PSA- Don't bother with expensive front mechs - Bike Forum

Re: PSA- Don't bother with expensive front mechs

WillC9999 — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 08:23:58 +0000

I have thought about using a single chainring. I already reduced to a double after deciding that £40 was a lot to spend on a ring I rarely used and spent most of its time acting as a circular saw for logs.
Now I run 22/36 with a 11-32 cassette. Not sure I could bin another one though, at least not without ruining my knees/walking, or spinning out.

Re: PSA- Don't bother with expensive front mechs

oldgit — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 18:58:44 +0000

I've not read this etc etc, but.
The front mech does a huge amount of work, often shifting from 22 to 44 in one go. No easy life here like the rear mech. It's amazing how many folk overlook the importance of this piece of kit.
The dearer kit IME has been far superior on and off road.

They're almost exactly the same!

Except the mechanical bit, which isn't the same at all.

Also agree with top clamps being better. Plus with a top clamp you get less debris build up in the B/B area

Re: PSA- Don't bother with expensive front mechs

thisisnotaspoon — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 18:45:10 +0000

+1 for old mechs being far better

On the other hand I was quite disappointed with my new SLX rear. Fitted an XT to the Pitch but got a SLX for the hardtail, lots of pressed steel where the XT was machined aluminum. The XT just didn't look cheep.

Will it be £10 better/worse? No idea, I rarely get long enough out of them to notice these days!

Re: PSA- Don't bother with expensive front mechs

molgrips — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 18:13:42 +0000

Can't see why anyone needs any more than 8/9/10 gears anyhow...

You don't necessarily, but the spread is handy. Are you new to this biking stuff? :)

But if you can race XC on a 1x drivetrain, race enduro on a 1x drivetrain,

Er, you can do those things, and pros probably do. But they are pros, most of us are not. What a silly comment!

Re: PSA- Don't bother with expensive front mechs

br — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 17:21:49 +0000

But if you can race XC on a 1x drivetrain, race enduro on a 1x drivetrain, and race dh on a 1x drivetrain, and it is comfortable enough for general day-to-day stuff, I can't see why anyone needs a front mech.

To reduce the amount of time you walk?

Re: PSA- Don't bother with expensive front mechs

loddrik — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 17:18:02 +0000

Can't see why anyone needs any more than 8/9/10 gears anyhow...

Re: PSA- Don't bother with expensive front mechs

nicko74 — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 17:09:35 +0000

PSA- Don't bother with expensive front mechs
This sounds like a Viz guide. As in "when your pet pig gets injured, just put bacon over the wound"

"don't bother with expensive front mechs, just shift the chain with your fingers!"

Re: PSA- Don't bother with expensive front mechs

getonyourbike — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 16:57:32 +0000

I've actually come to the decision to go 1x10 and just change chainrings depending on what I'm riding. Screw a front mech, get a Sraitline Silent Guide :-)

Re: PSA- Don't bother with expensive front mechs

continuity — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 16:53:36 +0000

This argument takes us to a singlespeed which is not sane!

Or actually practical for much of your riding.

Re: PSA- Don't bother with expensive front mechs

bigyinn — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 10:44:42 +0000

A lot depends on the mech design with shimano.
Top clamp / bottom swing seem to last a LOT longer than the bottom clamp / top swing which seem to go rattly a lot quicker.
From my own experience the cheaper bottom clamp ones do go rattly a lot quicker than XTs. I've got a 10 yo XT top clamp that is still going strong with no play in it.