifting performance going from XT to GX 90 mechanical imo. I honestly feel the normal eagle GX shifts better than the 90.

Almost all the reviews support my opinion too. 

I kind of feel Sram rushed 90 to the market after the industry imploded and they quickly realised not all of us want superficial, overly expensive, electronic stuff on our mountain bikes.  

Then, there is nothing wrong with the hanger concept and its purpose as a sacrificial part on especially a mtb. How on earth did we make it through the past few decades??

I personally have only ever bent one in a fall that had the mech hit the trail. I replaced the hanger and the mech was fine for years after that. 

Also, you are considering transmissionn, that means your bike is UDH and uses the sram UDH hanger. They are plenty strong, and i swear you can buy one at McDonalds probably, they are available anywhere. 

There are stronger, blingy-er versions available too from Burgtec etc if you really are bending them as you claim.

But it sounds more like you have upgradetitus and WANT a sram fix if you ask me😇 this is valid too…i get it. Just dont do it blidly, try it out first. As slready mentioned. XT is working class hero, the gold standard against which value vs performance gets benchmarked for a reason. XT is rock n roll.

PS: XX1 axs also wont solve your hate for the hanger either. 

[Sepia]

Don't see a reason for this "upgrade" unless the Christmas bonus is burning a hole in you pocket.

[thebob]

As Morne says. If your bike has UDH, get a Burgtec or other billet hanger. If you are riding a Trek with the ABP suspension I have a North Shore Billet hanger I am not using #JustSaying

[Paul Ruinaard]

Eish the fun sponges are out. Dont rain on the man's parade. He has done all the shopping and the upgrade bug has bit. he has visualised his bike with the new hanger and shifters....

You arent saying 11 speed or 12 so check out your rear hub for compatibility but if you have 12 already then its not an issue as your rear hub will be able to do a 12 speed cluster. 

Electronic wireless aka SRAM is marvelous and extremely simple to fit. the 12 speed upgrade kits are quite cheap as well if you are aleady in the 12 speed world. 

[openmind]

So this might sound odd, but hear me out. The best shifting on the planet (speed, accuracy, reliability) is XTR. What makes it so is the cassette (many more ramps than XT) and the chain. Also of course, a functional XT or XTR derailleur, shifter and nice clean cables and casings that run in as close as a straight line as possible. So to fix your spend urge and get a serious improvement in shift performance and lose a few 100g in the process get a new XTR cassette and chain & cable and casing. Yes the cassette is pricey, but I had one last me four years. Thank me later. 

[Jimmy 2.0]

shimano is the best bang for buck in my opinion. just look at the price you pay for shimano xt cassette and chain vs sram 

 

[IvanvRooyen]

I just switched to the Eagle 90 and I find it incredible. 

[dave303e]

I will never go back to mechanical shifter ever. I have abused and abused the gx AXS and it just keeps shifting perfectly. Packing it in and out of a box at adventure racing world champs it took abuse, then at silk road we had a 30km hike a bike section(read drag your bike up through a kloof over a 4000m summit)

The bike, the derailleur everything took abuse, both are covered in scars from that. We crossed a river about 30 times that day. For the 1200km of riding after that it still shifted perfectly.
Batteries were still going 2 full days of riding except when it got really cold but sleeping with them in my sleeping bag with all other batteries made them last longer. 

My bike still has it's original hanger, the derailleur protects itself as promised. It also just keeps shifting like a dream. 

 

Thats my 2c and my opinion, I have put off buying a gravel bike for months now because I won't buy another bike without electric shifting...