SRAM X-7 or Shimano Deore?
 

For a rear deraillure, would the X-7 or Deore be a better choice? X-9 and X-0 no questions asked but would you take X-7 over Deore?

:)

Oh JEEZ! Here we go again.... As I've said before...

I've broken 2 SRAM 9.0 and a 7.0 derailers in the past and it has always happened around the knuckle/pivot. I figured out that the plastic/composite is cracking at this point because when a SRAM derailer moves back and forth, it doesn't move freely like a Shimano. When a Shimano takes an impact, even a small one at that, it is free to swing back and forth to sidestep/dissapate the energy. SRAM derailers do not do this as easily as it remains much more rigid and it ends up absorbing much more of the impact. To further compound to the situation, SRAN has a smaller pivot pin than Shinmano so it creates more of point load on the deraileur knuckle. So if the pin doesn't snap, the deraileur body will crack. Also, SRAM derailers slam to a stop when it gets parallel with the ground. Test this by grabbing your deraileur, rock it backwards and let it go. This deraileur is taking forces like this constantly as you ride. These are the weak points in its design. I have a few riding buddies that are breaking thier X0 stuff in exactly the same place as my old 9.0 and 7.0 because the design in this aspect is still the same.

See for yourself...
http://www.whatthe****.info/uploads/...r_ride_sm1.mov

T.J.

Well, I learned something today. Thanks Tequila Joe! :)

I haven't had any experience with the X-7 but I have a Deore rear derailleur and have had no troubles since I bought my bike more then a year ago.

Here I was thinking sram was better because it didn't move back and forth as freely lol.

Shifting wise, I would have thought that SRAM would have been better? Maybe not in durability.

I've found that shifting wise, a properly adjusted SRAM & a properly adjusted Shimano shifts about the same. It is easier to adjust a SRAM because of its 1:1 shift ratio vs. Shimano 2:1. This means the "Sweet spot" is bigger and easier to hit on SRAM. The folks that say that they can't ever get thier Shimano to shift correctly probably do not know what they are doing.

T.J.

That's what I was told, too. But what Tequila says make a heck of a lot of sense!

About 3 months ago I was rippin' down some sweet single track and came down through a 8-9 inch deep grove cut out by some snow run-off. I got too close to the side and caught my XTR deraileur on the edge. The ground grabbed it and pulled it back so far that it yanked the chain right off of the crank. No damage. I can't be certain but I do not believe that a SRAM would have done so well.

Over the years, I’ve broken 3 SRAM derailleurs & no derailleur hangers. Since switching to Shimano, I’ve broken one derailleur hanger (bent another one really good) but no derailleurs.


T.J.

Ahhhh...so it's a BENEFIT that it can move so freely........I get it!

Wow nice link Tequilla Joe! Looks like an X.9 and a ???

I say take the shimano deore derailleur... unless you have a FSR-style bike like the specialized enduro, stumpjumper because the shimano derailluers hit the chain stays. The SRAM X7 won't hit it.

If you pause the video on the side by side comparison, it looks like it says LX on the body.
It seems to have a blueish tint to it too but it might just be the video.

T.J.

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I don't recall ever experiencing this on my Enduro.

T.J.

Do we have any benifts to the X-7 though, already said has been the 1:1 shifting which I would imagine a plus, anything else, durablility aside. What about weight? Or wouldn't it make much of a differnce..

According to Weight Weenies, the X.7 is about 30 grams lighter than the Deore.
In comparison, this is about the weight of 30 paper clips. (1 paper clip = ~1 gram)

http://weightweenies.starbike.com/li...earderailleurs

This is probably due to the added weight of the larger pivot pin in the Shimano compared to the smaller one in the SRAM :D

T.J.

If you are looking for good derailers go with Shimano STX i have had the same ones for many years.When i change bikes i put the STX's on it.

I've used Deore RDs for years and have never had a reason to even try anything else. Mud sleet snow, they shift for me every time. Easy to adjust and stay adjusted very well. Very tough, too. And if you do manage to kill one, then chuck it and cough up 25 bucks for another.

I use mine with SRAM Rocket twisters and along with a sram cassette (8spd) and chain I couldn't even imagine a more reliable divetrain.

My friend runs all X7 (9spd) and his stuff runs *almost* as good as mine.

i've broken plenty of shimano and sram rears. more shimano, than sram, and i've used sram stuff for far longer overall. go for whichever feels better to you shifting. go test ride a few bikes that have the different systems if you can. buying something you've tried yourself might help more than just getting opinions on a forum board.

fyi: the part that TJ is talking of on the 7.0 and 9.0 stuff? the upper knuckles? they are no longer made of their plasticy stuff. alu now. the lower link still is, and they are fine.

the movement issue of the mech is fairly a non-issue, unless you do have a bike that it would pivot enough upwards on to hit the chainstay. mostly on some fsr style four bar bikes. for those, if you have that problem, the sram seems a better choice.

personal opinion: i far and above prefer the shifting and feel of sram stuff over shimano, hands down. running x-9 on two bikes.

I did. No specific reason, though. No problems so far.

One question no one is asking, what shifters do you have? Are you planning on buying new shifters as well? If you have shimano shifters the SRAM won't work.

Oh yeah, I'm for SRAM all the way. After riding Shimano for years and riding SRAM for one year I have no intentions of ever buying another Shimano shifter or derailleur. I just like SRAM better. It's all personal preference though.

SRAM is way better, but the two are not compatable. You would need to buy X-7 (or just a SRAM 1:1 setup) shifters if you get an X-7.

Hmmmm, my XT rear derailleur doesn't hit the chainstay on my Stumpjumper...in fact, it isn't even close.

Like some others have said, if cost matters (only for a few of us would it not - myself NOT included) and you already have Shimano shifters I'd go with the Shimano. Some of those that prefer SRAM may prefer the different lever style over Rapidfire. A properly adjusted derailleur, with a clean (relatively), and well-lubed drivetrain will shift great. One other variable is the cables. Old, dirty cables will shift like crap. People have their preferences, but mine are the Avid Flak Jackets - fully sealed with a great compressionless housing. I've had no problems with mud or ghost shifting.

I vote Shimano with a quality set of sealed cables.

Very good point on the cables. I had a problem similar to this a few months ago. Come to find out my relatively new cables had some rust which caused the cable to not be released all the way. I adjusted and adjusted the derailleurs with no results. As soon as I took the cable off the problem was plain as day.

Same here on my Enduro...

Excellent points on the cable!

I have a MTB buddy that always complained about how sh*tty his bike shifted. He could never get it to shift correctly so he was doing the "old 2 shifts up & 1 down" to get to the next gear. I finally had him bring his bike over (with a 6-pack of course) :D and we went through it. His RD cable was severly rusted and the housing was so packed with mud that the cable barely moved. I replaced his cable & housing and he was floored to how easy & precise it shifted.

T.J.