Read something earlier where there was a suggestion that Shimano recognise that some XTR components are not as durable as XT. XTR is all about ultimate performance at any cost.

It seems a reasonable suggestion but…
…does anyone know if it’s true?
…which bits does it apply to?

Are XTR shifters or rear mech expected to last less well that XT?

Nope, XTR seems pretty solid, as durable as XT.

Carbon cage on rear mechs.
Titanium sprockets on cassettes.
Magnesium calipers/master cylinder on brakes.

I’ve never thought any XTR I’ve had was less durable, but you can only run one mech at a time.

I appreciate a carbon cage might be more fragile, but that’s different from being less durable.

Hit it with a stick.

Maybe, but it’s worth noting they offer a 3 year warranty on XTR stuff and 2 on everything else.

Yeah, never had any issues on durability with xtr over ‘lesser’ groupsets, same with xx1 vs x01 vs x1 SRAM stuff.

That’s why it’s expensive, there’s no compromise.

Not XTR but my XX1 drivetrain has been by far my most robust drivetrain.

XTR is all about ultimate performance at any cost.

That’s how it should be IMO but I think they know the market and build appropriately. I used to work in motorsport making parts for various teams (f1, rally, Dakar, indy) and that really was performance at any cost. If you put it in a road car and gave it to an average driver it wouldn’t last long at all. Very different application

Would think the warranty says otherwise. I’ve found my xtr drivetrain stuff fantastically durable, both 10s and now 11.

@nickjb

I don’t think XTR stuff should be uktra-light, fail as you cross the line optimised, who the hell would buy it?

There’s a place for that sort of stuff and it’s with factory supported race teams.

XTR is top of the line, but it’s still consumer stuff.

Lower-end cassettes used to last longer because they were steel, but not sure what the current XTR one is made out of.

My xtr trail brakes both failed in less than 3 months use. Never had an issue with deore, xt or zee brakes. The zee brakes were better in every way apart from weight. Xtr clutch mech lasted about as long as the rest so no grumbles with that (eventually replaced with saint/one up cage after killing a zee mech a month for far too long!). Used to love the old xtr cranks but no experience of the newer ones.

IMO Shimano should be the ultimate performance first durableility second , and that inc weight.

But it seems Shimano go for a sensible weight with good durability.

You can get lighter cassettes and cranks etc but few that work

You can get lighter cassettes……. etc but few that work

Xx1, x01, x1… all very durable…

Oldskool XTR outlasted many of the trails we rode.

Yep, cassette is the only bit I can think of where durability is compromised, but even then it’s done in such a way as to make minimal real world difference – i.e. Only largest sprockets are ti.

Whatever happened to XTR+, the white and gold shit?

Shimano Yumeya

it was minging (where I used to work had boxes of it in the back!)

YumYumeya 😛

EDIT- didn’t sell then?

I’m a fan of XTR and have used every edition of it over the years (I still have a perfectly functional M900 group on one bike). I do wish they’d never gone to carbon for mech cages though, rather than bend a bit and maybe bend it back to get home, they tend to explode, I have the remains of m972, m980 and m986 mechs!* Haven’t done a m9000 yet but its time will come!
*yes I know you can buy replacement cages, but crazy prices, might as well buy a whole new mech.

😆 I had the reservoir covers. They saved 3grams…

Also had the chain, that was pretty good actually, and cheaper than xx1 is now, few riding buddies still use them, having stockpiled.

Oh I remember that stuff, mega expensive jewellery for mega expensive stuff, mostly design to be throw down trails being pelted by rain, wind and stones – surprisingly not a big seller…

I still use m960 spds and m980 brakes (tbf they are a bit triggers broom with only the lh lever being original!!)

They never did M960 pedals did they? m959s and M970s, which were the first XTR branded offerings.

must be 970’s….hard to tell as there’s no paint left on them!Retired my m960 (chopped and polished) cranks as I could’nt get a nw 102bcd ring 😥