[Obi-Wan is lost...]

Anyone tried Shimano SLX mechs? Not sure I can stretch to XT. Thinking of upgrading from my Deore's.

[john horscroft]

Fitted SLX to my new bike Obi-wan, faultless so far, look neat and strike me as more robust than the XT.  In fact I've pretty much SLX'ed the whole bike, so my advice is go for it 

[cofe]

I doubt there's that much in it word: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Categories.aspx?CategoryID=638

Plus, if the front mech works fine I'd just leave it, it's not a significant bit of a bike really as it's used so little.

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

I doubt there's that much in it word: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Categories.aspx?CategoryID=638

Plus, if the front mech works fine I'd just leave it, it's not a significant bit of a bike really as it's used so little.

yeah, but it's got 'deore' written on it, not XT or SLX and that's what matters isn't it? It's not about whether it work's or not. 

[cofe]

you missed the 'R' off 'XT' of course.... ££$$$$$£££$$$$$$£!!!!

[john horscroft]

yeah, but it's got 'deore' written on it, not XT or SLX and that's what matters isn't it? It's not about whether it work's or not. 

   Too right.  Never mind the quality, feel the width of that grin when people go, "Hey, nice derailleur!" 

[webbo]

yeah, but it's got 'deore' written on it, not XT or SLX and that's what matters isn't it? It's not about whether it work's or not. 

   Too right.  Never mind the quality, feel the width of that grin when people go, "Hey, nice derailleur!" 

or"for the price of that group set you could have got a decent road bike".

[john horscroft]

yeah, but it's got 'deore' written on it, not XT or SLX and that's what matters isn't it? It's not about whether it work's or not. 

   Too right.  Never mind the quality, feel the width of that grin when people go, "Hey, nice derailleur!" 

or"for the price of that group set you could have got a decent road bike".

Christ!  Where do you buy your road bikes!!
http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=product&productId=1443&categoryId=76

[Iesu]

Anyone tried Shimano SLX mechs? Not sure I can stretch to XT. Thinking of upgrading from my Deore's.

I'm a pretty recent convert to SRAM after many years riding XT rear mechs, like them a lot. Know nothing of this new fangled SLX and don't know if SRAM mechs would be compatible with your (presumably) shimano shifters? probably not i guess

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

Yeah,  I looked at SRAM but wasn't sure about compatibility. Any know if I need a standard or long cage version? That Merlin website says long cage is for triples, the shimano spec says total capacity is 35T for the standard and 45T for the long cage, what does that mean?

Standard
Maximum Sprocket   34T
Minimum Sprocket   11T
Front Difference   22T maximum
Total Capacity   35T

Long Cage
Maximum Sprocket   34T
Minimum Sprocket   11T
Front Difference   22T maximum
Total Capacity   45T

[Iesu]

i'd say the long cage is probably a safer bet, don't know about "tooth capacity" though, sounds like arse

[john horscroft]

Yeah,  I looked at SRAM but wasn't sure about compatibility. Any know if I need a standard or long cage version? That Merlin website says long cage is for triples, the shimano spec says total capacity is 35T for the standard and 45T for the long cage, what does that mean? :shrug

Sram are good, until you need new jockey wheels at £19 a pair!  Naughty Sram 

If you've got a triple chainset, go for the long cage......

[Fj]

I've got a standard slx and a 36t ring which works fine.

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

For anyone interested, I found this which explains exactly what Shimano mean by 'total capacity'

Uber Bike Geeky but also quite interesting and potentially useful.

[Iesu]

Yeah,  I looked at SRAM but wasn't sure about compatibility. Any know if I need a standard or long cage version? That Merlin website says long cage is for triples, the shimano spec says total capacity is 35T for the standard and 45T for the long cage, what does that mean? :shrug

Sram are good, until you need new jockey wheels at £19 a pair!  Naughty Sram 

If you've got a triple chainset, go for the long cage......

got some non-standard sealed bearing units for a tenner the other week...

[northerngreg]

In a nutshell Shimano mechs come in short (ss), long (gs) and super long (sgs) cage varieties.

A regular MTB triple needs an sgs
A regular MTB double needs a gs
A MTB single needs either an ss or gs depending on cassettes ratios (gs for mtb cassette, ss for road cassette)
A regular road triple meeds a gs
A regular road double needs an ss

[john horscroft]

Sram are good, until you need new jockey wheels at £19 a pair!  Naughty Sram 

got some non-standard sealed bearing units for a tenner the other week...

I've just been through the same process Iesu!  The bearing in the lower jockey wheel on the missus X9 exploded and I replaced it with a sealed bearing from a firm in Sheffield - £3!   

[Norton Sharley]

SRAM shifter and Shimano mechs are not compatible, and vice versa, they work on different ratios so the indexing won't work.

In the real world a long (gs) mech works fine with a front triple.

I run a short Shimano mech (ss) with a front triple.  This is not recommended since it mucks up the chain line but if you are careful with your gear selections then it aint a problem.  The shorter the cage the less chance there is of the chain jumping off.   Since I ride one of them old fashioned single pivot heap of girder thingys I used to have a load of problems with the chain jumping off, but not with the short cage.

Remember kids, some plonker with health and safety and corporate liability in mind writes those manuals 

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

Update: Obi's Kona is now fully pimped ready for the Lakes next week, a very productive Sunday was spent...
- Replacing BB and chainset with lightly used XT BB and XT chainset
- New cassette (34-11)
- Replaced rear hub bearings
- Replaced headset bearings
- New rear tyre
- New SLX rear dérailleur (long cage)
- New chain
....and mucho tuning etc. All for less than 100 notes.

Thanks to all for help and advice particularly TLR who supplied the XT chainset and BB, finally got around to using those bits!