I after any user experiences of the Shimano Shadow plus rear mechs. it can be any model.

I am about to go onto my third in 3 months. the first XT model was supplied without a seal around the clutch mechanism and seized solid after the first ride which was damp.

the replacement – a Zee short cage lasts about 15 miles before it is flapping around like a normal mech and needs to be adjusted. I have had this one for 2.5 months now roughly.

I am struggling to find ANY information on maintenance of these mechs, any long term user reviews etc. So i am now asking you fellow singletrackers for your experiences. Have shimano dropped a bollock with a poor design or quality control? have i been unlucky twice? am i doing something wrong?

Fire away!

mbr had a ‘how to’ on dismantling an XTR shadow plus rear mech last month – must be similar to the XT one?

no idea on longevity, though.

No problems with an xt one here….so far (3 months use)

No problems with my XTR one had it since December. It’s been used in wet weather all year.

I’ve seen the XTR breakdown what i can’t find is any sort of maintenance instructions/schedule. the Zee came filled with lithium grease, the XT nothing and the images i’ve seen of the XTR show no grease from memory.

they come supplied with no instructions, and the XT and Zee are not the same internally as the XTR, they don’t come with the little spanner (well, mine haven’t) so trail side adjustment is impossible unless i take a spanner along or some pliers (it also opens the mechanism up to the elements and contamination.)

My Zee’s a couple of months old now and still working fine. I had it apart when I first got it, just to see how it worked. It doesn’t have the built-in tool like the XTR. Haven’t had to adjust it in a few hundred km of mud, water, and freezing temps so far.