Originally Posted by
laura*
Check the crank/chainrings. If the chainrings are individually replaceable, then the bike likely is of a higher quality.
For Shimano components, XTR and Deore anything (XT, DX, LX, no-suffix) are the premium parts. STX is entry level LBS stuff - it got renamed to Deore in about 2000. Alivio is high end mass merchant. Low end names are Tourney, Altus, Acera, 100GS, 200GS, and CTnn. If you can find the model number, look at the first numeric digit - it indicates the group rank just like with road components.
Deore components tarted as a touring group and predate the STX which is not bad kit at all but was a short lived group set... it is a little heavier (more steel in it) but is also fairly bombproof which is something you cannot say about XTR.
My Moulden XC is custom built on 853 Reynolds and is filet brazed and with a rack and fenders only weighs 24 pounds with nothing fancier than some light LX / Mavic wheels and a carbon crank... nekkid weight is about 22 pounds and it would not be hard to drop a few pounds off the bike.
