SLX. Is it just me?

Or does everybody seem to bee going for SLX kit now? A couple of months ago nobody would have touched LX gear but now SLX is everywhere. Im seeing it on top end builds that would have previously used XTR.

So why is everybody using it?

Because its got really good reviews, and its more rugged ‘all-mountain’ rather than lightweight ‘xc race’ so more durable/useful/better value for most people. Think my next purchases will be slx once my current stuff has broken.

i just got the slx disc brakes and love everything about them, the look the feel the power, way better than any LX ive had before.

As said above, the reviews point to it being a considerable amount stronger than LX, which was to the most part, as strong as chocolate (brakes being the exception in my opinion). 6 months after I bought my LX kitted bike, many parts had worn out/broken, whereas I know plenty of riders who have been running SLX for a similar amount of time and riding much harder than I was back then and the kit is still going strong.

I have specc’ed SLX where possible on my current build.

i bought a full slx groupset
within a month i had ditched and sold the dual chainset.
36/22 is not a good ratio imho.

and to be honest it works or feels no better than deore stuff.
we all do it but from now on people

DO NOT BELIEVE THE HYPE.

People/companies “downgrading” from XTR to offset well-documted price-hikes? Or everyone realising that SLX is damn good VFM, all things considered. Trickle-down tech from XT, price from LX, looks from XTR, some unique-to-SLX features that’ll be appearing on next years XT, “sensible” spec such as steel middle rings…all whilst weighing only a fraction more than XT. What’s not to like?

It works, it looks good, it’s pretty light, it’s pretty strong etc etc.

From what I’ve seen, every component of SLX is significantly lighter than the equivalent LX was, looks better, is supposedly stronger, is/was about the same price (pre Shimano price hikes at least). It’s just about as good as XT in most areas, yet is quite a bit cheaper. For the most part, LX did not suggest any significant improvements over Deore for the extra dosh, whereas SLX is significantly better in just about every area.

There’s an element of the fashion about it too though, which depending on how you look at it is either a good thing or a bad thing. Personally, I thought LX looked old hat, SLX is a good breath of fresh air.

I don’t like the grey. XT silver matches stuff better.

Deore LX… or XT Hmmmm…. SLX is still LX to me

SLX = Hone, no?

But Hone = black LX

ergo ex nunc SLX

Ton – what is a good chainring combination in your opinion? 😕

been running 36/22 for about 8 years now – finally Shimano catch up 😉

jimmy – Member

SLX = Hone, no?

But Hone = black LX

ergo ex nunc SLX

Don’t wish to sound like I work for Shimano or anything, but I think you’ll find SLX is quite a considerable change from either LX or Hone in most departments. The cranks for instance have cromo axles instead of the weaker ally ones, and the 2 ring setup has steel reinforced pedal inserts too. The brakes have got the same servo wave action that the new XTs have. The SLX shifters are widely regarded as better than the current XT ones as they are more ergonomic.

SLX is more like XT with a slightly less well polished finish, and about 3% more weight. I’m impressed with it so far!

Waiting for my new bike which will be SLX all over. It cost a hundred quid cheaper than XT which is what I’ve had before.

To be honest I’ve had deore components that work as well as XT, so personally I think it’s as much about setup and looking after the gear, than buying what’s meant to be the pimpier version.

GW
good old 22/32/42

i need to winch, but like to stay in the middle ring.

I nearly always buy XT – had one rear mech for 4 years and then the replacement for 4 weeks (!), I basically got an SLX rear mech because of the price hikes

Sorry, but why you don’t like to use the wee ring?

I liked the look of SLX when it came out, but stuck with XT due to having having no probs with previous XT kit. Plus got a cracking groupset deal from Merlin last year before the price hikes came in.

GW
no idea
just feel comfier in 32/32.

and do not tell me that 22/18 or 20 is the same…

it is a cadence/feel thing.

Ugly chainset. ugly lumpy shifters and brake levers. Crap colour

ton, there is no 20T cog on a 9spd MTB cassette. Well none of mine anyway. There’s 24/21/18 though.

22/24 is a bit easier than your 32/32, 22/21 the tiniest fraction harder (though you’d not notice), and obviously 22/18 a bit harder still.

You’re better off knocking the front mech into the granny ring earlier on on a climb, and using more cogs further down the cassette whilst the climb is easier. Then as it toughens, knock it up one cog at a time on the back. This is a far better option than keeping on mashing 32/32 as it gives you more bail out options, cos as everyone knows front mechs don’t like shifting down to the granny ring very much when under load.

I’m with GW, good that Shimano finally start making sensibly ratioed twin ring setups (22/32 is IMO not enough spread). The 24/36 I used to run for a while was superb, the biggest problem was the raceface BB was absolute shite, and I couldn’t wait to get rid so I could use Shimano HT2 cranks.

fair enough!
oh, and I’m not stupid, 22/22, 24/24or 34/34 would be the same 😉

mboy

i missed a 😀 on my reply.

but i like what i like. 32/32 for climbs rocks my boat..

mboy?
not tried the new SLX yet, but didnt LX have a steel axel a well? No that it makes much difference. How many bent/snapped HTII axels have you seen? Seen one bent XT arm on a DH bike but thats about it.

IMO
good marketing by shimano HQ, the conversation may have gone something like this:
-no one buy LX, lets get rid of it
-but what about those who want to spend exaclty £15 more than a deore chaiset and exactly £15 less than an XT one (ish)
-hmmmm, i know we’ll make a new gropset, something quick and snapy like SRAM gearing.
-LX?
-no dont be sily, that wot apeal to all those marketing bullturd believeing all mountain riders
-super LX?
-by jove batman, youve got it,
– but how wil we print it in scufftastic places like cranarm,
– very well abreviate it to SLX, now wheres my saki/sushi/rice/insert mildly offensive japanese cultural food referance here)

(Spoon- stil running a 2 generation old LX mech and hant died as a result)

ooh wow you’re just, like, so cynical and cool. 😛

anyway given the huge numbers of cheep cranks that end up on ebay as a result of all these re-models, the only silly people paying over the odds for a slight performance adantage are th ones buying new 🙂

got SLX crank&shifters,wicked…gonna buy next 1 next wk

I’ve got an SLX chain set on my pitch and love it, however I built my Handjob with Full LX gearing as that’s what i could afford (gotta love Merlin) and as far as I’m concerned it’s great, nice feel to the shifters, mechs works really well and the brakes are good too.

I do have a Race Face XC Crankset on there though (again mega cheap).

The SLX will suit the “look” of certain bikes but not others.

I have to say I think I prefer 22/34, rather than 22/36 dunno why, I just do.

I agree with tony re the gearing. I think a big ring big cog feel better than small small even when same gear inches. Often wondered if its in the head but sure feels more fluid to me

26-38 is the way forward!

Im running 26/36 on my FS and 22/36 on my HT. I find the 26 is much more usable than a 22.

Staying in the middle ring and using the biggest sprocket at the back is a fair bit less efficient, cos of the extreme chain line.

why do people replace cranks anyway? apart from the fashion/weight issue.
I have got some original HT11 LX cranks which are scuffed to death but are fine. I have replaced all the rings and bearings at various times but can’t see any point in replacing the cranks as the weight saving won’t make much difference to my glacial progress.

SLX to me looks a bit ugly. But I suppose as it’s marketed as the ‘light all mountain’ type groupset it’s fashionable. I’ve no doubt that a few of you warrant a more burly groupset, but I suspect the majority will get it because it’s new, or they’re clumsy.

I’m with NickC on this

i think it looks shite, but if it keeps the ‘all mountain’ wannabes happy who am i to complain?

FOG I have replaced many square taper and ISIS cranksets because they have rounded and cant be ridden. Never had a problem with HT2. A mate of mine has replaced his Raceface x type cranks because the used to go through BBs every couple of weeks (shimano bbs too) with a XT crank and has never had any problems.

How many bent/snapped HTII axels have you seen?

None in the flesh. But I have seen stripped splines (my old Hone crank) and stripped pedal threads (my mate’s XT crank). Not to mention cheesy pressed alloy rings that get chainsuck after 3 rides, and black anodising that quickly wears off (Hone again). The new SLX chainset sorts all of these out.

I suspect the majority will get it because… they’re clumsy.

Oh yes. 🙂 But really, if you’re riding bikes off-road, they should be able to take a pasting.

there are some comical replies on here…

New XT is different to old XT in all the same ways SLX is different to old LX, if they hadnt added the S to LX then all these changes still would have happended as they rolled out the new brake/mech updates, so how people can go on about it being ‘better than LX quality’ is hilarious. The only real difference is the Dual ring SLX chainset and specific front mech, but they could have just left that as Hone. All just about branding isnt it really.

SLX is just Shimano tweaking its product line to match the current market segments that the Marketing Fairies have come up with over the past few years.

It’s a shame to see LX go, but then I never really saw much of it on peoples bikes. It seems to me that the majority went for Deore or XT. SLX is just a nice way for Shimano to align a product range with the All Mountain segment and squeeze a bit more money out of people who would have previously gone for Deore.

The trouble with XT for Shimano is that it is too good. The only parts of my entire drivetrain that get changed are the chainrings (which are TA), the chain (SRAM) and the cassette. Everything else lasts and lasts.