or have I just been unlucky with my experiences?

Mech 1 – Shadow XT when they had just come out. 6 days riding and the tension spring goes (on the DH bike)
Mech 2 – Shadow XT (warranty replacement for the first one) bends at the extra link after not a lot of riding (still on the DH bike)
Mech 3 – Shadow SLX……. erm not actually sure what happened to this one, but I no longer have it!
Mech 4 – Shadow+ SLX twisted to buggery after 4 rides. Admittedly it did hit a root/stump, but it was far from a hard hit and it actually looks like the main body is twisted rather than the link.

On the other hand my, supposedly weak, SRAM stuff seems to last for ages. So is it just my luck are do others feel the same way?

My shadow XT is still going strong after 3 years and has outlived 2 mech hangers.

SRAM stuff seems to last for ages

My mate who rides a lot told me he would never have another SRAM system as it didn’t last.

Wierd eh?

I’ve broken 2 x X0 rear mechs within 2 years. Won’t be buying another.

I guess we all have different experiences with different kit. It’s mostly just chance.

So in summary, you’ve had a spring failure, destroyed 2 by hitting stuff and sold one. Hardly a reason to call them fragile ?

Pretty sure mech 3 died too, can’t remember ever selling a mech…..

Given that they’ve all died in a short time, versus my last two Sram mechs (one on the DH bike, 3 years old and going strong and the XC one that had to go after 2 years) and an assortment of normal Shimano mechs, yes they do seem to be fragile or (as orginally stated) I’ve just been strangely unlucky with them

I’ve never found them flimsy but they’re a wee bit more highly strung than SRAM… SRAM ones seem to have a margin of error, the pivots wear, you can bash them off rocks, have the springs wear, bend then straighten then bend them again and they still basically work. Shimano seem more durable in the first place, but less accepting of damage/wear.

Discounting the few years riding before I got properly into mtb’ing – in 16 yrs I’ve only gone through 4 rear mechs and two of those still work. One of them was sram and I’d be hesitant about buying another tbh.

My x9 mech exploded as I was coasting along. 😯
Replaced it with shimano.

I did that to two Shimano mechs a few years back 🙂

Remind me why we’re not all riding gearbox bikes yet??

I broke three XT shadow mechs in one expensive summer when they first came out (5 years ago?). Mostly knocked on rocks, one whilst ‘Just riding along’. The fourth one lasted me 5 years and was replaced because after several thousand miles it had just worn out. No complaints from me – I don’t think they’re flimsy, no.

Remind me why we’re not all riding gearbox bikes yet??

Cost, weight and the need for a specific frame maybe?

Well, cost and frame availability are down to the fact that very few people have adopted the technology yet.

Weight is debatable – frame-mounted gearboxes can move sprung weight to non-sprung weight which would help. Of more concern (to me) is efficiency and reliability. I would guess this is not up to derailleur-level yet.

I reckon it’s the noise coming from that shit bike of yours causing the failures, get something with moar Carbonz!

i dont think shimano stuff is flimsy, rock strikes or being dropped onto that side can break any mech.
i will say my experience* of sram shifters is not so positive, they seem to wear a bit earlier than shimano stuff.
so i guess the answer is no.

*mate owns/runs the lbs.

they look flimsy and I was sceptical when I got mine (when they were newfangled), but its 5 years old now and has survived big foreign mountain trips (Spain, Rockies, India) as well as British stuff. Could do with new jockey wheels 😳 and probably got some play but its got through the last 5 years crashes better than I have 🙄