Commencal XT vs 5.5.2

creamsoda

Ok so moving up from a hardtail to full susser and really like Commencal bikes so went along to lbs to have a look at the 5.5.2 but after chatting away the bloke showed me the XT version and said this is probably the one people will buy.

Now my initial budget was £1500 but stretched it abit to accomodate the bikes i am looking at so the 5.5.2 at £1699 was within range but the XT is an extra £200 which i can't really afford but then again don't want to miss out if the XT version is worth that extra bit of pain.

I'm fairly new to this so when i look at the components on both bikes it don't mean a great deal so can anyone more learnered out there have a look at both and tell me whether the extra £200 is worth spending or as a new full-susser rider i won't notice the difference.

Cheers

links to both bikes

http://www.jdcycles.co.uk/bikes/mtb-ful ... l-meta-552

http://www.jdcycles.co.uk/bikes/mtb-ful ... meta-55-xt

GHill

It's nice if you can afford it, but I would probably go for the vanilla model rather than breaking the bank.

You can always upgrade components like drive train and brakes, the rest of the bike is pretty sweet and it's not like there's a lot wrong with Juicy 5 brakes and the normal drive train.

papasmurf.

for me the pros of the XT over the 5.5.2 are:

XT hubs
XT brakes
XT chainset and BB

but I prefer the SRAM transmission over shimano, but the truvativ chain set and bb and avid brakes are a weakness can you get a ride on both specs it might be a case of which shifting set up you prefer...personally I'd like to be able to mix the spec of the two

creamsoda

papasmurf. wrote:

for me the pros of the XT over the 5.5.2 are:

XT hubs
XT brakes
XT chainset and BB

but I prefer the SRAM transmission over shimano, but the truvativ chain set and bb and avid brakes are a weakness can you get a ride on both specs it might be a case of which shifting set up you prefer...personally I'd like to be able to mix the spec of the two

Thanks for that.
TBH just want to buy the bike as it is and not start weeing around swapping components. Is the componentry on the 5.5.2 a big drop on the XT stuff then? I assume preference for SRAM over shimano is a personal thing and debate would rage over which is best.
I think i just needed to know how bigger difference now and in the future having the XT stuff would be. As i want to buy the bike and not think about upgrading EVER!...well not at least for 12 months.

papasmurf.

creamsoda wrote:

Thanks for that.
TBH just want to buy the bike as it is and not start weeing around swapping components. Is the componentry on the 5.5.2 a big drop on the XT stuff then?

No not really but if you where to upgrade to the XT stuff it would cost a lot more.

creamsoda wrote:

I assume preference for SRAM over shimano is a personal thing and debate would rage over which is best.

Yeah sure everyones got a personal prefferance on this, and I'm sure after a few rides you can get used to either system if you previously used another

creamsoda wrote:

I think i just needed to know how bigger difference now and in the future having the XT stuff would be. As i want to buy the bike and not think about upgrading EVER!...well not at least for 12 months.

hehe mines not even 12months old and its had bits added...from personal experience don't rate the truvativ chainset and bb..and will probably upgrade to XT in the nearish future. I think the XT will last longer and be more reliable..also I don't like avid brakes..its a shame they don't have the formulas this year as I think they are fantastic brakes. The only thing to check on the XT biek is wether the rotors are splined or 6 bolt...don't have the spec to hand to check, and this may be an issue for future upgrading of the hubs or rotors (but not a massive one)

creamsoda

papasmurf. wrote:

The only thing to check on the XT biek is wether the rotors are splined or 6 bolt...don't have the spec to hand to check, and this may be an issue for future upgrading of the hubs or rotors (but not a massive one)

Thanks for all that. Splined or 6 bolt which is easier to upgrade?

papasmurf.

well they're both easy to upgrade as such, its just splined is shimanos way, so if say you decided to get some new wheels, you'd need to get splined hubbed ones...

its nothing major its just something to be awaare of, probably 6 bolt anyway