[Bike Nazi]

Does anyone else think the XTR line peaked with the 2002 version.
Maybe I'm just getting older (older and faster) but give me rapid fire shifter pods, XTR V brakes (with seperate levers) normal rise rear derailleur and 3 piece XTR cranks.

Are they really going to give SRAM the rapid fire shifter market on a silver platter?

 

[osokolo]

yep, 952 XTR are the best

Does anyone else think the XTR line peaked with the 2002 version.
Maybe I'm just getting older (older and faster) but give me rapid fire shifter pods, XTR V brakes (with seperate levers) normal rise rear derailleur and 3 piece XTR cranks.

Are they really going to give SRAM the rapid fire shifter market on a silver platter?

component shimano ever made...

i am stocking up on some components (derailleurs) and will be looking for brake levers and shifters too...

960 line is just not my piece of cake...

 

[TheSingleGuy]

I agree, but

I think they needed to add a disc brake. They could have done that without all the other tomfoolery though. I too love the old bits, and yes, when mine wear out, I am gonna give my hard-earned to the company that doesnt engineer free choice out of my riding experience.

 

[FoShizzle]

Does anyone else think the XTR line peaked with the 2002 version.
Maybe I'm just getting older (older and faster) but give me rapid fire shifter pods, XTR V brakes (with seperate levers) normal rise rear derailleur and 3 piece XTR cranks.

Are they really going to give SRAM the rapid fire shifter market on a silver platter?

This is now 2 times today that I have been on the same page as you....the other with the hardtail bike issue.....quite scary.

Yeah, I agree. My latest bike was set up with 2002 XTR rear der. As I do like the XTR disc brakes, I simply got them set up with XT hydro levers. Shimano has a very good marketing dept and as with any product, that is what it takes to sell new stuff. I am sure they are fine but I also dont think it is coincidence that so many folks are now going with the SRAM X.0 rear with SRAM trigger shifters. Either the SRAM stuff is really that much better or there are other folks implicitly protesting the new Shimano stuff by going the SRAM route.

Bottom line is that no matter what I do, I have friends that can kick my arse up a hill using a friggin tricycle (damn them!!) and there are people I pass going downhill with more suspension than me and there are some hardtail riders that I pass and some that pass me. However, having said that, I still would never use the new Shimano stuff...I think we are approaching at least a temporary plateau of advancements in bike stuff such that we are going to see very incremental improvments, if any, across all components. But what the hell do I know....i will still be seduced since I am weak...

Cheers

 

[bulC]

circa '94

whenever shitmano started replacing the screws that barely held the cogs to the xtr cog carrier with strong rivets -- that's when the group peaked for me. beautiful to look at polished cold-forged crankset that was available in 2.5mm increments including 177.5mm.
servicable ball bearing bottom bracket.
hubs that looked like hubs, not beer cans. servicable bearings. still have 3 or 4 going strong here.
a nice strong seatpost.
derailleurs that worked well with gripshift, only later did shitmano make the springs weaker. I still have 3 of them, two on bikes, one in a box.
fairly decent canti brakes
not outrageously priced, compared to today's stuff.

 

[Hecubus]

Are they really going to give SRAM the rapid fire shifter market on a silver platter?

Thay aren't because they have no plans on discontinuing Rapid Fire as long as there is demand for it. Last I checked rapid fire shifters are still fully available at just about every store. The forced brake lever combo is a necessity with the STI shifting but they are not FORCING you to get that. The shifter pods and standard brake levers are available for a reason. You can match them anyway you want. You won't get the same logo on every part but it will work. The idea of total integration is bull as the options are still out there.

 

[glenzx]

May have to disagree on the cranks' issue.... as the 2 piece is so stiff and light, both XTR and the new XT, once the bearing durability issue ('03 XTR cranks) was fixed, seemed like a progressive evolution. I thought a $90+ big chainring/spider was rather excessive myself, and that it carried the other rings to boot! I prefer the 3 rings to be seperate, making it an easy and targeted replacement. Always freaked me out to have the big ring (most prone to damage) carrying the other 2..... I personally think the new XT looks better than the new XTR, FWIW! And I like the M960 series "beer can hubs" too!

glenzx runs for cover, ducking!

 

[bostonkiwi]

Yeah, 3 separate rings on the 960 cranks, just a pity they aren't a common BCD.

May have to disagree on the cranks' issue.... as the 2 piece is so stiff and light, both XTR and the new XT, once the bearing durability issue ('03 XTR cranks) was fixed, seemed like a progressive evolution. I thought a $90+ big chainring/spider was rather excessive myself, and that it carried the other rings to boot! I prefer the 3 rings to be seperate, making it an easy and targeted replacement. Always freaked me out to have the big ring (most prone to damage) carrying the other 2..... I personally think the new XT looks better than the new XTR, FWIW! And I like the M960 series "beer can hubs" too!

glenzx runs for cover, ducking!

 

[TheRedMantra]

Yeah, 3 separate rings on the 960 cranks, just a pity they aren't a common BCD.

Well, thats shimano for you. Although, Anders makes rings for the 960 cranks. I dont know about his prices though. At least they are lighter .

 

[HTail]

Old shifters

I really like new XTR drivetrain components (crankset, derailleurs, cassette), but use the old 952 XTR trigger shift pods which are the best. I prefer to have the flexibility of choosing the brake lever independent of the shifter, as to choose my own brakes.

The only minor beef with the new XTR crankset is the polished finish...scratches too easily. Also the low-normal rear derailleur took some getting used to, but now really like the performance.

 

[Fuelish]

I think we are approaching at least a temporary plateau of advancements in bike stuff such that we are going to see very incremental improvments, if any, across all components.

Agreed !!! (have not yet ridden the new Shiman-o shtuff, but don't like the sounds of it - I LIKE my RF...)

But what the hell do I know....i will still be seduced since I am weak...

....LOL...as are many...heh

 

[EBasil]

I liked the 8speed XTR setups and rode various iterations of it since year one of XTR.

I now ride X.9 shifters and an XO rear derailleur...it shifts better! This is the first setup I've ever ridden that's more reliable and better shifting than XTR. Shimano didn't hand it away...SRAM took it with a good idea and execution.