Clutchy mechs- SRAM vs Shimano

Rather thinking out loud here, I’m slowly diminishing my 9-speed kit so sooner or later I’ll want 10-speed for the hemlock. It’ll still be 2 ring I reckon.

Traditionally, I like SRAM, for the clunk. But Shimano cleverly copied the SRAM clunk when they went 10-speed, and my 10-sp Saint/XT setup feels every bit as lovely as my old 9-speed X9.

Also, I have Formula brakes and I like matchmakers- SRAM will work with this, Shimano won’t. But all in all I’ve heard more about shadow+ than type 2, and I’ve been very impressed with the saint/xt combo on the Ragley…

So… Anyone actually compared the two?

I have had an X9 gear set up with clutch rear mech but moved to XT. I didn’t like the way SRAM shifters were positioned and the XT has a louder Thunk, and much smoother (read lighter) shifting.
I personally prefer Shimano, not much help but there it is!

Jay

Not strictly related to the question. But Pinkbike recently did a review of the Zee clutch mech. Within the comments there was a detailed mod with linked photos of how to make the 10sp clutch mech work with a 9sp SRAM shifter. It was simply by using a 0.25inch spacer on the cable retaining bolt.

Anyway thought it may be of interest.

[luddiet]Monkey boy,have you got a link to that,I can’t find it[/luddite]

Pinkbike article

The person who made the comments was called jwick, his profile contains photos Jwick profile[/url]

It sounds like the pull ratio of a 9sp SRAM shifter is very close to that of a 10sp rear mech, and this simple mod corrects this small difference.

The Zee setup is designed for 1 x10 specifically, I have used it with this and tried 2 x10 on a hard tail. So far the 2 x 10 does not work so well, suggestions welcome from anyone who has used it successfully.
Richard

The sram ones are known to cause cables to snap from the increased pressure the lack of movement puts on them. This from a sram service tech I know.

Well shimano use the same cable and similar pressure So surly the same situation

The sram ones are known to cause cables to snap from the increased pressure the lack of movement puts on them. This from a sram service tech I know.

That’s interesting, when I got a bike with SRAM 10spd, I went through loads of cables in a short time. I changed the inners & outers but it kept happening. I have run Shimano for over a year now & no cable issues.

Co-incidence? Maybe, but i’ve never snapped a gear cable before, or since.

I think shimano are more reliable. Sram only seems reliable from x0. This is my experience at least.

I recently bought the sram clutch Mech and hated it and promptly sold it (to a guy on here who all ready has one and loves it) I have now purchased xt clutch and I think it’s much better, easy to fit and just works,incidentally I usually prefer sram to shimano in the shifting department but in this instance I think shimano have it spot on.

shimano is the only option isn’t it?

That’s quite interesting, I’ve got all the bits needed to bodge up a 9/10 speed hybrid, might try that first. I like hte extra ratios of 10-speed for single ring but only benefit I can see for dual ring or downhill is the clutch. Commence bodge!

Cheers folks!

You can use matchmakers with Shimano. I use them with 10 speed m660 SLX shifters and M980 XT shifters, both with formula brakes, but you have to buy the optional XT ispec bracket as the standard XT shifter bracket will not work.

I offered up an i-spec Saint to my Formulas and it could be convinced to fit with a bit of machining but didn’t fit as standard. Decided not to get into it in the end, still an option but more faff than I can be bothered with tbh. Cheers though!

Recently moved from 9 speed X9 mech and X0/X9 (on different bikes) shifter to 10 speed XT Shadow+ mech and XTR shifter. Much much prefer the SRAM shifter, I find I accidently shift twice on the Shimano.

But it was expensive, so not changing back. Plus the SRAM 10speed stuff looks rubbish.

Aye, I tried an XTR shifter, hated it tbh- the too-light feel combined with the doubleshift just doesn’t work for me at all.

FWIW the Saint shifter is the same quality but has a more positive feel, makes the XTR feel broken.

*Too lazy to look* Can you get Saint shifter with iSpec mount?

Aye. Not that cheap mind, wee bit less than XTR.

Well shimano use the same cable and similar pressure So surly the same situation

Not that I’ve heard of from anyone though I do see your logic.

I’m running a 1×10 with a Saint shifter and a Zee clutch mech. Its been fautless so far, and i came from a Sram 1×9 set up.

Northwind – if you try this bodge, please report back on how well it works.

Thanks.

Duane… – Member
*Too lazy to look* Can you get Saint shifter with iSpec mount?

Bike-components.de have the zee shifter with i-spec which might be a nice alternative

Will do monkey boy- will probably need to wait til after the snow as my test mule is also my snow bike!

Looking at the parts (an XTR rather than a Zee but it’s the same principle) I reckon it’ll work, btw. I’m really quite annoyed, I put a bit of thought into modifying shifters with a new drum to change the ratio, but never even looked at the other end 😳

Brian Lopes runs XTR mech and SLX shifter for the same reason that he doesn’t like accidently double shifting all the time when he had an XTR shifter.
Personally I’ve always been a SRAM guy but my latest bike came fitted with Saint and I’ve had no problems with it at all.

Tom Kp

Hope matchmakers will take shimano shifters and maybes fit the formula levers?

I’m really hopeful this bodge is going to work. I’m not too fussed on having 10 speed but a clutch mech would be nice. Can’t quite justify the purchase yet though as my current mech is fine.

I’ve just done the same sram x9 – shimano slx shadow plus. mech is much better but prefer the sram shifter. gear shifting while braking I find much easier with the sram. slx looks nicer though

Am I the only one who thinks it makes it feel like your cables are shagged? Surely it can’t be good for the shifter internals lifespan, even if it will pump up replacement shifter sales.

coatesy – Member

Am I the only one who thinks it makes it feel like your cables are shagged?

Err, yep. Feel is barely any different to 10-speed without a clutch. Can’t see how it’s bad for the shifters really either, the difference in lever pressure isn’t that much (similiar to an old Saint, which lasted forever)

Read this..

http://www.blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/shimano-xt-vs-sram-x9-clutch-derailleur-systems

or if you CBA, the answer is Shimano.

read somewhere you can run a shimano 10speed clutch mech 9speed using SRAM ESP 9spd shifters, haven’t tried so can’t confirm if the ratio is the same.

Ps. Lopes is a dick!

Cheers- his deciding issue seems to be the multiple shift tbh, which is orrible, and with being able to turn off the clutch to save “finger fatigue” whatever that is… Seems to like both much the same in how they work.

Well, hopefully the 9/10 speed bodge will work out and it becomes a nonissue.

Hope matchmakers will take shimano shifters and maybes fit the formula levers?

They won’t
I tried with mine when I swopped brakes, bolt size on formulas is alot smaller than the hopes

OK, wee update, finally got around to having a play with the 9/10 speed setup, using a (non-clutch) XTR rear and an old X9 shifter. Stuck with the 9sp chain to match the cassette.

First obvious thing- it does kinda sorta work as standard. I can see why people think it does work- it’s no worse than a lot of people’s shifting is normally. If you set it up so that it shifts perfectly at one end it’s far enough out to not really work at the other, but if you set it up to work perfectly in the middle then the ends are flaky but not outright useless. Sort of end-of-the-muddy-ride.

So, on with the 1/4 inch of spacer. And it’s definitely better. I didn’t get it running perfect, partly because the cable kept pulling out of my bodgy spacer and I got annoyed. I’m not quite convinced the 1/4 is right, I need to spend a bit more time actually watching it go. But I’m reasonably sure that it’ll work, now.

Oh yeah and the 9-speed chain seems perfectly happy in a 10-speed mech. I might see if I have a suitable length 10-speed chain to try on the 9-speed cassette.