Upgrade opinions?
05-07-20, 09:31 AM
#1
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Upgrade opinions?
For no good reasons I’m thinking about upgrading my components. The wheels and bar end shifters stay. I was thinking about the drivetrain. Mainly Longer day rides to short overnight touring. If you all had to pick a nice reliable drivetrain what would it be. Thanks
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05-07-20, 10:17 AM
#3
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Looks doesn’t matter that much, I’m kinda thinking LX but wanted other opinions. It’s a freewheel.
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05-07-20, 10:26 AM
#4
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Lottsa miles on this transmission/drive system but my barend shifters are a bit different. I think that this is about the best system I have used so far. Never missed a shift or dropped a chain. Perhaps I should not have said that. I did mangle tires, tubes and rim liners, though....
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05-07-20, 10:49 AM
#5
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Shimano Deore LX.
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05-07-20, 12:48 PM
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Shifting is fun!
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Difficult question to answer. What I would consider an upgrade might well be considered a downgrade (or complete foolishness) by many others. 
Anyway, and for what it's worth, I just "upgraded" my current credit card tourer to this: XT RD, Deer head FD, TA Cyclotouriste triple and a 5-speed SunRace FW. And everything controlled by Chorus 9-speed brifters .....
Anyway, and for what it's worth, I just "upgraded" my current credit card tourer to this: XT RD, Deer head FD, TA Cyclotouriste triple and a 5-speed SunRace FW. And everything controlled by Chorus 9-speed brifters .....
05-07-20, 12:55 PM
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Difficult question to answer. What I would consider an upgrade might well be considered a downgrade (or complete foolishness) by many others.
Anyway, and for what it's worth, I just "upgraded" my current credit card tourer to this: XT RD, Deer head FD, TA Cyclotouriste triple and a 5-speed SunRace FW. And everything controlled by Chorus 9-speed brifters .....
Anyway, and for what it's worth, I just "upgraded" my current credit card tourer to this: XT RD, Deer head FD, TA Cyclotouriste triple and a 5-speed SunRace FW. And everything controlled by Chorus 9-speed brifters .....
05-07-20, 01:23 PM
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I don’t tour, so others will have better knowledge, but I still run 7 speed. With friction I not sure of what you want in an upgrade. I have always felt older Suntour was probably the best mix of stoutness and performance. I look back how I never appreciated the performance of my Suntour RD.
That said, the best derailleur setup I have, and still use, is the XTR-M900/910. I’ve picked up a few of them over the years. The set on my downtube shifting road bike was well used and sun faded and I bought it for testing. I’ve gone from double to triple, freewheel to cassette, and it just keeps going. I’ve got a couple of nicer ones, but who knows when I’ll use them. The downside is they have become super expensive over the years.
John
That said, the best derailleur setup I have, and still use, is the XTR-M900/910. I’ve picked up a few of them over the years. The set on my downtube shifting road bike was well used and sun faded and I bought it for testing. I’ve gone from double to triple, freewheel to cassette, and it just keeps going. I’ve got a couple of nicer ones, but who knows when I’ll use them. The downside is they have become super expensive over the years.
John
05-07-20, 03:04 PM
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No modifications at all. A click of the old 9-speed Campy shifters, when combined with a Shimano SIS-compatible RD, gives the correct 5.5 mm RD movement required by the 5 (or 6)-speed cog spacing. The superfluous clicks are blocked by the RD limit screw. Use a modern ramped FW for optimal results.
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05-07-20, 03:12 PM
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I'll second the Suntour XCD. On the bike I had it on, I wasn't able to make it fail. Mud, rain, sticks, me bumbling around, the stuff just worked. IIRC I was using a Suntour freewheel of some kind. Probably a new winner. I think the cranks were Sugino.
05-07-20, 06:35 PM
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If your thinking of more than just derailleur upgrades, consider half-step plus granny. If you've never tried it, this might be the time. I've recently dipped my toes into these waters and it is very refreshing in the C&V sort of way.
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05-07-20, 07:39 PM
#12
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1990+/- Deore XT. Can be acquired at a low price, robust, reliable. I upgraded the slap worn out components on my 1987 Cimarron with a low miles donor bike.
Latest update:
88 Cimarron 2019 Version by wrk101, on Flickr
Started here:
1988 Cimmaron LE as found by wrk101, on Flickr
Latest update:
88 Cimarron 2019 Version by wrk101, on FlickrStarted here:
1988 Cimmaron LE as found by wrk101, on Flickr
Last edited by wrk101; 05-07-20 at 07:44 PM.
05-08-20, 03:39 PM
#13
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That said, the best derailleur setup I have, and still use, is the XTR-M900/910. I’ve picked up a few of them over the years. The set on my downtube shifting road bike was well used and sun faded and I bought it for testing. I’ve gone from double to triple, freewheel to cassette, and it just keeps going. I’ve got a couple of nicer ones, but who knows when I’ll use them. The downside is they have become super expensive over the years.
John
John
1990+/- Deore XT. Can be acquired at a low price, robust, reliable. I upgraded the slap worn out components on my 1987 Cimarron with a low miles donor bike.
Latest update:
88 Cimarron 2019 Version by wrk101, on Flickr
Latest update:
88 Cimarron 2019 Version by wrk101, on FlickrIMO- if you're going to "upgrade" you might as well go "up." (I think by the time LX was named LX- the hierarchy was XTR/XT/LX.)
If you're going to keep it a double- M900 XTR.
If you're going to change it to a triple- long cage M735 XT.
I've got an XTR RD on my Miyata with a triple- and I really think I should have a bit more chain and a bit more ability to take up chain- the M900 only comes with a medium cage- I've been playing with the idea of swapping cages out with an SGS caged XT unit.
These versions of XT and XTR are so classy- yet understated- nothing super swoopy, no carbon or pretend carbon, just the cream of Shimano's ATB crop.
M735 XT and M900 XTR Rear Derailleurs by Dave The Golden Boy, on FlickrThe only way to go up from XT is either XTR or Suntour XC Pro or XC Comp. XC Pro was the TOTL- and XC Comp was not far behind- When you have them in your hands, you feel the quality.
Suntour XC Pro Medium and Long Cage by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr
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05-08-20, 04:54 PM
#14
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FWIW... I’m running an XTR-910 RD with a 7 speed 14-34 (HG with UG 14t) to an Ultegra 6503 30-38-48 with an XTR-900 FD.
John
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05-08-20, 05:06 PM
#15
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I ended up going with LX, I found a good deal on a crankset and derailleurs. The Triple Blaze that’s on it now works fine, I just wanted something to do.
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