Tarheel Trailblazers Message Board - Crisp shifting: Shifter or Derailleur?

07/02/25 at 11:02pm

Tarheel Trailblazers Message Board › Mixed Bag › Gear & Tech › Crisp shifting: Shifter or Derailleur?

(Moderator: Enoch)

‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›

Pages: 1

Crisp shifting: Shifter or Derailleur? (Read 1298 times)

flynbryan19 Small Cog Offline Work Ride Tarheel Trailblazers Posts: 454 Location: Salisbury, NC Joined: 12/08/11	Crisp shifting: Shifter or Derailleur? 02/29/16 at 5:46pm	Print Post
	What is the consensus? What plays the bigger roll in crisp/fast shifting a high end shifter or derailleur. Assuming of course that the cables and housings are new/fresh. I have a X9 type2 rear derailleur with an X7 shifter on my X-Caliber. It does the job, but I was expecting crisper shifting after upgrading from the X7 rear derailleur to the X9, but it does not honestly seem much improved even after new cables/housings. Would upgrading the shifter help as well or is going to an X9 shifter more about weight/bling?
	« Last Edit: 02/29/16 at 5:50pm by flynbryan19 »
	(You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) (Attachment deleted) Bryan Sutherland
	IP Logged

traildog Big Ring Offline warning! SS carrier Posts: 1284 Joined: 05/12/05	Re: Crisp shifting: Shifter or Derailleur? Reply #1 - 02/29/16 at 5:53pm	Print Post
	IMHO, crisp shifting has more to do with the alignment of the rear derailleur with the cassette. In line with it and square to the hub mounting. Park makes a tool to align the hanger and should be available at any bike shop. I have one, but I'm in Charlotte. Also corrects other shifting issues when the derailleur is properly aligned.

	(You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) (Attachment deleted)
	IP Logged

flynbryan19 Small Cog Offline Work Ride Tarheel Trailblazers Posts: 454 Location: Salisbury, NC Joined: 12/08/11	Re: Crisp shifting: Shifter or Derailleur? Reply #2 - 02/29/16 at 6:12pm	Print Post
	One of the thing I also did was install a new hanger. Would a new hanger need aligned as well?

	(You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) (Attachment deleted) Bryan Sutherland
	IP Logged

Nuke Coaster Bike Offline Work Ride Wolfpack Trailblazer Posts: 147 Location: Fort Mill Joined: 01/21/15	Re: Crisp shifting: Shifter or Derailleur? Reply #3 - 02/29/16 at 6:24pm	Print Post
	Shifter. This article is on Shimano, but the same logic should follow for SRAM. (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links)

	(You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) (Attachment deleted)
	IP Logged

Doc00t IB Room In The Loop Project Board Offline When in DOUBT, PEDAL it OUT Posts: 1785 Location: University Joined: 05/09/12	Re: Crisp shifting: Shifter or Derailleur? Reply #4 - 02/29/16 at 10:10pm	Print Post
	flynbryan19 wrote on 02/29/16 at 6:12pm: One of the thing I also did was install a new hanger. Would a new hanger need aligned as well? Possibly. Your Local Bike shop will have one of these or you could get your own. (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links)

	(You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) (Attachment deleted) Scars are like Tattoos only with better Stories
	IP Logged

traildog Big Ring Offline warning! SS carrier Posts: 1284 Joined: 05/12/05	Re: Crisp shifting: Shifter or Derailleur? Reply #5 - 03/01/16 at 1:45am	Print Post
	flynbryan19 wrote on 02/29/16 at 6:12pm: One of the thing I also did was install a new hanger. Would a new hanger need aligned as well? yes

	(You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) (Attachment deleted)
	IP Logged

MTBman1127 Small Cog Offline Work Ride Drink Beer Posts: 469 Location: Concord Joined: 12/02/13	Re: Crisp shifting: Shifter or Derailleur? Reply #6 - 03/02/16 at 7:15pm	Print Post
	Shifter's make all the difference as far as feel goes. I have x0 shifters on my bikes and have ridden a combo of x7, x9, and x0 rear mech's and they all "feel" about the same to the finger. Main thing I notice with the higher end mechs is they don't break as easily, stay in tune better, and have firmer springs (Which with type2 and 2.1 doesn't make much difference now.

	(You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) (Attachment deleted) Triangle Pest Control - 704.698.5357 - Low Trailblazer Rates (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links)
	IP Logged

flynbryan19 Small Cog Offline Work Ride Tarheel Trailblazers Posts: 454 Location: Salisbury, NC Joined: 12/08/11	Re: Crisp shifting: Shifter or Derailleur? Reply #7 - 03/03/16 at 2:54pm	Print Post
	Well thank you all for the enlightenment. Now that its been explained honestly it makes sense. Now, with that said... Can anyone give me some personal experience with X9 shifters verses X0 shifters? Would the PERFORMANCE difference warrant the extra price? I'm riding an aluminum Trek X-Caliber, so I'm not really going weight weenie. Just looking for the best performance increase.

	(You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) (Attachment deleted) Bryan Sutherland
	IP Logged

MTBman1127 Small Cog Offline Work Ride Drink Beer Posts: 469 Location: Concord Joined: 12/02/13	Re: Crisp shifting: Shifter or Derailleur? Reply #8 - 03/03/16 at 10:37pm	Print Post
	x0 feel significantly better than x9

	(You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) (Attachment deleted) Triangle Pest Control - 704.698.5357 - Low Trailblazer Rates (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links)
	IP Logged

Pages: 1

‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›