LX, XT or (deep breath) XTR gubbins?

[WildCards]

Looking at upgrading the ageing XTR chainset on my Klein. Is it worth forking out the massive dosh for new XTR stuff or is XT/LX stuff just as good, especially as they're all doing the Hollowtech II now anyway. I'll only be upgrading the derailleurs, cassette, chain, crank, bb, shifters and middle rings.

[Xenocide]

Anything above deore is fine tbh.

[pdV6]

Rough prices yanked from Wiggle:

Part XTR XT LX
Chainset 205 78 64
Cassette 90 28 24
Shifters 74 44 32 (assuming not dual control as you didn't mention brakes)
Rear mech 68 32 30
Front mech 46 20 16
Cables 20 20 20
Chain 20 17 10
-----------------------
Total 523 239 196

For the minimal difference in price, I'd be tempted to go XT over LX but that's purely for the look of it.
Can't say that there's much point in splashing out £300 extra to go XTR unless the money's burning a hole...

Edited by pdV6 on Monday 2nd July 16:18

[snotrag]

XT everytime. But remember - what says you have to have everything matching?

Work out what wears out, what doesn't, what provides good bang/buck and what doesnt, andwhat bits your most often like to smash off rocks?

Having said all that - Raceface cranks and SRAM tansmission

[WildCards]

Cheers guys, would you believe, a quick butchers on ebay and I found an LX set, brand new ending imminently. I thought it worth a punt after a quick shufty on CRC and managed to win it for £142. I would have preferred XT stuff but I never like to look a gift horse in the mouth

[neil_bolton]

WildCards said:

Cheers guys, would you believe, a quick butchers on ebay and I found an LX set, brand new ending imminently. I thought it worth a punt after a quick shufty on CRC and managed to win it for £142. I would have preferred XT stuff but I never like to look a gift horse in the mouth

Er...

You having a laugh? You brought an LX chainset for £142???!!!

Wiggle are doing them (as are everyone else) for about £60!!!

Why on earth did you pay £142! - XT is only £99 max everywhere now..?

Edited by neil_bolton on Monday 2nd July 19:55

[pdV6]

I'm hoping he means groupset

[neil_bolton]

pdV6 said:

I'm hoping he means groupset

I'm hoping that too!!!

[neil_bolton]

neil_bolton said:

pdV6 said:

I'm hoping he means groupset

I'm hoping that too!!!

BTW - will be cool for riding tommorrow...

[pdV6]

Excellent. See you there.

Had a quick look on eBay and there's a couple of LX groupsets up at initial bids of £140ish. No brakes or shifters in those sets, though.

[mark.h]

sod shimano, get sram, they're leagues ahead of shimano.

[WildCards]

neil_bolton said:

WildCards said:

Cheers guys, would you believe, a quick butchers on ebay and I found an LX set, brand new ending imminently. I thought it worth a punt after a quick shufty on CRC and managed to win it for £142. I would have preferred XT stuff but I never like to look a gift horse in the mouth

Er...

You having a laugh? You brought an LX chainset for £142???!!!

Wiggle are doing them (as are everyone else) for about £60!!!

Why on earth did you pay £142! - XT is only £99 max everywhere now..?

Edited by neil_bolton on Monday 2nd July 19:55

Err, nope, i'm not that daft. My £142 spondoolies got me:

* LX M580 Hollowtech 2 chainset (175mm 22-32-44 rings)
* LX M580 Hollowtech 2 Bottom Bracket Cups (fits any frame)
* LX M580 Front Mech (dual pull, fits any size frame)
* LX M580 long arm rear mech
* LX M580 9 speed cassette (11-32)
* XT HG73 9 speed chain (inc joining pins)
* LX M580 Rapidfire Plus Gear lever set (inc full gear cableset)

Which I priced up at a little over £200 on CRC.

[neil_bolton]

WildCards said:

neil_bolton said:

WildCards said:

Cheers guys, would you believe, a quick butchers on ebay and I found an LX set, brand new ending imminently. I thought it worth a punt after a quick shufty on CRC and managed to win it for £142. I would have preferred XT stuff but I never like to look a gift horse in the mouth

Er...

You having a laugh? You brought an LX chainset for £142???!!!

Wiggle are doing them (as are everyone else) for about £60!!!

Why on earth did you pay £142! - XT is only £99 max everywhere now..?

Edited by neil_bolton on Monday 2nd July 19:55

Err, nope, i'm not that daft. My £142 spondoolies got me:

* LX M580 Hollowtech 2 chainset (175mm 22-32-44 rings)
* LX M580 Hollowtech 2 Bottom Bracket Cups (fits any frame)
* LX M580 Front Mech (dual pull, fits any size frame)
* LX M580 long arm rear mech
* LX M580 9 speed cassette (11-32)
* XT HG73 9 speed chain (inc joining pins)
* LX M580 Rapidfire Plus Gear lever set (inc full gear cableset)

Which I priced up at a little over £200 on CRC.

Fair enough then - however if you'd mentioned that, then we'd have all not been scratching our heads at why someone just blew so much on a chainset

Edited by neil_bolton on Tuesday 3rd July 10:46

[WildCards]

neil_bolton said:

Fair enough then - however if you'd mentioned that, then we'd have all not been scratching our heads at why someone just blew so much on a chainset

Edited by neil_bolton on Tuesday 3rd July 10:46

Point taken, although I thought i'd sufficiently covered what I wanted to buy in the last sentence of my first post.

[mat205125]

I'd be more than happy with XT. XTR is a massive premium to pay for little tangible gain, unless you plan to compete at a very high level.

Evolution and Development means that this years XT is bound to be better than your XTR from a few years ago anyway.

Maybe have a look at something non-shimano too. Race Face, SRAM etc etc

[Tim.s]

Ive got the LX hollotech 2 crankset, had it for about six months and its very good, its a massive improvement over any square taper set up. Does tend to loose its smoothness a little when caked in mud but thats the only complaint!