In 2013 Shimano will introduce a completely new gravity line specially designed for young entry riders… ZEE! ZEE is Saint’s younger brother, designed for riding on extreme gravity trails, ready to battle with the established order and waiting for young entry riders to unleash its potential. It has a young and fresh look and the best balance between perfect gravity features at an affordable price point so everybody can enjoy gravity riding. The name ZEE is derived from zero. ZEE will give their riders a sense of freedom when they hit ‘zero gravity’ on the extreme trails. Because gravity riders need specific features for their extreme demands, Shimano packed ZEE with the latest technologies like a Shadow RD+ rear derailleur and high performing disc brakes.
Shadow RD+ offers the most silent drive train for downhill riding. The ZEE 10-speed rear derailleur has a switch at the pulley cage to activate a stabilizer that counteracts the forces of up and down chain momentum in rough terrain. Shadow RD+ offers better control, stability, reduces chain dropping dramatically and provides a silent drive train. The ZEE rear derailleur is available in a close gear and wide gear spec.
For aggressive riding Shimano developed a durable, strong, but also a light crank set with a steel axle and steel pedal insert. By using a solid crank arm and hollow axle, Shimano found a balance of stiffness, strength and rotating performance
Gravity riders need to have full confidence in the performance of their brakes. That's why Shimano designed ZEE brakes with a ceramic 4-piston caliper. Differential piston diameters provide quiet and controllable power and for optimal brake control, the levers are equipped with Servo Wave action. Only a little lever movement is needed to bring the pads in contact with the rotor and it's easy to control your braking power
ZEE brakes are Ice Tech compatible, so ZEE riders can upgrade their brakes to optimal Ice Tech braking power for their future needs.
For a clean cockpit the shifters and brake levers are I-spec compatible. Of course, there's only one shift lever because of the single chainring.
AVAILABILITY IN THE MARKET : July 2012.Stay Unclipped!
Si Paton.
Halo British Downhill Series
edit: oh shit sorry, that was posted ages ago, i never noticed
www.bikerumor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/2013-Shimano-Saint-ICE-Tech-brake-caliper01.jpg
Saint, available late July:
Brakes, £195 (302g, rear hose, calliper and lever)
Rotors, £65 (203mm splined only. 173g)
Chainset £230-£240 (68.73 or 83mm. 919g or 931g)
MX-80 Pedal, £60
Rear mech, £140 (280g)
Shifter, £50 (123g, 114g i-spec)
Front hub, £70 (32 or 36h, 20mm. 216g)
Rear hub, £120 (32 or 36, 150×12, 142×12, 135×12 or 135×10. 355g for 135x10)
Zee, available July:
Rear mech, £70 (no adjustable angle and no bump stop. 250g)
Rear shifter, £35 (no multi-release)
Chainset, £110 (68/73 or 83mm, with 38tooth ring. 906 or 938g)
Brakes, £145 (311g front, hose, calliper, lever, pads)
Front hub, £45 (32 or 36h, 20mm. 228g)
Rear hub, £55 (32 or 36, 150×12. 363g) - £50 (32 or 36, 142×12, 135×12 or 135×10. 350g)
www.southerndownhill.com/forum/index.php?topic=262639.msg2031058;topicseen#msg2031058
this is just a cheaper alternative to saint like xt is to xtr
from there if you ride xc or am you get xt or xtr and freeride/dh duties will be handled by zee/saint.
its just the answer everyones been looking for, a cheaper version of saint!!!!
The article says it's designed for "young, entry riders." One's who just learned the alphabet? And why would you market a shifting and brakes components to an age group? Oh well, I'll probably get used to the name, Shimano's brakes have really impressed me but I'm still pissed they are using derailleurs for DH bikes. Internal please.
The shift refinement is also out of this world, and I have two conventional XT systems to compare it with. You press the sifter, it changes gear, lightning fast, no questions asked. My mechanic describes it like this: "it looks like it works with electricity or something". I cannot stress how different (better) from an conventional system it is.
I would like to see Shimano's answer to these systems.
Also wish more people who write the articles on PB would write them themselves instead of copying and pasting word for word the press release from the manufacturer that is on every other site.
Most of those paragraphs say nothing useful at all. Phrases like 'zero gravity' 'Shadow RD+' 'Servo Wave action' just remind me of shampoo adverts: "pro revitalising neutrilleum plus formula with ultra microgranule action" Its soap. get over it.
Just goes to show how out of tune some manufacturers are. Or did someone lift this from engrish.com?
Zee Rear derailleur, shifters, calipers
2012 Saint levers, cranks
2013 Saint rotors
I used to like the entire Saint group, either generation. Slightly less impressed.
Disclaimer: This is entirely based on looks/price. I'm sure the new Saint is great from a purely functional view.
Zee crankset (FC-M640, 68-73mm BB or FC-M645, 83mm BB) $159.99
Zee rear derailleur (RD-M640) $109
Zee shifter (SL-M640) $49.99
Zee brakeset (BL-M640 lever, BR-M640 calliper and hose, no rotor) $249.99
Zee/SLX brake rotor, six-bolt, 203mm (SM-RT66) TBC
Zee/SLX brake rotor, six-bolt, 180mm (SM-RT66) TBC
Zee/SLX brake rotor, six-bolt, 160mm (SM-RT66) TBC
Zee brake calliper (BR-M640) TBC
Zee brake lever (BL-M640) TBC
Zee rear hub, 150mm OLD (FH-M640) $89.99
Zee rear hub, 142mm OLD (FH-M645) $89.99
Zee rear hub, 135mm OLD (FH-M64 $89.99
Zee front hub (HB-M640) $69.99
Approx full groupset cost* $1,061.90
www.pinkbike.com/photo/7998213
The word - SAINT = EPIC
The word - ZEE = BORRING
The ZEE rear derailleur is available in a close gear and wide gear spec.
prices are similar as saint and XTR