As above, thinking of swapping my X9s to XTR rear mech (the Low-normal variety) and a pair of XT shifters. Is the combo compatible?

Yup…

Thanks 🙂 – sorry but I am very much mechanically challenged. Also I have a pair of XT brakes will I be able to remove the XT shifters window and mount them right below the brake levers?

no, the improbability vortex that holds shimano XT jockey wheels together (refered to as 'shadow') makes them incompatible.

Sarcasm much appreciated! I hope it won't warp me and the whole bike to a new dimension!

The black hole generated by the XT jockey wheels is not strong enough to warp all of you and the bike, merely the back half of the bike and any body parts included within that area.

It's messy.

if they are 770 shifters then you can remove the windows. replacement caps are in the shifter

If you have got XTR rear mech and some XT shifters then you'll be fine.

If you haven't then your gonna stuggle.

All Shim stuff is cross groupset comaptible ie any 9psd shifter will work with any 9spd rear mech.

You can have XTR mech and Deore shifers if you want

Take the windows off. More like XTR then

Well good thing my a$$ is not big enough, cause I'd like to keep it to this dimension for the time being!

Hi thanks guys,

The plan is to swap my whole drivetrain to Shimano over time. Don't think I like SRAM much so the XTR rear mech and XT shifters are gonna be bought and installed together. I knew that X9 shifters/Shimano rear mech are not compatible.

i'd do it the otherway round… xtr shifters, xt mech, the mech's gonna get smashed into a rock 1st right? plus xtr shifters are the tits.

That set up is fine I am currently running xtr shadow rear, xt shifts & brakes although I have left the window's on.

Sam42 is right, i think teh xtr shifters aer a massive step up from xt. TBH depends if your running 3 or 2 rings upfront. If your running 2 rings upfront my choice would be xtr shifters and a saint med cage rear mech.

At the nmo, i'm running

xtr shifters – saints
xtrr shifters – xtr rear mech
xtr shifters – saint

I run xtr front and rear mech with xt shifters and brakes, with the window removed! I've found it to be the perfect setup!!

i'm with sam as well on that – you notice a bigger difference in the shifter than the mech.

The XTR rear mech is only a tenner more than the XT so this is why I was choosing it. I just want to get away from SRAM really as I have had a better experience with my Shimano GT than the boardman/Anthem SRAM stuff. Thought I'd do it for bit over 100£ (50£ rear XTR and 60£ XT shifters). Having said that I might go for the full monty and get XTR shifters/levers/rear mech.

even better. 🙂

2 1/2 times better? :p cause that is how much more it costs 🙂

hehe, well this is the problem.

in some ways, yes. in probably more ways, no. 😆