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Submitted by
nightbike..
a Weekend Warrior
from Cassovia, Slovakia
Date Reviewed: May 28, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | all around | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | came with bike | | Strengths: | Great piece. Pushing hard on pedals and shifting meanwhile makes no problem at all. It catches right away.. and you fly.. | | Weaknesses: | non really so far | | Similar Products Used: | Alivio | | Bike Setup: | Apache Blackhawk
XT rear, LX front, LX shifters | | Bottom Line: | They work better than Alivio for sure. It has some bugs like the chain is scratching in 1st, 2nd and 26th, 27th gear but I do not consider that as a weakness. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
nightbike..
a Weekend Warrior
from Cassovia, Slovakia
Date Reviewed: May 28, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | all around | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | came with bike | | Strengths: | Great piece. Pushing hard on pedals and shifting meanwhile makes no problem at all. It catches right away.. and you fly.. | | Weaknesses: | non really so far | | Similar Products Used: | Alivio | | Bike Setup: | Apache Blackhawk
XT rear, LX front, LX shifters | | Bottom Line: | They work better than Alivio for sure. It has some bugs like the chain is scratching in 1st, 2nd and 26th, 27th gear but I do not consider that as a weakness. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
nightbike..
a Weekend Warrior
from Cassovia, Slovakia
Date Reviewed: May 28, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | all around | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | came with bike | | Strengths: | Great piece. Pushing hard on pedals and shifting meanwhile makes no problem at all. It catches right away.. and you fly.. | | Weaknesses: | non really so far | | Similar Products Used: | Alivio | | Bike Setup: | Apache Blackhawk
XT rear, LX front, LX shifters | | Bottom Line: | They work better than Alivio for sure. It has some bugs like the chain is scratching in 1st, 2nd and 26th, 27th gear but I do not consider that as a weakness. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John Smith
a Weekend Warrior
from Manchester, Manchester, UK
Date Reviewed: February 19, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Loop de loops | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Came with bike | | Strengths: | Sorry...but it works. I even had a play with this thing...it went out of tune which is fair enough as it had done a fair few miles and was covered in crap...so I played. After screwing it up good style...I RTFM..Read The F**kin' Manual...and set it up nicely. Now as goood as it ever was. | | Weaknesses: | None really...it changes gear within 1/2 crank turn regardless of up or down, power on or power off. | | Similar Products Used: | Various, XT, XTR | | Bike Setup: | Basically a stock Genius MC30 | | Bottom Line: | People...it works. The lightest...nope. The coolest...nope. Cheap, light enough, robust enough, frame matchingly coloured enough...you bet my arse!!!
Go on...buy one. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
simon
a
from newbury uk
Date Reviewed: December 9, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | came with bike | | Strengths: | Works well, long life. Not found any reason to change it yet, the action is still precise with no wear after 3 years and about 4000 miles use/abuse. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano Deore | | Bike Setup: | 2005 Giant NRS3, XT cranks and rear mech, Deore shifters | | Bottom Line: | Used for 3 years now, still as good as new. Shifts well, even when clogged with mud. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
JP Taberdo
a Cross Country Rider
from Brisbane
Date Reviewed: August 21, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Majura Pines | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Gap Cycles and Glow | | Strengths: | Works well when adjusted right. Reasonably priced. | | Weaknesses: | Non so far! | | Similar Products Used: | SRAM XGen, Shim Alivio, Suntour crap | | Bike Setup: | Giant NRS (deore/raceface prodigy), Mongoose Meteore Comp (X.7/firex) | | Bottom Line: | Has worked well on two bikes so far. Both times I upgraded from the last piece of crap. Shifts fast and crisp on raceface prodigy and avid firex cranks. seems to shift better with SRAM shifters - picks up the chain faster, and with less thumb action. i'm not sure if that's just the shifter though..
anyway, i recommend LX fronts. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Canada
Date Reviewed: June 20, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | - Upgrade from Alivio.
- Great performance for the price I paid. | | Weaknesses: | - None so far. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano Alivio. | | Bike Setup: | Trek 4500 Shimano LX front, XT Rear. | | Bottom Line: | I didn't see any reason to buy the XT for the front since it would be used less often than the rear, and to me, I could use the money I saved buying the LX on something else.
Didn't take me long to set up - So far it seems to work good. Still some minor tweaking to get it setup just right, but that won't take me long.
I am curious to see if I will see some of the same results others have posted - but until then, I am very satisfied with this product.
I was told too that the only real difference between the XT and LX front derailleurs was the weight - XT being lighter.
Recommend the LX nonetheless. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
cory
a Weekend Warrior
from cleveland, ohio
Date Reviewed: June 16, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | worked well for about 2 years and thousands of miles. didnt notice any problems | | Weaknesses: | eventually it stopped shifting. after tinkering i could get it to shift up from the middle to the big ring but never back down. not sure if the spring had weakened or the metal that pushes the chain had. i tried cleaning and greasing but it still wouldnt work. | | Bike Setup: | stock 2005 stumpjumper | | Bottom Line: | i got a lot of miles out of it before i noticed any problems. however, i rarely do hardcore singletrack, instead i ride on gravel and limestone bike pathes so i didnt strain the fdr too much. im kinda upset that it suddenly stopped working. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: February 13, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Cambria (2001) | | Strengths: | Durability, weight, colour, clean & crisp shifting. | | Weaknesses: | None. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano Alivio (bottom pull). | | Bike Setup: | 2001 Trek Fuel 90 Disk (top pull) & 1996 GT Ricochet (bottom pull). | | Bottom Line: | I currently have 2 of these Shimano front derailleurs (one on each) of my 2 bikes. See "Bike Setup" for info. I have 10,000kms+ on my 1996 GT Ricochet & 9,000kms+ on my 2001 Trek Fuel 90 Disk. They look good, work well, with clean and crisp shifting.
Bottom Line: These are great derailleurs, if you buy them as an upgrade or come stock on your bike you should have years of trouble free service from them. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
dirtdober
a Cross Country Rider
from thomaston,texas
Date Reviewed: June 10, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | rocky hill, bluff creek, kelly creek, hill country sna...... | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | discovery cycles in austin | | Strengths: | tough, cheap | | Weaknesses: | poor upshifting | | Similar Products Used: | alivio, old school sram | | Bike Setup: | gary fisher sugar LX front and XT back with LX shifters | | Bottom Line: | I have tried to adjust this thing and never could get it right. It will downshift ok but you always have to give it an extra push when going up. I finally gave up trying to adjust it and just accepted defeat. On the positve side, it hasn't got any worse with age and I've come to live with it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
evil geeke
a Cross Country Rider
from calgary
Date Reviewed: May 5, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | hard to think of any | | Weaknesses: | rubs the chain in 1st and 2nd gear *and* in 26th and 27th gear, no matter how it's adjusted. sloppy, imprecise shifts that sometimes jam up the chain or drop it off the rings. | | Similar Products Used: | deore | | Bike Setup: | 2001 klein attitude comp, lx shifters, bontrager race cranks, xtr rear derailleur. | | Bottom Line: | My bike came with the LX front derailleur and it was the single crappiest component on the whole bike. The first generation SIS deore performed better than this. In order to ride without rubbing the chain, I found myself adjusting the cable tension behind the shifter as I rode (tighter when i needed to be in big gears and looser when i needed the small gears). How silly is that?
btw, I don't fault the LX shifters at all, as they work flawlessly with my XT rear derailleur. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
garret
a Cross Country Rider
from tres rivers, ma, usa
Date Reviewed: April 6, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | sterage rock | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | COMPETITIVE EDGE ELM. THEY ROCK!! | | Strengths: | none | | Weaknesses: | poor shifting period. | | Similar Products Used: | deore...just as good maybe even better | | Bike Setup: | 06' stumpy expert stock; stans upgrade | | Bottom Line: | i will be replacing this very very soon. not that it's common to change gears up front on climbs, but if you do.. forget about it.. i've come to the top of a peak, only to start a decent, and try to get out of the granny ring.. no shift.. so i end up taking my eyes off the trail to see what's going on down there.. and i'm jamming the rapid fires.. finally.. boooo i'm sorry but if you can't shift when going down a hill, you're out, i could handle rough.. or no shifts climbing, but when i'm decending and i want to get to the big ring, and fast, this is not the derailer for me.. or anyone unless you do easy fire roads, with not much change in contour. either going to x-gen, xt.. xtr.. reco's are welcomed.
bottom line, don't spend your money on this.. if it comes stock on your bike upgrade.. seriously how much is the difference? 5-10.. 30$ at most? front derailers are cheap, so get the best.. and lx is not even close. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
johnnyb
a Cross Country Rider
from Fairfax, Cali
Date Reviewed: April 3, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Tamarancho | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Everywhere | | Strengths: | Cheaper than other derailleurs. Simple operation and adjustments. Shifts well under load when new. | | Weaknesses: | Wears out before you wear the bike out. I get about 10,000 miles of riding before the shifting cage pins get too loose and sloppy. | | Similar Products Used: | XT, 105, ultegra and SRAM | | Bike Setup: | Rumble w/Fox RLC, all LX, avid mechs. Rainier w/bomber, LX, avids. Bianchi roadie | | Bottom Line: | Works as well as other Shimanoes when new. The construction of the shifting cage is flimsy and loosens up after a while and can make clean shifting impossible. What you pay for is the inexpensiveness with this product. Its cheap.
I have owned several models of the derailleur over the years usually comes with the bike. I'm indifferent with the LX because its cheap. I had an XT der. on a Stumpjumper several years ago that still works today on another bike, though its cage has become loose too, it still shifts fine. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Moey Bain
a Weekend Warrior
from Canada
Date Reviewed: April 1, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | hammerfest trails | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | online | | Strengths: | good shifter | | Weaknesses: | none that i have found | | Similar Products Used: | shimano xt | | Bike Setup: | judy tt air front suspension, s-ram attack gear shifters, xt front deraileur lx back, avid brake levers. | | Bottom Line: | this is a good cross country deraileur or for just doin whatever. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Richard
a Cross Country Rider
from Bowling Green,KY, USA
Date Reviewed: January 29, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | as equiped on bike | | Strengths: | Shifted well when new. | | Weaknesses: | Cheap and weak stamped metal linkages, which tend to have a lot of slop in the pivot points and it wears in. Derailer cage very loose | | Similar Products Used: | Scram gen X | | Bike Setup: | Giant Ranier, avid disc, LX rear derailer, LX crank. | | Bottom Line: | Works good when new, but put some wear on it and it gets slopy and the derailer cage has so much play in it it will grab the chainring. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lonnie Jackson
a Weekend Warrior
from Lemoore, CA USA
Date Reviewed: July 1, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Buckridge | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$18.00 | | Purchased At: | eBay | | Strengths: | Shifts like butter, very sturdy, great value | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Alivio | | Bike Setup: | 05 Ignition | | Bottom Line: | Upgraded my cheapo stock Alivio front derailleur. I got a super deal on eBay. This LX 8 Speed derailleur rocks. Shifts every time, even under heavy loads and tough climbing. Dialed it in when I installed it and have not made an adjustment yet. Has not failed me yet. This derailleur proves you do not have to spend a lot of money to get good performance. A great upgrade from a cheap stock front derailleur. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave K.
a Weekend Warrior
from Marin County, California
Date Reviewed: March 16, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Tamarancho | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Strengths: | It works well, like it should. | | Weaknesses: | None that I can tell so far. | | Similar Products Used: | Deore, XT, XTR | | Bike Setup: | Ellsworth Joker, Maitou Black Elite, Mavic, Thomson, etc., etc. | | Bottom Line: | Honestly it works as well as the XT and XTR in my experience. I think people "think" higher end stuff works better sometimes because it costs more. I've been riding an XTR front for years and the LX seems to work just as well. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Hui Chuen Chuang
a Weekend Warrior
from Penang, Malaysia
Date Reviewed: January 15, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | near my house | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Sim Cycle | | Strengths: | sleek, light, looks good, never miss a shift | | Weaknesses: | so far so good | | Similar Products Used: | tourney | | Bike Setup: | deore cranks, megarange cassette, altus RD | | Bottom Line: | good upgrade for a beginer. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Christian
a Cross Country Rider
from Dundas ON, Canada
Date Reviewed: January 6, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | Came on bike | | Strengths: | Cheap, works, lasts and lasts | | Weaknesses: | Not fancy-pants | | Similar Products Used: | STX, XT, XTR, those junky noname ones | | Bike Setup: | This was on my commuter | | Bottom Line: | It just doesn't die! Came on a low-end mountain bike which I used for commuting in both summer and salt-filled winter. Rode the bike until the frame rusted completely through, then put it on my next commuter. Still works fine (except when it's frozen solid in a block of ice, in which case I kick it to break the ice and it starts working again). I just don't understand how it could still work, but I'm not complaining. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Richard
a Racer
from San Antonio
Date Reviewed: January 5, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | NONE | | Weaknesses: | Not a good piece of equipment. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XTR
Shimano Ultegra | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Epic 04'
| | Bottom Line: | In this case you get what you pay for. The LX front derailer is a piece of junk. My Epic deserves better than that so I had to upgrade to XTR. The LX is unreliable. Always out of tune. You notice a huge difference when you switch to XTR. Much smoother and lower maintenance.
I also have a road bike with full Ultegra. I know this isn't mtb but you can still tell how crappy the LX is when you ride other bikes with better components.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Llloyd
a
from Cebu, The Philippines
Date Reviewed: January 2, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$17.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike Hub | | Strengths: | Great value... mine is the gold one... looks cool on my matt black Mosso frame. | | Weaknesses: | None... | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT, Shimano ALivio | | Bike Setup: | SR Suntour XC Pro E fork, Mosso slalon-M1 frame, Shimano Deore LX FD, Shimano Deore XT RD, Shimano Deore LX shifter, Avid Speed Dial 7 lever, Ameoba Borla control set and stem, Mavic DeeMax wheels, Maxxis Kraken tires, Shimano Deore XT hub, Avid Ball Bearing 7 disc brake (203mm rotor), Shimano Deore Hollowtech crankset, Shimano pedal PD515, Amoeba seat post (carbon fiber), Amoeba saddle | | Bottom Line: | Highly recommended... performance is solid... at par with the XT FD that I have and way above than my previously installed alivio...
The price difference compared with the XT's is negligible though... had bought my XT rear derailuer at $20. I opted to use the LX due to its color... it blends along with my frame... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris Andersen
a Cross Country Rider
from Glendale, AZ, USA
Date Reviewed: November 2, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | McDowell Mtn Loops | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Nashbar.com | | Strengths: | Cost. | | Weaknesses: | None yet. | | Similar Products Used: | Deore. | | Bike Setup: | Specialized hardtail. | | Bottom Line: | First off, I used a Deore front derailleur for 3 years on my hardtail with no problems (and that includes hard riding on AZ's rocky/technical terrain, including 24-hour and other racing), so props to Shimano for that.
My Deore finally broke, though, so I got the cheapest replacement I could find--nashbar.com had the Deore LX for less than $20, so I threw it on there a week before the 24-hour race on Oct 30/31. Well, the thing performed just fine during the race--not a single problem.
I personally think front derailleurs are pretty basic mechanisms... sure I'd love to have XTR or XT, but I just can't see the need to spend more money on such a simple mechanism. This thing does the trick just fine. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
SABER HAGHVIRDY
a Weekend Warrior
from IRAN/TEHRAN
Date Reviewed: September 23, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Any trails wich have bumpimg descending | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | Local store (Mamad 47) | | Strengths: | works well 'no need of constant adjustment'good color and looking | | Weaknesses: | the hinges are losened a little(the pressed ones) | | Similar Products Used: | Alovio-XT | | Bike Setup: | Giant Iguana -RST Gilla AET-shimano Alivio LX | | Bottom Line: | it had worked good for me in this 7 monthes im using it with the least problems it could have .
first i wanted to buy a XT but the XT wasnt Mega drive so i chose this one.
the Mega drives allows you to use 9 speed freewheels whith no chain rubbing (to the leg of your front deraileur) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eric L
a
from Laguna Hills
Date Reviewed: May 16, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Schoolyard | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Good price, I personally like the color. It works pretty damn good. | | Weaknesses: | NONE | | Similar Products Used: | XTR | | Bike Setup: | Enduro Pro frame, Marzochhi Bomber MXC fork, Fox Float R, other crap | | Bottom Line: | Okay here is the bottom line: ITS A FRICKIN DERAILLEUR! I bought this derailleur for my bike, put it on, and thats it. It works flawlessly...I do not understand why you would pay extra for an XTR or XT when they all use the same basic design. I am majoring in mechanical engineering and I just don't understand why people hate this derailleur so much. I have an XTR on my XC bike and a LX on my FS, and they both work the same. For some reason, a product doesnt get a good review on this website unless it costs wayyy too much money.
This derailleur works well...and THAT is the bottom line. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
TheBigC
a Cross Country Rider
from Tampa, FL
Date Reviewed: May 9, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Rollercoaster | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Price is right. | | Weaknesses: | Gunmetal blue sucks. Always, and I mean constantly slipping out of adjustment | | Bike Setup: | GT XCR5000, all XT except the FD | | Bottom Line: | Yuck. If I'd known it was gonna be this big a piece of junk, I would have spent the extra $10 or so for the XT or even XTR. It CONSTANTLY comes out of adjustment. Don't give me any of that " You need to adjust it properly" crap. TWO..TWO different bike shops have adjusted this thing several times. It STILL comes out of adjustment, sometimes only 10-20 miles after a tune up.
The only plus i can see is that it hasnt broken, it only comes out of adjustment. that saves it from getting only one flaming turd. I can't even give it a good value rating, cause it might be priced right, but it is a waste of money.
DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kelly
a Weekend Warrior
from Upstate NY
Date Reviewed: February 12, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | everything | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | lbs | | Strengths: | easy to set up, cheap and it has worked perfectly for me | | Weaknesses: | it is not as chi-chi as xtr; it rubs if I cross-chain to an extreme (small/small or big/big) | | Similar Products Used: | older deore xt on ds bike | | Bike Setup: | banshee morphine hardtail, newer rf cranks, lx 8sp cassette, older deore xt 8sp shifters, big tires & lots of heavier sturdy stuff | | Bottom Line: | it may not last forever, but so far it has worked perfectly since I set it up in November. I've ridden it on trails, trials, drops, hops, steps & steeps. I've ridden it to and from work a few days a week through a snowy and salty northeast winter. I ride a triple chainring up front (22/32/44). Easy to set up, and I've not touched it since. This is an easy call so far (hope it lasts). | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Monster
a Cross Country Rider
from Collingwood, ON
Date Reviewed: October 8, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | three stage | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Once adjusted properly it rocks. | | Weaknesses: | Most people can't adjust properly | | Similar Products Used: | stx, xt ,xtr | | Bike Setup: | 2000 Rocky spice, raceface, xtr, mavic rims, sram 9.0,time | | Bottom Line: | take the time to learn how to adjust or ensure your LBS can do it properly. Over 3 years for this 1, had others on different bikes. all good. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Robb Spring
a
from Kansas City, MO, USA
Date Reviewed: August 4, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | Came with bike | | Strengths: | Came with bike. Works when adjusted (and used) correctly. | | Weaknesses: | Difficult to set-up, without proper knowledge. | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | Raleigh m80disk | | Bottom Line: | This is the factory front derailer for a '03 Raleigh M80disk.
From the bike shop, it would not shift up to the highest cog. (I will call front "gears" cogs, rear "gears" sprockets... Im not certain if this is the correct terminology.)
After hours of fiddling, and reading Shimanos technical docs (from their webpage), this is what I learned.
Pre-statement: I could have returned it to the shop and had it fixed. But, I had to learn to adjust these myself. Here is how you do it.
First, shift the back sprocket to the smallest. Next, shift the front cog to the largest. (with shifters).
Remove and place chain manually, if needed to get on gears. With gear in this position, disconnect cable from derailer and push/pull the derailer linkeage where the cable connects to check to see how high above the largest cog, the bottom edge of the derailer clears. Factory sticker gauge sets this about 2-3 mm. Instead, adjust the height of the derailer mount (on the bike frame), so it barely clears the cog. While at it, pivot the mount so the derailer cage (part chain goes through) points perfectly staight forward, and parallel with largest cog.
Once the derailer is mounted properly, check range of motion of the derailer. Push and pull the linkage where the cable mounts, to see if the cage will move the necessary range of motion, to run the chain to all cogs. If it wont, adjust the stops until it will. The stop screw nearest the frame, adjusts the stop position for the large cog. The one furthest from the frame, adjusts the small cog positioning. (Think opposite then as it lays). Note: The stops do not need much torque, three fingers on a screwdriver is plenty. If using more torque then that, you are at physical limits of the device.
When the derailer will clear all three positions, connect the cable so that the derailer is centered over the largest cog (where the shifter should still be set). From there, If it will not shift up and down far enough, you either need to do one of two things: Adjust the cable adjustment nut up at the shifter (on my Deore rapidfire shifters, it is plastic and has 4 rounded points, mounted next to the cable itself)... OR, you need to adjust the stops. If adjusting the stops helps SOME, but the stop wont adjust it far enough, then you need to adjust the cable more. (I forget which direction). The stops themselves will move the derailer about 1/2-1 centimeters, when the cable is not fighting it. If the cable is fighting the stops, the stops will seem to barely make any noticeable movement change. If that is the case, adjust the cable until you get more range of motion from the stop screws.
First stop to adjust, is the outside cog (inside stop screw). Adjust this until the outside of the cage clears the chain (while on the largest cog), by about 1mm. Test ride the bike, (as this riding will tension the chain) and adjust the stop until it just barely avoids rubbing. Do this with the rear derailer on the SMALLEST sprocket. Next, shift the derailer to the smallest cog. Adjust the outside stop until the inside of the cage, clears the chain by about 1mm. Test ride the bike with the chain on the LARGEST sprocket, and adjust the outside stop until the chain just barely doesnt rub.
Next shift the bike to the middle cog, and adjust the cable nut adjustment (at shifter), until the inside of the cage barely clears the chain. Test ride with chain on largest sprocket, and adjust until it barely doesnt rub.
You should now be "close".
From here, you fine tune by test riding. Drive the bike until the tension on the chain is gone (you are up to speed), then shift while pedaling softly. Front shifters work poorly, under load. Test adjust, with little load. If the shifter has trouble shifting UP to the largest cog, then back the inside stop (the one that adjusts the outer cog) counterclockwise a tiny bit. 1/8th turn at most. Test ride again. At this point, either stop adjustments should not reach a full 1/4 turn. If it does, start over again as a more basic setup step is not proper.
If the chain does not like shifting down to the lowest cog, adjust the outer stop (inner cog stop adjustment) counterclockwise 1/8th a turn. Adjust until the problem is gone.
Finally, if the chain is rubbing while on the middle cog, then fine tune the adjustments at the shifter.
I did all three of these, while riding the bike. (Be careful if you plan to do adjust the stops while moving, with a philips screwdriver. Use an empty parking lot). You should need only minimal adjustment with the stops, and little to NO adjustment at the cable. Once all shifts work well, with no or light load, you can super-fine tune the shifter stops, by using more load. BUT, I recommend leaving them as is, and instead, compensating with your driving. In other words, shift the large cogs BEFORE the drivetrain is loaded.
4 chilis, as I have no basis for comparison.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
KJS
a Cross Country Rider
from Orem, Utah, USA
Date Reviewed: July 27, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Aardvark cycle | | Strengths: | Works great when set-up correctly. Do not follow Shimano's instructions. Set up ~10 mm above outer chain ring instead of 1-3 as instructions recommend. | | Weaknesses: | None if set up correctly | | Similar Products Used: | XT, Old DX, LX 500 | | Bike Setup: | K2 Oz, Marzocchi atom race, Fox rear shock, avid mechs, FSA headset, Vintage top mount shifters, koobi saddle, Old DX short cage der., LX levers, K2 pedals, XT 5arm crank, GT/XT hubs, | | Bottom Line: | I read all of these bad ratings and wondered as this derailleur is not much different than the XT. Go compare an LX with an XT. Not much difference in the price either. My LBS also feels that their is little difference. So, I bought one and played around with it. I happened on the 10mm spacing between the outer chainring and the outside side of the derailleur cage by experimenting. I run an 8 speed with a 20t inner, 32t middle, and 46t outer. It works flawlessly. Over 200 mountain bike miles on it. I gave it a 5 because it works. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from Philadelphia
Date Reviewed: July 2, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | unfortunately came with bike | | Strengths: | Cheap.. I guess - wouldn't know - it came on my Jekyll 1000. | | Weaknesses: | I'm very well versed at tuning derailleurs and this thing sucks ass. It's impossible to get this POS to shift through all reasonable combinations realiably. Either you set it up to shift well between the granny and the middle or between the middle and the large. It always shifts great on my stand but under hard tension it fails. One thing that seems to help on my rides (and friends who have the same setup) is to lube the piss out of the derailleur and chain before every ride - and somtimes during rides. | | Similar Products Used: | XTR - I just upgraded - problem solved. | | Bike Setup: | Cannondale Jekyll 1000 with Lefty DLR 100mm (there's nothing better than going over the handlebars of a Lefty - call it blind luck but that "fork" has saved my ass many times), all XTR, and the best brakes money can buy - Hayes. | | Bottom Line: | If you're have "issues" with your LX front derailleur why not upgrade? - XT and XTR can be found online for less than $60 - that's a few tanks of gas - why not upgrade? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James B
a
from Lakewood
Date Reviewed: June 14, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Spring Creek Trail | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | It came free on my bike | | Weaknesses: | No matter how much adjusting I do on it, the chain will be thrown off the inner sprocket nearly every ride. It jacks up the chain so it siezes up and I about kill myself. | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | 2002 Rockhopper; Shimano 959 clipless pedals | | Bottom Line: | It kinda sucks, but it's a decent derailleur for the money. I'm getting an upgrade any day now though. :o) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike DeNudt
a Cross Country Rider
from Long Beach, Ca
Date Reviewed: June 8, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | one favorite only???? | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | Jones Bikes | | Strengths: | good bang for buck... works with most shifters | | Weaknesses: | kind of easy to break (but hey its cheap!) | | Similar Products Used: | XT, XTR, Sram 9.0 | | Bike Setup: | Giant NRS with NO stock parts :) | | Bottom Line: | great bang for buck. When I put together the NRS just needed something reliable and knew would I upgrade later anyway, the LX is perfect. If used heavly off road expect about a 1yr life span. But the one on my retired mtn.bike (now a funnylooking road tired thing) still works after 6years. This is the lowest level shifter I'd ever use on a bike for dirt riding, but not a bad part at all. ANYONE WHO TYPES IN ALL CAPS HAS GOT TO BE A BIT DIM ANYWAYS! :) Ride the Dirt! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
POSER NUMBAH ONE
a Cross Country Rider
from DENVER
Date Reviewed: June 8, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | ENGLEWOOD BIKE SHOP | | Strengths: | IT CAME FREE WITH MY BIKE, A GARY FISHER SUGAR 3 (2000 MODEL). THAT'S THE ONLY UPSIDE TO THIS SHIFTER. I DON'T KNOW IF I'D EVEN CONSIDER THAT AN UPSIDE, AS I WOULD HAVE MUCH RATHER HAD A NICER STOCK SHIFTER. | | Weaknesses: | SHIFTING ONTO THE LARGE CHAINRING REQUIRES A COMBINATION OF CRANKING THE HELL OUT OF THE FRONT SHIFTER, AND THROWING THE REAR DERAILER ONTO A SMALLER GEAR. A LOT OF GRINDING OCCURS; FOR AWHILE, THE DAMN THING WOULDN'T EVEN SHIFT ONTO THE LARGE CHAINRING. SOMETIMES IT HAS PROBLEMS SHIFTING ONTO THE SMALLEST CHAINRING. ALSO, IT'S HARD AS HELL TO TUNE; TRIED IT MYSELF, AND JACKED MY CABLE ALL UP. SENT IT TO THE SHOP, AND THE GUY SAID IT WAS HARD AS HELL FOR HIM TO TUNE. STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IT, EVEN AFTER A NEW TUNE UP. | | Similar Products Used: | N/A | | Bike Setup: | STOCK EXCEPT SOME FAT BMX PEDALS AND NEW WTB TIRES. | | Bottom Line: | THE ONLY REASON THIS THING WAS MADE IS TO PUT ON BIKES SO THEY WILL SELL. DO NOT BUY THIS AS AN AFTER MARKET PRODUCT, IT BLOW GOATS. ONLY THING ABOUT IT IS THE CHEAP PRICE... WHATEVER. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jester
a Cross Country Rider
from Honolulu, HI
Date Reviewed: April 30, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | stock on bike | | Strengths: | Looks good, seems durable, performs well considering its cost. | | Weaknesses: | Part was installed by the shop. Despite tuning, it still grinds when going into the largest ring. Sometimes it takes several attempts before it seats. I decided to upgrade to XT and the problem has ceased. | | Similar Products Used: | XT front derail | | Bike Setup: | 03 stumpjumper HT - xtr rd/xt fd, avid Ti brakes & levers, xt shifters, Sram pc99 chain, lx cass, xt crankset, azonic riser. | | Bottom Line: | The LX is an excellent purchase for its price, and a decent stock option for most medium range bikes. However, I just couldnt get rid of the grinding and lever "pumping" to seat the chain on the large ring. If you got a few extra bucks, I'd recommend giving an XT/XTR combo a try, it has made for a lot crisper shifting in my opinion. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Racer
from SLO, CA
Date Reviewed: January 9, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Enchanted | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | It's a derailer. It works. It's tough. | | Weaknesses: | It's not a sexy as XT or XTR. | | Bike Setup: | 2000 GF Sugar3 w/ some upgraded parts. | | Bottom Line: | If you're derailer isn't shifting right, it's b/c you bought the wrong size for your drivetrain or you put it on poorly. If you don't know what you're doing, have a good mechanic do it for you. There is a lot more to putting on a Front Derailer than clamping it to your frame and connecting a cable.
The LX works fine. It's much more reasonably priced than XT or XTR. An LX front derailer doesn't have the chi-chi factor of expensive stuff, but no one looks at front derailers anyway. It works and it is tough. I've beat mine for 2.5 years and it still does it's job. I even endoed and had the front derailer land on a rock, and while it was out of line, I fixed it and it works. Bottom line: find out from your local mech what size you need. LX is economical. It works. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Russell Ruggiero
a Weekend Warrior
from West Windsor, NJ, USA
Date Reviewed: January 6, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | R&D | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | Jay's Cycle | | Strengths: | Bullet Proof | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | XT and XTR | | Bike Setup: | Trek 4300, 4900, and STP 200 | | Bottom Line: |
Dear
Reader
The LX offering by Shimano is a great value. I have this product on both my Trek 4900 and STP 200 MTB's. This offering will give you many years of solid use in all, but the most demanding trails. I ride ten plus miles on gravel, mud, and sand. The LX's have never let me down. Sure the carbon mounting plate is nice to look at on the XTR, but it offers no weigh advantage over the LX, and is three times the price. In a nutshell, LX is all that most of really need.
Thank You
Russ | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt Fulks
a
from Oklahoma City, OK
Date Reviewed: October 12, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Clear Bay | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Stock on Bike | | Strengths: | It shifts sometimes. | | Weaknesses: | Doesn't shift well, grinds all the time. | | Similar Products Used: | Acrea | | Bike Setup: | 2002 Trek 8000 | | Bottom Line: | This derailleur sucks. I hate when I push the button to shift and it just sits there and grinds. I have to get off the bike, and move the chain by hand sometimes. Even when the chain is on the gear I want, it still grinds if the chain is on one of the bigger or smaller gears in the back. I HATE grinding noises on my bike. This will be the next thing I upgrade on my bike. Here in Oklahoma, everything is pretty flat and the chain almost always stays on the middle chainring. But it still grinds away even with perfect adjustment. It's driving me NUTZ!!!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Robert Thompson
a Cross Country Rider
from Leicestershire uk
Date Reviewed: September 28, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | deadmans heath | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | Julies Cycles, Leicester | | Strengths: | gives strong response from thumb shifter , fairly light. | | Weaknesses: | really hard to fine tune, rubs in some gears, might have seizures sometimes (see below) | | Similar Products Used: | acera-x | | Bike Setup: | easton aluminium framed stx, lx mixed up mad machine. | | Bottom Line: | When i first bought this i noticed the shifting plates were real close together, and cuz of that you get a lot of rubbing and that limits you to fewer gears. I had one bad seizure when winter riding once... i thought it was the end of this derailler.. but resorted to spraying it with WD40and hiting it with a wooden mallett which worked.
As far as Im concerned the lower specs such as alivio and acera work just as well. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
dennisd
a Cross Country Rider
from Cornwall, Ontario
Date Reviewed: September 27, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Kanata Lakes | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | It moves the chain up and down my crankset. Let me check just to be sure...yep. That's what it does. | | Weaknesses: | See below | | Similar Products Used: | Acera, Alivio, STX, XT | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Enduro '01 with Hayes Discs | | Bottom Line: | That grinding noise you hear when you're in the granny ring? That's the LX for you. This mech must be adjusted perfectly, which is impossible because of wear and tear and cable sretch.
I think it's because the plates are simply too narrow, far too narrow. As a basic XC front mech it's okay. But get into some aggressve trail riding and watch out. There have been times when I really needed a downshift to the granny ring and it wasn't forthcoming. Very bad in the middle of a steep uphill. Very bad.
That's not to mention the constant grinding noise on my f#ckin' chain.
God, that pisses me off. I'm getting an XT or an XTR ASAP. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ryan
a
from niagara falls
Date Reviewed: September 27, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | shifts up very well | | Weaknesses: | this piece of junk is impossible to tune properly. It is either rubbing in #3 or shifting REALLY SLOW down. If u try to shift down under any kind of pressure it just doesn't go. | | Bike Setup: | giant rainier | | Bottom Line: | The bottom line is that i expected a lot more from this part, and am dissapointed. It works great on the stand at the shop but as soon as u ride u will be wishing u had xtr. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe
a Cross Country Rider
from Buckley, Wa usa
Date Reviewed: September 13, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Hers.... I'm always chas'n | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | It moves the chain up and down the chain rings. | | Weaknesses: | Front derailers can take a little time to get the best shifting performance. I persevered. | | Similar Products Used: | Alivio | | Bike Setup: | Lx front derailers and Alivio. | | Bottom Line: | This cracks me up about front derailer problems. I have three bikes, two of which have LX on the front and one Alivio. All three took some fiddling(adjusting) with to work both up and down and dial out derailer rub on chain. It was painstaking at times but all three derailers perform shifts up and down quickley(when I want them to). I put on N-Gear jump stops due to mud and crap causing granny shifting to fall off chainring. No more of that. I also noticed a fatter middle ring would cause the LX to hang up being unable to knock the chain down to granny. I could get it to work but it ruined the derailers ability to shift up like I wanted. It was sloppy. The chainrings fault not derailers. Now my set up drops the chain immediately and jumps up readily. Learning to adjust it took some time but I got it now. My Alivio works just as well as the LX's. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeffrey Tan
a Cross Country Rider
from Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
Date Reviewed: August 10, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | All in Ipoh | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$19.00 | | Purchased At: | Chin Soon Bicycle Shop | | Strengths: | It's a great product | | Weaknesses: | Need a larger size crankset, cannot use crankset like acera and lower class crankset. | | Similar Products Used: | Tourney,Acera,Alivio,Deore,XT..... | | Bike Setup: | JBC Pro,Rock Shox SID SL,LX front and XT rear derailleur,LX lever/shifter combo,LX hubs and more...... | | Bottom Line: | Great value for money !! ......delivers a great performance......try it if you want to ! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Aaron
a
from Oakville, On
Date Reviewed: July 14, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | cyclepath | | Strengths: | every thing | | Weaknesses: | nothing | | Bottom Line: | i dont know why ppl are thrashing this derailler, probably cause they dont know how to set them up. this derailler , once set up properly is the most wicked thing ever. Shifts with a nice "clink" sound all the time. No chain grinding whatsoever. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nate
a
from Fort Collins, CO, USA
Date Reviewed: June 4, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Rocky Mountains | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Strengths: | Cheep, works so far, always gets into gear | | Weaknesses: | all the other reviews, had to adjust myself to fine tune it, a little loud while shifing sometimes, | | Similar Products Used: | Acera, Alevio | | Bike Setup: | Releigh m50, deore lx front & rear derailer, Sram PC 58 chain, Stronger hubs & rims, Cool Shift break pads | | Bottom Line: | When I got this product back from the shop it didn't really work. It took me two hours to find the sweet spot and now it works great. I ride hard and have never had to readjust this. Sounds like others need to adjust their derailed and also go to shifting school! Don't use your front derailer to shift while going up a steep incline, you should already be their or use your rear derailer! Of course you will break your derailer if you regularly do that!! I give it a four overall because I had to adjust it myself and the previous track record of it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Knut Hellan
a Weekend Warrior
from Trondheim, Norway
Date Reviewed: May 31, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Bymarka | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | Sport Extreme | | Strengths: | Cheap | | Weaknesses: | Have to adjust up and down when not pedalling in middle of the rear end range. Luckily, I am using SRAM 9.0 Half-pipe shifter. Uses three click of shifter all the time. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano STX | | Bike Setup: | GT Steel Hardtail, SRAM 9.0 half-pipe shifter, SRAM ESP 9.0 rear derailleur, clipless freeride pedals, WTB laserbeam 25mm with WTB disc hubs, Hutchinson Alligator tyres, Yepp MP3 player :-) | | Bottom Line: | These deraillures have never worked properly, the seem to be to narrow, causing the chain (high-end SRAM) to always touch the side-walls.
I bought a '99 Cannondale Super V 1000 Freeride (my dreambike) and after my precious got stolen (after 6 months), I rebuilt my trusty old GT steed from scratch. I am now in the process of designing and building a new dreambike. The downhill part of a ride is what I love, but the but I also have to ride uphill and my friends are typical climbers so I am going for a hardtail this time around. It seems like I don't have much choice for front derailleurs, but I will steer clear of the LX! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brent
a Weekend Warrior
from Omaha
Date Reviewed: May 7, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Swanson | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | cheap,not a great weight difference from XT XTR. | | Weaknesses: | Lacks that cool copper color of XTR | | Similar Products Used: | SIS | | Bike Setup: | Trek 4300, duke race, XTR shifter/BL/rear der. truvativ stylo team ISIS, easton monkeylite riser, Titec carbon post..etc..etc | | Bottom Line: | went with the lx because LBS told me that the XTR was too thick to work with my crankset...ANY ideas? Have been pleased ever since, do most of my riding in middle ring, but still flawless performance up or down. May upgrade to XT if it breaks after a few months as many previously noted. Get it if you are on a budget however, if competitive and can accomodate take the XT/XTR... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ward
a Cross Country Rider
from vernon, b.c.
Date Reviewed: April 6, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Strengths: | light, simple, easy to use. | | Weaknesses: | not as light as xt or xtr. | | Similar Products Used: | lower level shimano derailleurs | | Bike Setup: | rocky mountain hard tail. | | Bottom Line: | This derailleur is good. The guys with the bad reviews on this product probablly don't even know how to properly install and set up a derailleur (I can get any type of derailleur to work resonably well). There is not a huge difference between this derailleur and xt except maybe weight, but what is a few grams (don't eat the potato chips before your next ride). The big difference is in how well you set up your deraileur, not how much it costs or weighs!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rob
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego
Date Reviewed: February 25, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | one with dirt | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Supergo | | Strengths: | Shifts well. Low maintenance. | | Weaknesses: | none yet | | Similar Products Used: | various shimano | | Bike Setup: | rocket 88, xt rear, lx front, deore shifters, psylo xc. | | Bottom Line: | This came stock on my bike and i have no plans of eplacing it. It shifts easily (even going uphill). I had to adjust it when i first bought it and it has worked flaulessly since. The people who are having problems with this der. probaly do not have it adjusted correctly (just because your LBS mechanic adjusted it does not mean it was done correctly). It may also be mounted improperly and that can cause chain rub. The bottom line is it is inexpensive and works great (when properly adjusted). | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
johnnyb
a Cross Country Rider
from San Anselmo
Date Reviewed: February 9, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$16.00 | | Purchased At: | Nashbar | | Strengths: | Cheap, new. Shifts reliably and under load (but not too much). | | Weaknesses: | Heavier than XT or XTR, but what the heck. | | Similar Products Used: | XT | | Bike Setup: | Stumpy Pro, XTR RR rear, Marzocchi Atom Bomb, Mavic 517s, Phil BB, Raceface LPs and Momentum headset | | Bottom Line: | The original XT that came with the Stumpy finally gave out. It was so loose it would only upshift and only downshift into the middle ring. The linkages on the XT looked cool but ultimately crapped out.
The LX has simpler a linkage and I'm not sure why people complain about this derailleur, I have a five year old LX on my beater bike and it still shifts flawless. Just remember to keep the linkage clean and lubed and CAREFULLY dial in the shifting. I do it while I'm actually climbing a hill to put load on the swing arm.
If you need to save your money for tires and brake pads, try this one. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
allan white
a Cross Country Rider
from NE England
Date Reviewed: January 21, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | muddy ones in the Pennines | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | cycle world Sunderland | | Strengths: | Seemed good value & experts told me it was a strong, as opposed to light, piece of kit - that suited me fine but it was not to be..... | | Weaknesses: | One of the pivot eyes broke after less than 3 months & for no obvious reason: no crash, no collisions with inanimate (or animate) objects & no sign of damage on the shifter whatsoever. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano alivio came with the bike new & this lasted about 18months before it just 'wore out'and wobbled on its pivots. | | Bike Setup: | Its a Gary Fisher 'Tassajara', rigid, which I bought because I liked the colour (@least I'm honest!). | | Bottom Line: | I'm seriously upset! I gave up trail running for this game about 2 years ago @ the tender age of 54 & I seem to be replacing bits on the bike every month! I used to get through a pair of trainers once every 6 months, now I'm poor. But I'm new to this MTB thing, perhaps this attrition rate is the norm? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bag
a Cross Country Rider
from Ottawa, Canada
Date Reviewed: November 22, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | came with bike | | Strengths: | Worked really well, when it wasn't broken. | | Weaknesses: | One of the pivots broke. | | Similar Products Used: | Stx, Alivio, Campagnolo | | Bike Setup: | K2 Proflex 4000, Bomber Z1 Dropoff forks, Michelin Tires, Titec stem, Titec Hellbent handlebars, | | Bottom Line: | No complaints until it broke mysteriously. I don't remeber hitting it on anything. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Greg W
a Weekend Warrior
from Suffield CT
Date Reviewed: November 20, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | everywhere | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Thing that prevents chain stuck
Looks nice
Never failed | | Weaknesses: | Doesn't shift great | | Similar Products Used: | Low end Shimano | | Bike Setup: | Mongoose Vailiant with Avid Disc brakes and a bash guard | | Bottom Line: | This shifter isn't the greatest on Earth, but you get what you pay for. It has never failed me. I also like how it connects to where the crank is and no the the seat post tube. I have never gotten chain stuck which is a nice bonus. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a Weekend Warrior
from Alexandria, VA
Date Reviewed: October 15, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Fountainhead Regional Park | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | (Came with bike) | | Strengths: | Price, won't break | | Weaknesses: | Shift quality/precision | | Similar Products Used: | XT (I miss it) | | Bike Setup: | Stock GT Avalanche 2.0 | | Bottom Line: | Basically the bare minimum acceptable for real riding. I've tuned mine about as precisely as I can, and it's still annoying sometimes on a technical trail. It kept the price of my bike down, which is the main reason people use LXs. If you race for real, consider the LX unacceptable. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pepper
a Weekend Warrior
from Miami, FL
Date Reviewed: October 3, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Markham | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | Came on Jekyll 600 | | Strengths: | Shimano name | | Weaknesses: | Does not shift cleanly or efficiently | | Similar Products Used: | Ohter shimano stuff, xt, xtr | | Bike Setup: | 2000 C'dale Jekyll 600 - stock | | Bottom Line: | From the first day I brought this bike home the LX (Deore) front has not upshifted precisely from the middle to large sproket. I took the bike in the next day and had them work on it for two days until they could do no better. I still have to hold the shifter down a couple seconds and sometimes double-pump to upshift. Unfortunately, I don't have the cash to upgrade to either xt front der. or xt/xtr shifers. I'm sure either and both would make a huge improvement. With all due respect to C'dale, they make a great bike, but the component groups they choose on their middle range bikes really leaves much to be desired. For $1700 you'd expect to at least get full xt stuff. Not Coda &**t and low end shimano. Two flaming bald guys. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bart Elias
a Cross Country Rider
from Gent
Date Reviewed: September 25, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Jura (France) | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | De Broe | | Strengths: | as much as everyone whines, it has never failed on me, uphill, downhill, mud, beachsand... | | Weaknesses: | it doesn't draw any attention from anyone: beautifull chicks or me | | Similar Products Used: | none, because this one just doesn't break | | Bike Setup: | giant ATX 875, lx front der, stxrc rear der, xt brakes | | Bottom Line: | last race i got sucked up in the mud right upto my BB, the derailleur guide hole got so covered up with mud i had to change gear from middle chainring, to granny , right up to the biggest chainring, just to clear out all the mud; thats the only attention you have to give the derailleur. in dry conditions you can forget its there, it just does the job. ppl who nag about the chain always rubbing against it, sry i haven't been able to notice that for all the 10000 miles i now have done with this bike. if u think riding conditions in belgium are good, pay us a visit, u will c it rains 300 days a year over here. only trouble is finding an LBS who can install the parts correctly, i have been to 4 different ones and now i have found one that finally got the creak out of my BB; i am sure that if i let that LBS change some parts that i won't need 'finetuning' for miles on end. so i will give the LX front derailleur (from the 8spd era) 5 flemish pies allover, only for never having to adjust or change it; while BB, chainrings, rear der, and cass, have all been changed after 7000miles | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jordan E
a Racer
from Canada
Date Reviewed: September 9, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | None | | Weaknesses: | Read the review! | | Similar Products Used: | SRAM | | Bike Setup: | Trek 9.8 | | Bottom Line: | I am sorry, but maybe its because I just came back from the provincials today and almost had to DNF on the final lap cause the F****** Front LX derailleur failed to work on me, but it seems to be a reoccuring problem. I have checked it out with the shop, and myself setting the limits prop. and when its on the stand - it works great. Clean shifting; you name it... but once it gets beaten around a tiny bit - it goes wonky...Great company - but poor product. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dan W
a Weekend Warrior
from Portland, OR USA
Date Reviewed: September 4, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Crater Lake Rim Road | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | River City Bicycles | | Strengths: | Not as bad as some others say. Shifts decently, with chain rub only on small (22t) chainring and small rear gears | | Weaknesses: | Not real fast shifting. Ate itself (jammed itself between chain and big cog) at 2600 miles - had to jerry-rig and ride 45 more miles of metric century on middle chainring (fortunately no big hiss) | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Rockhopper Pro, came with bike 1 year ago, replaced with same last month | | Bottom Line: | This derailleur is OK and mostly does work - and it is cheap. No excuse for a $500 or higher bike coming with Deore. It doesn't shift as quickly and smoothly as the rear, but that's normal. Didn't upgrade to XT after LX failed because LBS guy said XTs aren't much better. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Learned Hand
a Cross Country Rider
from Chappaqua, New York
Date Reviewed: August 17, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | None | | Weaknesses: | This Derailleur simply will not adjust. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT, Shimano XTR | | Bike Setup: | XTR 9-speed rear, LX hallowtech crank, Schwinn Homegrown Comp frame | | Bottom Line: | It is impossible to eliminate chainrub no matter how hard you try. I have had four mechanics try to adjust it and none have been able to get it to work properly. What sucks about this is that you can get an XT Derailleur for about 5 bucks more and it shifts great. Most annoying thing is that the adjustment screws adjust nothing. Bottom line: BIGGEST F***ING PIECE OF CRAP I EVER HAD THE MISFORTUNE TO BUY!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jamez
a Weekend Warrior
from Toronto, Ontario
Date Reviewed: August 1, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | Came with bike | | Strengths: | I guess it's a cheap front derailleur...
I HAVE THE 9 SPEED | | Weaknesses: | I HAVE THE 9 SPEED:
It plain out doesn't shift properly.
I've only had my bike for 2 weeks, tuned it up a few times and still only moderately working.
The chain does a lot of rubbing if the rear is in the 1st or 9th gear.
| | Bike Setup: | Rockhopper Comp FSRxc | | Bottom Line: | Well, I've only had it for a short while so it's all subjective but I'm incredibly happy with everything else on my bike. The LX rear derailleur is great; this one is not.
The rubbing bothers the hell outta me cuz i can hear it every single time I'm in 1st or 9th, even with adjustments and whatnot.
My advice? Don't buy it...I know that will be one of my first upgrades to this bike...
More details when I ride it more | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marcel Lopez - Alfonso
a Weekend Warrior
from San Juan, PR
Date Reviewed: July 12, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Jenson USA | | Strengths: | Great Shifting, Price, and of course it is SHIMANO | | Weaknesses: | none so far. | | Similar Products Used: | shimano sis | | Bottom Line: | It is very good for its price. Graet Shifting. Honestly, I don't see why is everybody whinnig about this derraullier. Since i bought it i haven't had the need to adjust it, it shifts great to every gear back and forth. I just hope not to have the same problems as everyone here...it can't be that bad! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Terry
a Weekend Warrior
from Durham, UK
Date Reviewed: June 19, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Hamsterly or Kielder | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | Merlin | | Strengths: | Cheap (LX 99 - 9 speed) | | Weaknesses: | Sucks!
Impossible to adjust correctlt (by me or anyone else that's tried).
Next to impossible to change down to the inner chain ring under any sort of stress.
Worn out in 18 months (maybe lack of lube on pivots).
Throws the chain from outer to middle rings on rooty single track.
Chain suck after 10 miles of dirty, wet conditions on middle ring. | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | Merlin Custom build hard-tail. Setup for hard XC / free-riding. | | Bottom Line: | This mech worked well for the first 3/4 months but has been a pain ever since. I put problems down to chain rings and chains previously and have upgraded (XT and sachs/SRAM chain) all but the outer ring after stuff wore out (UK weather conditions!). I've now worked out its the front mech. causing all the problems.
recently I've not been able to get down to the inner chain ring under any sort of load, and its impractical to always change down there before every hill on all but the basic of trails. On a race at the weekend in Keilder (long, steepish climbs) I had to get off and manually put the b****y chain on the inner chain ring!!! My middle ring then started to suffer from chain jam and I was finding it difficult to change up to the outer ring when the time came.
I know the mech. is worn now, but I've been having these problems for over a year. My two regular riding buddies run 8-Speed LX and have none of these problems, so I reckon its just the 9 speed version that suffers (but just guessing). Remember all those rumours about crappy 9-speed?
I only recommed this mech. for cinder path use or seasonal riders, and certainly not for anyone who's a bit hard on their trusty steed. I'll be upgrading to XT this week. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alexander
a
from São paulo,sp, brazil
Date Reviewed: June 2, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$45.00 | | Purchased At: | 05/06/2000 | | Strengths: | good smooth shiftings,resistant/durable,less manutence | | Weaknesses: | bad week pulleys,i had to change mine after 3 month. | | Bottom Line: | i would recomend for active bikers.
i use my bike in several conditions,some very intense.this shifter showed good performance.
It is recomended for bikers that want a dependeble shifter whit a relative low price. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Maarten
a Cross Country Rider
from Leeuwarden - The Netherlands
Date Reviewed: May 17, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | Came stock on my bike. | | Strengths: | -Strong and durable
-Cheap
-Does not need real maintenance | | Weaknesses: | -None | | Bike Setup: | Upgraded '98 Giant ATX-860, '99 Rockshox Judy XC, Fr.Der: LX, Rear.Der: SRAM ESP 9.0sl, Mavic Crossride, IRC Mythos XC tires, Magura HS-11, Selle Italia Max Flite Trans Am saddle. | | Bottom Line: | Maybe I was lucky... ;-)
Great Front der.!!!
Very strong and durable. I got it stock on my Giant ATX-860 and it's one of the last parts that I did not replaced yet since October 1997 and I'm not thinking to replace it either. It's just going and going....
If you need a real good component, get this one at least. It's cheap too! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James
a Cross Country Rider
from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: May 17, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | still looking | | Weaknesses: | Seems to be a piece of crap. Can't get it adjusted, misses gears, and drops my chain of the smallest ring. Getting fed up real fast. | | Similar Products Used: | XT, Grip shift | | Bottom Line: | This product is not recommended! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
gordon ogden
a Cross Country Rider
from nj
Date Reviewed: May 16, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | it turns the chain | | Weaknesses: | it stinks at shifting.it will seize the chain at will.forget dropping down a gear if you realy need to.anyone who says you should just anticipate the hill is either riding too slowly already in the granny gear or is not riding the twisting uphills that we have.bottom line this thing is a piece of %*& | | Bottom Line: | get rid of it | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Revolution
a Weekend Warrior
from Canada
Date Reviewed: May 1, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$17.00 | | Strengths: | shifts good for 8-speed and as good as XT for cheaper | | Weaknesses: | using with 8 Speed can lead to seizing of chian if not properly adjusted | | Similar Products Used: | Alivio, Sram, XT | | Bike Setup: | Konam, Z4,8speed cog,9sp Deore rear(works for me and it doesnt break) | | Bottom Line: | Its solid and cheap | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Big O
a Cross Country Rider
from PG
Date Reviewed: March 13, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Galbr | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$18.00 | | Purchased At: | Jenson USA | | Strengths: | Cheap | | Weaknesses: | Platic and flexy | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT | | Bike Setup: | Soon to change... | | Bottom Line: | I thought that this would be a reasonable replacement part to replace my bent (after mucho abuse) XT front derailleur. Not so. I noticed right out of the box that it seemed less rigid. Slapped it on and dialed it in. Works, but has given me periodic problems that my old XT never did. Glad that I will be selling my bike soon and that I saved a few meager pennies on it. Go XT--it costs only a few $ and is way better! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mat
a Weekend Warrior
from Bolton, MA
Date Reviewed: March 10, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | rei | | Strengths: | looks fine
not expensive | | Bike Setup: | ponerosa full Lx, Manitou, Mav rims, geax treds.
| | Bottom Line: | I don't know what the crap is all about, anyone who knows anything about biking knows you change gears before the hill. So all you idiots who have so many problems, SHUT UP! It's a good derailluer for the buck(if you kow how and when to use it). | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from Berkeley, CA
Date Reviewed: January 31, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | inexpensive, good shifting | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | '94 STX-SE and '88 Shimano SIS | | Bike Setup: | Airborne Lucky Strike, SRAM PC-99 chain, Gore Ride-On cables, LX shifters | | Bottom Line: | I don't know why so many other people are having problems with this derailleur. I've had mine for almost a year and a half and it works like it was new. I think the problem is that people are using crappy chains. Ever since I put on a PC-59 a year ago, I'll never go back to Shimano crap. The PC-99 I've got now *noticeably improved my front shifting.* Really. I also use good cables and good shifters. And if you can't make all the adjustments necessary by twisting the barrel adjuster on the shifter, either the cable is over-stretched, there's junk in the cable, or there's something wrong with the chain. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill
a
from El Paso, TX
Date Reviewed: January 15, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | None | | Weaknesses: | Impossible to adjust properly
Clunky operation | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT
Shimano XTR | | Bottom Line: | This applies to the 8-speed version only, as it's the only one I'm familiar with.
I don't know what it is, but there is a clear break in quality/performance between LX and XT & above in top swing front derailleurs. The LX is just a piece of junk to keep adjusted, I dreaded each time I had to change front cables or tighten them. I know it's not me b/c i have heard the same thing from countless other riders - LX, STX and STX-RC front derailleurs SUCK! There was like one guy in all of El Paso I found that could adjust these. Got myself an XT front top-swing & never looked back. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Serge
a Downhiller
from Brooklyn MI
Date Reviewed: January 5, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Looks good | | Weaknesses: | The piece of crap doesn't work with any amount of tension on the chain. It rarely works while tring to climb up anything steep. When tring to shift to larger ring it frequently gets stuck between rings even after extensive adjustments and trips to the dealer. | | Bottom Line: | It's unlikely it will work when you want it too, and it won't work when you need it too. Buy somthing different if you actually want to have a reliable dr. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Fred Durst
a Cross Country Rider
from NYC
Date Reviewed: December 30, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | NOT SAYING | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Its better than Deore. It costs more than i make in a couple of hours. Thats about all its got running for it...That and im not sure whethar its my Deraller or rings suck...one or the other....im gonna change both when i get a chance | | Weaknesses: | It sucks...when i ride trail i refuse to use the 2nd ring cause i kno when im hitting the uphill and need those extra few pedals at the top....it wont shift...then
tik tik tik
Creeeek Boom-kackinnk
And the chain is now between the 1st and 2nd rings requiring i get off and yank it out and i cant move my pedals...and i still have a hill to worry about...grrr | | Similar Products Used: | Nexave? thats what it says on my old HT...is it good? its not on the shimano website.... | | Bike Setup: | I have an lx front and bonty comp crank and rings...thats whats important.... | | Bottom Line: | These can take a little beating...they suck at shifting..but only when you requre that they work...im so sick of adjusting them i just take 'em to the lbs and walk around while i hear the mechanic strain to adjust it...hehe..supressed curses...but for 25 bucks what do you expect? its better than deore and alivo so dont complain! (it still sucks!)) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Robert
a Cross Country Rider
from Chesterfield, MO USA
Date Reviewed: December 30, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Chubb | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Stock on bike | | Strengths: | I didnt have to install it...it came stock on the bike....thats about it. | | Weaknesses: | adjustment, weak shifting | | Similar Products Used: | XT | | Bike Setup: | 1999 Klein Mantra Comp, xtr rear, xt shifters | | Bottom Line: | I have spent the last hour going back and forth on the adjustments trying to get the stupid thing from rubbing on the big and little ring. I feel like candid camera is looking as I do the same damn thing thirty times (one turn in...one turn out). It works pretty well unless you really need it. If you are like me and like a very, very tweaked and quiet bike...go elseware. If you cannot get it perfect on the stand...it will never work on the trail. I got it close and came to my computer to try and find a cheap xtr...thought i would write this first. Pretty cheap, so good value rating. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a Weekend Warrior
from Santa Cruz, California
Date Reviewed: December 22, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | It did not "rub" in high/low gear settings as some people have complained. | | Weaknesses: | Chain seizes constantly and the derailleur will bend. | | Bike Setup: | Rockhopper Pro FS | | Bottom Line: | This thing stinks. My Rockhopper Pro FS had this as a
stock component. The derailleur causes the chain to seize
constantly over the last six months. I took the bike back to the dealer within the first week to have the thing readjusted after it got bent after the chain seized.
The chain still seized, but, if I caught the seizing in time, it would be okay and not have to be readjusted. Finally, yesterday, it seized again and pretty much is finished since it seems to be bent beyond repair.
I have also experienced the constantly failing of the derailleur to shift to the low chainring at critical moments that other people have mentioned.
Since Shimano is principally the premier derailleur maker, I will probably be trying my luck with the XTR. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Twister
a Downhiller
from San Jose, CA
Date Reviewed: October 22, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Saratoga | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance | | Strengths: | none | | Weaknesses: | Everything. It bends easy, and will never shift when I really need it to go down into first gear while climbing hills. I could have used it today in a race, but the damn things suck so much they didn't shift and I had to run my butt up the hill. | | Similar Products Used: | xt | | Bike Setup: | slightly beefed up 99 fsr | | Bottom Line: | I would buy new shifters if I had the money, but I don't yet, so I wont. If you have the money, go for something a little better. You don't want to run up hills in compitition, trust me. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
MrMattA
a Weekend Warrior
from Nashville
Date Reviewed: September 25, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Tsali | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | none yet. | | Weaknesses: | Extremely unreliable and finicky even after multiple setups by competent mechanics. | | Similar Products Used: | Old Acera X that came on my old bike, which performed flawlessly for 4 years of light duty with NO adjustment. | | Bike Setup: | Marin Eldridge Grade, stock components. | | Bottom Line: | This came on my new Marin bike and I threw my chain several times on my first ride. I blamed it on the dealer's initial setup even though the limit screws and cable tension seemed correct. I took it to a different shop and had it setup again. It worked better, but still didn't always quite get there when I needed it while approaching a climb, etc. I took it back to my dealer and had yet another mechanic adjust it and I've done some tweaking myself. It's still unreliable at crucial moments (I've got the scabs and bruises to prove it). I'm upgrading from this cheap piece of crap today. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bryan Beal
a Cross Country Rider
from Kenora
Date Reviewed: September 16, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Vernon Trails | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Works well..doesn't look to bad..
| | Weaknesses: | Bit clunky but handled all the shifting well
up hills i could shift while putting stress on the chain and worked fine | | Similar Products Used: | shimano A
| | Bike Setup: | 98' Trek Zx 6500 | | Bottom Line: | I dont know why so many people cant get this thing to work...ive set it up one and its never quit on me
I got it for a great price..anyone should buy this
What more could you ask for...
better than spending another 50$ on something that is only a bit lighter lighter (XT & XTR) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Barry
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto
Date Reviewed: September 12, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Serious @ Hardwood | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Does the job | | Bike Setup: | 2000 Klein Mantra Comp | | Bottom Line: | I have ridden with a 1996 LX front derailleur on my previous bike for 4 years, and my new bike has the 2000 model. I am not sure what everyone is whining about because I can say that after 4 years of abuse (I am 200 lb and race) I have had little or no trouble with my front derailleur. To my mind, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", so I have not yet upgraded. If it does ever bite the dust, I will likely upgrade, but in order to save a little weight, not due to poor performance.
In my experience, no front derailleur will shift down to the granny gear while the rider is cranking full out up a technical climb, especially if the rider is 180-200 lb. That is not due to poor design of the derailleur. Try anticipating the climb, and make sure you are in the granny before you have to start pedalling really hard, then shift down through the rear derraileur as you climb. You'll use your energy more efficiently that way as well.
To sum up, the LX front derr. is not an upgrade part, but will, at least in my experience, do the job. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a
from Laguna Beach, CA
Date Reviewed: September 2, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Inexpensive, I guess. But isn't value the real measure of worth? It makes me appreciate the XTR I quickly upgraded to. That's probably a "strength" in Shimano's eyes. | | Weaknesses: | Cheap. And when the going gets tough, this thing lets you down. Moody and unpredictable--sometimes it refuses to shift, and when you really need it (like when I shift late on the uphill) it won't cooperate. It even sounds cheap when it's making the shift. If you have one, spend a bit more and upgrade to at least the XT. | | Similar Products Used: | Now I've upgraded to the XTR. | | Bike Setup: | Klein Attitude Comp | | Bottom Line: | This seems like a throwaway component to me. It feels cheap. It would make any bike feel sloppy and loose. I figure Shimano makes LX to sell to the bike manufacturers, then makes the consumer upgrade to the real things. This way they sell a new XT or XTR for every LX they sell. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from Eden Prairie, Mn
Date Reviewed: August 26, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | any | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Shifts Well When Adjusted | | Weaknesses: | Mine came with the limit screws all wrong and the cable tension way up. I had to loosen the tension because the chain would rub against the derailleur in first gear. And sometimes, when I upshifted to third, either he chain didn't shift all the way completely ( chain was on both the middle and outer chainrings ) or jumped off and wrapped itself around the crankarm. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano Alivio, Acera | | Bike Setup: | Trek 8000 Stock w/Time Atac Carbons | | Bottom Line: | It might have been the dealers fault, but I don't care. I have been trying to find the right combination between chain tension and the limit screws. It's a real pain. I like this derailleur, it works well, just have your dealer check it over before you take it home, and test it yourself.
Would have given it perfect review if it wasn't for the fact that mine came with the wrong adjustments and has taken me so long to fix it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kent
a
from Derry, NH
Date Reviewed: July 27, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Bottom Line: | This dr. has sent me to the ground on more than one occassion. I've had it over a year and it's been nothing but a hassle from the start. It lets the chain fall out of the middle and big rings all the time. Sometimes it will just throw the chain which is frequently accompanied with seizing. No amount of tweeking helps for longer than a half hour of trail riding.
If you're buying a new bike with an LX front dr. get them to upgrade it for you.
It's useless under load and what's worse is it's often useless when there's no load on it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ian H
a Cross Country Rider
from Glendale, AZ, USA
Date Reviewed: July 18, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Works well 85% of the time. Upshifts reliably | | Weaknesses: | Needs frequent adjustments, Sometimes it fails to shift, or will knock the chain off entirely. | | Similar Products Used: | STX-RC, XT | | Bike Setup: | Stumpjumper Comp | | Bottom Line: | I'm disapointed that Specialized would put this front derailleur on a $1000 bike together w/ XTR in the rear. The LX is good most of the time, but when you really need it -- like when you're approaching a steep technical section and drop it into the small ring -- it is not always there, and will often knock the chain right off, or not shift at all and just make that annoying grinding noise. It tends to shift slowly, and takes some creative adjusting to get setup, (like bending it w/ a pair of pliers). I will be upgrading to the XTR up front! Do not go out and buy this derailleur! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matthew Merrill
a Weekend Warrior
from Austin
Date Reviewed: June 21, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Forest ridge | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Cheap, works | | Weaknesses: | cheap, chain rubs in first and 9th gear. Dealer says
the derailer needs to break in. | | Bike Setup: | Giant XTC Deore xt- r lx - f | | Bottom Line: | this derailer drives me nuts. The chain keeps coming off
the chainring, rubs in first and 9th gear. I think I will
try to fine tune it. The dealer saw it yesterday and thought
it neads to break in. How about broken?
May try to upgrade to XTR. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nunya
a Cross Country Rider
from Ft. Collins, CO USA
Date Reviewed: May 26, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Pice, I bought it after I bent my XT and needed something to get by but only had the money for an LX | | Weaknesses: | It only shifted right for about the first week. No matter how much I tweak it, I can't get it right. My XT worked perfect without much hassle at all for 3 years. It took one hell of a big rock to mess with my XT. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT | | Bike Setup: | Pro Rockhopper | | Bottom Line: | The money you save isn't worth all the hastle. If you want to spend your time on the trails riding, not fighting with your bike to shift, don't buy it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Luis Lopes
a Cross Country Rider
from Setúbal, Portugal
Date Reviewed: April 17, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | - | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | All possible;
light; strong; never fails; certain as a swiss watch; not expensive. | | Weaknesses: | None until now. | | Similar Products Used: | Sh. XT; ESP7.0; ESP9.0; Sh. STX-RC | | Bike Setup: | BH CORONAS Replica; SID XC; Mavic CrossRide; LX/XTR. | | Bottom Line: | It just do it's job; I can't ask more than that. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Who Cares
a
from VA
Date Reviewed: April 15, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Bottom Line: | I had the LX front dr on my old bike for about six years. Flawless shifting without ever having to touch it. Recently bought a new frame that required a different size front dr. So I upgraded to XT, at least I thought I was upgrading. I'm thinking about upgrading back down to an LX. Maybe I'll even get passed setting the damn thing up this time. The LX's are a little heavier than XT, but at least they aren't made of cheese. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Aaron Roessler
a Cross Country Rider
from Grand Rapids,MN,US
Date Reviewed: April 2, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Taconite | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Very inexpensive | | Weaknesses: | Came out of the factory to narrow. Adjustments come loose. Bends easily. | | Bike Setup: | Pro Rockhopper | | Bottom Line: | Really didn't like. Adjustments always come loose. Too much hastle. The last bike I had was a huffy, it's front derailer didn't have so many problems(Bike weighed 39lbs though) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jungle Buns
a Cross Country Rider
from Topsfield,MA US
Date Reviewed: March 30, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Lynn Woods | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | I have not been able to break it | | Weaknesses: | I wish it would just break so I could justify replacing it | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | Voodoo Bantu | | Bottom Line: | My front derailleur has been hanging on while parts all around it have been replaced. Thus far it has shifted consistently..even though I do have to feather the change to make sure the chain hits the ring smoothly. I have not been especially impressed, nor particularly angered by it. I suspect everyone reviewing this item did not pick it, but rather inherited it when they got their bike. This is not an upgrade item. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David Sennes
a Racer
from La Crosse, WI, USA
Date Reviewed: February 28, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Squeezer | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | lasts long | | Weaknesses: | i have had trouble shifting most of the time, it is especially bad if it gets dirt on it, which is all of the time=). | | Bike Setup: | Moab 1 98' | | Bottom Line: | Very inexpensive, but when it comes to deraullers it sucks really bad when you are trying to go up a hill or down and you need the change then and the gears don't change | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
max flavian
a Weekend Warrior
from manchester
Date Reviewed: February 1, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | la roche, belgium | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | none | | Weaknesses: | bust after only 5 months, on a muddy climb.Ping and the crappy thing fell apart.NOT IMPRESSED | | Similar Products Used: | many | | Bike Setup: | currently Giant terrago | | Bottom Line: | Dont touch !!!!!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chuck
a Weekend Warrior
from Pleasant Hill, Ca
Date Reviewed: January 4, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: |
Shell Ridge | | Duration Product Used: |
more than 3 years | | Strengths: | Has lasted 3 years | | Weaknesses: | Shifts slow and poorly, especially under a load. | | Bike Setup: |
Stumpjumper w/strong arm crank | | Bottom Line: | Aside from the original brakes, the LX front derailer is the weakest component that came on this bike. This derailer performs badly. Upgrade it if and when you can afford it. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a Downhiller
from Rome,Ga
Date Reviewed: November 23, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Heritage park, Athens,Ga | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
It worked fine for a while until...... | | Weaknesses: |
It decided to blow up, i was at the top of the mountain and it quit working. | | Similar Products Used: |
XT, XTR | | Bike Setup: |
99 Big sur | | Bottom Line: | This product has really disappointed me. LX is supposed to the third level down from the best. It does not meet up to those standards. Now I have XTR on the bike and it makes the ride much better. My opinion of the product is dont buy it, it is made cheap and it works cheap | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
TREE
a Weekend Warrior
from Seattle WA
Date Reviewed: November 20, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
downtown Seattle | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
it changes gears
cheap | | Weaknesses: |
slow
not smooth | | Bike Setup: |
trek7000 | | Bottom Line: | so sad that it comes with me bike as stock part , I have to spend $$ to replace it.
An other must go shimano on my bike | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Evan Cook
a Cross-Country Rider
from Sunnyvale
Date Reviewed: November 15, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Saratoga gap | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
looks good, shits good | | Weaknesses: |
tends to get knocked out of wack easyly. not very durable | | Similar Products Used: |
shimano XT | | Bottom Line: | not a bad derailoer but lacks the strength nessecary to handel rough trails. it rquires constant re-alinement | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Justin
a Racer
from Nelson B.C.
Date Reviewed: November 9, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
all of them | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
shifts well after cable tension tuning | | Weaknesses: |
loose pivots | | Similar Products Used: |
alivio | | Bike Setup: |
Cannondale F 900 sx | | Bottom Line: | shifts well even with the loose pivots bt the idea of loose pivots scares me that eventaullay it well just fall apart | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Monkeyboy
a Weekend Warrior
from South Dakota
Date Reviewed: November 9, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Fire road | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
Good shifting | | Weaknesses: |
Slight prob on getting it down to small chain ring sometimes, but very rare | | Similar Products Used: |
Alivio, Deore XT and XTR | | Bike Setup: |
2000 VRX 200 | | Bottom Line: | Not a problem, shift whenever I want it too, no ghost shifting or missing a shift or anything like that, it just shifts. Problems with cracking can be over come by not putting incredible loads on it will you are shifting. Rattling...I honestly don't know about that, but lets give it a while to see what it does. I give it five flaming bananas to start with | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe
a Cross-Country Rider
from Bellport NY
Date Reviewed: November 1, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Stillwell Woods | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
It was standard on my new Cannondale | | Weaknesses: |
It was standard on my new CannondaleNot meant to be used by anyone over 200lbs | | Bike Setup: |
CAnnondale F900Z | | Bottom Line: | For this to shoft properly I must have the chain in the middle of the rear cassette. Shifts poorly especially under the slightest load. Under heavy load, forget about it, but htat is true on all derailleurs. I find myself needing to shift too early, hence losing momentum on climbs. I'll give it three star because for the most part it works, just not as well as the XT/XTR models, but you knew that already | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Thomas Aden
a Weekend Warrior
from Pleasant Dale Ne
Date Reviewed: September 23, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Niobrahra State Park | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
Price | | Weaknesses: |
Rigidity | | Similar Products Used: |
Shamino Aleivo | | Bike Setup: |
Raliegh M-60 | | Bottom Line: | It was what came on my bike and seemed to work just fine, until it snapped into 2 pieces. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bruce
a Cross-Country Rider
from Denver
Date Reviewed: September 4, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
None | | Weaknesses: |
Does not function well, Constantly Throwing the chain an unable to downshift to the lower chain ring. Have spent numerous hours adjusting and have had no success | | Similar Products Used: |
XTR | | Bike Setup: |
Specisialized Rockhopper A1 Comp FS | | Bottom Line: | This is not a shimano product I would recommend. Of all the components on my bike this is the weakest. I knew prior to purchasing my Rockhopper that this was the weak link. But, I did not realize how weak it was until I took it for a long ride. I will being installing the XTR within the week. I cannot fathom how Shimano could put out such a poor produt. My road bike was all shimano and worked flawless. This is a real dissapointment. The MTB Reviews were extremely accurate in calling this one. XTR Front or nothing. Keep the reviews coming they are well worth it !!!!!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Adam
a Racer
from Winnipeg, Mb
Date Reviewed: August 11, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Shifts fine, cheap, easy to adjust | | Weaknesses: |
??? | | Similar Products Used: |
xt, stx, alivio | | Bike Setup: |
RM Oxygen | | Bottom Line: | I don't know what the rest of you are whining about. I had no trouble with this deraileur at all. It's inexpensive, looks good, and shifts fine (I've never had any problems with Fr Deraileurs anyways) Dialing it is easy, if I can do it anybody can. Save some money and get this one! | | Overall Rating: |
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