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Shimano
XT Front Derailler
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Submitted by
batman123
a Racer
from us of a
Date Reviewed: March 20, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | youre mom | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | lbs | | Strengths: | easy to set up a monkey could do it blind folded | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | xtr,youre mom, lx, youre wife, | | Bike Setup: | all xt ,cannondale frame | | Bottom Line: | good buy , easy to set up. cheap (like youre mom) | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bryan Bracy
a Cross Country Rider
from Kadena Okinawa Japan
Date Reviewed: May 22, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Downtown | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | Outdoorshop NEO's | | Strengths: | Shifts quickly and crisply; looks great. | | Weaknesses: | I sometimes hear chain rub and it's expensive. And it's skipped twice already. | | Similar Products Used: | LX | | Bike Setup: | 08 KONA Blast XT cranks, XT F/R der., XT triggers, and Dart2 on Kenda semi-slicks | | Bottom Line: | I should get off my butt and adjust it. It's great product. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
joseph warren
a
from cherry valley
Date Reviewed: April 17, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | ones in my yard | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | crisp smooth fast shifting very durable and strong easy to work on and ajust | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | lx sram x9 | | Bike Setup: | jamis avid fox shox | | Bottom Line: | this is a very nice derailer for good price and very dependible | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Victor
a Cross Country Rider
from Taipei, Taiwan
Date Reviewed: March 30, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | It works, but no better than practically any other front dérailleur I had used on my own or other bikes. | | Weaknesses: | It rusts, yes, it started rusting after 3 months of normal use! None of my previous derailleurs, front or rear, ever rusted. Nothing else on my bike has started rusting, not even the chain.
It also needs frequent adjustment of min-max screws to keep it working within chainring confines. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano Acera (still going strong after 4 years), Shimano XTR E-Type (brilliant, I should have kept it) | | Bike Setup: | Custom built from the frame up freeride bike | | Bottom Line: | Do not buy this derailleur. It works no better than the cheaper ones, is only 10g lighter than the LX, and it rusts. Shimano also does not offer any warranty on it once it rusts, as it is apparently the owner's fault for getting it wet and using it as intended. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from Snellville, Ga, USA
Date Reviewed: December 28, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | PricePoint.com | | Strengths: | good price and it works. | | Weaknesses: | chain rub is really annoying to me so i took off my FD and just going to let my bike be a 9 speed. i never use my FD anyway so no lose for me. | | Similar Products Used: | cheaper shimano stuff | | Bike Setup: | Specialized HardRock, BB7 disc brakes, RS Dart 3 fork, Stylo2.2 crank, XT rear, LX cassette, and XT dual control shifters, Rhynolite rims on XT hubs. | | Bottom Line: | had chain rub on the inner and outter side of the front derailluer in certain gear combinations and from what i've been told by 2 bike shops that that is a common thing but it gets on my nerves to hear it so i just took off my FD because i never use it anyway. had i not had the chain rub then i would say its good as a FD could be. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Edo
a Weekend Warrior
from Zagreb, Croatia
Date Reviewed: April 16, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | Maraton, Brezice | | Strengths: | Shifts as it it is supposed to. | | Weaknesses: | Doesn't shift quite as smooth like Champagnolo front derailleur on my road bike. | | Similar Products Used: | Acera, Deore | | Bike Setup: | Kona hardtail. LX and XT stuff mix. | | Bottom Line: | I upgraded from Deore to XT and I can feel the difference (contrary to some people claims). Deore had too flexible cage, resulting with problems with shifting both up and down. To shift up, You needed to keep the shifter for a while, until it shifts, and while shifting down, it sometimes droped the chain (say, 1 od 10 times). It was not an adjustment problem because I had it tuned like 10 times by professionals. It is not happening with XT. It shifts quickly and accurately.
My first derailleur was Acera and it was a peace of crap. When I switched to Deore the difference was hughe. Upgrading from Deore to XT is not such a hughe difference but I do feel the difference. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Giancarlo Pelosi
a Weekend Warrior
from Miramar, FL, USA
Date Reviewed: July 13, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Markham Park | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Bell's Bikes | | Strengths: | Rugged and reliable. Great shifting with a smooth action. Great bang for the buck. Lives up to the XT name. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | LX and XTR Front der | | Bike Setup: | 06 Giant Trance 1 stock set up with a Chris King headset, Mavic Crossmax SL disc, Kenda Nevagal UST's, XT rotors, and ODI Rogue lock on grip upgrade. | | Bottom Line: | If you don't want to spend big bucks on an XTR der or a SRAM XO, this is the way to go with the same performance. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Anthony
a Cross Country Rider
from Los Angeles
Date Reviewed: September 15, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$34.00 | | Purchased At: | Incycle | | Strengths: | price? maybe. i paid less for my SRAM which didnt fit my bike as I blankd and didnt realize they only made bottom swings. I paid more for this piece of total garbage. And i have to live with it because SRAM hasnt made a top swing yet and doesnt plan on it. It was a pain in the ass to setup, setup my tension, i could not get it to switch down from the middle ring to the smallest ring. LIMITED CAGE adjustability! I figured i must have been doing something wrong, took it to the LBS where i bought it, they checked it out, readjusted it, and told me thats about as good as its going to get. if i am in anything from 6-9 it wont shift from the middle gear to the bigger gear. and it rubs and rubs and rubs. i had to bend the crap out of it to be able to shift from 2nd to 1st. ugh. theres a reason its called sh!tmano | | Weaknesses: | everything | | Similar Products Used: | SRAM X-Gen front derailleur (beautiful product) | | Bottom Line: | This derailleur sucks compared to its competitors, had it been that my frame accepted a bottom swing, i would have never ever considered buying this pile of junk | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dbohnsai
a Downhiller
from Chilli, Oh
Date Reviewed: August 28, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | Shifts well, sturdy, haven't broken one yet, much cheaper than XTR! | | Weaknesses: | suppose the multi clamp/multi pull factor is a bit of a waste. If you can't figure out what kind of FD you need you're better off having the LBS take care of your bike. | | Similar Products Used: | Alivio, ancient STX | | Bike Setup: | 04 Kona Stinky Primo | | Bottom Line: | Can't see paying twice as much for a XTR FD when I hardly use the darn thing anyway. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jay
a Cross Country Rider
from Machesney Park, Illinois
Date Reviewed: June 26, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Came with the bike at the Pony Shop near Chicago | | Strengths: | Its new. | | Weaknesses: | Why dont derailluers come in colors? | | Similar Products Used: | All Shimano, some SRAM. | | Bike Setup: | New 760 XT on my Intense Spider. | | Bottom Line: | I have the new 760 XT front derailluer on my Intense Spider. So its a 34.9, top swing. To be honest, I never notice the function of this product, and thats exactly what a great product will do. It does its job, quietly and effectivly. No complaints on this derailluer. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David
a Cross Country Rider
from Manchester Uk
Date Reviewed: May 27, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Shifts well when used with a shimano chain. | | Weaknesses: | Doesnt shift so well with an Sram chain | | Bottom Line: | This worked flawlessly with my 7 speed (and therefore a wider chain) setup until I switched the chain to SRam for the powerlink versatility. Since then I have struggled to get down from the big ring to middle. I don't think this is the fault of the mech though. I also suffer chain rub when I am in big chainring and little sprocket. Again I think this is more to do with how I have set the bike up. (So I can run big chainring big sprocket on downhills to reduce chain slap)
Good crisp mech. Might upgrade to XTR when I can afford but good enough for now. Got it for a tenner on ebay so I can't complain. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Al
a Cross Country Rider
from Garden City, MI
Date Reviewed: April 12, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Pontiac Lake | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$33.00 | | Purchased At: | Nashbar.com | | Strengths: | Strong shifting | | Weaknesses: | Multi-clamp size shim thingies, directions that are poorly laid out and, in spots, simply incorrect. | | Similar Products Used: | Alivio that came stock on the bike | | Bike Setup: | K2 hardtail | | Bottom Line: | This is a definite upgrade from the POS Alivio that came on my bike. Now that I finally have it set up correctly, it shifts quite strongly.
That's where the problem comes in. The shims they give to fit any size are a pain to get installed properly, so prepare to swear at them a couple of times before they stay put. So, after navigating the uniquely designed directions, and adding in a bit of guesswork on my own, I got the thing installed. Sweet, let's go riding! But wait! There's more. The first shift I tried to use it for actually twisted the derailleur on the frame, which caused my chain to tangle up in it. This, of course, created a nice tangle of chain, derailleur, and chain stay that I got the joy of untangling on the trail. I wasn't too pleased about the paint I lost off my chainstay, either.
So, I basically reinstalled it, and this time, I tightened the living daylights out of the bolt for the clamp (and far, far exceeded the recommended torque). But, it finally shifts right now.
Bottom line: The shim idea sucks, and installation isn't nearly as easy as it should be, but once you get it done, this things works pretty well. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brad Hill
a Weekend Warrior
from Siloam Springs, AR
Date Reviewed: December 31, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | Lewis & Clark Outfitters | | Strengths: | Smooth shifting | | Weaknesses: | havent found any yet | | Bike Setup: | 2004 Trek 4300 | | Bottom Line: | This part is an inexpensive upgrade that i am very pleased with. I love this derailleur, I have had no problems at all with this product. It shifts very smoothly and quietly.
I would strongly recommend to anybody to upgrade to this part as it is very efficient. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike Mason
a
from Brisbane, Qld Australia
Date Reviewed: November 24, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$18.00 | | Purchased At: | Nashbar | | Strengths: | Easy to install.Quick and smooth shifting | | Weaknesses: | Slight chain rub when in big ring/small sproket combo | | Similar Products Used: | Alivo | | Bike Setup: | Rockhopper | | Bottom Line: | I purposely bought the older, 2003 XT derailer after reading other peoples comments on MTBR.com. The derailer is a major (yet inexpensive) upgrade from the stock Alivo derailer that came with the bike. Set up is relatively easy although the instructions that come with it are useless. I found that I had to raise the derailer slightly higher than the recommended 3 or 4 mm above the teeth of the big ring to get perfect shifting. I get a slight chain rub when in the big ring/small sprocket combo even though the derailer has been adjusted for maximal range. It is possible that this a result of using this derailer in combination with an 8 speed cassette which uses a thicker chain. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Russell Ruggiero
a Weekend Warrior
from West Windsor
Date Reviewed: October 14, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | R&D | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | Jay's | | Strengths: |
Build and Smoothness | | Weaknesses: |
None | | Similar Products Used: | 2002 XT and 2002 LX | | Bike Setup: | Trek 4900
FD: XT
RD: XT
Crank: Deore | | Bottom Line: |
First and foremost, the 2004 XT is nothing like past models. I have owned both XT and LX on this buke, and the latest XT version breaks new ground in smoothness. The super rigid cage makes the difference, as does the new mounting platform. The price and weight have gone-up, which may put-off some buyers. I currently own two bikes with the LX version, and they cannot come close to the overall feel of the new 2004 XT. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Curtis
a Cross Country Rider
from College Park MD
Date Reviewed: October 9, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$21.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance Bike | | Strengths: | Dependable, Durable, low weight. | | Weaknesses: | -none I'ver ever found- | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano no-name, then XT on the 2 other bikes I've had since. | | Bike Setup: | Giant Rainier, Duke XC, XT cass, XT fr.der, XT rear der., XT chain, LX crank, LX shifter/brake combo | | Bottom Line: | I love this front der. I've never experienced any of the problems that the other people who posted have experienced, so I have nothing bad to say about this der. They've gone through many a wreck and just keep on rollin, so I'll definitely be buying another XT front der. whenever this one bites the dust. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Huey Woodrum
a Cross Country Rider
from Toledo,Oregon
Date Reviewed: September 25, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Whoop's | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | Universal | | Strengths: | The multi pull and fit is nice.The price is good | | Weaknesses: | This is the worst derailler I think shimano has built.
It rubs in more gears than the older version.If you use
it in the mud it won't shift because the top flange plugs
up with mud and debris.I also don't like you can't goto their web site and let them know that the new xt derailler
is junk.
| | Similar Products Used: | older lx,xtand xtr | | Bike Setup: | all xt Gary fisher Paragon | | Bottom Line: | I wouldn't buy this derailluer. I found a place online and bought the older version. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Seth
a Cross Country Rider
from West Haven, Ct
Date Reviewed: August 30, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | Came on bike | | Strengths: | Worked perfectly untill... | | Weaknesses: | I was pedaling down the freakin boardwalk, for god sake(!), when checkkckkkckk kink... I look down and I see my chain twisted up in the metal of my front derailleur. You Biotch... I untangled the twisted metal and push the derailleur back to where it was supposed to be and rode on, making sure not to change gears. I got home, checked the thing out, and discovered that a metal piece on the thing had broken. I removed it from the bike to see that it was actually broken in two places; the second held on merely by "a thread". I will try to descibe the part that broke to you because I have no idea the technical term (maybe someone can enlighten me). So the XT has a few metal parts, one the ss cage, the other the clamp, the other the little thing that attaches to the cable, and a last that hinges the ss cage to the clamp. It has two connection/pivot points on each the cage and the clamp. The clamp side pivot connections on this pieve just snapped, for no good reason.... | | Bike Setup: | 99 Gary Fisher Supercal, mainly stock (new tires obviously) | | Bottom Line: | This Derailleur functioned perfectly for me for a while, but then, out of the blue, this happens. I must say that I expected something much better out of a product that is the 2nd highest model in a manufacturer(shimano)'s line who is possibly the largest company around (bigger isn't always better?) Like I said, I was riding town a boardwalk (I may have ridden down the side of the curb) and the thing just crunched. I'm lucky it didn't suck the chain into my bike and do any damage. I do not know how long or extensively this product had been used before I got my paws on it, but I think that this is a pretty sorry end for it to see. Because of this unknown determinant, I'll end up rating a bit higher. I have ordered an xtr from e-bay, and it came today.Hopefully we'll see some improvement (we'd better with a stock price increase like that). For the xt I will rate 3 stars for value (even for my two yrs of use, 30-40 bucks isn't too bad). 2 stars for overall. Would have been a quick one (or zero, though impossible) if I knew the full history of the product... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
A D
a Weekend Warrior
from Vienna, Austria
Date Reviewed: August 23, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Somewhere in the Vienna Woods | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike Components.de | | Strengths: | 2003 (top-pull): Easy to mount (relatively); great shifting up 'n' down.
2004 ("dual" pull): Haven't been able to get the thing to work. | | Weaknesses: | 2003 (top-pull): Not quite full-range; rubs on granny-setting (small front, big rear) and on downhill setting (big front, small rear). I probably need to adjust the limiter.
2004 ("dual" pull): Won't reach the top ring! | | Similar Products Used: | Deore, Alivio, Acera, C050. | | Bike Setup: | Self-built custom setup. | | Bottom Line: | The 2003 model, top-pull, top-swing is the business. When you make an order, make sure to specify last year's model. The 2003 model gets 5 flamin' chilies for value and 4 for overall rating.
Shimano f****d up with 2004 with "cost-cutting" measures. First, it's now only one size (34.8mm/1.5in) with shims/spacers rather than three different size clamps. The grip just isn't as nice.
Second, instead of a top-pull, you now only get a "dual" pull, which is just a bottom-pull with a fancy name. The cable guide for a bottom-pull setup gets in the way. Trying to get into the top ring with a top-pull setup, the cable guide hits the mech itself, preventing further movement. I'm going to have to borrow Stephen Brown's junior hacksaw to fix it (see review below). The 2004 model gets 1 limp, bland chili for value and overall.
Shimano: wake up! Cost-cutting measures only hurt the customers, which affect your bottom line even more!
The total rating is an average of the 2003 and 2004 parts.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from Oxnard
Date Reviewed: August 14, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | SUPERGO | | Strengths: | Crisp Shifts | | Weaknesses: | VERY LIMITED RANGE OF ADJUSTABILITY FOR THE DERAILLEUR CAGE | | Bottom Line: | I have run into the same problems with this derailleur as Freddie posted. I like it, but the fact that it won't adjust properly is a major issue | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Freddie
a Cross Country Rider
from Harbor City, CA USA
Date Reviewed: July 17, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Strengths: | This review is for the '04 M760 front derailleur. The stiff return spring results in crisp shifts to the granny gear. | | Weaknesses: | 1)VERY LIMITED RANGE OF ADJUSTABILITY FOR THE DERAILLEUR CAGE. 2)Derailleur cage is 3mm narrower than last year's XT. 3)Heavy (50 grams heavier than last year's).
4)The adapters that are used to fit the derailleur to multiple seat tube diameters are a hassle to set-up. | | Similar Products Used: | '03 Shimano XT M750 (top swing, top pull). | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Superlight with Truvativ Stylo Team cranks, Race Face XS bottom bracket, SRAM X9 shifters and rear derailleur, XTR chain. | | Bottom Line: | Can someone please tell me why Shimano insists on continually "upgrading" perfectly good stuff with total crap?
Building up my Superlight from scratch, I first dialed my chainline to a perfect 48.5mm. When I went to fine tune the XT front derailleur, I found that after backing out the high gear limit screw just a tad, I quickly reached a point where the screw would keep turning but the derailleur simply would not move any more to the outside. This resulted in lots of chain rub on the big ring up front and the two smallest cogs in the back. (Yes, my cable tension was correct.)
I put up with this for awhile but then couldn't stand it anymore so I purchased last year's model. Low and behold the cage was 3mm wider and the design was much simpler and more compact. The derailleur cage has plenty of side to side adjustability and there is now NO MORE RUB. If you think I didn't adjust the front derailleur correctly the first time you are wrong. I made no other adjustments to the bike other than replacing the crap '04 model with the '03. Plus I have been doing my own mechanical work for many years.
If you decide to get the 04 XT front derailleur anyway, don't say I didn't warn you. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Curtis Bullock
a Cross Country Rider
from College Park, MD, USA
Date Reviewed: June 11, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Sligo Creek | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | REI | | Strengths: | Great clean shifting; durable as hell, looks great, good price | | Weaknesses: | None so far | | Similar Products Used: | Various no name shimano parts | | Bike Setup: | FS bike with XT Fr. der. XT rear der. LX shifter/brake combo, Firex Crank, XT cassette. | | Bottom Line: | Love it. A great buy for sure. I got a whole new drivetrain (except crank) installed at REI and I have had absolutely no problems with this derailleur. I'm no super bike expert, but I definitely knew for sure that this was a big step up from previous parts the first time I shifted from first to second and then from second to third. The best part about it is that since it has been on my bike, I haven't had to think about it in the least; definitely a good part. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dean
a Cross Country Rider
from Atlanta, GA
Date Reviewed: May 3, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Mountian | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Reality Bikes | | Strengths: | Changes gears, sometimes | | Weaknesses: | Mounting. If not super tight, it spins around and jams itself into my rear tire. | | Similar Products Used: | Cheap Shimano | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Superlight
- Fox RLC fork, RL shock
- XT
- Thompson seatpost and stem
- Maxxis tires | | Bottom Line: | If this is not installed correctly, make sure you know how to reinstall it on the trail. It uses spacers for a fits all sizes approach. If not super tight, it will spin on the down tube recking your ride and possibly doing damage elsewhere.
I had a ton of build problems with my bike and I think this is just another one of them. I don't think the shop used enough spacers. I have it tighetend all the way down now and it no longer spins. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stephen Brown
a Weekend Warrior
from Manchester, England
Date Reviewed: April 19, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$45.00 | | Purchased At: | Chain Reaction Cycles | | Strengths: | I bought the 2004 XT top-swing front derailleur (M760). It appears to be a more robust design than the Deore / LX units that I have used previously. Every shift so far has been fine. | | Weaknesses: | There was a manufacturing defect which caused the cable guide for a botton-pull cable to collide with part of the mechanism and prevent it moving far enough to select the big chainwheel. I use the top cable entry so I removed the cable guide with a junior hacksaw and it now works perfectly. | | Similar Products Used: | Deore / LX front derailleur. | | Bike Setup: | Orange Sub5 / Rock Shox Psylo SL forks / Hope Minis. | | Bottom Line: | The derailleur appears to be more robust than others that I have used and every shift so far has been perfect. I am guessing that the defect is a one-off so have not deducted marks for this. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
allan white
a Weekend Warrior
from sunderland
Date Reviewed: April 9, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | cycle world sunderland | | Strengths: | see bottomline | | Weaknesses: | see bottomline | | Bottom Line: | In july 2002 i wrote: ".......it broke!! One of the two swing pin eyes just broke in two on day 21 under very 'normal' use." At the time this was the second front mech (the other was an LX) that had sheared at one of the 'pivot eyes' after a matter of a few weeks of fairly standard off-roading. Since then I have had no problems at all with the XT mechs on either of my bikes (1 mech is top pull, the other bottom). The top pull was the problem mech 2 years ago and its replacement has been on the go now for over a year of almost daily off-road use. When I experienced the eye failures in 2002 I took a close look at the fracture zone and noticed large crystalline structures - a mate suggested that this could have been a casting fault - possibly the result of hydrogen ions from the acid dip entering the metal itself, who knows? With the evidence of the current performance of the replacements, I would now say that I was unlucky enough to have bought faulty mechs. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ryan R.
a Cross Country Rider
from Long Island N.Y.
Date Reviewed: September 9, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Dirt ones | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$29.00 | | Purchased At: | Jenson.com | | Strengths: | It works! Most front derailers are a major pain in the a$$! This one is not (so far) No rattleing or jam ups. Shifts the chain from ring to ring very well whet more could you ask for? | | Weaknesses: | All front derailers are a Pain in the A$$ to set up and this one is no exception anyone who really compalins about this has just set up his first front derailer. They all suck to set up. as for performance none so far. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT and LX | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Stumpjumper FSR XC, with Shimano XT & XTR mix, Easton EC monkeylite bars and an Easton EA-50 stem, WTB Weirwolf tires and Mavic F-219 rims, Thomson Seatpost with a WTB Rocket V Race saddle, and lots of other goodies. Basicly not even close to stock! | | Bottom Line: | This is a BIG improvment from the stock LX piece of garbage they speced this bike with! That thing came out of adjustment if you looked at it funny or said something bad about it. I don't miss that thing one bit, the XT one is a huge improvement, it dosen't look like it would be but it is. It shifts way better than the LX for one and the cage dose not rattle like a baby on steroids. It is very close to set and forget and it works much better in unison wit my XTR rear. It has yet to come out of adjustment but the beginning set up is a pain in the a$$ like I said above. Still a front derailers are a pain anyone who says anything diffrent tell me which one your using. I have set plenty for my friends and felow riders and it's always an ordeal. The XT is by far the nicest and easiest on so far but I have yet to try an XTR but Shimano wants too much for just a front derailer and try to find it in e-type good luck. PEACE! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
adam
a Cross Country Rider
from Kokomo, IN
Date Reviewed: September 4, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | pricepoint.com | | Strengths: | it works. shifts especially well when going to a smaller chainring. slightly more difficult the other way, but that may be normal. cleans up nicely. looks good and proud to do it's job. priced very well, almost giving it away for how well it works | | Weaknesses: | none. it works and works well. | | Bike Setup: | EPX Terrashark frame, mostly XT drivetrain, easton bar and stem and marzoochi MX Pro fork, crossmax ust disk | | Bottom Line: | good little piece of metal that shifts gears. fantastic price! it is really sexy too. it is a great buy | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rene Guitar
a Weekend Warrior
from Montreal
Date Reviewed: August 12, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | ABC Cycle et Sport | | Strengths: | Far better than my previous Acera FD :-) | | Weaknesses: | None so far. I did not made the initial adjustment myself, so I cannot comment on this. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano Acera Front Derailleur | | Bike Setup: | Rocky Mountain Fusion (stock), with the folowing mod
M545 Pedals,
XT Front Derailleur,
LX Crank set
LX Botom Bracket | | Bottom Line: | My stock Front Derailleur (FD) finally gave up last week after a full year a good service. I think this is one of the cheapest piece of Hardware installed on the Rocky Mountain Fusion. Anyhow, it was my goal to buy a bike with low end components, then upgrade as they broke! So there am I with a new front drive train. Since the Acera FD gave up, the guys at the bike shop suggested to upgrade the crankset and bottom bracket as well. It was not in my $$ plan, but I took their suggestion and gave them a "go ahead guys". I think my previous BB was starting to give up anyway(some griding-cracking noise was starting to come out of it!!), so I think the suggestion was okay.
Anyhow, I got a brand new front drive train and like it very much so far, happy riding! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin
a Weekend Warrior
from Tempe, AZ
Date Reviewed: May 27, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Works good, good durability/endurance (a shocking concept for a mega 9 component) | | Weaknesses: | pain in the neck to adjust compared to older 7 and 8 speed designs | | Similar Products Used: | 8 speed LX, 7 speed XT | | Bike Setup: | '01 i-drive 5.0 | | Bottom Line: | Holy *&^%* a mega 9 component that lasts more than 6 months Shimano's chains, cassette's and cranksets (at least LX) have taken a true dive in endurance from the 8 speeds, but the deraillers (front and rear) and shifters (deore) work really well. Looking at some of the other reviews I did have the pins come loose on a mega 9 deore F.D., took me forever to figure out what went wrong the mechanism moved but the chain didn't move or make a sound. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Russell Ruggiero
a Weekend Warrior
from West Windsor, NJ, USA
Date Reviewed: April 17, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | R&D | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | Jay's Cycle | | Strengths: | Shimano Quality | | Weaknesses: | Not XTR | | Similar Products Used: | LX, Deore, and Alivio | | Bike Setup: | Trek STP 200
Shifters: LX
FD: XT
RD: XT
Crank: ICON Graphite
Pedals: M858
Stem: ICON Graphite
HD: ICON Graphite
SP: ICON Graphite
Seat: Era
Brakes: Avid SD20
Wheels: Dolomite
Tires: Revolt-X
Fork: Judy Race
| | Bottom Line: |
Dear
Reader
I caved in, and bought the XT. The quality is very good, but not up to XTR. The latter has a carbon fiber mounting plate and a much more rigid structure. Why then did I go for XT over XTR? Price. I would rather spend the money on a rear XTR piece, which is where most of my shifting takes place. The XT/XTR combination is my goal by year's end.
Sincerely
Russ | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jake
a
from East Greenwich, RI, USA
Date Reviewed: February 12, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$22.00 | | Purchased At: | supergo | | Strengths: | shifting, steal at 22 dollors | | Weaknesses: | non that i know of | | Similar Products Used: | LX | | Bike Setup: | Brand new NRS frame in team blue, Manitou Black Elite Air fork. | | Bottom Line: | it works really well, it just does. when to click the shifer it puts the chain on the chainring. i had an LX deralluer with exatly the same mechanism and it never worked as well. it worked ok but not as quickly as the XT, not even close. so i am left with just one question: why? why does the XT deralluer with almost the exact same Mechanism work better than the LX? it is only 4 dollors morem, and im sure its lighter but i cant figure out why it works better. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pierre L'Archevêque
a Cross Country Rider
from Laval, Québec, Canada
Date Reviewed: December 27, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | Bicyclette Montréal Nord | | Strengths: | Light, Shifts perfectly when well adjusted, easy to adjust, it's the perfect match with a Deore crank or better, | | Weaknesses: | Top swing model looks cheap but really,, HOW CARES!, Requires minimul maintanece. | | Similar Products Used: | DEore, alivio, acera, altus,sis | | Bottom Line: | I'm sure that the XTR must be amazing but I have been using this XT derailler for 6 months and I and very satisfied with it. The price is affordable so why don't they put this derailler on all bikes. It's not like the prices would change drastically. Were talking of about a 10-20$ differce.
I am a very satisfied customer and I recommend it to all of you. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mike b
a Cross Country Rider
from Sodom in the North
Date Reviewed: December 19, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | boggs mountain | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | vision cycles SF | | Strengths: | the thing pretty much works | | Weaknesses: | the cage rattles | | Similar Products Used: | alivio, stx and lx | | Bike Setup: | superlight | | Bottom Line: | what is shimano doing wrong with this deraillieur?
i've owned two for my hardtail and one on my dualie and all three have had the cage come loose and rattle like a snake. now why is this? on the first one i had, i noticed that some doo dad had fallen off of the rivets which hold the cage to the body--luckily i FOUND the doo dad, but there is'nt much you can do once it falls off. yes, the deraillieur still shifts into all three rings when it rattles incessantly but we consumers are entitled to a durable product at the price we're paying for XT.
i've also noticed that this problem only exist on the current generation of XT front deraillieurs. i'm using one from the 8 speed generation that i purchased in somewhere around '98 on my hardtail and IT WORKS JUST FINE!!!
all in all, this product works. so long as the front deraillieur is working, i don't think much about it. it is, however, inexcusable to put a product on the market which develops the amount of slop that my XT front deraillieurs have--and that's why this thing is only getting three chilis on value and two overall out of me. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a Racer
from Christchurch, New Zealand
Date Reviewed: December 18, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | Fleet Cycles | | Strengths: | Light weight, Quick shifting, Simple (especially for a bottom pull) | | Weaknesses: | Absolute [insert bad word here] to set up. | | Similar Products Used: | Deore, SRAM | | Bike Setup: | '01 Marin Nail Trail, XT/LX, XSIV Hydro Front Disc | | Bottom Line: | Bought this when my standard Deore front mech that came with the bike finally gave up the ghost, the XT is a much simpler design than the Deore, but O.M.G. is it tricky to set up.
I think it's due to the relatively narrow cage, but once you get it sorted, it's excellent and well worth it.
It shifts a lot faster than the original one, and if anyone has had the same trouble with the cable rubbing on the frame with the standard Deore mech on the '01 Nail Trail - then go buy one of these!- it provides a much better cable angle, so no more rubbing!
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pat
a Cross Country Rider
from England
Date Reviewed: December 5, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$32.00 | | Purchased At: | Chainreaction | | Strengths: | Just the opposite! | | Weaknesses: | XT top-swing design - it's weak! | | Similar Products Used: | Conventional swing | | Bike Setup: | Marin Mt Vision | | Bottom Line: | I used to fit-and-forget front derailleurs but these only last about 6 months. The steel pins wear through the skinny alloy eyelets which soon rattle then snap. This design seem to be the only sort to fit on my rear sus bike. I know having no chain-stays adds to the problem as any chain-suck causes the chain to slam into the mech but they also snapped on my youngster's hard-tail in spite of careful cleaning with the toothbrush! Luckily, he can use the conventional type instead - and does! So, only buy if you have to or never ride in mud! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
L Friesen
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary
Date Reviewed: October 5, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Great shifting- smooth
Easy set up
Less nooks and crannies for dirt to collect in- easy to clean | | Weaknesses: | kind of pricey- but worth every cent | | Similar Products Used: | shimano 050's (horrible) | | Bike Setup: | XT/Deore | | Bottom Line: | This is an amazing piece of machinery- and the fact that it is only slightly more expensive then the deore model makes you wonder why anyone would buy the deore.
Buy it if you will be doing any non-paved trails at all- you'll thank yourself | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Manny E.
a
from Austin, TX
Date Reviewed: October 1, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | 0 | | Strengths: | ** Top Swing/ Top Pull **
Very good part so far!
I've had my share of CRASH and I've not had any malfunctions. | | Weaknesses: | 'Fine tuning' it is more intensive.
This depends on the individual who's tuning it. | | Bike Setup: | Tracer - Race Face Next LP; compact rings. XT shifters. | | Bottom Line: | I used an XT front derailleur, since I bought compact rings. I haven't had any major problems with shifting between the rings. If anything, up-shifting is a little more difficult....more force is needed; but not much!
Can't say that there's much to cry over. No problems a little fine tuning won't fix. --But ya have to get it just right! So far it's been a great little part!
Nothing to diminish from Value or Overall ratings. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
droid
a
from cornwall uk
Date Reviewed: August 19, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | star fangled nut | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$23.00 | | Purchased At: | ricci ltd | | Strengths: | it does exactly what i want it to do, needed a bottom pull top swing to stop the mud catching problem. | | Weaknesses: | Admittedly took a little time to set up but then most of that was the new cable stretching every time!!! | | Similar Products Used: | deore bottom pull bottom swing ( kept filling with mud etc) | | Bike Setup: | stock scott expert except lx vees, xt front and rear mechs | | Bottom Line: | Dont blame the derailieur for poor shifting its only doing what the cable tells it. If its poorly setup it will shift poorly and undue forces will act on it and it probably will fall apart; its a derailieur not a lever for prying the chain from one ring to another. Compared to the deore bottom swing its design seem purely simple and this hopefully means a long relationship with my bike
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lance Cooper
a Cross Country Rider
from White River, South Africa
Date Reviewed: July 24, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Umbhaba Lodge | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$42.00 | | Purchased At: | Fritz Pienaar Cycles | | Strengths: | Looks good and shifts well with Shimano Chainrings initially | | Weaknesses: | Does not connect well with Race Face, despite a lot of painstaking adjustments. E-clip fell off after 8 months of riding and rendered derailler useless. Two LBS have been unable to source spare e-clips, so I had to blow another $45 on a replacement. One of my mates has also lost an e-clip on his LX. Shimano needs to address the design of the e-clip, because XC riding is bumpy without dual suspension!! | | Similar Products Used: | Acera | | Bike Setup: | Cannondale F600n with XT components | | Bottom Line: | Not durable enough to form part of the XT range, due to poor clip design. Shimano : take action and fix this little niggle and you will get my vote again. Buy this derrailler if you plan to ride your MTB on tarred roads, but avoid hardcore XC rides without dual suspension: you have been warned. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Max
a Weekend Warrior
from Connecticut
Date Reviewed: June 18, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | Class Cycles | | Strengths: | uhhhh... | | Weaknesses: | I can bend the derailler with my and and snap it with a pair of pliers. It broke in less than 2 months. | | Similar Products Used: | STX, LX (also broke) | | Bike Setup: | schwinn 4 banger, xt derailleurs. | | Bottom Line: | I Broke the friggin thing! Lasted me about 1 month +. Its weak. I usually don't care about front derailleurs as long as they shift smoothly. but I have to put in a review when it friggin breaks in 35 days. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike Cisek
a Cross Country Rider
from lake forest, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: June 12, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$27.00 | | Purchased At: | Supergo Bike Shops | | Strengths: | It's perfecto! It's very smooth, precise, quick, etc. The XT is stronger, more heavy duty materials than that of the Deore! | | Weaknesses: | NONE | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano Deore. When my chain snapped instantaneously it got wrapped around the Deore and bent it. So obviously I knew the Deore wasn't nearly as strong as the XT and of course the XTR. | | Bike Setup: | 2001 Schwinn Moab Disc with Egg Beaters | | Bottom Line: | It is a great derailleur! The second best of all derailleurs! Very precise, smooth, consistant, accurate ahifting, less noise (when shifting), can shift more than a few gears at a time! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sieveboy
a
from NY
Date Reviewed: June 3, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | jenson | | Strengths: | Looks nice | | Weaknesses: | doesn't work, can't be adjusted to shift reliably, also leaves a nice dent in seat tube with even the slightest torque. This is a real POS | | Similar Products Used: | STX | | Bike Setup: | C'dale | | Bottom Line: | This derailleur is worse than a piece of crap. I've been adjusting and trying to figure out what is wrong with it for a month. I eventually gave up and wung it across the garage. I re-installed an ugly old scratched and bent STX and it still worked perfectly. I think if you install a 120mm BB, you might get this thing to downshift into the granny, but you've still got the problem of a ill-designed cage. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mat
a Cross Country Rider
from Rimouski, Québec, Canada
Date Reviewed: May 29, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Quick, sharp, light, strong! | | Weaknesses: | No problem yet! | | Bike Setup: | Brand: Oryx
Model: Équipe 2500
Year: 2001
27 gears
Rear derailleur: Deore XT
Tyres: IRC Mythos
Brakes: 4Rox | | Bottom Line: | I'm totally satisfied with this derailleur!
I can even change gears while climbing hills! It depends of course on the pressure you make on the crank! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a Weekend Warrior
from UK
Date Reviewed: May 10, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Many | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Light | | Weaknesses: | the same as every other front mech I've ever had.
The riveted joints become loose very quickly and shifting becomes vague. | | Similar Products Used: | Other shimano's | | Bike Setup: | SC Heckler, all XT | | Bottom Line: | I agree with previous posters, why can't front mechs be more robust?
I appreciate that they provide a fairly crude function, but there must be a better way to construct them. Maybe having joints that could be tightened would help. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe
a
from Nanuet, NY
Date Reviewed: May 9, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Perkins Memorial Drive | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | jenson | | Strengths: | looks nice, cheap | | Weaknesses: | mediocre product | | Similar Products Used: | STX, Alivio | | Bike Setup: | C'dale F700, race face crankset, SRAM chain, LX cassette | | Bottom Line: | I have the same problem as other posters. In order to eliminate chain rubbing in the highest gear (big ring, small cog), you have to sacrifice smooth shifting onto the granny (small ring, larger cogs) or vice-versa. This requires you to set it up specifically for the type of riding you expect. Major pain in the bottom.
This was only twenty bucks, I'd be pissed if I paid list price for it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim
a Cross Country Rider
from Bear,DE
Date Reviewed: May 6, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Fair Hill, MD | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Strengths: | I reccommend getting it, if you don't want to buy the XTR version. | | Weaknesses: | None, Although I did upgrade the 2 sprockets with Carmichael's. | | Similar Products Used: | Alivo, Deore | | Bike Setup: | Klein Attitude Race, XT setup, Rolf Wheels | | Bottom Line: | Buy it, you won't be dissappointed. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mtber
a Weekend Warrior
from New Jersey
Date Reviewed: March 31, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | The Next One I ride! | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Crisp shifting, Works great with Race Face Turbine LPs | | Weaknesses: | None at this point! | | Similar Products Used: | STX | | Bike Setup: | Giant AC Air Lite | | Bottom Line: | No Problems, Crisp Shifting. Strongly recommended | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Roger West
a Weekend Warrior
from London,England
Date Reviewed: February 18, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Chilterns | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS - Lewisham, London | | Strengths: | This is for the 9 Speed top pull.
Smooth shifting.
Shifts Quite well under pressure. | | Weaknesses: | Chain rub at extremes of shifting.
Fiddly to set up. | | Similar Products Used: | LX. | | Bike Setup: | Race Face 9 speed race rings (44t?), XT bottom bracket 113 mm. Race FAce turbine cranks. XT shifters | | Bottom Line: | As mentioned this took ages to setup. I've set up other mechs on several bikes without anywhere near this hassle.
The predominate problem was chain rub on the outer chain ring. When trying to eliminate this I ended up with rub on inner ring for a while, then on both.
I tried adjusting mech distance from teeth, cable tension and of course the adjustment screws. Eventually I seem to have sorted it out. There is still occasional chain rub when in big chain ring and smallest sprocket on cassette under high tension cranking.
Now it is setup the shifting is very good, I'm just dreading when my inners have stretched and additional tweaking is needed. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Allan White
a Weekend Warrior
from Sunderland UK
Date Reviewed: February 7, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | The one I'm on at the time! | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$38.00 | | Purchased At: | Cycle World | | Strengths: | Worked just fine for 20days!!then......... | | Weaknesses: | .......it broke!! One of the two swing pin eyes just broke in two on day 21 under very 'normal' use. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano LX but...check out my review for this: it broke at exactly the same point after less than 3 months and not much riding in that period. | | Bike Setup: | Not relevant | | Bottom Line: | Something is very wrong with the castings which include the pivot eyes. I wonder if Shiano have 'outsourced' this side of the production - I cannot believe there isn't a serious problem with kit that is a ephemeral as this. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sindross
a Cross Country Rider
from Canada
Date Reviewed: January 8, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | supergo.com | | Strengths: | Smooth shifting, light. Better looking that Deore | | Weaknesses: | Damn overprice here at the bike shops, 150$ I go look on the net at supergo... 25$... wtf | | Bottom Line: | I always buy my stuff from supergo or pricepoint now. I bought parts that would have cost well over 1000$(canadian), pricepoint it came up to 300$(canadian). People ask me... well you have to pay shipping. who gives a crap when you save 700$ | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brandon
a Cross Country Rider
from Albany, CA
Date Reviewed: December 6, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Goosebery Mesa | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | jensonusa | | Strengths: | Flawless shifting, good price, little maintenance | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano Altus | | Bike Setup: | LX 9 speed cranks, chain; STX-RC rear; LX 7 spd cassette | | Bottom Line: | Mine is the bottom swing, bottom pull model. I put this on my bike over three years ago and its been giving me great shifting ever since. Rarely needs maintenance or adjusting. Ever notice front derailleurs never have a high average rating? Maybe too few riders understand what a front derailleur can and can't do. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
GS
a Cross Country Rider
from Chicago IL
Date Reviewed: November 8, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Palos or Kettle Moraine | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | 21st Century | | Strengths: | Much smoother shifting on the front now. | | Weaknesses: | Well I see a lot of problems given in some of the other reviews...guess we will see in time how this pans out. | | Similar Products Used: | LX and Delore | | Bike Setup: | 2002 Giant xtc se2, stock except for the tires, and now the upgrade to the front derailler | | Bottom Line: | Big difference, at least to me in shifting from what came on the bike. This matches the XT rear which came stock on the bike. I haven't had any problem save a bit of chain rub, which after just tuning and adjusting a bit, seems to be gone now. Good price considering I got it through a bike shop, but they can be had cheaper through pricepoint.com, etc. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris Herraghty
a Weekend Warrior
from Edinburgh, Scotland
Date Reviewed: August 19, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Pentlands | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$39.00 | | Purchased At: | Edinburgh Bike Co-op | | Strengths: | Looks sweet
Good strong spring
Strong (so far) | | Weaknesses: | Chain rubbing at extremes of shifting | | Similar Products Used: | Alivio, LX | | Bike Setup: | Marin Eldridge Grade (Steel frame - still great)
LX rear gear
Avid Arch rival and XTR levers
XT shifters
LX hubs, Mavic rims
Judy XC 1996 shocks (old but good) | | Bottom Line: | Good so far, took a bit of tweaking to get it to a position where it doesn't rub the chain in low/high gears. Looks cool. Seems to work well with the XT shifters and has a good, positive action. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
offroader
a Cross Country Rider
from California
Date Reviewed: July 15, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | * Does the job.... not well, but it does it | | Weaknesses: | * Not precise
* requires you to shift to the higher gears on the rear derailleur in order to shift to a larger ring up front
* Not enough movement in the derailleur with each shift. | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | Full Suspension Klein | | Bottom Line: | This front derailleur simply lacks precision when attempting to shift to a bigger ring. (no problems when shifting to a smaller ring.) Overall, this is a disappointing product. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Piro San
a Cross Country Rider
from Launceston, Tas, Australia
Date Reviewed: July 10, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Hollybank Reserve | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | came stock | | Strengths: | Smoothe shifting, low maintenance. | | Weaknesses: | haven't found any... | | Similar Products Used: | alvio, Diore | | Bike Setup: | 1999 Cannondale f1000, CAAD 4, XT/XTR, Fatty SL, Mavic 221 on CODA expert hubs, Avid arch rival 5.0. | | Bottom Line: | Can't understand all the problems with this product. My Dale f1000 came stock with the XT bottom pull and I haven't had a single problem with it. Unless you call precise smoothe shifting a problem. Maintain it and you won't have any problems | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a Weekend Warrior
from Edmonds, WA
Date Reviewed: June 15, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | spec'd on new bike | | Strengths: | it kind of works | | Weaknesses: | it's too weak to upshift with any meaningful torque on the crank | | Similar Products Used: | XT top pull, LX, STX RC, Campy | | Bike Setup: | Titus QM | | Bottom Line: | I want to make clear that this refers only to shimano's top pull, bottom swing deraileur. The top swing version work just fine. Unfortunately with many new full suspension rigs with interupted seat tubes its easier for the manufacturer to build the frame to this spec. The bottom swing does not exert suffient leverage on the chain to shift up smoothly requiring you to pedal lightly while the shift is in process, or double pump the shifter. In the case of the Titus Quasi, the manufacturer put the cable stop too far around the non-drive side of the bike precluding the use of a top swing deraileur.
Shimano should be embarassed by the mediocre performance of this product. It should only be used for recreational applications where spotty shifting is not important. If you are building a bike stick with the top swing version or go with Sram for the front action. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eric
a Cross Country Rider
from Mountain View
Date Reviewed: March 26, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | came on bike | | Strengths: | Never had a problem with it | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | old xtr | | Bike Setup: | Full XT Bontrager Race | | Bottom Line: | A lot of reviewers seem to trash this product. I don't know why. My bike came with this deraileur and I've never had a problem after more than 3 years of use. (I ride a lot.) I've never oiled it, although I do wipe it down with a rag when it's covered in dirt. It still shifts great. I can;t complain at all. I just bought a new mega 9 XT shifter today. If it performs as well as the one I have, I'll be happy. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jay
a Cross Country Rider
from Vancouver
Date Reviewed: February 27, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Ape Canyon | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$24.00 | | Purchased At: | Supergo | | Strengths: | Inexpensive
Shifts well
Easy to adjust | | Weaknesses: | Pivots wear out prematurely | | Similar Products Used: | None. Always a Shimano guy, but I have used LX, STX, and Alivio. | | Bike Setup: | Both of my bikes | | Bottom Line: | I have had bad experience with XT front derailleurs wearing out prematurely. I only got about 600 miles on this one, which some might argue, is all you can expect from drivetrain parts. The other one I used only last about 800 miles before the pivots loosened and performance dropped. Others ride XT front derailleurs for years with no performance issues. The XT front derailleur does shift great when fairly new. This is probably as good as anything out there for compact drivetrains. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Racer
from England
Date Reviewed: February 17, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | None | | Weaknesses: | The as useful as a chocalte teapot. I have had two bottom pull, top swing and within 3 months they have failed at the pivots. Once was in a race I now know wta them single spped riders feel like. | | Bike Setup: | Stumpjumper M2 | | Bottom Line: | I have now tried an XTR but they are pricey for what you get. Keep your receipt your need it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill
a Cross Country Rider
from El Paso, TX
Date Reviewed: January 15, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Works, easy to adjust | | Weaknesses: | Apparently no longer made in 8-speed form | | Similar Products Used: | SHimano LX, STX, XTR | | Bottom Line: | THis applies only to 8-speed front derailleurs:
Make all the tech arguments you want about how they're all identical, there is a clear break in performance and adjusting ease between Shimano XT/XTR and lower-level front derailleurs. The first thing I do when somebody complains about their front shifting or difficulty of adjustment is look at the front derailleur. 99% of the time it's an LX or STX POS. Some guys get a GT I-drive or other weird front derailleur setup & really give themselves nightmares. I'd never put up with it.
I'll never use the 9-speed crap. If you're like me and like 8-speed stuff, stick with XT or better fronts. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jz z
a Downhiller
from birmingham al
Date Reviewed: January 13, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | getting hit by cars | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$5.00 | | Purchased At: | Found A Steal At Bob's Bikes .com | | Strengths: | light,does the job well, | | Weaknesses: | hard to find a 2000 model anymore 'round here | | Similar Products Used: | other shimano | | Bike Setup: | mongoose pro | | Bottom Line: | Well, after 3 stores i found it at the last shop on my list , brought it home popped it on , it works, i'm satisfied,,,. Now if my finger would only stop hurting from the cut i got trying to"crossbreed" an old road with some mt. tires, oh well thats my fault any way, Again good product if you can find it,get it | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Robbie
a Weekend Warrior
from Brampton
Date Reviewed: November 2, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Hardwood Hills | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1400.00 | | Strengths: | Weight, better component than the LX that came stock | | Weaknesses: | The damn thing can't seem to shift smoothly between the granny/middle gear. A few times now as I approach a big climb, it just won't shift. I've had the damned thing tuned up three times in the last three months. | | Similar Products Used: | Last bike was a Maxam Overdrive with full Deore LX (absolutely no problems with the shifting) | | Bike Setup: | 99 GT Avalanche, XT/LX, Z2 Bombers, blah, blah, blah
Upgraded from an LX to XT when I bought the bike - not sure if that was such a good idea anymore...
Got the bike for about $1400 CDN incl taxes | | Bottom Line: | I thought I was getting an awesome shifting system with the XT front and rear (no problems with the rear).
So far I'm disappointed with it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
rod
a
from cny
Date Reviewed: October 22, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | lbs | | Strengths: | yeah right!!!!!!!! | | Weaknesses: | WHY IN THE HECK CANT SOMONE MAKE A FRONT DERAILER THAT WILL HOLD UP TO OFF ROAD RIDING! THIS IS REALLy GETTIN ON MY NERVES. IVE BEEN THROUGH TWO IN THE LAST FOUR MONTHS. THEY ALL MAKE THEM SO WEAK AND SO CRUMMY THAT IT BLOWS MY MIND! I HOPE THAT SOMEONE COMES UP WITH SOMETHIN SOON OR IM GOIN 8 SPEED. THIS IS NUTS! | | Similar Products Used: | SHIMANO, SHIMANO, SHIMANO THE BEST OF THE JUNK | | Bike Setup: | LOADED GT HARDTAIL | | Bottom Line: | NEED I SAY MORE, COME ON SHIMANO AND ALL THE REST OF U, MAKE US A GREAT DURABLE FRONT DERAILER . WE WILL PAY TRUST ME. IDE EVEN GIVE UP 500 GRAMS MORE FOR THE PRIVILAGE!!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Art Salmons
a Weekend Warrior
from Parker, Colorado
Date Reviewed: October 12, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Cherry creek | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance Bike | | Strengths: | Durable and shifts great. easy to adjust. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Shimmano Altus | | Bike Setup: | 2000 Trek 820, XT Deraileurs, LX crank, LX V- Brakes, Bontrager race lite handle bars and bar ends, Manitou Magnum front fork. | | Bottom Line: | I like the way this works with my rapid fire shifters. Shifting is both positive and smooth. Very easy to install and adjust. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Marietta, GA
Date Reviewed: October 10, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Bull Mtn | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Strengths: | Once you get it dialed in, the XT front derailer shifts predictably and precisely. It is also a good value. | | Weaknesses: | Durability is questionable. If you ride a lot, plan on replacing it once a year or so. However, the price is quite reasonable. | | Similar Products Used: | LX, XTR, Diore | | Bike Setup: | Giant XTC SEI with all XT components | | Bottom Line: | Please see my earlier review where I trashed the product. While the lack of durability is a factor (ie I'm on my second XT front derailer in less than 6 months, it turns out that my shifting problems were created by my Race Face Crank Set.
Bottom line, my first set of RF cranks would not seat in all the way on the bottom bracket no matter how many times I tighened them down. RF ended up sending me a new crank to cure the problem. I had to really work on my second set to get them tightened down all the way ... ie I tightened them down and then rode the bike ... and then re-tighten them ... and repeated the process until I could not tighten them down any more.
So the lesson learned here is that if you're bike is not shifting properly, make sure your crank set is properly seated on the bottom bracket and tightened down all the way. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike Orr
a Weekend Warrior
from Redfield South Dakota
Date Reviewed: October 1, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | any i can ride | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Smooth and fast shifting, lite | | Weaknesses: | None, cept if you think it is ugly | | Similar Products Used: | Lx, alivio, deore | | Bike Setup: | was a 97 trek 6500 with all derailures, brakes, fork, bb, cranks, almost the whole thing was changed but the frame. | | Bottom Line: | Strong derailure, and the 2000's are just as good. They shift fast and efforlessly. They can take constant beating from rough terrain, and i don't always mean when you are riding on your back either, i mean when the bike rides you. Give it a five by five because it is another wonderful piece of equipment from shimano | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scorch
a Weekend Warrior
from Calgary, Alberta
Date Reviewed: September 5, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | RidgeView Lookout | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | The Bike Shop | | Strengths: | light, no missed shifts, smooth shifting up and down, works great in mud | | Weaknesses: | none so far | | Similar Products Used: | stx front | | Bike Setup: | lx rear, xt front | | Bottom Line: | This is one of the best front der. i've ever ridden. the xtr which i've demo'd before does not have as much differecne except for price. this is the best front for the buck. it's cheap, light, awesome in every way. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ben
a Weekend Warrior
from england
Date Reviewed: September 5, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | lightish, shifts well, easy to adjust
| | Weaknesses: | none so far | | Similar Products Used: | stx rc, lx | | Bike Setup: | azonic, xverts, lx xt | | Bottom Line: | put this on 2 years ago, havne't done a thing to it apart from the odd adjustment and replacing of gears cables, still working perfectly, no problems
what's everybody been doing to these to make them fall apart, cos i've really had no problems with mine after 2 years of pretty hard riding and lots of miles | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Marietta, GA
Date Reviewed: August 29, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Rich Mtn | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Strengths: | Beats nothing ... otherwise it sux | | Weaknesses: | I'm on my second XT derailleur. The first one died after a month.... a combination of the chain jumping of the rings and it's weak design. I'm now on my second one and the bike shop has given up trying to adjust it any better. Part of the problem might be that it does not match up well with the Race Face cranks. | | Similar Products Used: | I've used several Shimano front dearailers in the past with no problems. For example, I put my Diore on my first bike through hell for a couple years and it still works great | | Bike Setup: | Giant XTC SE1, all XT components, with Race Face Cranks (may be contributing to the problem) | | Bottom Line: | My setup sux. Between the bike shop and I we've spent countless hours to no avail trying to adjust the XT derailler / Race Face crank set so they will work together. The bottom line is I've got a $2grand bike with a front derailer that shifts worse than my kids Huffy. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
MArty
a Cross Country Rider
from Cleveland, OH
Date Reviewed: July 7, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | It fits on my bike, pretty cheap. | | Weaknesses: | I ride lots of steep hills therefore I am almost always in my bottom ring. the only time I'm not there is on my ride home in my top ring. which means I use my front derailler maybe thre time a ride. why does it never work right? It is tuned at a great shop and everthing else takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'. Is it that the Raceface crankset is not high quality enough for it? | | Similar Products Used: | stx-rc, lx, xtr, SRAM 9.0 sl | | Bike Setup: | 99 Ibis Alibi, zook superfly, 9.0sl derailler, halfpipe shifters. Raceface turbine lp and rings, magura racelines, xt rear cassette. teflon cables. | | Bottom Line: | I am getting really sick of this thing, SRAM here I come next spring. I have never used a shimano front derailler that worked well. I had a STX-rc rear that took an enormous beating and held up great for the price, but the front... well I'm gonna try elsewhere. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Murray
a Cross Country Rider
from Christchurch, New Zealand
Date Reviewed: July 5, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | All (especially Aorere Goldfields) | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Changes well. | | Weaknesses: | Wears out quickly. Fell to bits | | Similar Products Used: | Acera. Alivio | | Bike Setup: | DBR V-link to full LX except for the front derailleur | | Bottom Line: | It has changed well for the year that it has been fitted. Thats the plus. However, for XT I would have thought that it could have a bit more quality built in. I do not ride in mud, it is protected by a Crudcatcher, regularly cleaned and lubed, but yet every pivot point is now completely slogged out. To cap it off, the main pivot pin has now come loose in the body and wobbles around as well. The only thing holding it together is the little wire clip that others say falls off! For the money I would have expected better. The three chilis is because it does work well, though I really don't know how! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Huey da duck
a Cross Country Rider
from B.C, Canada
Date Reviewed: June 25, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | All | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Strong shifts well easy to install | | Weaknesses: | none yet | | Similar Products Used: | stx RC and six front | | Bike Setup: | 99 sasquatch, chrome-molly frame z.5 bombers, xt rear xt front rc shifters | | Bottom Line: | Sweet shifter for the price, strong and a major improvement over the rc. Although with my 8 speed drivetrain it was hard to find. Installation took less than 10 mins and no special tools needed, Works best when u use xt shifters, which I am about to upgrade to. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jeff warmerdam
a Cross Country Rider
from abbotsford bc canada
Date Reviewed: April 29, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | mixed bag | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | looks | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | LX front derailler | | Bike Setup: | trek 7000 with xtr drivetrain and SID 100 | | Bottom Line: | good shifter i don't use it a lot but it works when i do. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben Boyd
a Cross Country Rider
from Australia
Date Reviewed: April 16, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Majura Pines | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | It shifts well, but so did my stx-rc | | Weaknesses: | It has already developed a lot of play in a bit over 8 weeks . | | Similar Products Used: | stx-rc (8 spd) | | Bike Setup: | Norco Sasquatch, bomber Z3. | | Bottom Line: | After a year I had finally had enough of my stx-rc fromt derailleur rattling around, so I upgraded to a 9 spd XT front derailleur. I expected the upgrading of my front derailleur to an XT would mean better shifting and a longer life span before getting a new derailleur but I haven't been all that impressed as it started to develop play after 4 weeks of use and has steadily become worse. But at least it shifts well (hope it lasts a year though...) and I haven't had to many problems with my chain scraping on it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
who cares
a
from VA
Date Reviewed: April 15, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Not sure | | Weaknesses: | It's made of cheese... | | Similar Products Used: | LX | | Bottom Line: | Are these just shoddy pieces of crap or what??? I didn't even get past putting it on. The first time I tried to tighten down the bolt holding the shifter cable it stripped out. Not just the bolt, but the threaded insert as well. This thing reeks of Limburger! Next time I'm getting the one made of aged cheddar....
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Phil
a
from Minnesota
Date Reviewed: April 9, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | works | | Weaknesses: | pain to setup | | Similar Products Used: | stx | | Bike Setup: | Racface 9-spd rings 22-32-44, xtr chain, xt r-der, xt cogset,xt shifters | | Bottom Line: | It works, I havn't really had problems with it. It is a pain to get setup so the chain doesn't rub. I've been working that out for a while. I usually end up just using the big ring anyway, just so my pants don't get shredded by the big ring. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Greg
a Cross Country Rider
from Colorado
Date Reviewed: March 26, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | None | | Weaknesses: | Shoddy construction | | Similar Products Used: | Pre Mega-nine XT and XTR | | Bottom Line: | I made the mistake of buying a XT 750 top pull from a local shop instead of ordering an older model from one of the web retailers. Dumb. To say this thing is poorly made is an understatement. Plastic and cheap stamped metal combine to provide the worst performing front derailleur I've ever used. 60 miles of p-sspoor performance is enough for me. Garbage, crap, offal, dung, trash.....worthless. It doesn't deserve even one flaming turd. Save yourself some aggravation and avoid the lattest innovation from the land of the rising sun.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
G.
a Cross Country Rider
from Denton
Date Reviewed: February 25, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | B.U.M.P/Oak Mtn & Porc. Rim | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Durability Durability Durability | | Weaknesses: | I find the front derraileur is the hardest part of the bike to adjust and keep adjusted. I think that's pretty standard though--especially for 4 year old derailleurs. | | Similar Products Used: | Alivio/Gripshift setup | | Bike Setup: | XT Drivetrain, Delta Cables (not worth it), shimano/raceface rings. Various chains. All strapped onto a sweet steel frame. | | Bottom Line: | Bought My derraieur (top swing/top pull) with a used '96 Bontrager Race frame/fork. It's grown a little finicky after 4 years of use, but I think it's earned that right. Even so, the shifting is still pretty good--I've just had to anticipate the shifts--only shift the front derraileur on flat or downhill sections. If I'm going to go from 3-2 or 2-1 try to do that before gravity sets in. The only reason I'm retiring it is to put off the 8 to 9 speed mating/conversion. (Got mine for $18 off of one of the web retailer links, cheaper than new LX!)
Can someone e-mail me re: why one would purchase top v. bottom swing? Does it have to do w/ the bike or what? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
sam hanley
a Racer
from Tilburg
Date Reviewed: February 8, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | citycenterisallthatsleft | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | never let me down
dirt cheap end of year prices | | Weaknesses: | no flash for no cash
but there are no real beter mechs out there?
my next mech is XTR!? | | Similar Products Used: | loads of old mechs and bikes with no mechs | | Bike Setup: | pace RC200 F8 RC 30 magura ceramic xt 2.3in slicks | | Bottom Line: | a great performer for the money
XTR feels beter inside | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brendan Hodge
a Downhiller
from BC
Date Reviewed: November 30, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
shifts well | | Weaknesses: |
none | | Similar Products Used: |
xtr etc | | Bike Setup: |
Kona Chute
(best bike in the world | | Bottom Line: | better than xtr
because it's stronger | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jan Sæther
a Cross-Country Rider
from Norway
Date Reviewed: November 1, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Bymarka(Trondheim) | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Weaknesses: |
worn out after 4-5 months | | Similar Products Used: |
xtr -94
LX -95 | | Bottom Line: | crap | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James
a Cross-Country Rider
from Elkhart In
Date Reviewed: October 31, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
I'm still looking | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Shifts. Easy to adjust. Many different sizes and top/bottom swings. | | Weaknesses: |
Got the wrong one, should have gotten Top Swing, got Bottom instead | | Similar Products Used: |
Alivio, LX, STX | | Bike Setup: |
Jamis Dakar Team | | Bottom Line: | The changer works. Took a little bit to dial in but then it's been set. Spacing is a bit cramped on the Dualie its mounted to. Might got to the other swing (Top instead of Bottom) to allieviate the problem. Cheap too. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James
a Racer
from Austin
Date Reviewed: October 29, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Flat Creek ranch | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Works great till the E clip disapears | | Weaknesses: |
E clip disappears, pivot hole wear out, won't shift to granny once clip is gone. | | Similar Products Used: |
bottem swing XT | | Bike Setup: |
98S-Works M2 | | Bottom Line: | No complaints till 2 months ago. Put the granny gear back on bike to find the derailler wouldn't down shift. Finally figure it was worn out(10 months). When new one arrives noticed it had the E-clip. This has to be a design flaw, and no amount of oiling or care will replace that clip.
I have 2 friend with similar bikes, and they are on their second deraillers. Same problem.
Maybe thats why they are on sale for $14, they are being phased out. Lets hope | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
roscoe
a Cross-Country Rider
from idaho
Date Reviewed: October 1, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
singletrack | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
its shimano | | Weaknesses: |
its shimano | | Similar Products Used: |
lx,xtr | | Bottom Line: | Being a bike mechanic, and having tried alot of different products, XT gives the best performance for the dollar. I also am an avid flyfisher and see biking going the same way as it did. People look at prestige before function,i.e. if it costs more it will make me better. If weight (usually a few grams/part or 1lb. total on a bike) is your consideration most people could lose that weight on their body a whole lot cheaper than their bike. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alvin
a Weekend Warrior
from Concord, CA
Date Reviewed: September 27, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Briones Canyon | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
Price, Name, Functionality | | Weaknesses: |
top pull | | Similar Products Used: |
LX/Alivio/STX | | Bike Setup: |
Dean Oscar Custom, XT/XTR mix, SDG Seat, Race Face cranks, Answer Hyperlite/Hyperends, Ame grips, Time ATAC Carbon pedals, Dean Stem/post, Mavic 217/GT CNC wheels, Bontrager Revolt SS tire pair, Sachs PC-51 chain, SID XC | | Bottom Line: | This is probably the most common front derailleur on the market, just behind LX. It works great and I have no complaints, however, it is the top pull model. I actually prefer the bottom pull, seems easier to shift. However, since most manufacturers prefer top pull mounts, I can't complain. Please see my other reviews on products from my setup section. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ed
a Weekend Warrior
from novi, MI
Date Reviewed: September 26, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Works perfect
strong | | Weaknesses: |
none | | Similar Products Used: |
stx, Lx, XTR | | Bike Setup: |
schwinn, custom | | Bottom Line: | Man, there are a lot of retards reviewing stuff on this site. Look folks, you can't have a derailler that is poorly adjusted and improperly maintained and then complain that the manufacturer designed it badly! I have read most of the negative reviews and they are almost invariably saying the same thing- if you don't take care of the derailler it will break. Gee, what a concept. Anyone who wears the pivot points on this derailler, or any other for that matter, probably never cleaned it and did not oil it. Anyone who breaks it either shifts like a moron or runs into a lot of trees. In either case, you don't want to take their advice. I have run XT components on my bike for about a year now and they shift great. The front derailler is especially good- it shifts perfect! But I clean my deraillers every 3-5 rides and make sure they are well-oiled. I don't care what components you have, if you don't take care of them they will turn to crap real fast. I have run XTR and it is a little better and requires less maintenance, but I'm not going to pay twice as much to save a few grams and have to oil and clean it a little less. THis derailler works well. If your's doesn't, then you must have a screw loose (pun). As always, XT is the best balance between price and performance. XTR is substantially more expensive and represents only an incremental increase in performance (but damn, XTR does work perfect). Be smart, buy XT(but don't expect it to work well if you set it up wrong, don't maintain it, or shift like some of the other knuckle heads who have reviewed it). | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ilan
a Cross-Country Rider
from Austin
Date Reviewed: September 19, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
shifts pretty clean | | Weaknesses: |
a pain to set up | | Bike Setup: |
XT shifter/levers | | Bottom Line: | They were a pain in the ass to set up but now they work pretty good. Sometimes they get stubborn and wont let me into the granny ring, but for the most part they work well. I hope they never break so i dont have to replace them and do the set up again... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Per Lowdin
a Cross-Country Rider
from Uppsala Sweden
Date Reviewed: September 12, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Lunsen | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
None | | Weaknesses: |
Not up to hard usage
Not possible to mend or even tighten when it starts to rattle or breaks. | | Similar Products Used: |
xt96 fd | | Bike Setup: |
Crescent Ultima, Tange shocks, Sach´s chain, XTR rear deraileur | | Bottom Line: | We cycled in Ladakh in nothern India, and the xt megadrive front deraileur could not take the strain. First it got lose and noisy then the damn thing snapped a day when we were cycling up the Indus valle at 3500 meters altitude on one of those road where one would at one moment be travelling at 40 kph the next at 4. It seems that it is not made for consistent gear changes. It is simply too weak. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
david winton
a Racer
from Dunfermline, Scotland
Date Reviewed: September 2, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Glentress nr Peebles | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Shifts well to start with | | Weaknesses: |
Rattles and is loose on pivots within the year. Makes setup difficult without chain rub | | Similar Products Used: |
Pre Top swing XT & LX | | Bike Setup: |
Hardtail PACE with marzocchi forks. | | Bottom Line: | Very disapointed, crap design catches all the mud and the pivots are about as durable as jelly brake blocks. My last XT front mech, pre top swing design is still going strong on a mates bike after 5 years. SHIMANO get your act together and sort this CRAP design. XT is meant to take a hammering and this doesn't. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
gavin
a Weekend Warrior
from ny
Date Reviewed: August 16, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Bottom Line: | It isn't sloppy justwhen i'm in the outer ring the chain rubs against the cage. I belive part of the problem is my crappy crankset and the outer ring is bent I am NOT using a XT '99 crankset so that could be a problem also when i am on a big cog I can't upshift to the outer chainring unless i downshift on the cogset. I think my problem my be due to my crappy crankset so i'll give it four for that theory | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
enn
a Cross-Country Rider
from estonia
Date Reviewed: August 9, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
shifts ok | | Weaknesses: |
after 1 month use it makes a lot of noise, the links are loose | | Similar Products Used: |
LX
alivio
98 xt | | Bike Setup: |
stumjumper m2, manitou sx | | Bottom Line: | every xt is different, Shim. does not care about the quality - every derailleur is an individual - you must pick carefully to get a product that would last. My last xt lasted for one year and nothing was wrong. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Graham
a Cross-Country Rider
from Ontario
Date Reviewed: August 4, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Kelso | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Shifts okay | | Weaknesses: |
It breaks often, 2 in a month | | Similar Products Used: |
Alivio, had no problems with that derailure. | | Bike Setup: |
Oryx 4000 XT/XTR Judy XC | | Bottom Line: | This part is badly designed, I have broken two of these derailures in the last month. The ring that connects the bottom of the swing arm to the seat tube is too thin. It can not with stand the force of the avg. persons thumb when shifting up and therefore shears at that ring. Shimano did a shitty job of desiging this part. I'm upgrading to XTR, we'll see if thats any better. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
JAR
a Cross-Country Rider
from Portland, OR
Date Reviewed: July 28, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Nice response when it works. | | Weaknesses: |
Gets sloppy with use | | Bike Setup: |
top-pull XC | | Bottom Line: | To get rid of slop, I (just) found that if you open the cage by unscrewing the binder, then bend the inner 1/2 of the binder in and the outer 1/2 out slightly (using vice grips and a rag or something similar), when the halves are screwed back together, the tension takes up a lot (all, in my case) of the slop!!! It's a bit hard to thread the screw under tension, the outer 1/2 may need a bit of a twist to get the holes to line up, and thread lock is a wise idea, but for all of about 10 min. (including replacement on the bike and readjustment), I got rid of the noise and got back about 95% of what's good about this derailleur. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
JAR
a Cross-Country Rider
from Portland, OR
Date Reviewed: July 27, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Da Mawla | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Bicycle retail store bottom line booster, works well when new | | Weaknesses: |
Disco fever - how do you get it to stop floppin' around?! At least it isn't into leisure suits! | | Similar Products Used: |
A butt load. | | Bike Setup: |
DeKerf Team SL, Judy XC | | Bottom Line: | Does anyone know if the pivot axle can be replaced to take up a bit of the slop? It has a circlip on it so it may be removable (or it may be another cruel joke from the good old Batardes at Shimano), but that won't address the rivet at the other pivot. If no one has any good ideas, I may try to tighten it up with a hammer - less rattle but bad response. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tom
a Cross-Country Rider
from Hancock, MI
Date Reviewed: July 16, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
Can't think of any right now | | Weaknesses: |
Rattles and rubs on chain. | | Similar Products Used: |
LX Front | | Bike Setup: |
98 Trek 8000 with just about every part new this year - including frame. | | Bottom Line: | The original LX front derailleur ended up rattling and loose after about 5 months of use. I replaced it with an XT front, and it too is now loose, rattling over little bumps and sloppy to the point where it's hard to adjust it to not rub on the chain. I notice others complaining of the same thing. I think I figured out what's happening on mine. New, the LX and XT front derailleurs come with an E shaped clip that holds the ends of two pivot points at a set distance apart. The clip must fly off over bumpy terrain, and the derailleur starts to flop around a little. The flopping must speed up the wear of the holes of the pivot points, because in no time at all, you have one major flopping mess. It's happened to two of mine this year, and one of a friend of mines (LX).I had my local bike shop call Shimano warranty tech support, and they will not just send out a few of the E clips. Their answer is we don't sell parts for derailleurs - send in the defective derailleur and we'll determine whether it's a warranty issue. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ann
a Cross-Country Rider
from San Diego, CA
Date Reviewed: July 12, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Bike Setup: |
Trek 6000 with lots of upgrades.Top-pull, top-swing derailleur. | | Bottom Line: | I'm underwhelmed. I had to bend the cage slightly to keep it from dragging on the chain on the large chainring. The first one I bought was a '99 9-speed model, which I was told wouldn't work on my 7-speed system. So I bought the '98 8-speed model. Same problem. I can't get it to not drag on the chain on the large ring. I'm about to go back to the LX piece of crap that was on the bike before. It wasn't any worse, and I can sell this one to some other schmoe for a few bucks. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Cadel
a Weekend Warrior
from Singapore
Date Reviewed: July 3, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
it shifted...
got it cheap...second hand | | Weaknesses: |
makes alot of sound
nothing special | | Similar Products Used: |
STX(worst than dog sh*t!!!) | | Bike Setup: |
RH A1 FS
Manitou spyder
LX/XT | | Bottom Line: | Shimano can close its factory and eat dirt!!!!!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross-Country Rider
from Wellington, New Zealand
Date Reviewed: June 14, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Price | | Weaknesses: |
Shifting Quality | | Similar Products Used: |
Old Style XT Front | | Bike Setup: |
Marin East Peak with Girvin Front Susp XT/XTR components | | Bottom Line: | I use a 1998 bottom pull, bottom swing derailler. It works fine until mud gets into the linkage. After this it will not shift to the inner chainring unless I unclip and kick it inwards. I guess the mud is clogging the movement. The older top swing XT derailler on my old bike never gave me any problems like this. Unfortunately due to the rear suspension swing arm there is not enough room for a top swing derailler. Surely this is design fault on shimanos part. Anybody else struck this mud problem? | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bret
a Cross-Country Rider
from Ann Arbor, Mi
Date Reviewed: June 13, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Patowatomi | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Nothing special | | Weaknesses: |
Rattle, RATTLE, rattle | | Similar Products Used: |
Many | | Bike Setup: |
Bontrager Race Lite/RS XC | | Bottom Line: | Not so hot, Rattles and it's practicaly brand new. Doesn't look like it is built to last, but then again, why should it be? I'll end up buying more of the same. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stephan
a Cross-Country Rider
from Germany
Date Reviewed: May 23, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Weaknesses: |
Durability | | Similar Products Used: |
LX topswing | | Bike Setup: |
KHS CroMoly Hardtail, XT drivetrain, RS Judy XC | | Bottom Line: | In the beginning XT Top swing front derailleur was OK although the shifting to 44 chain wheel was not as easy as I would have expected from XT level. After 3 months(700 km) the derailleur became loose and began to touch the chain (rattling noise). Additionally the shifting to the large wheel needed much more power. I have now installed an XT Downswing derailleur which seems in principle to do the job much better (if it is durable enough).
I am very diappointed about the Topswing XT front derailleur and cannot recommend to anyone who is using it for heavy duty purposes (which XT should be designed for!!!). | | Overall Rating: |
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