Cassette Advice XT or SRAM PG990

mikeyj28

hi All

I do Xc riding and no downhill mad stuff at all.

Am i better off getting a SRAM PG990 Cassette 9sp or a Shimano XT cassette?
WOuld i also only be able to use a SRAM chain with the SRAM cassette or could i use a shimano chain?

I use SRAM X9 rear mech and a SRAM x7 front mech along with SRAM x9 shifters.

Your help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Chunkers1980

XT Cassette and SRAM chain marry very well and the choice of many, including me.

supersonic

Same for me, XT cassette, SRAM chain. XT cassettes just seem stiffer and better made.

mikeyj28

Thanks guys. Maybe i am a bit of a tart but i really liked the colour combinations of the SRAM cassettes. Is the life of the SRAM cassette not that great in direct comparison?

Do shimano offer different colours or is it the boring same old? I have never seen different coloured XT cassettes.

Chunkers1980

You wont have as they don't make them.

Cassette wear has many variables. The main one being how often/what stage you change your chain.

As SS alludes, the XT one seems to be a bit stiffer all round, you wont go wrong with that SRAM cassette, just think overall value for money is better with the XT.

mikeyj28

Chunkers1980 wrote:

You wont have as they don't make them.

Cassette wear has many variables. The main one being how often/what stage you change your chain.

As SS alludes, the XT one seems to be a bit stiffer all round, you wont go wrong with that SRAM cassette, just think overall value for money is better with the XT.

generally a chain change twice or maybe three times if excessive muddy conditions a year (in a year i do between 1500-2500 miles).

Thanks for the help. Think it will be an XT cassette on order.

Bit silly but standard is 11-34 isn't it? me being a bit thick

Chunkers1980

2 main 9spd standards 11-32 and 11-34. Depends what you ride/use and what rings you've got on the front. If a 22 granny then 32 is plenty and saves a few grams

delta5

Might be worth checking out KMC chains too - highly rated by a lot of MTBers

cavegiant

Shimano XT imo is the best cassette out there. Significantly stronger than the SRAM cassettes (excluding XX). I have broken every SRAM cassette I have owned.

XT is also lighter and stiffer.

Only prob is it comes in one colour.

If you are a light guy who doesn't put much power in, then any cassette is OK, if a strong guy, the XT is IMO unbeatable.

The reverse on the chains.
Shimano/sram pinning sytems did not survive the transer to 9 speed well.
The exception in the mix is the 991 cross step (not regular 991, not hollow pin).
This is a strong pinning system and a great chain.

IMO the best chains are the X9 by KMC. They are unbreakable like the 991 cross step, but cheaper and wear slower.

So XT cassette, and X9 chain (the silver/gold get more rust resistant, as we live in the UK the gold is a good investment.)

mikeyj28

cavegiant wrote:

Shimano XT imo is the best cassette out there. Significantly stronger than the SRAM cassettes (excluding XX). I have broken every SRAM cassette I have owned.

If you are a light guy who doesn't put much power in, then any cassette is OK, if a strong guy, the XT is IMO unbeatable.

IMO the best chains are the X9 by KMC. They are unbreakable like the 991 cross step, but cheaper and wear slower.

So XT cassette, and X9 chain (the silver/gold get more rust resistant, as we live in the UK the gold is a good investment.)

How did you manage to break the SRAM cassette?
I am 11stone but have strong leg power for my weight.

How much am i looking at for a KMC gold plated chain?
Thanks for the advice

ricardo_smooth

cavegiant wrote:

IMO the best chains are the X9 by KMC. They are unbreakable like the 991 cross step, but cheaper and wear slower.

I broke one after 3 months use (yes it was lubed, removed, washed, tucked in at night ect ect)

njee20

XTs are lighter and cheaper, I've not personally broken either (and have used both), but enough people seem to say the XTs are tougher that there's obviously truth in it!

If you're a tart and value colour over performance, buy the PG990, otherwise XT for my money.

bike-a-swan

For my money, barring any other considerations, the xt just seems better made.

mikeyj28

Looks like the general consensus is with the XT.

I'll get the XT & also email Shimano pleading with them to have a different colour scheme like SRAM.

Quality over looks for me.

Thanks All

leaflite

mikeyj28 wrote:

cavegiant wrote:

Shimano XT imo is the best cassette out there.
How much am i looking at for a KMC gold plated chain?
Thanks for the advice

I think the gold plated one is £30 (reduced from £50) at CRC at the moment

leaflite

mikeyj28 wrote:

cavegiant wrote:

Shimano XT imo is the best cassette out there.
How much am i looking at for a KMC gold plated chain?
Thanks for the advice

I think the gold plated one is £30 (reduced from £50) at CRC at the moment

cavegiant

dammit, I just bought a multipack...

njee20

Now that I find odd, as despite having never bent a cassette, I've snapped every X9SL chain I've used, and find they wear much more quickly than SRAM or Shimano chains. If I weighed 50% more I wouldn't entertain the idea of using them!

cavegiant

weird, I have never broken any X9 (and have the SL), but broken every SRAM cassette.

What failed on the X9 was it the powerlink or elsewhere?

Northwind

Wasn't a big fan of the X9SL, it's strong but just a bit delicate- even minor chainsuck twisted the plates on mine, which was a pain in the arse. Obviously any chain can get damaged but I've gone back to their cheaper X9-93 which has less cutouts in the chain and it's far more durable.

cavegiant

I get tons of chain suck too...

guess 29er chainsuck doesn't break them ;-)

Northwind

It always straightened out, it was just a pain in the bum. 10 Under the Ben just destroyed any love I had for the thing, had to stop 3 times in one lap to unkink it. Fair enough though, it's weightweenie kit so you have to expect some weakness... Won't hold it against KMC, I just go for their stronger chains now.

richg1979

killed a couple of sram cassettes rather quickly

shimnaoi slx best for money, xt best if your running a alloy freewheel body like a hope, dt swiss ect

i found the kmc chains to be terible, rust like hell, do not run smooth and very poor shifting.

sram chains are good all round had very few brakages., shift well and last ok.

shimano chains are the smoothest and best shifting but i have broke a few of these in the past, just fitted a new xt chain to my ht, it now runs smoother and the shifting is a lot crisper than the sram it replaced just hope it holds out and it dont brake anytime soon.

BUT they all die pretty fast if you dont keep an eye on chain streach esp if your a hard/heavy rider.

M6TTF

came down to price for me - 990 was only 40quid at CRC - couldn't get an XT for that so ordered the SRAM

pastey_boy

sram 980,s are a good buy and be be found cheaply also weigh the same as the 990 although not as blingy

njee20

weird, I have never broken any X9 (and have the SL), but broken every SRAM cassette.

What failed on the X9 was it the powerlink or elsewhere?

Do you mean cassette in this instance, or chain!?

I've broken several X9SLs, never on the PowerLink. They've all lasted a half reasonable amount of time, but IME SRAM or Shimano chains just go very rattly when worn, whilst X9SLs just snap.

Never broken a cassette, but broken countless chains, light riders can be powerful too after all...

cavegiant

breaking chains is more likely to be due to poor shifting technique ;-)

njee20

Never break when shifting strangely. Broken a chainring too come to think of it. More that I can never be arsed to change them I suspect!

bennett_346

Never snapped a chain in my life, i just let off the load slightly when shifting.

M6TTF

I snapped an X9SL just recently - well half!! - was grinding up a steep climb too. bike wouldn't shift gear properly, stopped to have a look and a plate had snapped on one side of the chain, leaving it connected by one side of one link! - got me home though

cavegiant

dammit, seems like I am the only one who has not broken an SL.

If I revise my advice to an 'L' will there be a list of peeps who have broken them too, or is it a safer option?

P x