F88ked up another XTR rear mech...Saint?

Hi

After your thoughts....I have just totalled another XTR 10 speed rear mech (the 2nd) after a branch/log/stick flicked up into the rear mech. Getting a bit tired of this, as is my bank account! The biggest arse is that the bit that flicked up was put there...there is an increasing "Anti Biker" sentiment over my local trails...people keep putting out logs branches debris etc across the path.

AAAAnnnnyway...considering my misfortune would it be better to opt of a Saint/Zee rear mech as they see to be a bit more sturdy!

Any experiences appreciated.

Doug

Got to be worth a try. Even XT might just have a bit more strength. I've always felt (perhaps wrongly) that XTR was created to be semi-disposable for the racing fraternity. You're not just paying a premium for lightness and performance - but also strength/longevity.

Fundamentally though - you might have to change your riding style eg free wheel over debris and a quick glance back before you start pedalling again to check everything is free might help. I've never broken a mech myself perhaps because I'm just too darn slow and happy to be a bit zen about it all. Did twist a mech hanger once though - and it was down to pedalling flat out while having a piece of wood fly up.

Hub gear or if you can't hack the weight, single speed is the answer.

Re:

You must just be really unlucky! I've had a Zee mech for a while now and it's taken all kinds of knocks and punishment, still working perfectly.
The Zee mech is only £35 at Chainreaction cycles too, imo it's not worth the extra ££'s to get the Saint version.

edit: don't discount the SLX rear mech either, I've been highly impressed with the SLX parts I've used.

Re:

Thanks for the replies guys,

Had a closer look at the mech today and it's only the top section where it fixes to the frame that has bent. I removed that bit and stuck it in a vice and with a bit of persuasion from a mallet I have bent it back! I have also looked online and to my surprise you can buy just that part of the mech on its own. It's called a bracket axle kit and of course they are different for every mech. But for £25 I have ordered one anyway just in case my bent back one fails! Pleased at least that you can get the replacement part, although that would suggest that they may be a known weak spot...

Doug

wookiee":3i18588x said:

there is an increasing "Anti Biker" sentiment over my local trails...people keep putting out logs branches debris etc across the path.

Click to expand...

Certainly at Moors Valley they have put a lot more obstructions at the edges to stop the Strava-heads from going off the bends and straightening up the trail.

But beware, the last couple of weeks some spudwits have been stretching fishing line across the trails there too.

hamster":w561dxga said:

wookiee":w561dxga said:

there is an increasing "Anti Biker" sentiment over my local trails...people keep putting out logs branches debris etc across the path.

Click to expand...

Certainly at Moors Valley they have put a lot more obstructions at the edges to stop the Strava-heads from going off the bends and straightening up the trail.

But beware, the last couple of weeks some spudwits have been stretching fishing line across the trails there too.

Click to expand...

Good to know its not just me then! I have also seen length of wood with nails sticking out of them that could have only been put out there deliberately. This branches etc have been put at strategic points on the apex of bends, or where the path becomes narrow and you have no chance but to ride over them. Just annoying, earlier in the week I had an off when the front wheel slipped out on one too...

Sods law. The more expensive the mech, the more likely a stick will jump into it.

I ripped off an x0 mech but never had sticks jump out into lx kr xt mechs.

Bit worrying abot the feckers sabbotaging trials, none of that down here thankfully. Only time until somebody gets injured/killed.

02gf74":stzkf0e6 said:

Sods law. The more expensive the mech, the more likely a stick will jump into it.

I ripped off an x0 mech but never had sticks jump out into lx kr xt mechs.

Bit worrying abot the feckers sabbotaging trials, none of that down here thankfully. Only time until somebody gets injured/killed.

Click to expand...

Yeah I have had XT mechs survive years! Just suckered in by the looks of the XTR stuff!

wookiee":1zbh0jtx said:

Yeah I have had XT mechs survive years! Just suckered in by the looks of the XTR stuff!

Click to expand...

In that case buy an XT and keep the badge off the old one and

I changed my XTR 10 speed to XT10 speed Clutch jobby, works great and was about £40