So I destroyed my rear mech this weekend when a tree branch got caught in the rear end – the bike, not mine – before I get any sniggers 🙄

It was an SLX but I’m thinking to upgrade to something stronger as its a bit of a rear mech graveyard where I ride – lots of rocks & branches.

Can anyone comment on whether the Saint M810 RD is worth the extra – cos I could by two SLX for the price of one Saint – so it’d have to be a lot tougher, or have some other advantages as well for it to be worth it!

Also, I understand the Saint has a stronger return spring, so will it work Ok with my current SLX shifter, cos I can’t afford to buy the Saint shifter as well!

Thanks.

I use a saint mech and really like it, are you running 1×9? If so saint is the way to go, the super short cage is small and out of the way, less advantage with the medium cage though. Your current shifter will be fine.

I’m running 2×9 so I’d need the medium, but my SLX was a long cage, so it’d still be an improvement. Do you notice the stronger return spring – does it make any difference to shifting?

Shifting feels nice and crisp on mine, medium will definitely be better than long, but they are expensive. Not sure how tough they actually are, mine has never hit anything.

Do you use 1×9/10? If so, you could get a cheap road mech instead.

but they are expensive

Sure are! But I found a German site doing them for 67 Euro which just about brings them into my ‘its only the cost of a dinner out with the missus, but lasts so much longer’ range, but I wouldn’t buy one at ‘normal’ price.

I love my Saint rear mech (ok, maybe that’s a bit strong, but you get my drift)
Crisp shifting, handles the filth well and i’ve beaten the sh!t outta mine over the last few years, stll going strong.

Do it

Do you use 1×9/10? If so, you could get a cheap road mech instead

Nah, 2×9. Anyway, not sure a road mech would be tough enough for the abuse I give my RDs?

Ive got a med cage one you can have for £42 posted, with red kcnc jockey wheels, few marks but sound.

are they gonna do a 10sp saint at some point?

They’re tougher than SLX, no doubt, but if you smash a lot of mechs, then a 30 quid SLX would be a better gamble than a 70 quid anything

I’d love an XTR, but the thought of mangling a hundred quid or more worth of mech has always kept me away.

Have used a Saint mech with an XT shifter and it works fine. Proppa bolt-action shifting shift-blam-shift-blam etc no matter what’s going on with you/the bike/the ground but then you’d expect it for the price. It’s a solid piece of kit – not the lightest mech in the world – and it stays crisp for a long time but a rock or branch will take it out the same as any other mech.

Personally I’ve gravitated towards short cage X7s they feel almost the same from new and you can buy at least two for the price of an M810

Ive got a med cage one you can have for £42 posted

Thanks, but I’m in Oz, and it’d cost about that just to post it!!

are they gonna do a 10sp saint at some point?

Yep, I hear the 2013 Saint will be 10 speed, but single chainring and short cage only 😥 – just another reason to stay 9 speed!

Take a look here for the gossip…

I like mine. I run it with a HammerSchmidt so same as 1×9. On my other bike I run an SLX 1×9 (with a short cage XT cage fitted instead of the long cage SLX – any easy fit if you have a broken XT). The differance between the two is the strength of the return spring in the Saint which helps stop the chain bouncing about quite as much. I bent two XT mechs in a short period of time and figured the shadow ones are a bit weak hence buying the Saint. I’ve heard of Saint main pivots going slack but mine have been fine and I’ve seen a friends bodge which is easy if mine ever go. My Saint has been on nearly a year so for me it’s worked out well, I think it’s stronger than an XT and it’s definetely tucked out of the way nicely… it’s also no heavier than an XT.

I’d probably buy another if I damage it or the SLX again…

I can’t use a road mech as I use 11-34 cassettes.

Pics here – http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/15inch-frames

cheers perth

oooh 10 speed Saint! 🙂

Whatever you buy, it will inevitably get smashed some time.

I had an XTR rear mech with all the yumea bits on it and smashed it to pieces in a matter of weeks. Swapped it for an Saint and did the same a month or so later.

Just get something short caged and cheap. I’d rather smash a mech than bend/break a frame…