xtr chain set

SRI
SRI Posts: 125
edited August 2009 in MTB buying advice
My middle chainring a stock truvative stylo has worn out and I'm looking to replace it / upgrade.

Does anybody have any experience of the XTR chainset (c£300) vs the XT (c£150)

I'm interested in people's experience of whether the XTRs rings (middle one is titanium) last much longer than the XTs or is the price just a weight thing.

I'm an XC rider so happy to shed the weight but do ride a lot on trails that are repaired with sand so even with regular cleaning the drive chain takes some serious punishment.

Thanks,

Comments

  • Andy B
    Andy B Posts: 8,115
    The XTR outer chainring are known for being made of the finest Shimano cheese, they usually do not last very long.
    2385861000_d125abe796_m.jpg
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    XTR weighs 780g
    XT weighs 850g
    SLX weighs 890g

    Unless you really have the dogs balls of a bike, 200 quid for a 110g saving aint worth it over the SLX. XT is supposed to have a stiffer outer ring which is good for large ring thrashing, but the main reason it is lighter than SLX is the steel inner ring.
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  • RealMan
    RealMan Posts: 2,166
    XTR chainsets are meant to last for years. I think I've heard of a guy who hasn't worn his down in 4 years of riding.
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    I bet a deore would last longer.
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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    would be much cheaper to just buy some really, REALLY good chainrings.
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Steel ones!
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  • Salsa
    Salsa Posts: 753
    supersonic wrote:
    Steel ones!

    Yep, I'm a bit of a weight weenie & even I replace middle rings with steel when I wear them out.
  • The Spiderman
    The Spiderman Posts: 5,625
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    would be much cheaper to just buy some really, REALLY good chainrings.

    http://www.moosecycles.com/products.php?plid=m2b2s113p81
    2006 Giant XTC
    2010 Giant Defy Advanced
    2016 Boardman Pro 29er
    2016 Pinnacle Lithium 4
    2017 Canondale Supersix Evo
  • bomberesque
    bomberesque Posts: 1,701
    I looked at lightweight crank options for my recent SS build, including the XT and XTR on my list and went with a Middleburn RS7 in the end, but mostly because they have a very neat SS solution

    As stated, XTR seems only to be worth it if you really really need to save that extra 100gr and have already saved it everywhere else. SLX/XT are both great but it seems that your real problem isn't the crank but the chainrings. Are they all worn out or only the middle one?

    I run 22/36 on my HT and so use the granny rather more than I would normally. I found I was wearing out 22T rings in no time so got an FSA stainless steel granny. Top kit and still going strong after a year. the 36T is a middleburn hardcoat. Expensive (30 GBP iirc) but bearing up well, with no signs of wear yet
    Everything in moderation ... except beer
    Beer in moderation ... is a waste of beer

    If riding an XC race bike is like touching the trail,
    then riding a rigid singlespeed is like licking it
    ... or being punched by it, depending on the day
  • titaniumtit
    titaniumtit Posts: 74
    I have xtr but tbh, like mentioned, go for the xt definitely.

    xt are damn good kit and last a 'ell of a lot longer than most of shimano's range imo.
  • The Spiderman
    The Spiderman Posts: 5,625
    New XT has longer life composite middle ring too.
    2006 Giant XTC
    2010 Giant Defy Advanced
    2016 Boardman Pro 29er
    2016 Pinnacle Lithium 4
    2017 Canondale Supersix Evo
  • bomberesque
    bomberesque Posts: 1,701
    The Spiderman wrote:
    New XT has longer life composite middle ring too.

    indeed it does. Slx has the same I think
    Everything in moderation ... except beer
    Beer in moderation ... is a waste of beer

    If riding an XC race bike is like touching the trail,
    then riding a rigid singlespeed is like licking it
    ... or being punched by it, depending on the day
  • SRI
    SRI Posts: 125
    All, thanks all for your thoughts - much appreciated.

    As bomberesque summarises, it's my middle chain ring that has worn out rather than the whole bb & crankset.

    So the general concencus is that slx or xt is the better way to go.

    I've seen there are quite a few other chain set manufacturers, does anybody have any experience of these?

    Re steel rings - do you have any you could recommend. I'm not sure how compatible the current truvative is to replacing just a ring - it looks rivited so I assume I need a whole set.

    cheers
  • Zeroman_IR
    Zeroman_IR Posts: 290
    XT chainset for about £113 all in here.

    Got one off them myself, can be a little slow to ship but great prices on Shimano. Celebrated by smashing the big ring into a rock on my first outing with it :oops: Held up to my little (ahem!) test pretty well, just filed down the sharp edges, but I was really traveling when I lost the back and whipped it around into said rock.

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