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Submitted by
fatman a
a Cross Country Rider
from Feldafing
Date Reviewed: August 7, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | around here | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | Hibike | | Strengths: | Design: look only at the cable geometry, e.g.. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XTR 98, XT 98; XT 00 | | Bike Setup: | Trek 8500 96 frame, Marzocchi Bomber 00, full XTR (brakes including boosters, Cool Stop pads (green zncr) nokon trac pearls). | | Bottom Line: | Had shifting problems lately, at first with my other bike (XT), then with the above, change of chain, rings, cables and shifters (from XTR to SRAM) did not help. Hibike had those "old" SRAM (in fact, Sachs) DiRT Quartz Ds on sale for mid 30 bucks. I read those reviews and bought one. Having mounted it, I sat in front of it at looked at the cable for a quarter of an hour, and thought: incredible, so simple, why did no one else think of that. The next revelation: you don't even have to know which screw goes for which shifting limit: you simply see which screw you have to handle. Then I got on the bike, shifting: much less force needed, but very precise shifting, all the same. I've just ordered another two. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Davide
a Weekend Warrior
from San Francisco CA
Date Reviewed: March 26, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$29.00 | | Purchased At: | xxx | | Strengths: | Light, easy to set up, very positive action | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT XTR | | Bike Setup: | GT STS and than Turner 5-spot. | | Bottom Line: | If you can get one of these buy one (or a bunch of them). It is light at 208 grams, with $10 more I got mine to 199 grams:
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=9929&highlight=199
It works flowlessly, much better than my XT 2003 or XTR 1997.
Value is off the charts, this is XO quality at 1/6 of the price! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
GJ
a Weekend Warrior
from Vermont
Date Reviewed: June 19, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Cambria | | Strengths: | flawless shifting in all conditions, strength, dependability, simple straightforward design, superiority to the other brand | | Weaknesses: | none..? | | Similar Products Used: | XT, LX | | Bike Setup: | trusty old Stumpy M2, marzocchi z2 atom, sun, koski | | Bottom Line: | This is an EXCELLENT derailleur. I use it mostly on single track, but due to it's price and simplicity it'd be good for everyone. I consider it to be a significantly better product than my former XT rd. So, if your Shimangle dies, as it inevitably will, then replace it with this. My last XT rd left me stranded miles into the woods. The cogs literally flew off into the ferns. But for years it never worked right - ever, even brand new. So I bought this Sachs/Sram honey as a replacement and I've been singing a different tune. Switching over to Sachs/Sram has been like getting out of a bad relationship - I didn't realize how bad my Shimangle derailleurs have been until I tried something new. I'm free!
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andy
a Racer
from Leicester
Date Reviewed: December 24, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Any Techy | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$120.00 | | Purchased At: | Mountain Tamers | | Strengths: | One pukka design great shifting and reliable. Light and easy to maintain, will take a lot of stick | | Weaknesses: | No weaknesses | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano LX...XT...XTR | | Bike Setup: | Kona Explosive with Marzocchi Z2 and full XT | | Bottom Line: | This rear mech really rocks. Delivers the goods every time shift after shift, well made strong and light. Its easy to maintain you can get to everything. Stonking design eleminates the loop in the rear cable so no sticktion. Beats the pants off Shimano gear. Five major chillis! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris Arky
a Racer
from Kendal
Date Reviewed: December 13, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | shap | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | Merlin | | Strengths: | well made with excellent design. Simple and effective. Reliable. Minimum maintenance. Fit and forget | | Weaknesses: | None so far | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano STXrc, LX, XT and XTR. | | Bike Setup: | GT Zaskar, full XTR, Mavic Crossride Ceramics, USE Alien, Kore, SIDs. | | Bottom Line: | Amazing bit of work, unusual design that really delivers the goods. I race and I don't want to have to think about anything but my line and handling. This rear mech lets me get on with it. I RECOMMEND! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Maria
a Cross Country Rider
from Manchester
Date Reviewed: November 3, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$150.00 | | Purchased At: | local bike shop | | Strengths: | very strong, very light, very reliable, will shift in the worst conditions. Does not suffer from a tight cable loop. | | Weaknesses: | slightly expensive. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT,LX | | Bike Setup: | Marin Rift Zone. | | Bottom Line: | I was having continual chain-suck on my 9 speed set up ( XT Shimano rear mech ). Went to this revolutionary design because it uses 2 stronger springs than the Shimano mechs. Shimano use 3 springs but they are poor. Shifting is great. And it does not suffer too much from mud the way my previous mech did. In fact no more chain suck. This is the best rear mech I have ever used, in fact when I think about it it's worth the cost because you can forget about it. If you are having chain-suck problems because of bad conditions try this mech. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a Weekend Warrior
from Bristol. U.k
Date Reviewed: September 23, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Blue Lagoon | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Avon Cyclery | | Strengths: | Light ..great design..strong & well built..Excellent shifting...reliable. | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano LX...XT...XTR. | | Bike Setup: | Klein Mantra Race...XT/XTR..Manitou Mars C..Fox Float R.. | | Bottom Line: | Seriously good rear derailleur. Very well designed..very strong with serious pivots ( well stronger than XTR )..light needs almost no adjustment. Set-up is easy..let it bed-in and that's it. Design means there is no cable loop so no stiction and nothing sticking out ot get caught. Heavy-duty recommendation. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
G Young
a Cross Country Rider
from Nottingham
Date Reviewed: September 23, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | The Pennines | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$110.00 | | Purchased At: | Local Bike Shop | | Strengths: | Light, strong, reliable, consistent, well made, great design, easy to maintain. | | Weaknesses: | Cannot see any. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XTR and XT. | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Stumpjumper FSRxc Comp. XT/XTR. Manitou Mars Fork. Avid Brakes. 517 Ceramics. | | Bottom Line: | This Mech puts Shimano into perspective, its loads better, its better than the XTR.The design is so obvious, why didnt anybody think of it before? The shifting is spot on and stays that way just set it up right. No friction in the cable because there is no bend. Its really light and strong. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alvin Ashall
a Weekend Warrior
from Manchester, U.K
Date Reviewed: September 22, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | The Peak District | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | Leisure Lakes | | Strengths: | Brilliant shifting. Very strong. Vrey light. Easy to maintain. Design prevents stiction. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT, LX | | Bike Setup: | Kona Explosive, Full XT, Z2 lites, Mavic X618. | | Bottom Line: | Superb shifting time and again.Straight forward setting up. I was a bit worried that it doesn't have a barrel adjuster but I've realised it doesn't need one because there isn't any stiction in the system because of it's unique design. Very strong, I've come off a few times and wacked the mech but still no damage. Very light with some strong pivots. Everything can be seen to clean and lube. This is a really superb peice of kit. 100% recommendation, and worth the money! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
M Clarke
a Cross Country Rider
from Liverpool
Date Reviewed: September 22, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | three peaks | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | Merlin Cycles | | Strengths: | strong construction, super-light material,excellent design. | | Weaknesses: | none so far. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XTR,XT,LX.STXrc,Alivio. | | Bike Setup: | Custom Frame Reynolds 853, Marzocchi Z2 bam lites, XTR. | | Bottom Line: | Dissatisfaction with the performance & amazingly the durability of my Shimano XTR rear Mech made me look for an alternative. This D.I.R.T quartz is actually called the Sram not the Sachs now. Set-up is easy. Performance is outstanding. It outperforms the XTR, its as simple as that. More importantly it maintains it's performance even in the most demanding of conditions. It requires no tweaking after the initial cable-stretch.
It's the best rear mech that I have ever used. I commend it to anyone. Its design means that you can get at all the parts to inspect & clean. First class. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Goose
a Downhiller
from Moab, Utah
Date Reviewed: July 9, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Burro to hazzard | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | Poison Spider Bikes | | Strengths: | Shifts better than others I've tried. Very smooth, holds good chain tension, it's not shimano. | | Weaknesses: | looks fragile, no tension adjustment on the deraileur. | | Similar Products Used: | LX, XT, XTR | | Bike Setup: | SC Bullit, Jr-T, Hayes, Race Face, blah blah blah... | | Bottom Line: | After blowing up an LX and an XT deraileur this year I decided to buy from someone other than an over grown giant that doesn't give a crap about it's customers. Went with this and have been happy since. Spot on shifting, just as fast and precise as XTR. I guess it's light, but with a 37 pound bike, I didn't notice. Found it very easy to set up. Givin it five for value cause it's better than my old XT and LX, yet cheaper, and a four for overall, cause I'd give it a barrel adjuster if I could. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mad Cyclist
a Cross Country Rider
from SW Herts, UK
Date Reviewed: January 28, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Dartmoor, Morocco | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | Freewheel, Leeds, UK | | Strengths: | Lightness, easy clean, | | Weaknesses: | Jockey wheels | | Similar Products Used: | DIRT Centera, DIRT Neos, DIRT Plasma, Shimano, Sachs Neos | | Bike Setup: | DNA Ti frame, 1995 XTR front, and SRAM quarz rear with XT thumbies (really!). | | Bottom Line: | These rear mechs are good if you don't have to pay full price for them! I got mine for £19-99, a very good bargain.
They're fine, shift well, and are easy to clean.
The only moan I have is the jockey wheels are a bit of a nuisance as they're sealed, and fiddly to service. I also found they can sometimes make squealy noises when they need lubing. Finally they need to be reassembled correctly. I had mine around the wrong way and they slipped like mad. Luckily it was pre race day so I could take them apart and investigate.
Since then, 450 miles, and no problems.
I've given them a 4 for performance. They are good once you've sorted them out.
If you can get them as cheap as I did they're worth a 5 for value. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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