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Submitted by
Carl Mare
a Cross Country Rider
from Nelspruit, South Africa
Date Reviewed: November 10, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Smooth shifts, accurate. Strong enough for me. | | Weaknesses: | A bit more pricey than corresponding SRAM-products. | | Similar Products Used: | SRAM PG950, PG970, PG980. | | Bike Setup: | Raleigh Carbon hardtail, SRAM x9, Reba Race, Juicy 5, DT Swiss XR1540 | | Bottom Line: | Works well with good shifting. Light. Less expensive than the XTR. Shifts just as well. Does not have the lifespan of the XTR. Good for cross country racing. Buy it. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stan
a Cross Country Rider
from Sandy, Utah, USA
Date Reviewed: October 11, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Mid Mtn. Park City, Ut. | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$80.00 | | Purchased At: | Revolution Cycle | | Strengths: | 11 to 34 tooth cogs | | Weaknesses: | Expensive, my set broke after 11 months, no warranty | | Similar Products Used: | Deore 11-34, XT 11-32 | | Bike Setup: | Ventana X5 Spinergy wheels, XT shifters, XT Crank, XTR derailers, Chris King Head Set, Marz. Bomber and RP# | | Bottom Line: | Rode for 11 months, with all the good reports on this product I ended up with a lemon. A portion of the 3rd largest cog broke off, during a ride. Not sure when, noticed the shifting was funny, just thought I needed a derailer adjustment. Got home, cleaned the bike and noticed the broken cog. I dont consider myself a hard rider on equipment, most likely broke on one of the uphill sections. Guess I will try and find one on ebay, they are fairly expensive, I liked the 11-34 tooth cassette and not sure of any better or less expensive alternatives. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David Santillan
a Weekend Warrior
from philippines
Date Reviewed: September 29, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | urban, single track | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | extreme bikeshop | | Strengths: | weight, plating doen't easily chips off, four arm looks cool | | Weaknesses: | none!!!! | | Similar Products Used: | shimano lx cog set, sram 9.0 | | Bike Setup: | "01 santacruz bullit, marzocchi z150, raceface north shore DH XT all over... | | Bottom Line: | this cassette has been in service to me since oct of 2002... it has'nt failed me yet... i ride urban and trails... highly recommended... cheaper alternative to an xtr or an sram.... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jason
a
from Modesto, CA
Date Reviewed: January 13, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano LX | | Bottom Line: | Mine last about 6 months before you can see substantial wear on the teeth. That's probably more my fault because I prefer to torque on the tougher gears instead of shifting to the "correct" gear. I'm more than happy with the way it performs. The weight is good. Look on eBay and you can find them for around $55-$65. I'm sticking with this cassette forever. Knocking one chili off for value because they are a little expensive. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Adam Pippin
a
from Dallas, Texas
Date Reviewed: September 10, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Robber's Cave State Park | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$45.00 | | Purchased At: | Pricepoint | | Strengths: | Very lightweight, seems to last for me | | Weaknesses: | none, really- may be designed for lighter riders? | | Similar Products Used: | alivio 7 speed, LX 9 speed | | Bike Setup: | custom xc hardtail- drivetrain: LX crank, XT derailluers(9 speed), LX shifters, pc 99 chain | | Bottom Line: | I bought this cassette to replace my LX almost two years ago, and I used it on several mountain biking trips, and now I use it for commute to school. So far, I haven't really noticed a lot of wear, and I've ridden on it quite a bit. Maybe it lasts longer because I weigh 150? I use it with a SRAM PC 99 chain, which seem to work well together. Other than me not cleaning it often enough, it's been great. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ryan R
a Cross Country Rider
from Long Island, New York
Date Reviewed: April 25, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Dirt ones :) | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$42.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike Junkie | | Strengths: | Fairly Light; Compared to the LX Model
Decently Strong: Able to take a good beating while shifting
Durable: Have yet to bend a cog or round out the teeth
Shifts well: No bad skipping | | Weaknesses: | a Little on the heavy side but that is compared to the XTR, Picks up trail garbage really easy but what cassette dosen't in the fall with all the leaves down. Shifts well but sometimes I think the stock one that came with my bike (LX) shifted slightly better than the XT version. Some skipping but nothing too bad. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano LX and Sram X7 | | Bike Setup: | Specialized StumpJumper FSR XC Highly Modified! | | Bottom Line: | This is a good cassette I have experienced none of the things in some of the poor reviews for it. It is far durable than the XTR cassette that was on my buddies Fuel. The XTR is far lighter but much less durable than the XT. So I decided to use the XT version. Most of the pro riders use the XT version unless you do short track XC or World cup Racing. They can afford them when they strip them out but the common folks like us should use the XT for it's weight and durablity and price. Compared to the XTR version you could buy four of these for the price of one XTR!
As for the shifting it is good but sometimes I think my heavier LX did a better job of shifting than this one does. Sometimes my chain will skip under load but it only happens when I know I'm pushing way too bid of a gear up hill. As for the bottom line I belive the Shimano XT cassette is the better one on the market it is durable enough to survive out on the trail and it is light enough not to bog down the bike on that long climb. If your looking for a new cassette look to the XT for a good one if your a racer who only uses his bike to compete then look to the XTR for weight saving, but for durablity use the XT. The cogs teeth round out way too easy on the XTR and are known to bend very easy, some pro's have had this problem in the past. For a trail bike it's great and affordable expect to replace your cassette once a season if you ride religously like most mountain biker do and don't forget a new chain at least once to twice a season and you won't have any shifting problems PEACE! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
kent
a Cross Country Rider
from hong kong
Date Reviewed: April 5, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | agressive xc | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$38.00 | | Purchased At: | yuen long, lbs | | Strengths: | 1. best value
2. lightweight
3. choice of different cogs
4. fast changing gears even under heavy pedal
5. looks cool and shiny | | Weaknesses: | a little bit expensive | | Similar Products Used: | N/A | | Bike Setup: | 01 NRS1, 02 SID-sl, xt disc 6", mavic F519 with DT onyx hub
mainly xt drivetrain | | Bottom Line: | I weight 149lbs, and ride agressive xc with light downhill on this cassette with 1300km.
using at 9speed 11-34 cog set
It shift lighting fast and accurate even under heavy pedaling together with XT HG-93 chain(2003),XT rear derailleur(2002), LX shifters(2002)
Half the price of XTR cassette, 20grams something heavier than XTR. Why pay for double price if you aren't racing or just for 20grams weight saving?
Highly recommend for all around use.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
JaKo
a Weekend Warrior
from Truro, NS, Canada
Date Reviewed: April 1, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | the well known up and down variety | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | eBay | | Strengths: | Fairly light and great range. | | Weaknesses: | The cogs are very "sensitive" to the stuff we ride through -- twigs and sticks. Fortunately a scredriver and pliers would "fix" the bends ... | | Similar Products Used: | Deore, LX, SRAM | | Bike Setup: | MtB | | Bottom Line: | XT used to be a good value (before the 760). The 34 to 11 has a "big step" on 6-7th, which is OK for a causual rider, but I would like to see a bigger step on 1-2nd.
One day perhaps, we'd see an internal shifting and driveshaft instead of the chain and deraileurs ... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dan
a Weekend Warrior
from Marlborough, MA USA
Date Reviewed: December 28, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Vietnam | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Now that I'm looking for another one, I can't find a better value. Half the price for twice as long. | | Weaknesses: | OK, so I got a lemon. The 4th cog snapped w/ two pieces lying on the trail. Not sure yet if I can get the local shop to fix just that cog. Bummer because the cassette is near brand new. I'm in a new area of the country and its not worth sending it all back to the original bike shop.
I like the argument about 8sp vs. 9sp is a good one. 8 sp has bigger chain, bigger cogs, and who needs 27 speeds on a mountain bike? (Looks like I kinda got my wish for 8 spds) For that matter, the big up front 44 chain ring is just a bash guard anyway that eventually flats out all its teeth. So a 16 speed would be bulletproof.
Oops, back to the subject. The XT cassette shifts fine and have had no trouble w/ bent rings on my other bikes. The XTR cassette was even fine except for the big cog, but wore out quickly. Seems that if you can get through the break in, then these things will be reasonably reliable until they wear out. | | Similar Products Used: | XTR | | Bike Setup: | Cannondale Jekyll 3000SX Carbon
| | Bottom Line: | Looks like there is no better value out there. Even if money were no object, a Ti cassette w/ chronic bending and 20 miles to go is no use to anyone. For that matter, make it out of steel and market that it is a lot lighter than carrying 2 extra cassettes in your backpack. OK so 5 chili's for value and only 3 chili's until I find out I'm not going to break (bend is better than break) another cog w/ a new one. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nitish Nag
a Cross Country Rider
from Fremont, CA
Date Reviewed: December 19, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance Bike | | Strengths: | Durable, Cheap, Good looks, Great Shifts, | | Weaknesses: | Not as light as XTR, | | Similar Products Used: | XTR, Deore, LX | | Bike Setup: | 2003 Santa Cruz Blur, 2003 XTR with discs, Progressive 5th Element Air Shock, Easton Carbon Cockpit, eggbeaters SS, | | Bottom Line: | This the best value in the cassette market. Nothign beats the durablity and performance of the XT cogset at the price that it is offered at. Get this if you prize value and performance. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
adam
a Cross Country Rider
from kokomo, in, usa
Date Reviewed: September 3, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$45.00 | | Purchased At: | pricepoint.com | | Strengths: | performs well under regular riding conditions. changes gears when i need it to. looks good (when clean). | | Weaknesses: | a tad expensive and shifts a little loud at high cadence. maybe that is normal, this is my first cassette purchased seperate from the bike. | | Bike Setup: | EPX Terrashark frame, mostly XT drivetrain, easton bar and stem and marzoochi MX Pro fork | | Bottom Line: | it seem expensive for a cassette, but i have heard (and read) it is very durable. i hope i get my money's worth after a few thousand miles when i have to replace it instead of a few hundred miles | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Seth
a Weekend Warrior
from Seattle
Date Reviewed: August 25, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS/Online | | Strengths: | Good Wear. Smooth Shifting. Affordable. They have treated me well. | | Weaknesses: | The interface between the cassette and the free hub has slightly worn (deformed) on the cassette. Causing annoying amount of wiggle room which results in some rattling while coasting (but this cassette is two years old, and I ride hard, so I can live with this one (I have broken two sets of cranks during the life of this cassette)). This is probably due to the large amount of torque that I generate (since I use platform pedals). | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano LX, XT, lower grade IG and HG stuff (30 or 50 series) | | Bike Setup: | Steel Hard Tail Custom Ride. Built Strong w/ Old School Parts like Syncros, Race Face Cranks, Titec Hellbent Ti-Riser Bars and XT Front Derailleur & Front Hub. New school XTR shifters, V-brakes, Rear Hub and Derailleur. Chris King Headset. Marzocchi Z-1. | | Bottom Line: | I gave up my clipless pedals about 4 years ago for platforms (to accomodate the technical trails that were spouting up everywhere here on the NW Coast). I have noticed that this puts alot more strain on the drivetrain due to increased pedal pressure (read: no spinning). For this reason I have stuck with 8 speed components, because they are thicker and therefore stronger. I have been happy with the 8 sp XT cassettes. I am about to install my 4th one since 1996.
Change your chain periodically to reduce wear on your cassette. As the bushings (?) on the chain wear, the effective engagement length between the pins increases, causing the chain to "ride up" on the teeth of both the cassette and the chainrings. Through in some mud, dust and road grit, and the teeth are forced to wear down to accomodate the "longer" distance between pins. $20 for a new chain is a lot cheaper than spending $150 on a new drivetrain.
For heavier riders or those who ride with platform pedals, use 7 or 8 speed setups. They are much stronger.
LONG LIVE 8 SPEED!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
leo
a Downhiller
from hk
Date Reviewed: August 17, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$42.00 | | Purchased At: | bike shop | | Strengths: | light,strong,and nice
| | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | lx | | Bike Setup: | gts hardtail,z1 fr,521,mainly xt | | Bottom Line: | i think that this cass is really stong,i can use two different chain on this cass, but no any scratch,not many cass can do that.
but some guys told me that the sram 9.0 cass is much more strong than the xt,is't it?can anyone answer me?thx! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
axel
a Cross Country Rider
from yakima
Date Reviewed: June 25, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | skyline | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | sagebrushcycles | | Strengths: | great shifting, strong, stiff, lasts forever, looks good, stays clean on its own | | Weaknesses: | no so far | | Similar Products Used: | sram 7.0, shimano LX | | Bike Setup: | kona roast, and a NRS | | Bottom Line: | Buy one of these cassetes if you want a bike that shifts good and looks good. the sram pile of crap that i used to have wore out so fast i didnt even know that it came on my bike untill i took it off. i now have two of these cog sets one in a 32 tooth and a 34 tooth both work grean and i have had them both forever and they still work great. in a week or two i am going to try an XTR,but i am going to keep the XT around and if the expensive stuff doesnt work i am going back to reliable. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Greg
a Racer
from Germany
Date Reviewed: February 18, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | shifts very well.
Mine were quite durable. | | Weaknesses: | too expensive | | Similar Products Used: | LX | | Bottom Line: | Can't complain about the durability.
I changed my first XT cassette after 2800 miles
because I took my bike to Ireland and I wanted
it to work well for a while. The second cassette
has seen some 600 miles of boggy Irish trails in
spring, a whole race season and countless very muddy
winter rides (overall more than 3500 miles). Shifting
is not up to race standards any more now but the chain
still doesn't slip. Nice. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin
a Weekend Warrior
from Tempe, AZ
Date Reviewed: October 25, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$48.00 | | Purchased At: | SUpergo | | Strengths: | Works well until it fails | | Weaknesses: | VERY low lifespan, about 1,000 miles to a wear failure on the small gears, half that of the 8 speeds, and the same as the deore 9 speed | | Similar Products Used: | deore 9 speed, LX 8 speed | | Bike Setup: | i-drive 5.0 | | Bottom Line: | Mega 9 is to thin, shimano need to start selling individual cogs if they intend on keeping up this crap | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
KB
a Cross Country Rider
from Salt Lake City
Date Reviewed: September 2, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | any single track | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | Supergo | | Strengths: | Nice finish. | | Weaknesses: | Bent cog. | | Similar Products Used: | XT and XTR 8 speed. | | Bike Setup: | Lenzsport, Raceface, Fox Forx etc. | | Bottom Line: | Nine speed version used only three months. Could not shift into third cog. Close examination revealed second biggest cog bent probably because everything is thinner than the trusty old 8 speed. Nine speed is an evil Shimano conspiracy to get more dough out of us! Nine speed absolutely is much more inferior than 8 speed. My bike will be Shimano free by 2003. I now have an 8 speed cassette with nine cogs. Ever tried dealing with Shimano directly? | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jan Solar
a Weekend Warrior
from Prague, Czech Republic
Date Reviewed: August 7, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | Prague | | Strengths: | DURABLE!!! | | Weaknesses: | It's not produced any more... | | Similar Products Used: | Sram 5.0 | | Bike Setup: | HKS Alite 4000, Fuji 4 Diamond, Mrazek FS; Z1, mainly XT | | Bottom Line: | talking about 8spd 1998 product. Lasted more than 9,000 (nine thousand) miles over (3 years). IG90 chain changed each approx. 1000 miles. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
BOB
a Cross Country Rider
from MarysvilleCA
Date Reviewed: July 25, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | South Yuba | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | Price Point | | Strengths: | Has held up to about 3,500 miles and is on my second bike and still turning. Has seen at least 6 different chains. | | Weaknesses: | I havent found any except a little wear where it goes on to the freehub body thats why I bought a new and put it on my secondary bike. I just built it three months ago to save miles on my Superlight. | | Similar Products Used: | All shimano | | Bike Setup: | Which one . Superlight or my urban hardtail . They both use XT 9 speed cogsets | | Bottom Line: | I have to say I have nothing bad to say. It works well.I ride hard and I handed the one down to my urban hardtail with alot of miles and I have relly pounded it some more on a different bike. I was concerned about the play where it goes on the free hub but its hanging tough. The brand new one runs awesome and I do not believe it is any smoother shifting than the old one with over 3500 miles. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
simo
a Weekend Warrior
from sydney
Date Reviewed: June 3, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$70.00 | | Purchased At: | shop | | Strengths: | shimano | | Weaknesses: | bendy | | Similar Products Used: | always shimano | | Bike Setup: | turner xc with xt throughout | | Bottom Line: | i am getting older and shimano gear is getting flimsier. these are too light, they wear out and they bend if you are a bit ham fisted in the gear changing department. this is really not acceptable. my advice is to buy the cheaper model and change more frequently- you get sod-all performance gain with xt in this case. bring back 8 speed!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Hakan
a Cross Country Rider
from NYC
Date Reviewed: May 16, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Strengths: | Works well, install it and forget about it | | Weaknesses: | Wears a bit fast | | Similar Products Used: | LX | | Bike Setup: | Rocky Mountain Vertex with a few upgrades | | Bottom Line: | Think I had a LX cassette before but the chain snapped and I decided to put in a XT and a new pc 99 chain. Apparently it's recomended to change the cassette when you change chain. It seems to wear out quickly but who cares, it's cheap and works well | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe
a Cross Country Rider
from Clearwater
Date Reviewed: May 15, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | pricepoint | | Strengths: | light, cheap if you buy online | | Weaknesses: | weak, cogs wear fast | | Similar Products Used: | lx | | Bike Setup: | rm instinct, race face and xtr everything | | Bottom Line: | this will be my 3rd in just over a year - seems when the chain is done you might as well buy another cassette. every time I put a new chain on a moderately used xt cassette it skips on me. I weigh 190 a ride alot, but this cassette should last longer than a 3-5 months. haven't tried the sram 9.0 yet, it's got crappy reviews too so I'm not sure what other product to try. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matthew
a Weekend Warrior
from Austin, TX
Date Reviewed: March 17, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Strengths: | Clean design: Light and responsive | | Weaknesses: | Weak: Bent cog and cracked my rear dropout and broke B - bracket of my XTR derailleur. | | Bike Setup: | Giant XTC NRS AIR '02
Stock | | Bottom Line: | If you are over 180lbs and ride hard (especially on uphills).. you might bend the cog and cause your chain to snap. This could lead to yanking on your derailleur causing it to snap off (like it happened to me) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Daniel
a Cross Country Rider
from Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
Date Reviewed: February 4, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Any at Haw Ridge | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | www.cambriabike.com | | Strengths: | Shifts crisp, fairly light, looks pretty good (not that it matters much). | | Weaknesses: | None. | | Similar Products Used: | LX 9 speed, LX 7 speed. | | Bike Setup: | Giant XtC, 2002 SID SL, full XT, XT discs. | | Bottom Line: | I have had no problems with this cassette. It still shifts as crisply today as it did when I first bought it. I have had no problems with bent or broken cogs. I weigh 155 and maybe that makes a difference, I also never run the 34 tooth with the middle ring (shift into that gear sometime and tell me that isn't cross-chained). If you experience chain skipping with any cassette, try changing your chain as a stretched chain will not work with a non-stretched cassette. I would say buy this product. Shimano is a business with a bunch of engineers and accountants, if they are having to replace lots of products due to warranty issues those accountants make sure the engineers hear about it, and I bet that Shimano fixes the problem as rapidly as possible, and no I don't work for Shimano either. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
johnnyb
a Cross Country Rider
from San Anselmo
Date Reviewed: December 17, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | singletrack kind | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$26.00 | | Purchased At: | Online | | Strengths: | Lightweight. I thought the plated surface would add some sort of strength. | | Weaknesses: | Fell apart on me. | | Similar Products Used: | LX, STX | | Bike Setup: | Stumpy Pro, Atom Bomb, Mavic 517, 222, Raceface and Phil Wood BB | | Bottom Line: | Felt this would be an upgrade to my regular LX.
Recently, this cassette worked great for about six months until one of the pins that holds all the gears together fell out, making a clean shift impossible.
A previous set lasted about 8 months, but the teeth in the bigger gears wore faster than I had hoped.
I weigh about 215 lbs and ride alot and I think I like the LX cassettes better, because of their solid design of the gears. My 8-speed XTs were cutout and drilled to save the weight and I suspect this comprises strength.
I think I've used LX cassettes since '95, at least four set and all I could do to those were wear them out. And thats what I have on for now.
Probably a good cassette for lighter riders. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
spongerator
a Cross Country Rider
from NJ
Date Reviewed: December 16, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Ramapo State Forest and area | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | online somewhere | | Strengths: | Looks nice in the bottom of my garbage can | | Weaknesses: | Lasts for 6 months | | Similar Products Used: | LX | | Bike Setup: | 01 Truth | | Bottom Line: | This is for the 12-34. It lasted only 6 months and then started skipping the next to lowest ring. Some rides fine, then other horrible. I adjusted it constantly and then again, the XTR chain would just, skip and engage, disengage, etc. SO....off to SRAM I went. Got a 9.0 and a 99 chain and its like being in heaven. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dan W
a Weekend Warrior
from Portland, OR
Date Reviewed: December 5, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Somewhere in SE Oregon desert | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$70.00 | | Purchased At: | River City Bicles | | Strengths: | Shifts well. Light weight thanks to use of spiders. | | Weaknesses: | Poor choice of gear spacing. Hard to change thanks to use of spiders. | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | 2000 Specialized RH A1 Pro, 22/32/44 with 11x32 XT cassette | | Bottom Line: | Shimano Hyperglide cassettes shift really well, and the weight is really reasonable, considering you have 9 cogs, some of them quite large. This is because of the "spider" module that groups several of the larger cassettes together in a lightweight unit.
Problem is, on wide-range MTB cassettes, Shimano seems to have forgotten that most of us spend most of our time in the middle gears, and it's the longer stretches at moderate speeds where we need to fine-tune our gear selection, not when we're grinding up some major hill or blasting down the other side. I don't need BOTH an 11 and 12 tooth cog - and 11 to 13 jump is just fine. Likewise, I'd be happy with a 26 to 32 step instead of 28 to 32. The gear spacing on a standard shimano 11x32 is: 11-12-14-16-18-21-24-28-32. That 18 to 21 jump is 17%, proportionately the biggest on the cassette, and it is a real pain in the butt. I'm constantly jumping between these two trying to find the right ratio and it JUST ISN'T THERE! Ironically, the 12x34 is actually spaced better than the 11x32.
The proper gear spacing for most people on an 11x32 would be 11-13-15-17-19-21-23-26-32. But Shimano doesn't make that (and neither does SRAM). You can build a custom cassette with these cogs, but it'll cost you well over a hundred bucks.
3 mild green chilis for value, at MSRP of $70.
3 mild green chilis due to poor cog selection. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael
a Cross Country Rider
from Salem
Date Reviewed: November 9, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike n' Hike | | Strengths: | Light weight
Trick looks.
shifts well | | Weaknesses: | none. | | Bike Setup: | Ironhorse 2.0, LX, XT, manitiou SX-R | | Bottom Line: | this is a great product. for racing or just the weekend warior. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
cole
a Racer
from easley
Date Reviewed: October 25, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | catawba | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | bike source of charolete | | Strengths: | no missed shifts, light | | Weaknesses: | none so far | | Similar Products Used: | real designs 9spd deluxe | | Bike Setup: | 2002 f2000 with xtr-xt shifting and lefty elo | | Bottom Line: | a nice cassete worth the money over lx but xtr probally isn't worth the $65 price tag | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tim
a Cross Country Rider
from St. Louis
Date Reviewed: October 22, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Chubb | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | None other than being light weight | | Weaknesses: | Large cogs bend easily | | Similar Products Used: | Sram 6.0, Shimano LX | | Bike Setup: | Schwinn Moab 1, Rolf Dolimite Wheels, XTR front and rear | | Bottom Line: | This is a horrible cassette. I weigh about 175 pounds and I race, but I expect a higher end cassette to perform to all riding styles. I am really getting fed up with Shimano crap. I am going to try and get a new cassette under warranty, and if that doesn't work I will go to Sram. Only buy this cassette if you are under 150 and don't ride very hard. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Evil Bob
a
from London, England
Date Reviewed: October 19, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Whipendell Woods | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | Chainreactioncycles.com | | Strengths: | It works, light, hasn't fallen apart | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | nasty sunrace one that came on the bike | | Bike Setup: | LX cranks, LX chain, acera rear mech, nexave front mech, XT cassette. There is more to the bike but is it relevant? | | Bottom Line: | this is a cassette it lets me have more than one ratio. it's hard to review it, its a lump of metal shaped in order to allow me to run a chain on it. it comes of the freehub easier than any other cassette i've owned. long life on the teeth. i just can't say that it has made shifting any better or worse. then again there is a great mismatch with the XT cassette and Acera rear mech. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rick
a Weekend Warrior
from Columbus, OH
Date Reviewed: October 6, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | A wonderful paper weight. Why is 8spd reviewed here as well? I have never had a problem with 8spd cass. | | Weaknesses: | Thin!!!!!! I bent my 2nd big ring. | | Bottom Line: | If you turn a crank you will bend it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Donovan Buck
a Cross Country Rider
from Houston, TX, USA
Date Reviewed: September 6, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Ruston, LA | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | OEM on Cannondale F900 | | Weaknesses: | Not very durable | | Similar Products Used: | LX | | Bike Setup: | Mostly XT some Coda | | Bottom Line: | The middle cog on my 9spd cassette bent last weekend during a race. I was checking here to see if many other people had the same problem. I just wanted to point out that the majority of good reviews here are 7-8 speed, and the bad reviews are 9 speed, rendering the overall rating meaningless. If you look at just the 9 speed reviews, they probably average less than 2. My previous bike had LX, and I beat the crud out of it on the trails with no cassette problems. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
out of bounds
a Cross Country Rider
from virginia
Date Reviewed: September 4, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Douthat State Park | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Strengths: | Cheaper than xtr | | Weaknesses: | Breaks. Bends. Twists. | | Similar Products Used: | Old stuff | | Bike Setup: | 99' fsr xc. race face. chris king. crossrides. | | Bottom Line: | I've broken three xt cassettes this summer. Under my warranty they have been replaced, unfortunately they have been replaced with xt. I'm 195 and they tend to break under steep technical climbs requiring high torque over obstacles. Makes a nasty sound as it bends, twists, breaks while pedaling. Reading the reviews I see that I'm not alone. Problem is that there really isn't a decent replacement for 9sp b/c the xtr appear to be same design! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
William
a Cross Country Rider
from Stamford
Date Reviewed: August 22, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Strengths: | None | | Weaknesses: | Weak, weak, weak | | Similar Products Used: | XT 8 spd. (Was a great product) | | Bike Setup: | Intense Trace with lots of good stuff except the XT 9 spd. rear cassette | | Bottom Line: | Posted a review in early July b/c I bent the second largest chainring on the cassette. Well, just got back from riding today and bent the same ring on my new XT 9 spd. cassette. Used to be that I would only have to replace the chain on my bike every two months. Now cassettes too? This is becoming needlessly expensive. Hey Race Face/SRAM/Real, etc., start producing a strong 9 speed cassette. Shimano really dropped the ball on this one. With all of the great alloys out there, building a bombproof 9 spd. cassette should not be too difficult. Maybe a little more expensive, but hey as of tomorrow, I have $150 invested into cassettes in less than 4 months.
Anyone want to create a movement to bring back 8 speed?
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Walter
a Cross Country Rider
from Netherlands
Date Reviewed: August 15, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Ardennes | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | H&S Bonn | | Strengths: | Fits on my bike.
We are talking bout the 8 speed here, somehow I don't feel the need for 9-speed.... | | Weaknesses: | Lasted only 200 miles | | Similar Products Used: | XT and LX, 7 and 8 speed | | Bike Setup: | XT | | Bottom Line: | What has Shimano been doing with these cogs ????????
They used to be good for at least a 1000 miles, now I only get 200 miles out of them (yes, with new LX chain and XT chainrings ). I cleaned and oiled them after each ride, what more can I do ?
The teeth are dented, a shure sign of low quality steel. (can we even call this steel ?) The chain is stretched 0.5 inch more than an old (1500 miles) HG91 wich I kept for some reason. It seems to me these days the only hi-tech about shimano is the marketing.
I ride serious MTB for over 10 years, but the last year I've used more drivetrain components than in the 9 years before. Bad luck, or is there some other reason?
( Can I rate this ZERO flamin' chili ? ) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from Webster, Massachusetts, USA
Date Reviewed: August 13, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | All | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$45.00 | | Purchased At: | JensonUSA | | Strengths: | Light, good range of gears (11-34) | | Weaknesses: | The top three cogs easily bend | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano LX | | Bike Setup: | 98 K2 2000 with XT build kit (XT cassette)
2001 K2 2001 Razorback Team (Stock)with LX cassette | | Bottom Line: | This cassette is not for a larger riders (201 lbs.), or for muddy riding. The top three cogs bend easily. I have ridden my new bike with an LX cassette and love the crisp feeling of the shifting. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
chris
a Cross Country Rider
from highlands ranch
Date Reviewed: August 5, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Confidential | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | performance | | Strengths: | shifting when it works. | | Weaknesses: | This is my 3rd cassette this year. I have been having problems w/teeth bending. It doesn't kill the ride but it does kill your knees when the cassette skips. Performance has been selling last years models. Make sure you get this years model. I think that they made some changes. | | Similar Products Used: | LX | | Bike Setup: | Standard software engineer bike........ | | Bottom Line: | It's a gimmie on these things. If you get one and it lasts 50 miles it will last 500. If it isn't shifting nice after the first 100, call it a loss and grab a new one. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul
a Weekend Warrior
from Jersey City, NJ
Date Reviewed: July 24, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance | | Strengths: | what's strong about bent rings? | | Weaknesses: | the metal it's made out of, and how little of it there is | | Similar Products Used: | STX 7spd, LX 9spd | | Bike Setup: | Trek Y, XT shift der calipers hubs, LX crank cassette | | Bottom Line: | I used the XT cassette for about one month last year and another 3 rides this summer. The second ring bent like a taco rendering the whole thing useless. The result was that I went to the much beefier LX even though its a little heavier. Bottom line is that I'd rather my bike weigh 67 grams heavier and work, than be light and non-functioning.
Based on my experience and what I've read here, I wouldn't recommend this part to anyone. I can't believe this has such a high overall rating on this page. OVER-RATED | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bob Smith
a Cross Country Rider
from Perth, Western Australia
Date Reviewed: July 17, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | John Forrest National Park | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$70.00 | | Purchased At: | The Bicycle Entrepreneur BELMONT | | Strengths: | Light and stiff. XTR casset wears out too quikley only good for racing, due to the light weight. LX Casset is too heavy so XT has the best weight to strength ratio. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | LX and XTR | | Bike Setup: | 2001 Giant ATX 890 with fully XT with LX shifters. Mavic Tubeless Rims,Hayes Hydrolic Disk Brakes, Raceface Prodigy stem and crankset with Titec Hellbent Bars. Rockshox Sid xc forks. | | Bottom Line: | XT casset is Fantastic. Very Good Value For The Money!!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
William Bevan
a Cross Country Rider
from Stamford, CT
Date Reviewed: July 5, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Strengths: | Nine speed offers a good range of gear ratios. | | Weaknesses: | Not built strong enough. Bent the second largest ring after two months of riding. Never had that type of problem with 8 speed. Tempermental tolerances of nine speed makes it hard to dial in the shifting. | | Similar Products Used: | XT 8 Speed (Miss the crisp shifting and no hassle performance) | | Bike Setup: | Intense Tracer, Psylo SL, King hubs/headset, Race Face bar/cranks/stem, Hayes, Mavic 519, Panaracer, XTR derailleurs/Grip shift. | | Bottom Line: | Seriously considering spending the money to revert back to an 8 speed setup. Nine speed gears and chain are the weakest link ("good bye") on an otherwise awesome bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeremy Watts
a Cross Country Rider
from Newark, Delaware, USA
Date Reviewed: July 3, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Crackhead Bob | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$55.00 | | Purchased At: | Supergo | | Strengths: | Shiny, light, pretty when clean | | Weaknesses: | Very thin teeth, not made of adamantium, Aluminum spider is tapped and drilled too closely together | | Similar Products Used: | LX | | Bike Setup: | 1999 Trek 6500, XT drivetrain and Rhynolites with barbie heads mounted in the spokes | | Bottom Line: | I liked this cassette. I had been warned that they do however have a tooth chipping problem. I was careful in my shifing, but I never chipped any of the teeth... I've read that you can put 1K miles on a cassette if you take care of it... I wasnt worried about that, I thought it would last forever.... until I was climbing a set of very easy steps, my cassette spider snaped and I went down ... (I made it without killing myself though).
I put enough pressure on it to break 3 arms of the spider. That sucks. At least they'll warranty it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Peter W.
a Cross Country Rider
from Fairfield
Date Reviewed: June 19, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Indian Ledge | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | www.airbomb.com | | Strengths: | 8 speed , Reliable , Fluid shifting, Light (enough) ,
| | Weaknesses: | None as long as you maintain drive train ! | | Similar Products Used: | ONLY XT | | Bike Setup: | Head to toe -XT+XTR,SunRynoLite rims , AC/Raceface cranks
Custom K2 Disco Monkey | | Bottom Line: | www.AIRBOMB.com is awsum. They have never ever let me down.
My last order was misplaced (sh~t happens) but AIRBOMB
made good on it while I limped by with my old XT cassette.
They promised to get me the cassette fast and waived shipping to make me feel good. It worked,
they are still the best. YOU GOTTA try airbomb .......
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
johnnyb
a Cross Country Rider
from San Anselmo, Ca
Date Reviewed: June 5, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Mt Tamalpais | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance | | Strengths: | Light and shiny | | Weaknesses: | Light and shiny | | Similar Products Used: | LX cogs, Sun race | | Bike Setup: | Stumpy pro | | Bottom Line: | I need to chime in too, maybe Shimano will see all the complaints and do something. I had mine for about three months (700 miles) and the spider that holds the lower (big) gears broke, also teeth on gears two and three chipped off. I'm a big guy 210 lbs and do all sorts of riding and this cogset can't hold up. I've used LX almost exclusively in the past because of price, but I've never had a problem with it. Oh well. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Clay Perry
a Weekend Warrior
from SLC
Date Reviewed: June 5, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Great Western | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Pretty | | Weaknesses: | Bends when romped | | Similar Products Used: | LX, | | Bike Setup: | Homegrown with XTR | | Bottom Line: | I have bent two in the last two years. I am +200 and mash pretty hard, but give me a break. I have never had problems before on the 6-7-8 speed cogs. If you are going to climb the big rocky hill and grunt and groan good luck.
I think next time it is going to be SRAM | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ken, a real jerk
a Cross Country Rider
from Salt Lake City, Utah
Date Reviewed: June 5, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | desolation lake | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Shifts great, light, good-looking. | | Weaknesses: | Maybe it's not as strong as I thought. While I'm at it I agree with the other reviewers who question the need for nine-speed. I never use the largest gear either. | | Bottom Line: | All had been going well, great shifting and light. I wrote a happy review and a couple weeks later I can't pedal too hard in the smallest gear or the chain pops. Another couple of weeks later two teeth turn up broken on the second lowest gear. It's in a pretty obscure location to get hit by any rocks and I hadn't been using the smallest gear so it couldn't be caused by the chain popping. This gives the XT cassette the highly dubious distinction of being the first component on my bike to break since putting it together, as well as the first cassette to ever break (as opposed to wear out) on me. Being one of only two Shimano-made items on my whole bike doesn't help my opinion of the big "S". It's still light and it turns alright despite the two missing teeth, but I'm going out of my way not to pedal too hard. I wonder what I'm going to replace it with. Anyway, maybe it's not that bad- somewhat less than one year of service and maybe those two broken teeth could have been caused by a rock. I'm giving it some benefit of the doubt for now especially since I don't know what's better out there right now. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
BVBR
a Racer
from Ocomukowonowaukesha, WI
Date Reviewed: May 26, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | The Lab | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | XT durability | | Weaknesses: | 9 speed crap!
32 & 34 low gears...who needs this sh!t | | Similar Products Used: | XT 7 speed, XT 8 speed | | Bike Setup: | SC Superlight | | Bottom Line: | I got the highest geared cassette I could: 11-32. That 32 tooth is so low, I can't figure out who would ever need a 34 tooth. Really, I was happy with my 11-28 8 speed. That was all the gearing I ever needed. So far my 9 speed shifts well but I only got 300 miles out of it before I snapped the little girly-man chain they run on it.
So far the cassette is flawless...except for the unnecessarily low 9 speed crap gearing. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
G S
a Cross Country Rider
from NJ
Date Reviewed: May 14, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | all | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | cyclecraft, NJ, & jensen mail order | | Strengths: | Shimano Name | | Weaknesses: | 34 tooth cog folds like a cheap tent,
no shimano support,
sketchy shifting | | Similar Products Used: | XT and XTR 7 speed, and 8 speed cassettes as well ultegra 9 speed and dura ace 8 speed. | | Bike Setup: | Truth, hayes brakes, full xtr 9 speed drive chain except cassette xt. rolf wheels x fly 100 fork chris king head set, thomson stem and seat post, monkey lite riser, etc | | Bottom Line: | I am vey pro shimano. Love the products they put out but these are a bomb, yes they make a few,not many can you say bio pace, (ad one).
In less then 3 months of use I have bent the large cog (34)on two cassettes. both under a heavy but not extreme pedaling load. Not shifting or on an extreme cross over. they just bend. i'll post a picture in the next day or two under potato chip. One folded into the other cog and one folded into the spokes so at least we know shimano goes both ways. No one has offered me a warranty yet. I know of one other rider first hand who has bent one also.
Anyone else have the misfortune????
I have never had anything close to this happen? I'm wondering if the xtr ti is stronger?
and yes my frame is aligned. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
john
a Weekend Warrior
from ontario,canada
Date Reviewed: May 5, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$145.00 | | Strengths: | good looks,11-34 it climbs like a dream in the middle chain ring | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | lx | | Bike Setup: | gt avalanche | | Bottom Line: | good product, shifts great | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ken, a real jerk
a
from Utah
Date Reviewed: April 4, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Desolation Lake | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Shifts great, light, basically XTR caliber as far as I can tell at half the price. | | Weaknesses: | Lack of competition. | | Similar Products Used: | LX, I've merely demoed assorted others. | | Bike Setup: | RM Instinct with Z2 Atom80 fork; Chris King hubs and headset; Precision Billet brakes, levers, and derailleurs; XTR shifterpods; Thompson seatpost and stem; assorted really cool stuff | | Bottom Line: | I think Shimano is fine, but I'm not big on a big"S" monopoly especially when there really are competitive, often truly superior, products for almost any other component if you're smart and do your shopping right. Haven't found any such item for cassettes yet, but that's okay. These really are good cassettes, especially for the money and the materials. They weigh about the same as XTR, seem to shift the same, I think they even look better. My LBS estimates they even last longer because of the materials chosen. So why pay twice as much for an XTR cassette? I didn't. This is a great product in general, especially for the money. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
quakeroats
a Cross Country Rider
from winnipeg,canada
Date Reviewed: March 28, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | local,urban assault | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$70.00 | | Purchased At: | lbs | | Strengths: | nice chrome finish that lasts,durability,precision. 7 speed. | | Weaknesses: | red hyperglide sticker came off. | | Similar Products Used: | no name junk. | | Bike Setup: | 2000 trek4300,9speed lx rear,xt front,un72bb,pc-51,99lxcranks, levers,rhynolites,lx v's | | Bottom Line: | this cassette has lasted longer than i thought it would.,i've put 6500 kilometers on it. I've ridden it since last april. Although,keeping my entire bike clean,and four replacement chains might have something to do with it. A very nice product for the cash. To bad seven speed is getting rare. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
adam young
a Downhiller
from diamond creek/australia
Date Reviewed: March 16, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | ? | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$80.00 | | Purchased At: | Hendry cycles in gelong | | Strengths: | light,stiff,sprocket carrier,shiney,looks cool,8 spd. | | Weaknesses: | ? | | Similar Products Used: | 2 year old stx-rc 8-speed | | Bike Setup: | spesh hardtail,mavic,shimano. | | Bottom Line: | shifts solidly and quick and I got a comment on it today:"WOW that looks mad, it's pretty sick", I got this comment after showing them the cool sprocket carrier.......... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jon
a Racer
from Edmond, OK
Date Reviewed: March 15, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | 12 MOH | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Strengths: | Lots of gears | | Weaknesses: | Large cogs bend | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano 8 speed, 1999 9 speed 11-30 | | Bike Setup: | Specialized FSR-XC Stumpjumper Pro, XT Hollowtech cranks | | Bottom Line: | With the 11-34 I can climb about anything in the little ring and big cog. Shifting is great until the larger cogs start to get bent. Then they wobble and the chain tries to jump gears. I wore out my 99 model and got the Y2K 11-34. I had to replace it after 2 months of riding and I didn't fall on it. Hopefully Shimano will warrenty it. I don't know of anything better in a 9 speed. I just wish it was stronger. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Richard
a Weekend Warrior
from uk
Date Reviewed: March 2, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | came on bike | | Strengths: | this is not a cassete its art look at the cog holder look at the shinyness feel the smoothness of the shift(oh sorry you carnt because its that smooth. the range is imense espesialy with the 11,34set up i only run 2 front cogs.
| | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | cheep 7 speed cassets,Deore, lx
| | Bike Setup: | sunn xircuit un | | Bottom Line: | soo sooo sooooo soooooo smooth and shiny its ART. by on if your run nine speed and buy a new bike if you dont i did. every one i now with any brain and a nine speed bike runs one. i used to think that forking out for XT was silly now i know it was the best thing ever even my mum can tell the difference. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rickard Norberg
a
from Sweden Malmo
Date Reviewed: March 1, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Strengths: | Very light
Very nice looking!
Very nice sound and seems to hold forever! | | Weaknesses: | NONE!!!!!!!!!!!!! | | Similar Products Used: | Not that is worth to compare it with! | | Bike Setup: | XT/LX drivetrain,Aluframe and aluminum front fork Kinesis | | Bottom Line: | Light and durable ! What more to say . To a very nice price . I would recommedn this set to all riders,specially CX-riders that wants to save some weight! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Wolfgang
a Cross Country Rider
from Lambertville
Date Reviewed: February 15, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | 11-34 XT cassette is great because you do not have to shift to the granny gear as often. | | Weaknesses: | You can not use it like it is intended because the large rings BEND. | | Bike Setup: | Titus X-Racer | | Bottom Line: | I have worn out 6 XT 8-speed cassettes in the past three years. Out of those 6 I have never bent a cassette ring except when a stick got jammed in a ring. I bent that ring back and it continued to work until the teeth were worn out, months later.
On my new XT cassette of 3 months, I have bent the large ring 3 times due to riding - NO STICKS.
I complained to Shimano customer service and was told that I had to change my riding skills so that I did not torque the large cassette ring while in the middle crank ring!
They want bikers to use only their granny gear with that 34 tooth cassette ring because the granny is directly in line with that large ring and therefore will not bend it.
I think that the same Shimano engineer who designed their new clipless petals, that refuse to un-clip in emergencies, also designed their 9 speed cassettes!
I am giving it 1 chili because it works great WHEN IT IS NOT BENT.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Adam
a Racer
from Visalia Ca
Date Reviewed: January 27, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | Trisport bicycles | | Strengths: | Very durable and light | | Weaknesses: | none | | Bike Setup: | XT/XTR 9spd, race face cranks | | Bottom Line: | This is actually my second XT cassette. I first bought an 11-34 and bent the top two cogs and took 3 teeth off of the 13 tooth cog after 15 months. I have since desided that the 34 was too big and went to the 11-32, which is 40 gr lighter making it only 15 grams heavier than the XTR M-952. I am having much better luck with this one. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
eric myers
a Cross Country Rider
from saltlake city
Date Reviewed: January 23, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | muller park/wasatch crest | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$64.00 | | Purchased At: | bingham at foothill | | Strengths: | very light/ smooth shifting/ bigger rings for harder grinding | | Weaknesses: | none thus far | | Similar Products Used: | shimano lx rear cassette | | Bike Setup: | stump jumper/ wtb sealed bearing hubs/ wtb sealed bearing head set/ wtb laser rims with motoraptor big boys for tires/ xt v- brakes f and b/ shimano lx crank set with xt comparible chain rings/ xt bottom bracket/ rock shox judy with speed spring upgrade/ wtb seat/ shifters xt by shimano | | Bottom Line: | the product made shifting easier and the pedaling smoother with no excess noise or play. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Tucson, Arizona
Date Reviewed: January 14, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Light, excellent shifting | | Similar Products Used: | Sugino, Specialized, SunTour, others | | Bike Setup: | 1997 Specialized AimPro
1998 AMP B-5 | | Bottom Line: | This review applies only to 8-speed cassettes.
I like the XT & XTR 8-speed cassettes and their shifting so much I stocked up before the 9-speed deluge. Shimano 8-speed cassettes in XT/XTR are strong and in my experience offer excellent shifting with IG90 Shimano chains. I've used 11-30, 12-32 (XTR-steel & ti), 11-32 XT/XTR (lower cogs XTR, higher XT), and Dave's Wheels old 10-32 XTR/TNT hybrid cassettes and like them all, it's too bad Shimano would discontinue these as they work much better for me than the narrow 9-speed cassettes. Best shifting for me has always been a full Shimano 8-speed setup (cogset, chain, crankset. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James
a Cross Country Rider
from San Francisco
Date Reviewed: December 4, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Light - as light as the XTR, smooth shifting, strong | | Weaknesses: | None that I know | | Similar Products Used: | LX | | Bike Setup: | Gary Fisher Sugar 2 with Selle Italia saddle, Chris King headset, Easton CT2 Carbon handle bar, Titec Carbon bar end, XT crankset, XT cassette, Cateye Enduro 2 | | Bottom Line: | Good value for money as XT is soooooo much cheaper than XTR but offer similar performance. It is much lighter than the LX and that's the main reason I change it from LX to XT. No problem whatsoever during the last 3 months. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gary Mullaney
a Cross Country Rider
from UK
Date Reviewed: November 19, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | Had it put on Stumpy | | Strengths: | Like everyone is saying nice shifting under load etc. Its light and looks cool. | | Weaknesses: | Its a git to get clean. IT BUCKLES! My cogs are all wobbly after 8 months. | | Similar Products Used: | LX. | | Bike Setup: | M2 Comp 2000, xtr v's, rm, strongarms, xt everything else. | | Bottom Line: | I ride my bike everyday, I think this is probably why the cassette is knackered. If you just ride at weekends then get one I suppose. Oh yeah and another thing who the hell put that rock in my way the other day? Also why did I fall off in the multistorey car park? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from Berkeley, CA
Date Reviewed: October 27, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | weight, strength, shifting | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | STX-SE and HG cassettes, some '88 Shimano 6-speed thing | | Bike Setup: | Airborne Lucky Strike, LX derailleurs, SRAM PC-99 chain | | Bottom Line: | This is a great cassette. It shifts admirably under load when I have to, it doesn't weigh very much, and it's not stupid light like those XTR things with the ti cogs. At 190 lbs., those things seem scary to me.
My only complaint, really, is that the 12-34 is hard to find. I'm running an 11-32, which is okay and gives me a nice 1:1 gear ratio with my LX crankset, but there are times I'd love a 34 and I rarely go to the 11-tooth. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eric
a Cross Country Rider
from Salt Lake City, UT
Date Reviewed: September 27, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$45.00 | | Purchased At: | SuperGo | | Strengths: | Smooth Shifting, Light Weight | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | STX, LX | | Bottom Line: | I put the cassette on at the same time I put new Bonty Mustangs w/XT hubs. I have an XT rear derailleur. It made such a huge difference in my shifting. What a surprising upgrade. 5 flamin' poops. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
lewis
a Cross Country Rider
from North Devon, England
Date Reviewed: September 26, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Yet to find it | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$75.00 | | Purchased At: | Mud Dock, Exeter | | Strengths: | Pretty to look at, light, shiny chrome, same performance as XTR - over half the price (no Ti, big deal). 9-speedo. | | Weaknesses: | Absolutely none (yet). | | Similar Products Used: | STX-RC, LX. | | Bike Setup: | Trek 8000LT, Judy 100mm fork, Hayes discs, Icon crank, everything else XT. | | Bottom Line: | Cheap(ish), good looking, lightweight. My bike came with the LX as stock and although I had no problems with this, I dumped it anyway as it's a shapeless lump of steel. The aluminium spiders on the XT are a work of art and do not sacrifice strength for weight. I'm running with a super narrow Rohloff chain as I broke my Shimano Hyperglide chain after two days, and if that extra gear is dialled in properly, you will use it.
Worth the upgrade from LX, five RHCP for value as it's so much better than LX, and so little different from the exorbitant XTR. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Madstamm
a Cross Country Rider
from Swiss-Canadian
Date Reviewed: August 21, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Schlaatemer Randen | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$70.00 | | Purchased At: | Randenbike | | Strengths: | Weight, Crisp Shifting; I dont care much about looks, but they look sharp... Y2K Model Mega9. | | Weaknesses: | I dont know if its the SRAM - XT, shifter-derrailleur, combination or the cassette, but whether me nor my Mechanic(One skilled mofo) can keep gears from popping out, and I think I shift quite alright. It might be that 9 gear thing everyone's talking about. Putting on 9.0 Shifter and derrailleur now, will see if it gets better. Durability: So far so good... | | Similar Products Used: | LX Mega-9 | | Bike Setup: | 99 Supercaliber, XT/SRAM, Bonty Race-Lite Stuff, Avid Mags(OH YES), Rocky-Mavic Wheelset, SX-R(excellent bang for buck). | | Bottom Line: | If SRAM Stuff works out, Overall rating goes to 4.. great weight saving if you have some cash to spend. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jay Wnuk
a Cross Country Rider
from Winona, MN U.S.A.
Date Reviewed: July 25, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Cherry Hill | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Light weight, durability, shifts well, and helps drive me forward. | | Weaknesses: | None so far if you get a good price. | | Similar Products Used: | LX/STX | | Bike Setup: | 2000 Stumpjumper Pro w/12-32, 1998 Trek 8000 w/11-30. | | Bottom Line: | I have used XT cogs for about 2 years and I hav'nt had a problem yet. I try to go with the most teeth available so I can run in the middle ring as much as possible when climbing or in muddy conditions. This keeps more of the chain in contact with the chainrings and cogs which helps avoid chainsuck and extends the life of the drivetrain. Anyway I weigh about 185 and push pretty hard sometimes and the XT stuff has held up. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
JIM
a Cross Country Rider
from LOS ANGELES
Date Reviewed: June 8, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | STRONG, LIGHT, CHROME PLATED | | Weaknesses: | GEAR SPACING COULD BE BETTER | | Similar Products Used: | 7 SPEED LX | | Bike Setup: | XT 11-28 8SPPED CASETTE ON A 2000 VOODOO BIZANGO WITH XT, XTR AND RACEFACE, SUPERFLY FORK | | Bottom Line: | I SET THE FRAME UP WITH 8 SPEED BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE PROBLEMS THAT EVERYONE WAS POSTING ON THE 9 SPEED. THE XT CASSETTE/IG90 CHAIN/RACE FACE CRANKS COMBO SHIFTS FLAWLESSLY AND EVEN BETTER THAN MY 9 SPEED/TRIPLE ULTEGRA SETUP ON MY ROAD BIKE. I WEIGH 200 AND HAMMER THE PEDALS PRETTY HARD SO I WANTED THE STRONGEST I COULD GET. sO FAR I HAVEN'T BENT OR BROKEN ANYTHING IN 700 MILES. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jopo
a Cross Country Rider
from Michigan
Date Reviewed: May 8, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Poto or Holdridge | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Weight / Price trade off | | Weaknesses: | Easy to bend cogs | | Similar Products Used: | Old XT 7 spd | | Bike Setup: | Airborne LuckyStrike, XT/XTR mix, SID, Bont. Racelites | | Bottom Line: | Sort of disappointed in the '99 XT 9spd cassette. The old 7sp I had took far more abuse (much rougher shifts in the early days of riding too). I've used this for about 500 miles, and bend the third cog. It might have been a bad shift, but still. Looking at XTR, but the reviews make me think XT is still the best alternative. LX looks too heavy, and other brands seem to have similar issues.
I rate this a three. Maybe 8spd is the way to go. Use this if you always shift smoothly and want to optimize weight/cost ratio. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bob Scateod
a
from West Virginia
Date Reviewed: April 19, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | old train tracks | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | It's cool | | Weaknesses: | It is very strong | | Similar Products Used: | i havent used any other ones | | Bike Setup: | a white raleigh | | Bottom Line: | This caseete looks so cool! its the shiniest part of any bike i have ever seen. it looks real nice with the holes in it and it is stong. if you see it at a store and you cant miss it buy it i payed 60 for it and it was installed too | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from Bay Area
Date Reviewed: April 16, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | good shifting, wide range | | Weaknesses: | weak, weak, weak... I'm on my 4th unit in a year. | | Similar Products Used: | shimano 8sp. | | Bike Setup: | hardtail, XTR equiped | | Bottom Line: | I have bent 3 of the M750's in a year of riding... 2 on the big cog and the other in the middle. The cassette I rendered unusable yesterday not only bent the big cog, it broke into 3 pieces (and *ucked up some of the spokes on my new rear wheel).
At first I thought it was my derailleur pulling too far, or shifting on uphill grinds, but I meticulously adjust my transmission and am cautious about shifting on the up's.
The only other issue I can think of is that by adding a 9th cog in the same package dimensions has sufficiently weakened the entire unit enough to give up durability. This is something Shimano should be looking into, as it appears I'm not the only one having problems.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a Weekend Warrior
from UK
Date Reviewed: February 14, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Light
....er nope nothing else. | | Weaknesses: | Weak, weak, weak, & too expensive for how long it lasts. | | Similar Products Used: | LX cogset | | Bike Setup: | Marin Wildcat Trail | | Bottom Line: | The cogs started to work loose from the alloy spider on my last two Xt cogsets. Also the splines on the inside of the spider started to deform after about 4 weeks use.
I've now got an LX one, (the steel of the cogs extends inwards to form the spline of the spider, much stronger)
The Bottom line:- Light but to too week for anything other than XC use. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jörg Rauscher
a Weekend Warrior
from Munich,Germany
Date Reviewed: February 8, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Bottom Line: | The shifting performance is OK but I don't think that a cassette that bends without any obvious reason after only 150 kilometers of normal use deserves more than one chili.
I'll try it once more and hope that this won't happen again.
(I'm sorry for my bad English) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike Ray
a Racer
from Austin, TX USA
Date Reviewed: January 29, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Rocky Hill Ranch | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | If you're already using the same gear size you are buying, it's just that much easier. I went from 11-28 to 11-30 with no problems. Lasts a long time, and in the moderate weight range. | | Weaknesses: | none so far | | Similar Products Used: | XT 8 spd, 11-28, XTR 11-28 and 12-32. | | Bike Setup: | '99 Rockhopper Comp A1 FS. XTR drive train complete. White SC 72UL fork, Chris King with Bontrager Valiant Ceramics, IRC BackCountry 2.25s, Control Tech stem, Easton CT2 bar, LP BE-8 bar ends, Gore Tex cables for shift and brake, Syncros Hardcore Ti seatpost, Specialized Pro Evolution saddle, Shimano 858 pedals. | | Bottom Line: | XT and XTR stuff works like butter, but sometimes people have problems, duh, nothiing is perfect, but this is about as close as it comes. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross-Country Rider
from Bay Area
Date Reviewed: December 13, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
9 speed, great gear range, smooth shifting | | Weaknesses: |
unreliable, cogs bend too easily | | Similar Products Used: |
XTR | | Bike Setup: |
Gary Fisher hardtail | | Bottom Line: | I upgraded my drivetrain to 9sp, mostly XTR but chose the XT M750 cassette because it was all steel and came in 11-34. I have bent 2 of the cogs and am not real happy. The big cog bent and I could almost understand what was going on... I may have had an adjustment problem, plus it's gotta be a lotta torque on that big cog. But the other cog I bent was right in the middle, so I'm thinking something else may be going on. My LBS mechanic told me I'm not the only one bending these cassettes. Maybe Shimano had to shave metal in order to get all the cogs in place, but I'm not a fan. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David
a Weekend Warrior
from Menlo Park
Date Reviewed: November 26, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Any dirt and muddy | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Very LIGHT and easy. | | Weaknesses: |
n/a | | Similar Products Used: |
LX, sugino, XTR | | Bike Setup: |
Specialized FSR XC, manitou SX, fox vanilla | | Bottom Line: | Great cog for the money. I upgraded my stock LX cog to XT. It realy makes the bike go faster than expected. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James
a Cross-Country Rider
from Elkhart In
Date Reviewed: October 31, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
I'm still looking | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
Lightweight. Fairly cheap. Durable. One of the few parts to break Bontrager's law - Light, Strong, Cheap : pick two. | | Weaknesses: |
Going to be harder to get 8 speed. | | Similar Products Used: |
El cheapo cassettes. Alivio, STX, STX RC, LX, XT | | Bike Setup: |
Jamis Dakar Team
Specialized 97 Ground Control | | Bottom Line: | They shift. Nothing has broken. Never missed a shift because of these. Much lighter than the LX version or any competitiors for any reasonable price. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve
a Racer
from Michigan
Date Reviewed: October 9, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Pontiac Lake | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Bottom Line: | They are great on my race bike
Good looks, shifts, low weight, no problems
However, have broken two on our tandem (thought the first time was bad luck, who
said there's no hills in Michigan) One spider sheared. Second bent 2nd and 3rd rings.
Great for racing, no good for heavy use. Best value of LX/XT/XTR.
Five chilis for non-tandem/clydesdale use | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James
a Cross-Country Rider
from Knoxville TN
Date Reviewed: October 8, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Durable, reliable | | Weaknesses: |
none | | Similar Products Used: |
LX and 105 (road) cassettes | | Bike Setup: |
Hardtail, '96 LX hubs, SRAM PC-51 chain | | Bottom Line: | This cassette is simply the best in Shimano's line IMO. It's super durable (unlike XTR's somewhat fragile Ti cogs and lightweight carrier, if you check the XTR reviews...), light enough, and looks good, which is all you can ask for in a cassette. I've got an 11-28 8 spd model, which works great for a compact chainring setup (44/32/22 and such) but if I had a standard drive I'd probably be a wuss and whine about not having a 32t cog. I should also mention I do like the wider spaced 8 speed models (with accompanying wider chains) better than the new too-skinny Mega-9 stuff. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeremy
a Racer
from Des Moines
Date Reviewed: September 20, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
light
cheap | | Weaknesses: |
no | | Bike Setup: |
Univega 600, XT & XTR, manitou spider | | Bottom Line: | repace your suckified lowend shimano cassette and save a huge amount of weight in your drive train. This is a spot that doesn't look flashy or cool like your red skewers, but this upgrade with actually improve you bike, lots of weight and quality and shifting. The fancy $60 red skewers don't help your ride and make you look like a huge poser. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andrew D
a Weekend Warrior
from Texas
Date Reviewed: September 13, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Much lighter thatn my previous cassette.
Looks great.
I did notice a difference in shift quality.
| | Weaknesses: |
Have'nt found any yet. | | Similar Products Used: |
STX | | Bike Setup: |
1998 Gary Fisher Big Sur
Manitou SX-R | | Bottom Line: | Performs flawlessly, shifts smoother than OEM cassette on the bike, looks great. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rich Sanque
a Cross-Country Rider
from San Diego, CA
Date Reviewed: September 13, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
wherever | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
relatively cheap (compared to XTR), very pretty, shifts fine, noticeably lighter than my old cassette. | | Weaknesses: |
shifts no different than my older STX-RC unit, always wanting to clean it to keep it looking so shiny and sweet. | | Similar Products Used: |
STX-RC 7 and 8 speed. | | Bike Setup: |
'98 Fisher Big Sur w/Rox Indy XC, XT front and rear, 8-speed GS Plasma shifters. | | Bottom Line: | It's been less than a month since I bought this unit. I chose an identical 11-30, like the stock cassette that came on my bike. Light, yes. Better-looking, hell yes. Smoother shifting, we'll see. Right after slapping it onto my bike, I didn't notice a significant difference in shifting. I'll admit this: my bike was shifting fine before; I just had some extra cash and thought my bike could use a little cosmetic refining. HONEST. Considered XTR for about 2 seconds. I'll hold back on 1 star just to see what the future holds for this product. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex
a Cross-Country Rider
from HI
Date Reviewed: August 18, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Strong
Cheap
Shifts Well | | Weaknesses: |
Not Yet | | Similar Products Used: |
Shimano XTR Steel 12-32 | | Bike Setup: |
XT Hub
Sachs PC-61 and Shimano IG90 chains | | Bottom Line: | XT casettes are great- they work great and don't cost too much. I haven't been able to do mine any harm in a year, and it shifts precisely, as good as XTR. It cost me $30 in early '98, I have the 8 speed 11-28 version. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gavin
a Weekend Warrior
from NY
Date Reviewed: August 16, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Strong 9sp smooth | | Weaknesses: |
middle cog | | Similar Products Used: |
shimano products and sr suntour | | Bike Setup: |
'99 Xt setup except for crank | | Bottom Line: | GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but like the guy below said i had some trouble with my midde cog it isn't bad i think it has to do with my shitty crank and the fact that i like to use the third chainring alot (and ithe outer ring is bent) but ovral a great piece of work reaLLY strong. fiver | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
smack
a Cross-Country Rider
from larry,ks
Date Reviewed: August 12, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
hasnt broken yet | | Similar Products Used: |
other shimano | | Bottom Line: | got a situation where i dont get a solid shift in the middle of the gears. thought it was just my tuning job, or a bent d.hanger, but my riding buddy got one and has the same problem. otherwise its good. i like the look and the aluminum shell seems to shed the mud well. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dan
a Cross-Country Rider
from Mech, PA
Date Reviewed: July 30, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Neckbreaker | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
looks, shifting, 9spd rules | | Weaknesses: |
mine broke twice | | Similar Products Used: |
Shimano LX | | Bike Setup: |
Spec. Stumpjump Pro, SID, XT/XTR | | Bottom Line: | I was using the LX 8 speed on my old Stumpjumper and got the XT with my pro. The 9 spd is so great! But for some reason my middle cog busted twice with out much pressure. I bought a new one and it broke too! Im not a huge guy! I sent it back to Shimano and they replaced it. Its been fine now for a while and hope it holds up | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
>_<
a Weekend Warrior
from SD
Date Reviewed: May 16, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Mr. ToAd'S wiLd RiDE!!! | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Very reliable and durable. Competitive weight vs steel XTR for less money. | | Weaknesses: |
I can't find one. | | Similar Products Used: |
11-30 LX | | Bike Setup: |
IG 90, XT Der front and rear. | | Bottom Line: | I find this cassette very durable. To extend it's service life, I recently replaced my chain after 6 months. I have an 11-28 with a 20-32-42 ring set. My lowest ratio, 28/20 is better than the more common 30/22, 1.40 vs 1.36 respectively (for comparison, an XTR 32/24 gives 1.33). So I actually saved weight coz of the smaller inner ring and smaller big cog and got a lower gear than 11-30 setups. Not THAT much weight, but I did save a bit. Anyway, the cog along with the rest of the XT parts on my bike never seem to let me down, regardless of what I ride through. The 9 speeds seem to get a lot of mixed reviews lately so I don't know about getting them yet. Some folks do that 2X9 setup. But I don't think I am strong enough for the ratios it offers. If I was to make a 2X9 drive, I'd make it a 10 to 34 cogset with a 38 and 24 ringset. Your top gear 38/11 would be comparable to a 42/11, and your low 34/24 would be about the same as a 28/20. But the 14 tooth difference between the front rings would be beyond the limits of most front ders. I know of, and nobody makes a 10-34 cogset. Are you listening Shimano?I am speaking as a non racer. You sport/expert class guys can probably handle the normal 2X9's other companies are making now. In the meantime, XT is great. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
binh
a Cross-Country Rider
from san jose ca
Date Reviewed: May 8, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
awsome gear range | | Bike Setup: |
cannodale sv400 | | Bottom Line: | just got these a couple weeks ago and I love the 11-34t gear range of this 9 speed I can climb like I've never climb before | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
TC
a Weekend Warrior
from Hawley, TX
Date Reviewed: May 1, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Porcupine Rim, Moab | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
light, inexpensive, works | | Weaknesses: |
none | | Similar Products Used: |
HG70(LX) | | Bottom Line: | The XT cassette is about the best available--and for the money it is definitely the best. Without being Ti or alloy, it is very light, and it is very durable. All Shimano cassettes work better than anything else. I like the 11-30 for the best all-around gearing. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jamie
a Cross-Country Rider
from Boston
Date Reviewed: April 19, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
Shifts great, fairly cheap, long lasting, relatively light.
WIDE RANGE OF GEARING CHOICES | | Weaknesses: |
Absolutley none. | | Similar Products Used: |
Almost every type of cassette or freewheel out there. | | Bike Setup: |
Clark-Kent F14 w/ Judy SL, aftermarket goodies, XT shifting. | | Bottom Line: | First off the 8sp XT units were avaible in 11-28, 12-30, and 12-32... I don't know why people seem to think there is only one size other than that must be the only one their shop chooses to stock (hell my shop only has 23mm road tires!). In any event they last a long time and shift as good as is possible. XTR are lighter but will run 2-3x as much $$$ and don't shift apreciably better... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim Frost
a Cross-Country Rider
from Watertown, MA
Date Reviewed: April 5, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Bow Ridge @ Lynn Woods | | Duration Product Used: |
more than 3 years | | Strengths: |
Fairly cheap, works well. | | Weaknesses: |
28T maximum size is too tall; wouldn't mind a 32T. | | Similar Products Used: |
STX 11-28, XTR 12-32 | | Bike Setup: |
GT Tequesta (more or less), Sachs PC-9x and PC-5x chains. | | Bottom Line: | I bought this thing because Shimano didn't sell standalone shifters in 7sp back in '95/96. It replaced an STX unit, which had worked very well up to that time.The cassette worked really well for 2.5 years of dirt and mud. Towards the end (3+ years) I started having shifting problems; it wouldn't pick up or drop the chain smoothly like it used to. This seemed particularly problematic with a new chain, although it didn't slip so I didn't attribute the problem to the cassette right away.While replacing the rest of the drivetrain I retired the XT cassette in favor of an XTR to get the 32T cog -- and *poof* the shifting problems went away.Anyway 2.5+ years of great service makes a great product in my book. 5 chilis because it's much better than a 4, but to be perfect they oughtta provide wider tooth range options. I shouldn't have to pay XTR bucks to get a 32T cog.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ride_guy
a Racer
from windsor, ont
Date Reviewed: April 5, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
holdridge | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Bottom Line: | Very good casset has not failed in the 3 months that i have had it ride at least 3-5 times a week. so far no complaints except that it could be lighter 4 chillis cause of weight | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
alex
a Cross-Country Rider
from NY
Date Reviewed: April 2, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Cool looks | | Weaknesses: |
none | | Bottom Line: | I love the looks of it and ive never had a problem shifting. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a cross-country rider
from United Kingdom
Date Reviewed: January 27, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I'm using an XT 8spd 11-30 HG cassette with an XT 8spd IG Chainset. Everything shifts nicely and is very smooth. Shifting is sometimes so silent I have to look back and check that it's actually shifted! Down shifting is very fast and smooth. The XT cassette is lightweight and durable.
Unfortunately the Shimano 9spd stuff isn't compatible with the 8spd, so future upgrading for those of us with 8spd will be more costly. The 9spd cassettes and chainset have different spacings between the cogs,so you can't mix it with 8spd stuff. However, the 9spd rear mech will run with an 8spd drivetrain. Anyway, I'm not convinced by this 9spd stuff. Do you really need that many gears? The chains are getting thinner and thinner, which will lead to greater wear of the cassette & chainset.
XT is the only choice for me. If I have to eventually upgrade to 9spd, I will without hesitation. I'm confidant of Shimano's ability to keep on producing top class componentry; we'll just have to wait and see how the Mega 9 range performs. Until then I intend to enjoy many miles of riding on my 8spd casstte. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Richard
a cross-country rider
from Maine USA
Date Reviewed: January 24, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I love the hogged out alum. carrier, I noticed the weight loss and I weigh 200 lbs!!! really like the wear life, shifts fine, didn't break just wore and got lose. BEWARE if you are heavey and strong, you may not only have to worry about breaking the top two sprockets free, but torquing the teeth sideways in the middle gears, i bent mine torquing up a steep granite hill, straightened them and later bent another one in a different place. definately get the 11/30 though. over all a good value | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eric FAUCON
a weekend warrior
from STRASBOURG, FRANCE
Date Reviewed: January 20, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
Very good product, light, good-looking, and costless compared to and XTR's one, with higher durability. I have had it for a couple of years, with many kilometers and no problem.
XT components are the best ! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nick Ries
a cross-country rider
from Novato, CA
Date Reviewed: January 14, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
Shimano XT Cassette: I have towards 2000 miles on a 11-28 cassette with 8
cogs. The small front chainring is a 22 cog. The cassette has done a
decent job, great shifts and no skipping. Recently I noticed it was dishing
on the large rings, so it is wore out. I'm not complaining my only _itch is
the two largest rings broke loose of the rest of the cassette before I got
it replaced. So I give it four flames, cause it did what it was supposed to,
but I don't like the way it failed. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Daniel Preston
a cross-country rider
from Virginia
Date Reviewed: December 28, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I recently got the new 9-speed XT cassette and I love it, that is until I try to change into the 9 gear. The chain always comes off. Ive got an XT derailler and I dont think that it is the problem. Anyway it works great on the other gears though. It is very smooth quick and its not to noisy. I think I am going to go back and get the 8 speed cassette. Overall I give it 4 chiles | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Carson
a cross-country rider
from Canada
Date Reviewed: December 16, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
XT is Shimano's best bet for a cassette . I've used LX 11-28 , XTR ti 11-30 . I am currently using a XT11-28 .Have used it for the worst 3 months of the year ( mud and snow season ) showing no wear . The XTR scared me how quickly it wore out.LX has great wear as well , but it's an anchor . Noticble wieght difference on the rear wheel and no 11-30. Best spot for your money XT 11-30 on a hardtail , XTR steel 12-32 for full suspension. 8 SPEED CASSETTES RULE, LESS CHAINSUCK , LESS WEAR, LESS DOWN TIME. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
UNgasha
a racer
from USA
Date Reviewed: October 2, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This thing just plain works. That's what's most important in racing. Weight worriers should direct their energy into saving weight in the wheels and the frame. Something as small as a cassette won't garner you much advantage at all!!! As for shifting, I'm totally pleased!!! I can't ask for anything more!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff
a
from New Hampshire
Date Reviewed: September 14, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This cogset performs wonderfully and stays quite clean, however I juts broke mine with only about 500 miles on it. I was bearing down on a hill climb and p-tang! The two largest cogs separated as a unit from the remaining 6. The 4 bolt mounting tabs holding the 2nd cog onto the rest all cracked in half. I'm not sure if all 4 tabs broke at once or if it was a progressive thing. Seemed to work flawlessly up to that point, though.I'm still satisfied overall and will likely replace it with another. Hard to go wrong based on the price. | | Overall Rating: |
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