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Sorry for going over ground that's already been ridden.
I'm currently running a 2x9 setup 38/28 11/34 which is in need of a bit of tlc. It's that time of the year to look at swapping out the worn items.
I vary rarely use the double anymore and took the advantage of purchasing a 32t n/w chainring from superstar before Christmas with the intention of using it with a 11/36 cassette. In doing so I would lose my lowest gear, but hey I'm getting stronger anyway.
A quick browse on chainreaction, it seems that 9spd items are slightly more pricey than 10spd items (9spd cassette is slightly cheaper).
I can get a zee shifter for £15, although I don't know how well they shift.
SLX 10 spd cassette for £25
SLX shadow + for £33 or deore shadow+ for £28.
+ chain
These are considered as entry level components, but how well do they work? Over the last 10 years I've only used XT shifters (the shifters are 10 years old), mechs and cassette.
How do the newer lower end components compare to the components available 10 years ago? Will I notice any difference enough for it to bother me?
I don't want to spend money on premium parts as I'm planning on switching to 11spd when XT goes to 11. But I do need to replace the worn out parts.
Please share you experiences of running lower end components.
Thanks,
Andrew
Don't think you'll go far wrong with SLX. Tends to be the same as XT but slightly heavier.
Zee shifters shift excellently.
SLX works very well too. I suspect more crisply than decade old XT. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
I just went from 8 year old X0 (3X9) to an XT / SLX mix and I'm very impressed.
Zee shifters are very good, especially at the CRC price. Mine is matched with a Zee rear mech with XT cassette and Hope expander. I have also used an 11/36 SLX cassette which works just as well.
Hey, I just did exactly this a couple of days ago, except I bought an xt cassette which was only 30ish quid to give me the option of running a 42 tooth range expander which is possible but harder with an slx cassette and a hacksaw!
First ride yesterday, 13 miles, 1400 feet of climbing. shifting was fine with the zee shifter up to the 36 and to my surprise I didn't really miss the lowest gears and it's pretty hilly here (edge of exmoor) I have put an e*thirteen 42 cog on but haven't got it adjusted right yet, I actually didn't really need it yesterday anyway, 32/36 felt plenty low enough for 90 mins. Think the 42 will be reserved for a knackered legs bail out gear.
The bike is lighter. I've worried before about losing those lower gears but my budget didn't stretch to a whole new 2x10 groupset and I reasoned I've been climbing almost everything off road here on a cross bike with a 36/30 lowest gear so...........
I'm definitely gone from 1x10 sceptic to convert
I've got zee and xt 10 speed shifters on my bikes and I prefer the zee ones.
Also got slx shadow + on one bike and its been faultless.
You might also want to try a zee mech. I find they work nicely too.
Hi Andy.
When my bike drivetrain destroyed itself in the peaks and I decided to go 1x10, it cost me about £125 all in. That was for a n/w chainring, bolts, new chain, new casette, zee mech and zee shifter. The chain was bog standard Shimano, the cassette SLX. The chainring was a racface, I think you can get superstar ones for less now. I've just bought a new zee mech for £40 on wiggle, so I know you can get them for that there. With more careful shopping around I think you'll be able to get all new components for not much over a ton........
Edit, think I spent around £130 including the range adaptor
TBH there isn't a bad Shimano 10-speed part (well- I wouldn't have XTR shifters in my garage, they're horrible, but ymmv 😉 )
If you can it's worth clicking a few shifters on people's bikes- the quality's not an issue but different models do feel different. I love the feel of the saint shifters and they're still pretty affordable but there's certainly no need.
Thanks for the input guys.
I'm going to order the zee shifter, I'll have hunt around for the best deals for the other stuff.
@ ceepers If I go for the range adapter, why will it not work with a SLX cassette? But I suppose the extra 5ish quid, it's not going to break the bank.
@Danny I'll also look at the the zee mech as well.
I read somewhere that the zee mech doesn't play well with a range adapter, or is that old news and been sorted?
Thanks
Andrew
I'm pretty sure that the slx cassette is made up fewer individual rings than the xt one. To fit the range adapter you need to remove the 15 or 17 tooth cog and the spacer, with xt those are already separate so you just remove them, I think on the slx cassette removing one of them requires hacksaw ing it away from the rest of the block
http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/40t-t-rex-or-similar-with-slx-cassette
Ah, I see. I think if I could get away with removing the 11t cog I'd do that, seeing as I'll be going up to 32t chainring from a 28t. I prefer the closer ratios anyway.
asbrooks - Member
Ah, I see. I think if I could get away with removing the 11t cog I'd do that, seeing as I'll be going up to 32t chainring from a 28t. I prefer the closer ratios anyway.
POSTED 5 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST
This completely defeats the point, you have used a range expander to not expand you range and spent money to achieve nothing. You would have the same as an 11-36 with a smaller chainring.
I don't have any problems with a Zee mech and Hope 40t expander. The B bolt does need adjusting but I didn't find that problematic.
I don't think the 11t on the SLX can be dropped as it is threaded to accept the the lock ring, the 13 isn't.
It was just an idea. It's mostly flat around here, so don't really need an expander. Yet 😉
For days out in the mountains, I'll swap the chainring. For now.
Had exactly that setup for a while and it was OK, moved to an SLX shifter and was much better, then moved that all over to the HT and put (second hand) XTR on the big bike (about £30 extra spend over the SLX setup) and it is a completely different buttery shifting experience!
Just to be different.......but ive been looking at ways of getting a 36t rear for my lad. Turns out that crc do a 9spd 12-36 cassette for only £11.
That would be the cheapest way for you at the moment
It was just an idea. It's mostly flat around here, so don't really need an expander. Yet
For days out in the mountains, I'll swap the chainring. For now.
If you don't feel the need to have a chain device, you could just leave a granny ring on your chainset and change down by hand at the bottom of bigger climbs. This is a serious compromise, but worth considering. FWIW a n/w ring should dispense with the need for a chain device, I choose to run one as well because it is belt and braces security, doesn't add much weight and I've now got a single ring specific zee chainset.
You will find it harder work at first, but there is nothing I can't climb now that I could with a granny ring, except when fitness and strength issues intervene (ie technique-wise).
The simplicity is a real upside for me, the bike is easier to maintain.
@ transporter, if it was just a simple cassette swap!
@ Danny, Yeah, I was thinking of leaving the granny on. However knowing me I'll run it all of the time just as I do now.. 😆
I very rarely lose a chain, although now I've said that I'll be dropping it all the time.
I've taken off the front shifter, it was mud collector.
Merlin has 10% off orders over 100 until tonight I think.
[i]Ah, I see. I think if I could get away with removing the 11t cog I'd do that, seeing as I'll be going up to 32t chainring from a 28t. I prefer the closer ratios anyway. [/i]
But the 11t 'cog' isn't the same thickness as the 15/17t...
I'm running a 30t Hope front and a 40t Hope T-rex on a 1x10 setup. I've a Zee medium rear mech and needed a longer B screw (it came with the T-Rex). Works brill.
The Chain Reaction [url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-zee-1x10-speed-drivetrain-bundle/rp-prod126348 ]Shimano Zee 1x10 Speed Drivetrain Bundle[/url] looks like a good price (£118.45).
Even better if you have a code!!
That bundle looks pretty good although it might also necessitate some new chainring bolts as well.
Anything less that £130 is a reasonable expectation.
Also it is always nice to get everything in one box thus minimizing the retailer-courier cock up permutations.
asbrooks
The cassette i mentioned was 9spd which is the samenas you have now. It will give the 36t option that you required without much loss through the rest of the range.
Apart from the necessary replacement of the chain and ring up front(if it needs it) then it is just a simple cassette change 😀