Advice on gear shifters. Deore XT?

Miggins

I recently tried to move my brake levers inboard to allow for one finger braking but owing to the design of my current gear shifters, this is not possible (unless I stretch to shift the gears). So I'm after a pair of gear shifters that will allow me to do this. They don't have to be super high performance; just decent quality, reliable and of a design that'll allow my brake levers to be moved inboard.

I've just read some reviews on the Deore XT shifters. 99% of the reviews are glowing. I have a 9 speed set up so I'm assuming that I can ditch my current Deore shifters for the Deore XTs with no problems. Any thoughts or advice? Any others I should look at?

CraigXXL

Or go for SLX

Miggins

Thanks CraigXXL. Just read the reviews on these too and they sound like they'll fit the bill perfectly. And they're cheaper. The SLXs will certainly tick the boxes, but the XTs aren't a great deal more. But can the extra money for the XTs be justified? Should I push the boat out?

CraigXXL

I can tell the difference between the SLX and XT but it's not to the cheaper version is inferior as they are great shifters just not quite as slick as the more expensive sibling.

allthegearnoidea

go for the XT's, they are Much better than the slx's, after riding on both XT's all the way!

Miggins

Thanks guys. My head is saying SLX as it ticks the boxes, but with Christmas not that far away (sorry to mention that so soon after summer!), I might just put the XTs on my list. That way I get the upgrade from SLX to XT at no extra cost. Bonus!

welshkev

i paid £30 from ribble for my SLX shifters and they're great. i prefer them to my X-9 shifters

Dirtydog11

Miggins wrote:

Thanks guys. My head is saying SLX as it ticks the boxes, but with Christmas not that far away (sorry to mention that so soon after summer!), I might just put the XTs on my list. That way I get the upgrade from SLX to XT at no extra cost. Bonus!

+1 for the XT only because the SLXs IMO would not be much of an upgrade over your current deores, they're all decent shifters, they all do the job but the XTs are just a little bit slicker/smoother.

floodthecities

I think the SLX and the XT's are exactly the same inside, just a different housing.

Steve_b77

XT's are much better IMHO, having ridden bikes with both.

To be honest SLX don't feel massively better than Deore level

Miggins

My main reason for the change is to move the brake levers inboard and if I was looking to change the shifters to achieve that ASAP, I'd get the SLXs. But I can wait until Christmas for the other half get the XTs (as she says she never knows what to get me for Christmas, so I'm doing her a favour ) which means that the cost is neither here nor there; so that's out of the equation. By the sounds of it, the XTs won't perform any less than the SLXs so I might as well get 'em. Then I know I've got shifters that not only allow me to move my brake levers, but will perform well too. Thanks for your comments, all. Would've been a nightmare if you'd all come back with different answers!

davewalsh

What exactly is the problem with the current shifters. Can you not get them close enough because of the windows fouling on the brakes that are removable on SLX and XT ?
I can't see there being much difference in the clamp positions and lever lengths across the range of shimano shifters. You may upgrade to SLX or XT and have exactly the same problem.

Miggins

Thanks Dave. That could've been something I might have messed up on, but the reviews I've read have indicated that the SLX or XT shifters will solve the problem of not being able to move the levers inboard. Thanks for mentioning it, though.