wiiiim

Hola!
Its time to upgrade my gears/shifters/cassette/cables/everything, so I'm looking in to buying a new group set from Shimano; V-brakes, nothing fancy, easily replaceable. Now if i can trust most of the information from 2009, the difference between XT and SLX is minimal (except for the price..), so i'd go with SLX. But apparently they do not sell SLX group sets with V-brakes?
Is this the case? Buying items separately seems to be more expensive..
On another note, i found this 'older' LX group set (with V-brakes) for 300 eur. Is this a good deal? https://www.bike24.net/p29129.html
For reference, the XT version (V-Brakes) is 430 eur. https://www.bike24.net/1.php?content=...gc=0;orderby=2

I don't care about a few grams more or less, but durability is important.
Thoughts?

Thanks

Cyclesafe

The options available are unusually sweet. Quite a surprise, actually. You are likely aware that you can't use this gruppo with drop handle bars, but it's worth mentioning anyway. If the better finish with the XT isn't worth the extra 130 euros to you, then the LX is fine. In five years the SLX and the LX gruppo will both be considered "old".

bradtx

wiiiim, The LX mountain bike group is roughly the same level as the 105 road bike group.

Brad

Tourist in MSN

A number of Surly Long Haul Trucker owners with M770 rear XT hubs have reported problems with that hub, owners of the older steel axle XT hubs do not report the same problems. (I have M760 and M752 XT rear hubs on my touring bikes.) You may consider trying to find out if the hubs you are considering have steel or aluminum axles. I am not familiar with the SLX rear hubs so I can't help.

pexio

wiiiim,
In '09, Shimano split the LX group into the SLX mtb-centric group (disc brakes, shadow derailleur, max 44t crank) and the 'New Deore LX' trekking group (V-brakes, up to 48t crank) which you linked to. The LX trekking group is only marketed in Europe - no problem for you. As cyclesafe notes, if you're not using drop bars then the LX group is more than adequate for a flat bar touring bike build.

wiiiim

thats great
i also found an even better deal at a different store: https://www.bike-components.de
- an SLX group set without the disc brakes at 240 eur; combined with separate LX V-brakes this comes at 289 eur

they also sell an XT group set without brakes, if i add LX brakes the price comes at 350 eur; which is only 60 eur difference with LX

is it worth paying the additional 60eur?

so far i'm inclined to say no, because some sources say the XT is less durable (because its lighter)
..but most information is pretty old

also, thanks for the tip Tourist; i forgot to mention these groups do not contain hubs

wiiiim

oh; i have another question
judging from the product description, the LX brakes seem to work with 'cartridges'
I imagine this means you can slide in these thin rubber replacements ..but can you still replace the pads as a whole if necessary?
source: https://www.bike-components.de/produc...-BR-T660-.html

wiiiim

other question is: is 9 speed stronger than 10 speed?
I would think 9 speed chains are thicker and thus stronger, but is this true?
also, is it easier to get 9 speed than 10 speed in remote places?

bwgride

I don't know, but my guess is it is easier to get 7 or 8 speed chains and parts in remote places if multi-speed parts are available. I have observed that in small town hardware stores in the USA, one is more likely to find an 8 speed bicycle chain.

wiiiim

i dont think i can even find 8 speed shimano gears in good quality

LeeG

I'm using a 12-28 8spd IRD cassette, not exactly a piece of sculpture but how often have you had a regular quality cassette fail?

https://store.interlocracing.com/9and8spmtca.html

fietsbob

an IG rear hub is a worthy consideration.. I think my Rohloff hub is the perfect solution,
lots of tours ride them.
Builds into a strong dishless wheel, and has a 526% range of ratios.
like most Mountain bike drive-trains.
If you think you have a need to go faster than the top gear,
a larger 2nd chainring, FD and a chain tensioner will be simple.

Likewise a Shimano Alfine hub, ratio range smaller, then double ringing the crankset
will re gain the gear range, ..

I found an 18" to 95" range plenty .. on my past tours

Coasting down hill is the reward for the work getting up there,
and stopping to enjoy the view, is an added treat.

Sixty Fiver

You can use V brakes on drop handlebars... you just need linear pull levers or travel agents to change the pull rate of conventional levers.

AdamDZ

The OP was looking for something in a different price range. The Rohloff hub is prohibitively expensive for most people and the Alfine IGH isn't designed for the kind of torque a loaded touring bike will likely subject it to. Alfine is designed for recreational use.

wiiiim

yeah, im aware of Rohloffs existence, pretty sweet stuff! although i've heard stories of a Rohloff breaking somewhere remote and the replacement part being stuck at customs for a month or so, it has its disadvantages too

i've finished configuring my order, i'm going with an SLX set in 9 speed combined with LX V brakes
I'm paying a little extra for two X9.93 chains as they seem to have much better reviews than the SLX shimano's.
i'm also adding a Tubus Logo rack, it seems to be well worth the upgrade
I'm just a little disappointed that the upgrade is costing more than i originally payed for the (second hand) bike.

Anyway, thanks for all the help guys!

fietsbob

anyhow.. The breaks down in the middle of no-anywhere utopia thing
is also resolved by a pretty simple, freewheel
and friction shifting bike.
which was my choice at that time, I went with one of Phil Wood's hubs.. no axle breaks.. no nothing.. 1 spoke break on that wheel and, I still had 47 left ..

freehub fans often take the index bar end shifter route ,
rather than no alternative fall back shifting mech, if brifters go goofy..

it's more about going oout and aboout..


but heck shiny objects, moving, attracts the eye.

Tourist in MSN

The shifter is probably the critical component to search for if you want to use an 8 speed system. Easy to find other components. KMC chains are good enough and cheap, Sram cassettes work just fine and are easy to find. Shimano derailleur for 8 speed is the same derailleur as for 9 speed systems and the freehubs are the same. I don't know if the 8 speed chain is stronger than a 9 or if a 9 is stronger than a 10 but I think 8 speed equipment lasts longer and stays in adjustment better.

I built up another touring bike last year, I used 8 speed Sram 11/32 cassette. The Sram 9 speed 11/32 cassette shares 7 of the same sprockets between the 8 and 9 speed systems, the only difference is that the 8 speed cassette had a 26t sprocket and the 9 speed cassette instead used 24t and 28t sprockets in that range. Since I spend so little time in that range of gears I felt that the benefits of an 8 speed system outweighed the advantage of a couple more gears that I would rarely use.