Hanging down for the roots, rocks and sticks to do their best to ruin your ride, a bike's rear derailleur is arguably its most vulnerable component, but our XO units have shrugged it all off with only a few cosmetic wounds. And I'm not just talking about the XO Silver model pictured above, but every one of the four different derailleurs currently on our ever expanding test fleet of bikes - impressive considering that we are not known for being kind to any bike that we spend time on. SRAM's positive feeling shifting has been top notch, requiring only the rarest of cable adjustments, and the derailleur's limit screws haven't creeped out over time, holding their place after countless miles of hard use, including everything from Winter shuttle runs, to 70 kilometer cross-country races. While the XO's performance over the long haul impressed us, it's track record isn't 100% squeaky clean, with one unit suffering from a stiff main pivot that hampered shifting. Keeping in mind that this particular derailleur had been in rotation for nearly a full season of use, often getting the pressure washer spray down without any thought to how it would hold up (isn't this how all tests should be?), we're still satisfied with XO's longterm performance. Their $234 USD asking price isn't exactly pocket change, especially when you consider that the X9 model weighs roughly the same and also makes use of the carbon and aluminum cage. Choose wisely, but we're betting that you'll be happy with how both perform. - Mike Levy |
I installed The Old Boy atop my Reverb dropper post and immediately headed out on a four hour cross-country ride in the rain, the very thing that you shouldn't do as a first ride with a new seat under you. While part of me was expecting some chaffing and forced out of the saddle riding during this initial getting to know each other suffer fest, I was pleasantly surprised by how invisible it seemed to be under me. A seat that you don't think about is a comfortable seat. I was also reasonably sure that the graphics, especially the white front section, would quickly look worn and tired after a few rides in the mud and rain, but that hasn't been the case, with The Old Boy still looking nearly new after a lot of use. If the road graphics have you worried that the seat won't be up to some abuse on the mountain bike, you needn't worry - the hollow titanium rails have stood their ground quite well, brushing off more abuse than they were likely intended to see. My only words of warning regarding the Throne seat would be its use of relatively thin and hard foam. Those who ride a lot will likely be fine with the solid feel, but riders with less seasoned behinds may want a more forgiving seat. Everyone is shaped a bit differently down there, and it's for this reason that you need to take all seat reviews with a grain of salt - if possible, always try before you buy. - Mike Levy |
While I feel naked when riding without gloves, I'm always looking for the thinnest and lightest duty ones that I can find. With the exception of the 3mm palm padding, the Ventilator is about as minimalist as you could hope for. Not only are both the top and bottom made from a single layer, the fingers also feature mesh sides to further enhance venting. As you'd expect, this all adds up to a glove that feels as if it isn't even there, but still provides much more protection than riding bare palmed. Speaking of protection, the Ventilator's 3mm padding, specifically placed at the heel and top of the palm to leave the center section open, feels invisible when gripping the bars. This came as a surprise considering how thick the padding actually is, but Dakine's careful placement means that it goes unnoticed until you really need it. They have been my go-to gloves for any riding that I've been doing, and while the top seems to stain easily, the seams and fabric have held up well to both washing and wear and tear. If you've ever tried to answer a call or take a photo with your touch screen phone while wearing gloves you'll know that it is nearly impossible, but the Ventilators work as advertised, allowing you to use your phone just like you aren't wearing gloves at all. Even without this last feature, the Ventilator glove is a winner in our books, but once you've used your phone without needing to remove your gloves you'll likely never go back. - Mike Levy |
I'm a big believer in anything that can help me pedal for longer or go faster, especially when it's as easy as dropping a tablet into my water bottle before I head out. I won't claim to have felt a "kick" or set new personal best times on my local loops, but I will say that I'm confident that the GU tablets work as advertised. Half of the battle is actually remembering to take a drink in the first place, and the lemon lime flavour of our Brew tabs added just enough taste to the water that I found myself actually wanting to take a sip more often - that can't be a bad thing. That taste wasn't universally liked though, with a few others complaining that it seemed a bit too bitter for their liking. Bottom line: we spend more money on gadgets that don't actually help us than what a few tabs of GU Brew costs, and while it didn't transform me into an elite athlete, I also didn't cramp once while drinking GU Brew infused water during a ride. No, it may not have the same effect as a well timed EPO program, but it sure is a hell of a lot cheaper - Mike Levy |
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Took me a year to kill a saint shadow. And the second saint and its running well. It really depends where you ride. Lots of my local trails are super tight with lots of chunder and roots sticking out in weird places. I think shadow is almost a necessity
Just wondering what other peeps prefer Shimano or Sram??
This is just simply flamebait: yet another Shimano vs SRAM topic (no doubt with a rebuttal that goes like this: "But I mentioned the price of the SRAM, so it's not just Shimano vs SRAM!").
I think that on a XC/ trail bike the smooth shifting of the Shimano stuff is better but for AM/FR/DH stuff.. I love the durability of the SRAM stuff better..
btw I still have 9.0 SL rear der (the white one) on my XC hardtail and I love it
I ve used Sram X5 - X7 - X9 - X0.
All worked well.
1 time i had used a grip shift but knew in quick time it's bad..
Further i had only '1' X7 cage broken, after a crash.
The only good Shimano i ve used was a XTR 9speed 2 weeks ago on a test bike from Giant.
But i dont like the fact you need your finger to shift up/ down ( in the opposite way of Sram ) and have to leave it from the brake leaver...
Further i dont like it at all.. doesn't work as good as Sram.
( Just my opinion )
I do have respect for the fact: Shimano was the first brand who came with decent gears for Cycles.
@nielsdewit I have broken more SRAM stuff then Shimano stuff.. Given I was pretty exclusive to SRAM for a while.. I have gone though 2 x9 trigger shifters, a x7 shifter, a x7 derailer, and x9 derailer.. they are not bombproof.. just they will go alot linger before they blow up.. And Grip shift is one of those things that is better to just keep simple because it works better and is simpler than any trigger out there..
and the new Shimano you can shift with your thumb like SRAM or with your index finger.. And the new 10 speed shimano has the 10 speed SRAM stuff beat on how smooth the shifting is.. Shimano is butter smooth..
Quoting: 'I installed The Old Boy atop my Reverb dropper post and immediately headed out on a four hour cross-country ride...' - of course we all agree, these days you NEED a dropper post for XC riding.
Who paid for writing that bulls*it?
So..........his comment in the article is not asinine, as you indicate.
If someone wants a cheap way to improve their descending on XC trails without bying expensive dropper then get the finger out of your performance ass and lower your seat by 3-5cm comparing to your usual pedalling position. Minimal loss on seated pedalling efficiency/ endurance - huge difference on descents or when rolling over obstacles. It also makes standing pedalling easier.
Still location location location - on my trails roadie perfect height is not efficient because you are unable to unweigh your ass when going into obstacles, your stiff extended legs make you lose on obstacles all you gain on pedalling.
Point is, I'm not racing on super technical trails (I would consider a dropper post for something like BCBR though), so I don't really have an issue with stopping to drop or lift my seat. And sometimes I like taking descents with the seat up as that is how I have to do them when I race. Dropper posts are still getting better, so I don't mind waiting...
Maybe it's courses for horses, but it drives me nuts when I ride a trail bike without one now. Pretty much everyone I know has one too, because we all agree that they are pretty much a 'necessity' like disc brakes around here. Of course, necessity is a relative term.
I can ride down steep gnarly shit, or get around a corner with a seat jacked, but why would I want to do that?
And as far as the pro DHer's riding with their seat up, my guess is you're looking at the guys who are giants as there are many of them on the circuit. Their relative seat hight is probably lower than you think, and a mile away from being full XC height. I've got a friend who's DH seat height is about as high as my XC height, but his XC seat comes up to my nipples; pretty much the five inches higher the dropper post allows.
And I think my trails in terms of difficulty are not far from what you guys ride in BC. We don't have big built jumps, and our hills are max 150m high, but the level of rocks, roots, mud and steep sketchy descents can be devastating for anyone who imagines cross-country riding only as something looking like 99% of XC racing tracks in the world.
On a side note, it pisses me off how bike manufacturers/suppliers spec expensive rear derailleurs on bikes almost always instead of spec'ing good cranks or wheels! I guess some people are like "OMG an X0 rear mech! I don't even notice the x7 cranks anymore!"
I see XX and XO, and, with a second look, I now see X9. Still not seeing any X7, but, whatever.
www.sram.com/sram/mountain/products/sram-x7-2x10-crank
X7 would be a SRAM labeled product, not TRUVATIV.
There's a 3x10 available as well...
A bit of magnesium wouldn't go astray.