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Just bent my 2nd mech in a short period of time putting an end to the weekend's riding 🙁 Solution's either a pinion box, stronger mech or just live with the fact I'm replacing £50 mechs more often than the inner cables!
Spot the difference.
I've got an SLX shadow+ spare at home which was destined for the hardtail project but was wondering if zee was actualy any different asside form the short cage. Looking at the pics the only difference I can see is the switch is gold, everything else looks identical! I might even try saint if it's definately tougher, i'll pass on zee if it's re-badged slx though.
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On a related note, how usefulll do you reckon it would be to file off say a third of the material off the back of the mech hanger (or even just file a slt in it to weaken it, seeing as it's clearly not doing it's job as the sacrificial link. I've checked it with the jig and despite outlasting 4 mechs ist's perfectly straight!
but was wondering if zee was actualy any different asside form the short cage
Nope. ZEE is the same as 2013 SLX, albeit with a short cage. My ZEE RD came with an SLX manual, and if you check the Shimano parts diagram, most of the parts are listed as 'compatible' between the two mechs.
Might be worth trying to weaken the hanger. Although the few hangers I've snapped normally end up munching the mech in the cassette instead.
WARNING!!!!! Weakening the hanger my cause you to die!!!!!! 😉
PS: the Zee mech does look nice. What's the capacity like?
11-28 or 11-36 depending on model
Hmmmm, wonder if it'll be any better then. Shorter lever twisting the mech i supose when it glances on a rock.
Why is saint so expensive, £105 for a mech! On the other hand if it is tougher it might be worth it it if lasts just 2 months!
I've bent 3 mechs this summer, and I've not even ridden that much, it's been pretty much one mech for each trip somewhere rocky! The only times I've not broken one have been when riding the pitch round boring trail like Cannock where gears/suspension werent needed but it was the only bike in thge car!
Is this why I can't find the new SLX with a short or mid cage, The Zee is basically what you fit if you need a short cage tough mech?
The cage on the Zee looks much better for taking impact than the SLX.
there's a 'mid' cage SLX RD-M675-GS, they just refer to it as , and the 'long' as 'super long.
SGS - 'super long cage' (SRAM long)
GS - 'long cage' (SRAM medium)
SS - 'short cage' (SRAM Short)
The difference in names comes from Shimano's road background and SRAM started on mountainbikes. So on a road bike the GS is long enough for a touring bike or tripple chainset (and long enough for some 3x10 hardtail combinations). Short being only useable on single ring setups and only on some cassettes, most (road mechs) only work on 11-28, only the 'freeride' spec Zee works with 11-32 and the Saint has a switch to swap between 11-28 and 11-36.
Will the Zee do 2x10 ok, It's not 1x10 specific is it? I want a short as possible tough mech as I keep ****ing mine off rocks too, had to buy a new mech in Morzine for to a price that still pains me to think about.
I wouldn't run a short cage mech if you're running two rings at the front. It won't be able to take up the slack in the chain, your chain will probly come off all the time or if you run the chain too short to prevent this it'll strain the spring in the mech and send it all the way round eventually (mech is then ruined). Although maybe the new clutch mech thing might be better for this?
You can't. The shortest mech that will run a 2x10 is a GS cage.
Cool, glad I asked before I ordered. Cheers for the lesson guys much appreciated.