decisions decisions! what model of xtr?!

jonnyboy666

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just curious about opinions on modern xtr.

as some of you know i am having a custom frame built, see here,

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... highlight=

i am in the process of deciding what to build it with, most is already decided but the thing i am struggling with is the xtr connection :oops:

i don't like sram and i never will so defo want xtr parts, but only where needed as i want to do the usual british where possible thing so what i need to decide on is front and rear mech and 9 or 10 speed.

my thinking is this, all my modern stuff is 9 speed so it makes sense from that point of view to have 9 speed, that said it's gonna be a bike that is built and left alone so if it was 10 speed then that's fine so compatibility with my other bikes isn't an issue.

also i know 9 speed and i know what gears i use regularly, if i went 10 speed i'd go double up front with a wider cassette at the back so i don't lose the climbing gears but this would take a certain amount of re-learning what gears work for me.

but frankly the main thing for me in this case is looks :oops: all the xtr mechs i have at the moment are m952 except for the front mech on the clockwork which is m960 i think (without checking), i definitely want matching mechs and i really like the look of the 9speed mechs with the big 'X' on them but obviously if i go 10 speed i then have to have the 10 speed mechs which in my opinion aren't as nice looking.

so opinions on whether 10 speed is worth it and also opinions on looks aswel would be good.

come on chuck your 2p's worth! :oops: :D

and here's some pics of the mechs to help you decide.
 

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Possibly a bit older than you are looking at but 9speed

With thanks to mombat

99XTR.jpg


The touch and feel of these is nearly as nice as m900
 
but that's the stuff i already use (mechs wise) and this is for a brand new custom build so i want to use the more modern stuff. also i never subscribed to the octalink stuff.
 
I am building a 'modern' with M970/5 which I like...but not the rear mech. I will use M810 SS which I think is a great mech (you may not be able to use SS for two rings up front but it comes in gs as well)
 
shadow XTR mech with carbon cage.

dunno about 10 speed - I am opposing it as I want my components to be changeable (I am totally 9 speed) .... but in practise having 1 bike 10 speed isn't going to matter. If you do the sums, the 2 ring/10 speed set up leaves you with a smaller range if gears and since I am pushing on a buit in years, that was one reason I resisted .... but what I've been told is that you just change your riding style to cope (the loss of the high gears does not botther me as I am not some mad max downhiller so hardly ever use the big outer ring off road).

and what is wrong with SRAM - the shifters, not the grip shift. It shifts as well as shimano.
 
I've just finished my Scott Scale with the new XTR M985 groupset and I must say it looks the bomb (the groupset that is) I have had all versions of XTR from M900 and the new stuff is seriously good, light, works well etc.
 
cyfa2809":2tjdf9ot said:

the chainset looks really great on that one but when you come to replace rings, you wished you went for a more standard one (it has usual BCD for outer and middle rings)
 
IIRC XTR is going 11 speed later this year, so expect the price of the 10 speed stuff to maybe drop down in price?
 

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