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xt vs. xtr cassette

3K views 22 replies 13 participants last post by  sundowner 
#1 ·
Dose the xtr perform that much better to justify the price difference? The weight difference is not that great.
 
#8 ·
For a recreational rider/occasional racer, I think the SLX line would do fine. I am running the SLX cassette and have been very satisfied. It comes in about 50 grams heavier than the XT, but is every bit as smooth as the XT cassette. If the 50 grams matter, then go with the XT. Otherwise, I think the SLX is a great cassette for the money...I won't be going back to XT wear/tear items. Maybe the chain...cause that is pretty solid too.
 
#10 ·
My experience has been very good with XTR. had one all XTR bike, '03 Klein palomino, crank chainrings lasteed almost 5 years; the middle chainrinwas worn @ 5 years, the other 2 were ok. Rear and frt der were perfect, cassette was perfect. I do baby/treat my bikes with care and don't abuse them. That's just me, I have a cleaning, greaseing/oiling, tightening, etc schedule. Had bikes with XT components prior to that and installed XTR reaer der and did feel the difference. Today's equipment I dunno. My experience.
 
#11 ·
IRONMAN1518 said:
My experience has been very good with XTR. had one all XTR bike, '03 Klein palomino, crank chainrings lasteed almost 5 years; the middle chainrinwas worn @ 5 years, the other 2 were ok. Rear and frt der were perfect, cassette was perfect. I do baby/treat my bikes with care and don't abuse them. That's just me, I have a cleaning, greaseing/oiling, tightening, etc schedule. Had bikes with XT components prior to that and installed XTR reaer der and did feel the difference. Today's equipment I dunno. My experience.
Hey IMan

I'm thinking it's a "budget" thing. If one could afford to get the best in the line, why not?
Wether or not they feel the same, doesn't the XTR line lasting longer make it the more economical choice since it wouldn't have to be replaced as soon as an XT product?

I guess, on a keeper bike (a bike one would keep for 5+ years), using XTR products would be the financially smarter move. While it would cost a bit more upfront, the fact that it lasts longer makes up for that and one would be riding with the best that Shimano has to offer as far as MTB drivetrains go.

Personally, when I put together my uber bike, it's going to at least be built with XTR.

I believe that the price difference on a complete kit is about $300., right?

:)
 
#12 ·
2ndgen said:
Hey IMan

I'm thinking it's a "budget" thing. If one could afford to get the best in the line, why not?
Wether or not they feel the same, doesn't the XTR line lasting longer make it the more economical choice since it wouldn't have to be replaced as soon as an XT product?

I guess, on a keeper bike (a bike one would keep for 5+ years), using XTR products would be the financially smarter move. While it would cost a bit more upfront, the fact that it lasts longer makes up for that and one would be riding with the best that Shimano has to offer as far as MTB drivetrains go.

Personally, when I put together my uber bike, it's going to at least be built with XTR.

I believe that the price difference on a complete kit is about $300., right?

:)
I tend to think XT is a better value due the significant premium you pay for XTR (and I'd think a whole groupset difference is more likely in the $500-600 range but I didn't look too hard just now either). Where are you getting $300? That smaller difference would definitely help, but don't think the life on XT stuff is all that different on most of the components in a groupset. I've done it both ways, they both last a very long time (make that they are both lasting a very long time, really haven't worn either out except for usual consumables or damage on my part).
 
#13 · (Edited)
Bikinfoolferlife said:
I tend to think XT is a better value due the significant premium you pay for XTR (and I'd think a whole groupset difference is more likely in the $500-600 range but I didn't look too hard just now either). Where are you getting $300? That smaller difference would definitely help, but don't think the life on XT stuff is all that different on most of the components in a groupset. I've done it both ways, they both last a very long time (make that they are both lasting a very long time, really haven't worn either out except for usual consumables or damage on my part).
Some MTB mag. I saw the XT set go as high as $700. and the XTR as low as $999.

I know that the prices fluxuate and the lowest I've seen the XT set go for is $500.

Anybody know how much lighter the XTR kit is? Something like 35 grams, no?
 
#15 ·
IRONMAN1518 said:
AGREED! I only got the XTR groupo bike cause the dealer is one of my sponsors and gave me a smokin' deal on the bike. If it is just the cassette, nope it isn't worth the HUGE price difference.
Groups, I'd go XTR without a doubt.

But for small difference items like Fr/Rr Der's, I'd go with the XTR while going XT for the rest.
I think that the biggest difference in price is in the crankset (something like $250. XT/$450./XTR).
 
#16 ·
2ndgen said:
Hey IMan

I'm thinking it's a "budget" thing. If one could afford to get the best in the line, why not?
Wether or not they feel the same, doesn't the XTR line lasting longer make it the more economical choice since it wouldn't have to be replaced as soon as an XT product?

I guess, on a keeper bike (a bike one would keep for 5+ years), using XTR products would be the financially smarter move. While it would cost a bit more upfront, the fact that it lasts longer makes up for that and one would be riding with the best that Shimano has to offer as far as MTB drivetrains go.

Personally, when I put together my uber bike, it's going to at least be built with XTR.

I believe that the price difference on a complete kit is about $300., right?

:)
I agree, invest for the long term - that's of course if xtr does last longer, which i think it does. I got an xtr shifter/lever, the m950, came out in late 90s, works good still, although i guess what happens is technology advances...
 
#17 ·
I've run XTR cassettes for years and they've all been fantastic. Having said that, a few months ago I had one cog that was causing the chain to skip. I couldn't see a bent tooth or anything that could be causing it. I took it to the shop and 3 mechanics worked on it, looked at it, and couldn't find anything wrong, but putting on a new cassette fixed the problem. So I bought an SRAM PG-990 cassette to replace that XTR. It was about half the cost and I honestly can't tell a difference in shifting performance. Will it last as long? I don't know, but at half the cost with the same shifting performance, it's worth it to me.
 
#18 ·
I was pricing out XT/XTR build kits for my bike.

Here's what I found, most price differentials are ignorable when it comes to going between XT/XTR.

The main parts that have huge differentials are the Cranksets and Cassettes and Fr Der.
For the Cranks, the difference is about $200.,
for the Rr Der, $100. and for the Cassette, $100.

The Crankset and Fr Der I could understand, but I wanted to know why an XTR Cassette costs $100. more.


From what I've read, the weight savings comes out to 35 grams to go from XT to XTR.
That's $550. more, just to save 35 grams (or basically, 1/12th of a pound).

Now, if the parts are superior performance-wise, of course their worth it.
But from what I've read, performance differences are not distinguishable.

That would leave durability, which then would definitely make the case for going with a full XTR kit.
 
#20 ·
peternguyen said:
I agree, invest for the long term - that's of course if xtr does last longer, which i think it does. I got an xtr shifter/lever, the m950, came out in late 90s, works good still, although i guess what happens is technology advances...
I've still got some M950 stuff going too, but when it comes to wear items like chainrings or cassettes, it's not quite the same thing as having better quality bearings and parts inside a shifter...
 
#21 ·
Ausable said:
An XTR cassette can't last longer than an XT.
It has titanium larger cogs, which are softer than steel.
It depends on the grade of Ti uses on the cogs. The Ti use for this application is harder than the steel used on XT. Now if the XT cassete was made out of stainless steel then it would be different.

My current XTR cassete has lasted over two years and it has gone through 3 chains in the process. Before that I use to had to change the cassete with the chain.
 
#22 ·
sundowner said:
It depends on the grade of Ti uses on the cogs. The Ti use for this application is harder than the steel used on XT. Now if the XT cassete was made out of stainless steel then it would be different.

My current XTR cassete has lasted over two years and it has gone through 3 chains in the process. Before that I use to had to change the cassete with the chain.
Got any proof of your statement?
 
#23 ·
Bikinfoolferlife said:
Got any proof of your statement?
Here is a picture of my over two years old XTR960 cassette.

Bicycle tire Wheel Tire Bicycle wheel Bicycle wheel rim


Its been on my bike for over two years. I keep stretching the chains but the cassette show little wear no wear. It also does not show the indentesion on the teeth surface of the larges cogs that my old XTs use to show after a few month of riding. If you need further proof read an metalurgic book on the different grades of Titanium and there applications.
 
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