SLX / XT Crankset?

Anonymous

As above after upgrading my Fsa crankset not sure wot to go for the new SLX or the Xt.
also is there any weight difference.
cheers paul

Jimbo.

You'll save a few grammes with the XT, but you'll save more than a few pounds going for the SLX!

smackmypitchupǃ

doesn't the XT have 3 aluminium rings wheras the SLX has steel granny, composite/steel middle, and aluminium outer?

In which case I'd opt for the SLX cos aluminium is a stupid material for chain rings, especially the smaller ones.

Captain Turok

SmackMyPitchUp! wrote:

doesn't the XT have 3 aluminium rings wheras the SLX has steel granny, composite/steel middle, and aluminium outer?

In which case I'd opt for the SLX cos aluminium is a stupid material for chain rings, especially the smaller ones.

XT has this also, 08>

Chaka Ping

If you can afford it and weight matters, go XT - it's a great chainset.

If money is tight and weight not so important, go SLX - it seems very well regarded.

smackmypitchupǃ

so the new XT is steel inner, composite/steel middle and alu outer like the SLX?

Anonymous

http://cycle.shimano-eu.com/publish/con ... type-.html

alu inner and outer rings, steel/composite middle ring

Anonymous

xt = 853 inc bb
slx = 889 inc bb

slx= steel inner, alu outer and either steel/composite (for 32 t) or alu (for 34 t) middle

supersonic

A good compromise for many, as the majority of riders spend the majority of time in the middle ring.

XC riders maybe more in the outer - but no expensive XC crank will ever have a pure steel outer as would weigh too much! (compared to the opponents).

Captain Turok

Captain Turok wrote:

SmackMyPitchUp! wrote:

doesn't the XT have 3 aluminium rings wheras the SLX has steel granny, composite/steel middle, and aluminium outer?

In which case I'd opt for the SLX cos aluminium is a stupid material for chain rings, especially the smaller ones.

XT has this also, 08>

:oops: I realised my '08 XT had the composite middle ring, but not that the inner was alloy. Ignore me I bought into all that 25th Aniversary nonsense..

SLX seems great value!

omegas

36 gram difference in weight, as someone has said before take a teaspoon of water out your camelbak (well really its 7 teaspoons of water) and your carrying the same weight….. lol

smackmypitchupǃ

I agree.. why does the weight weenieism still exist?

XC is dead for most of us. We've got these fat 30 odd pound bikes with still some emphasis wrongly placed on saving weight that doesn't really need to be saved?

I would rather have cro-mo steel chainrings and don't give a stuff about the extra 200g or so if it means the rings will last longer. There's something really rather odd about all these big rigs with 500, 600, even 700g rims and +2.3in tyres and 6lb odd frames blasting away on weight weenie cranks.

Having said that, I rarely use the granny so if it's alu, I don't care that much, but the weight saving is minimal. I'd always choose a steel middle though because it is the man ring..

I quite liked the look of the Raceface Ride DH which I believe has 3 cro-mo steel rings. It's a heavy fecker but I love the idea of the robustness of steel rings. It's a pity then that Raceface don't offer replacement cromo middle or outer for the Ride.. so what's the point of that?

supersonic

Nah, XC is still very much alive! As are short travel bikes. If anything people are realising they don't need all that heft and travel. I don't need a 30lb bike for some of the trails I ride - I am not heavy and only get the wheels 2 to 3 foot off the air max on the XC bike. Why carry around 8lbs more than I need?

gcwebbyuk

SmackMyPitchUp - XC is not dead!

There are probably more All Mountain / Downhill / Freeride riders out there, but still a lot of us XC riders.

I agree if you are banging it down the trails at 30mph+ speeds then yeah you want bulletproof stuff - but if you enjoy the sport for getting about and fitness, then where is the problem with shaving some weight off your bike?

I love riding down a hill - love the speed - thats why I had a motorbike - but I am not a full armour speed meister - am more a fast fire trail down hill kinda guy, so getting up the hills is more important to me.

Anonymous

xc is still around and is one of only 3 types available, :

xc
dh
bmx riding

there are loads of types of bike (xc, all-mountain, freeride, downhill etc), but only 3 types of riding FACT

gcwebbyuk

Actually if losing weight off my body was as easy as losing it from my bike - I would be well happy!

smackmypitchupǃ

my other pet hate is any suspension involving air, especially if you are a big chap... I hate air! Springs rule!

....best to not get me started!!!

gcwebbyuk

Bugger I have 90mm air forks - best we don't meet down a dark alley

GHill

sheepsteeth wrote:

xc is still around and is one of only 3 types available, :

xc
dh
bmx riding

there are loads of types of bike (xc, all-mountain, freeride, downhill etc), but only 3 types of riding FACT

Agreed, trials is not really riding

Or it's BMX, take your pick.

Anonymous

trials=bmx, you are right
dirt/jump/street= bmx too.

free ride, slopestyle, downhill= downhill

all mountain aggresive xc(?!?!) trail riding = xc

however, as stated, there are tonnes of types of bikes

supersonic

I don't really like to pigeon hole riding, but it does pay to get the right type of bike for you, the terrain and your skill. If fairly new a 60mm race hardtail may not be good over 2 ft boulders lol. I like to differentiate, if I have to, into:

XC
Trail/AM
DH
DJ

Then you get all those little bits and bobs like trials, slopestyle etc etc.

An XC bike to me is racy angles with 100mm or less travel.

Anonymous

i agree, an xc bike is no more than 100mm and does have steep racey angles and is used for riding xc

trail and all mountain is riding xc on a bike with longer travel. thats why you get trail bikes and all mountain bikes but not all mountain riding or trail riding, they are both riding xc. un less someone has a definition of all mountain or trail riding?

supersonic

I can't give it a definitive definition lol. Just I know my Ruckus is a very different beast to the zaskar, and the trails I tackle on it, but it aint a DH bike or DH trails.

Anonymous

i know what you mean and to be honest i know im being awkward.

my point is, and i know im not the first, that these terms are good ways to define bikes and is pretty accurate and easy to do. as soon as we try to invent new riding, thats where the inconsistancies come in.

ive heard folk say all mountain is riding up and down hills, but isnt that xc? ive heard it said aggressive xc is more hardcore than xc, but that makes it the same as all mountain which we have already decided (or at least i have) that this is the same as xc.

there are obvious differences between bikes though, xc=100mm travel and steep angles, all mountain=140-150mm relativey slack and stronger build. trail is the gap between, so 100-130mm and head angle between t'other 2 bike types.

either way, we use the bikes for very few purposes.

ps, im happy to be proven wrong.

Northwind

It's all gone daft. Course saving 35 grams doesn't matter, if you save it off one part, but if you shave a few per cent off every part of the bike you end up noticing. You just need to decide how much you care, is all.

supersonic

It is when we have a new definition for every 5mm of travel lol. MBR have decided that this year, 120mm is the sweet spot and invented a whole new genre for it. I think we are probably banging the same drum Sheeps.

gcwebbyuk

Think I might cut a little bit off one of my grips and save a few grams that way....

...right I am off to bed before I make a fool of myself!

Anonymous

supersonic wrote:

It is when we have a new definition for every 5mm of travel lol. MBR have decided that this year, 120mm is the sweet spot and invented a whole new genre for it. I think we are probably banging the same drum Sheeps.

i think we are. mind you, a bloke who rides as badly as me should probably keep his opinon to himself!!

slightly ot but i have decided to stop buying mbr, their reviews are as bizzarre as they come:

10/10 for a bike which needs new stem and bars? wtf also, slx shifters score more than xtr but in the review, xtr are quoted as being the better shifters!? thats why i like mbuks way of scoring, top kit gets best vote but good value kit gets an award of its own.

rant over (for now)

supersonic

I am getting some Poshbikes nitrile grips. 15g! Save me 100g!

Anonymous

bet they are comfy, giz a link

supersonic

I said long ago that MBR should be 'what travel, stem length and head angle' as that is all that seems to bother them.