LX vs XT shifters?

canada16
canada16 Posts: 2,360
edited February 2009 in MTB buying advice
Hey

I currently want to upgrade my shifters, I have LX right now and find them quite sluggish.

My cables are clean, but find a miss fire some time, or will switch into gear and it seems like it only shifts half way.

Are the XT's better, and worth the upgrade, its b-day money so its either this or a cassette.

Cheers.
The Ride

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Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    you will not notice much difference.

    what is the rear mech?
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
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  • canada16
    canada16 Posts: 2,360
    XT shadow.
    The Ride

    http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af92 ... 010735.jpg
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    XT have a shorter throw and feel a bit more precise.
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  • canada16
    canada16 Posts: 2,360
    Yeh thats what I feel .

    I really got to drag it in to change gears.

    I want something that will move at about 1cm, but my LX feels like 2-3cm

    Thanks
    The Ride

    http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af92 ... 010735.jpg
  • canada16
    canada16 Posts: 2,360
    Wiggle had them for 48.00.

    I have asked merlin if they will match, as wiggle are out of stock.

    If they are going to better as far as, I dont have to push in so far to change the front rings, then all the better.
    The Ride

    http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af92 ... 010735.jpg
  • toasty
    toasty Posts: 2,598
    The difference is very small for shifting up chainrings, just had a compare of some I've got here (the latest LX, 2-way release ones), compared to 08 XT, you still need to push the shifter forward about an inch or so, just past where the down shifter sits. The same amount of cable is obviously getting pulled and wrapped around a very similar sized pulley in the center.

    If you get your cabling all nicely lubed and front mech clean though it should be fairly smooth.

    The new style XT shifters are lovely though :) Very solid construction.
    Stumpy FSR 29er
  • Mjolnir
    Mjolnir Posts: 58
    I just bought a set of the new XT shifters (from CRC in the sale I think) and they're great. The shift is a lot shorter than the LX's that I had before.

    That said, I had the combined LX brakes/shifters before and I only upgraded the shifters because I changed the brakes. Had I not done that I wouldn never have changed the LX's in the first place. They were excellent and I never had a problem with them.

    There may not be enough difference between the two to warrant the upgrade. A well adjusted mech and lubed cables could help a lot with the shifting.

    Upgrading for the sake of it is fun though :D
  • canada16
    canada16 Posts: 2,360
    This is my problem.

    I am looking at one of those carbon superstar posts for 25 at moment.

    I dont need a post but hey its a bit light than my alum one and its carbon.

    I might leave the XT shifters for now, as I can buy them when I get paid in the future.

    Will prb just go for an xt cassette.

    Thanks guys for the help.
    The Ride

    http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af92 ... 010735.jpg

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