Viewing 22 posts - 1 through 22 (of 22 total)
  • Replacing my whole drivetrain – suggestions?
  • _tom_
    Free Member

    I'm sick of skipping/improperly shifting gears so I'm going to replace the whole bloody lot! I'm not really sure what to go for. I won't have loads of money to spend initially, probably £100 or a bit more.

    Might have to leave the crankset for now but I want to replace and thus need recommendations for:

    -shifters (something a bit more bling than my plastic deore xts would be nice!)
    -derailleurs (might be able to stick with my front one though, not sure how much difference that will make – I'm running 2×9 and wondering whether a derailleur specific for this will be better than the current one)
    -cassette
    -chainrings (24-32 I think, maybe 22 granny)
    -chain

    Shimano or SRAM? I really have no idea!

    Oh and singlespeed isn't really an option sadly. I'd love to do it but I'm just not fit enough – I can barely make it up off road climbs even with a granny!

    alexxx
    Free Member

    sram everytime, smoother and stronger imo

    _tom_
    Free Member

    ok so what sram stuff should I be looking into? Looks like theres a load of types like x7, x9 etc.

    I want to buy new for peace of mind and knowing its all gonna be working 100% (after being set up by the lbs as well) but will I be ok with buying shifters second hand?

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    allthepies
    Free Member

    a whole new drivetrain for £100 ?

    Good luck with that 🙂

    holyhutzpa
    Free Member

    For 100squids, I'd do the cassette/chain/chainrings, cable outer&inner, and either jockey wheels or a new rear derailler. Shimano XT levers should be fine. Squirt some gt85 into the shifters, and soak the mechs in it too.
    Cassette/chain/chainrings could cost about 70quid altogether (for averagely priced stuff), so 100 isn't going to go far…

    aviemoron
    Free Member

    £100? Not round here you wouldn't

    warpcow
    Free Member

    What holyhutzpa said. Chainrings and cassettes cost a fair chunk and simply replacing them (and the chain, etc) and cleaning everything will make a difference.

    SRAM stuff is good. I personally prefer it to Shimano. There's little difference in function between X7-X0, it's just a matter of how bling imo. X9 is the best compromise between function and value for me.

    epicyclo
    Full Member

    OK, sounds like you are ready for single speed.

    Get a cheap conversion set and give it a month. If you don't like it by then you can flog off the conversion without losing much money (or keep it until the next time you realise how much gears are costing) 🙂

    If you dump the SS, by that time you will have learned to appreciate the benefits of a simple chainline and should be ready to buy an Alfine 🙂

    Dancake
    Free Member

    On my Banger, I hooked up a new Shadow rear mech to a new cassette/ new 36T chainring + chain with new cable inners/ outers and it made a world of difference. (like new performance even though its 8 speed with alvio shifters.) Didnt cost too much. (Or instead of replacing chainring, Deore HT2 cranset 50 quid from Merlin)

    Im actally converted to Shimano, after a sticky new X9 rear mech, a horrible Truvative BB. I dont like the long throw on the x7 front mech shifter either

    Edid. I had never heard of Alfine until a few days ago…no I have to have one

    snowpaul
    Free Member

    hmmm to piss on the sram camp – stick with shimano ! I have tried both and am back on shimano – i hated the sram shifters and clunky changes of x7. Def change the chain / cassette / chainrings n cables = sorted.

    100 = steel deore rings / cassette / chain n cables – new outer for sure = dead easy!

    paul

    Jamie
    Free Member

    £100? That is your Chainset sorted then 😉

    _tom_
    Free Member

    cheers guys, given me some food for thought. I knew a good drivetrain wouldn't be cheap! Can any of this stuff be bought second hand to save money or is it all stuff that needs to be new so it's not worn?

    OK, sounds like you are ready for single speed.

    I really like it on roads and flatter off road stuff (like the start of cannock where it's fairly flat with slight inclines) but I always find I need a granny to get up climbs especially when it gets loose or bumpy. Mind you I've never given it a proper go in SS, always geared and just trying not to change! I do already have a dmr tensioner though 🙂

    Alfine seems great but so expensive and I dunno how it'd handle jumping and rougher stuff.

    Kahurangi
    Full Member

    I wore out an entire drivetrain, it all (ok, only the chain, chainrings and acssette) needed replacing.

    Turned that bike SS. ok 33:18 isn't a big hard man's ratio, but I can get up anything my geared mates can. And faster, cos you just can't slow down or you'll fall off 😀

    However faced with the same worn out scenario on the other bike, I've been buying things in advance on the cheap.

    Cassette, 2nd hand (claimed 50 miles old) XT cassette, £25.
    New chain, £22 (though you can go a lot cheaper for chains).
    Deore 36t chainring (for dbl and bash, granny is not very worn) £13.
    Shifters, if you really do need replacements, go 2nd hand.
    Jockey wheels, £10 for some new tacx ones.
    New cables, approx £15 for some decent stainless inners and quality outers.

    hora
    Free Member

    £100 is too much. People who say its too little need to change where they shop and shop around.

    Merlin did cassette and chain specials. Interms of ring- realistically which rings do you sit in the most? Rear jockey wheels- dont believe the bollocks that you have to run expensive ones for the same mech. I put some 2004 Ultegra jockey wheels in my XTR rear mech. No problems and if you go for something like Deore etc and shop around they are cheap.

    Shifters? Secondhand pair. Mine are as old as the hills and still work fine.

    PeterPoddy
    Free Member

    a whole new drivetrain for £100 ?

    Very easily doable. You have to buy 'secondhand' and be in the right place at the right time but I got 3 new chainrings, a new chain, and very lightly used X7 mech, cassette and rear hub for £49. I have absolutely no doubt I could get an entire drive train including both mechs, shifters, chain, chainrings and cassette for well under £100.

    Indeed I currently have these bits tucked away-
    Full set Deore chainrings – £22 (new)
    Complete Deore chainset incl BB – £30 (fitted but never used)
    Deore cassette -£15 (new)
    SLX double rings with Bash – £20 (new)

    I also picked up some used but decent wheels that just needed a new freehub and a trueing for £5 (yes, five)
    and another pair with Hope Pro2 f and DT Swiss r hubs for £40. The front is on my Pitch a d the rear hub has been built into the £5 pair for the Inbred

    You need to keep your eyes peeled and pounce fast though!

    davidtaylforth
    Free Member

    Id go SS if I were you, once you get into it its fine. Give it a month though to let your legs get used to it.

    I use a 32:17 ratio, **** for on roads and flat smooth stuff, but off road its good.

    Dirtynap
    Free Member

    go 1×9 no front mech needed

    Chain ring – £17
    Mech – £25
    Shifter – £20
    cassette – £25
    chain -£10

    But could get all those bits cheaper.

    davidtaylforth
    Free Member

    I used to run 1×9, if you use a 32/11 cassette you should even have a gear for the very steepest hills.

    SLX cassette (new)
    Sram chain (new)
    Cheap chainring (new)
    x7/x9 short cage rear mech (2nd hand)
    x7/x9 rear shifter (2nd hand)

    Should be well in your budget

    _tom_
    Free Member

    1×9 absolutely nackered me when riding at the Long Mynd, had to walk a lot as I couldn't keep going in the easiest gear which was 32-32. I'm really unfit! And I don't really have problems with shifting up front (although can be a bit sluggish), it's only the cassette that skips all the time.

    For the cassette, will a Deore be fine? Can get that and a shimano chain for £30 on Merlin.

    TooTall
    Free Member

    Clean everything, change your cable inners and learn how to set gears up. XT shifters are the shifters of choice for many, hard to wear out a front mech and the rest should be replaced when it wears out.

    Park website and some patience will save you money in the long run – you sound like you need to learn how to fettle before spunking cash on something that might not be bad.

    bigyinn
    Free Member

    Why replace mechs, cranks and shifters with drivetrain?! Unless your kit is so out of date you cant get compatible bits anymore?
    Rings, chain and sprockets only surely?

    _tom_
    Free Member

    Yeah I probably don't need to replace the cranks/mechs but it'd be nice as I've had my current ones for ages!

    As for the shifters mine are just the cheapest deore ones, not XTs. They still shift but feel/look a bit cheap.

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