I'm no troller
and you'e right they stuff is geared toward XC.

If anyone has RR derailleurs they don't want I'll give youmy postaL address and you can send for free.
As faras I'm concerned RR is the bees knees in MTB hifting.

And whats wrong with Shimano Cranks??? They're stiff, quite light excellent finish quality and they're cheap (exceot XTR).

Also the BB's are the most hassle free I've used. Tried ISIS and it failed after 3months. Sold the cranks junked the BB and got a Coda Tarantual running on a ES70. Thats been running for a yr in the british climate. no play , no squeaks, no problemo.

And the hubs, Well if you compare them to King hubs then yeah their engagement is lousy, but Kings make all other hubs look lousy. But £430 for King hubs vs £150 for XTR!! I think I'll stay with the XTR thanks. I can have another set of wheels for the price of the King hubs.

All in all Shimno gives you way more bang for your buck than any of the small manufacturers. Anyone who denies this is deluding himself.
Now if you prefer boutique brands, then say so. I choose function over brand name.
Forme Shimano gets the job done, efficiently and reliably. What more can you ask for.