Mountain Biking - front derailleur vs. rear

ive noticed that the front derailleur is always "lower" then the rear derailleur (by lower i mean Alivo and Deore. Alivo being "lower") i know this is because the rear gets used more then the front but say your front is acting up a bit and u wanna replace it with a higher model then the rear. would they kinda not match and screw up? or would all be well? also take into acount once the rear acts up it too shall be replaced.

You can use xtr in the front and lx for the rear.

go ahead and get what ever you want

Wouldn't make a difference. It you wanna put an XT on the front and have an LX on the back all should be good :)

I have an 03 XTR in the front and an XT in the back. Works great, even on an 8-speed. :)

woot XT front here I come

Why someone would put XTR in the front is rediculous in my opinion. Why pay all that money for a part that might not get used as much?

Coz it looks pimp yo!!!

Yes you're right, it's a little overkill, but after the headaches my STX was giving me, I just felt better going to the top rather than beat around the bush. ;)

if i bought the new XT 2003 for the front does it matter if its 8speed or 9speed in the rear? im just covering my ass here i dont want to buy it and then find out it wont work

ps i have an 8speed

It doesnt matter. An 8 speed bike and a 9 speed bike should both have 3 chainrings. The front derailleur will be universal. Its the rear that matters. Pricepoint sells XT shifters that are 8 speed for like $48.

i have 8 speed shifters they're fine. i hope my rear lasts for awhile longer cuz once it dies out i plan to buy XT in the rear too which means....*gulp* 8 to 9. its seems that upgrading to a 9 speed is quite the "pricey" task

Originally posted by troie
It doesnt matter. An 8 speed bike and a 9 speed bike should both have 3 chainrings. The front derailleur will be universal.

Not true!! There is a difference between 8sp and 9sp!!! There is a spacing difference between the two derailures! MAKE SURE YOU GET A 9SPD comp. front der.!!!!

I forgot to add this, it's a chainline thing!! a 9spd cassette has different spacing than an 8spd cassette and the front der. needs a bit more clearance for the 9spd! Granted it is possible to use an 8spd front but you will get rubbing from the chain.

just my 2 cents

:beer:

I didnt say cassette. I said "chainrings".

Originally posted by troie
I didnt say cassette. I said "chainrings".

Really? Jee good thing I can't read!! I know you said that! :D

My point is that since the rear cassette is different there is a different spacing and thus throws the chainline off...and when that happens you get chain rub up front if you do not have a 9speed derrailure up front. Because the way the front derailure is ramped. An 8speed der. will have the ramping spaced differently to correspoind with where the chain is on the rear, because if the chain is at a different level in the rear it needs that ramp to be at the right spot in the front to shift correctly!

Ok to make is simple, if there was such things as a "universal" front der why is there a 9speed specific der. made?

I'm not trying to sound like an arss TROIE, hope it didn't come across that way, but after I just read it, it kinda sounds that way, sorry, just trying to point out there is a difference.

:beer:

Hmmm... I shift my front chainrings quite a bit. Maybe not as much as my cassette but still I could benefit from smoother and more confident shifting up front. The XTR (pre-2003 FD-M952) top-swing front derailleur is actually different in design than XT or LX top-swing front derailleurs in that it has extra linkages in the cage itself to allow the inner and outer plates to move independently of each other. This greatly improves shifting the front under load. I do notice the difference between shifting the LX front derailleur on my wife's bike and the XTR on mine. I'm able to shift more confidently/positively as I'm cresting a climb and get into the big ring for the descent or to hammer across the top. I would say that functionally going from an LX front to an XT front won't make much of a difference but going from an LX or XT front to an XTR front will. At least I've noticed it.

Originally posted by khuon
Hmmm... I shift my front chainrings quite a bit. Maybe not as much as my cassette but still I could benefit from smoother and more confident shifting up front. The XTR (pre-2003 FD-M952) top-swing front derailleur is actually different in design than XT or LX top-swing front derailleurs in that it has extra linkages in the cage itself to allow the inner and outer plates to move independently of each other. This greatly improves shifting the front under load. I do notice the difference between shifting the LX front derailleur on my wife's bike and the XTR on mine. I'm able to shift more confidently/positively as I'm cresting a climb and get into the big ring for the descent or to hammer across the top. I would say that functionally going from an LX front to an XT front won't make much of a difference but going from an LX or XT front to an XTR front will. At least I've noticed it.

Ding ding ding we have a winner!! Wow, I can't believe you typed all that!! Sweet bro, you explained the XTR perfectly!

psssh screw this to confusing lol. christmas time...

1) 9 speed cassete
2) new chain im guessing to then
3) XT 9 speed shifters
4) XT front
5) XT rear

and im spent

You can have a 9-speed front derailleur on an 8-speed setup. You'll just have some rub due to the wider chain. My XTR M960 front der rubs, but only on those gears I don't use very often. Nothing to freak out on.