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Shimano
XTR M953 9-spd Cassette
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Submitted by
Jim
a Cross Country Rider
from Asheville, NC
Date Reviewed: October 11, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Bent Creek | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$150.00 | | Purchased At: | Irvine Bikesource | | Strengths: | I've just had to retire my XTR cassette because the 8th cog wore out. Too bad we can't buy the the "loose" cogs for replacement. I'm not complaining though as I got an amazing 4400 miles of trail riding on this thing since my Blur was new in 2003. I did meticulous chain maintenance and changed them once a year. | | Weaknesses: | The replacement price is crazy. Too bad individual cogs not part of the main cassette body are not available otherwise I could still be riding this cassette even after 4400 miles. | | Similar Products Used: | XT & Sram cassettes. | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Blur. Cross Max SL rims w/ceramic bearings, Vertical Pro UST tires, Thomson Elite stem w/Easton carbon riser bar. Scram XO trigger shifters, XO derailleurs, Selle Italia Flow saddle w/FSA carbon seatpost, FSA mega EXO crankset, FSA ceramic bearing bottom bracket, Hope Mono Mini discs. | | Bottom Line: | I had a great experience with my XTR cassette but I replaced it with Sram PG-990. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Cruiser
a Cross Country Rider
from Dallas, TX, US
Date Reviewed: March 18, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Over 1500 miles on mine, not a problem | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | XT, Sram, Dura Ace, Ultegra, Campy | | Bike Setup: | Always changin. Specialized Epic now | | Bottom Line: | I never post on these things, but I am amazed at the negatives on this product. Either Ive been lucky, or there is alot of misuse going on out there. On the same cassette for years without a worry. They are pricey-but titanium usually is. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave Wissenbach
a Cross Country Rider
from Tempe, AZ
Date Reviewed: April 2, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Stock on 2003 Trek Liquid 30 | | Strengths: | Lots of teeth. | | Weaknesses: | The gears bend under load. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT - no problems. | | Bike Setup: | Trek Liquid. Stock Fox Suspension front and rear. Performance Loco Wheels, wide race-face diabolis handlebars with short stem to make bicycle behave better on rocky downhills. | | Bottom Line: | The XTR Cassette is not suitable for use in the real world. The customer assistant at the bike shop (Performance in Chandler, Arizona) where I bought the replacement recommended that I buy steel XT, even though the shop also stocked the higher-priced titanium XTR in stock. According the to shop guy, about 1 in 10 of the XTR cassettes will bend before they wear out. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ian
a Racer
from San Diego, CA
Date Reviewed: January 12, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Flume | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$135.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Weight, Bling factor | | Weaknesses: | Durability | | Similar Products Used: | SHRAM, XT | | Bike Setup: | Ellsworth ID | | Bottom Line: | This is the 2nd XTR cassette I have used and both broke. The 1st broke at the spyder while cruising up a hill. I grabbed another at a LBS while on a road trip. This one shifted great and was not showing much wear but suddenly about 2" of the 32 tooth cog was gone. I was on a climb but nothing too radical. I am a clydsdale rider and that may have contributed but I will not spend $100+ on a light weight cassette again. I cannot recommend these based on value and durability. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rene Hoepelman
a Cross Country Rider
from long beach
Date Reviewed: December 20, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | dirt | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$125.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | light weight, strong, | | Weaknesses: | price is rediculous | | Similar Products Used: | sram, xt | | Bike Setup: | cross country | | Bottom Line: | With proper maintenence, common sense and finesse any cassette will last long. For all of you having problems with shifting to lower gears going up hills I would strongly suggest switching over to rapid rise. Shifting uphill or under load is not an issue and drive train parts for the most part, last a lot longer. Of course you will have to learn to shift backwards if using shimano triggers. (I am not familiar with sram shifting) I did not find that to be a problem.
The price of the xtr cassettes are way out of hand, for that reason I will be switching back to sram. I hear the ladies love the new red spindals and red lock rings. Sram cassettes are a few grams heavier at half the price of xtr with just about the same performance. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe
a Cross Country Rider
from Hantsport, Nova Scotia, Canada
Date Reviewed: February 10, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | joyride | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | online | | Strengths: | light weight, shifts well | | Weaknesses: | Expensive. No performance weaknesses | | Similar Products Used: | sram,xt | | Bike Setup: | enduro, xtr, tubeless c'max xl's, King hd set, easton c'bon, tompson stem | | Bottom Line: | Durability not an issue here. I check in at 200 plus, rides include steep technical climbs that require shifting, never had a problem. Have used for two yrs, 2/3 rides wk, 8 mos of the year, in the widely varying conditions, mud, dust, snow, ice, etc. Has minimal signs of wear. Keep your chain clean and fresh (three chains so far). Make sure your shifters are properly adjusted (another story with shimano). Would I buy another? Probably not, there are alternatives far less expensive, with equal performance. I had to try it once, racers need it light, I don't. I'm in the process of switching complete drivetrain to sram (Race Face cranks), will use current Shimano part on back up bike for buddies. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Norman
a
from Fredericton, NB
Date Reviewed: October 8, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Light, shifts well | | Weaknesses: | Durability -- bent the two largest cogs after less than 100 hours riding. | | Bike Setup: | SC Blur with full XTR | | Bottom Line: | As someone below pointed out, I could probably have extended the life of the cassette by never shifting on a climb. But my preference is to change to something more durable, add a few grams, and shift whenever I like.
I can't downgrade it too much, since you've got to expect to sacrifice some durability in exchange for light weight, but for me at least, the trade-off isn't worth it in this case. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from Chicago
Date Reviewed: September 10, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Anyting outdoors | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | online | | Strengths: | Light weight, silky smooth shifting, durability. | | Weaknesses: | Pricey. | | Similar Products Used: | XT, SRAM, LX | | Bike Setup: | Full xtr on XC bike | | Bottom Line: | Smooth shifting even on uphills. With proper maintenance, this cassette has lasted through 2 years of Pisgah, Tsali, Manastee, Yankee, and Custar, as well as winter riding through grimy snow. It works and the shifts remain smooth as silk. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
dave
a Racer
from tennessee
Date Reviewed: July 5, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | oak mountain birmingham al | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | came on bike (ebay) | | Strengths: | light, hasn't broken or bent, shifts well | | Weaknesses: | more likely to bend than xt? damn expensive new | | Similar Products Used: | xt, 8sp Lx, various | | Bike Setup: | caad 4 (c-dale), ust crossmax, thomson post, easton ec90, roox cranks, phil wood bb, ti flite, pythons, egg beaters, sram x/o | | Bottom Line: | This cassette came on an almost year old bike, I purchased almost two years ago. It has survived about twenty races and countless training rides and crashes. I know that any product line contains variance in quality (I think i got lucky in that respect), but in a nutshell i believe 95% of cassette problems are caused by poor shifting technique. The other 5% might be poor mechanic skills (chain is stretched beyond spec or derailluer needs adjusting) and poor quality from the factory.
DON'T SHIFT WHILE GRINDING UPHILL... Do shift while pedaling easy just before and until after the shift is complete.
This is a lightweight component best for experienced racers.
Beginner and intermediate riders should not waste their money. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mick
a Cross Country Rider
from Los Angeles,Ca
Date Reviewed: November 23, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Chumash | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$130.00 | | Purchased At: | Came with Cannondale Jekyll | | Strengths: | Lightweight, and that's the only positive I can think of. Can we say stupid light......... | | Weaknesses: | Bent large cogs. shifting performance is sub par and that's an understatment. Pricey. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT, older 8 spd XTR , Dura Ace and Ultegra. | | Bike Setup: | 2003 Cannodale Jekyll 3000. New XTR Group, Mavic Crossmax
Lefty fork with Fox Shox. | | Bottom Line: | Shimano needs to recall this product. It's spoiling there XTR rep for quality products. I have used Shimano components for 17 years and the XTR line has been for the most part top notch. I went ahead and returned the item to my Cannondale dealer and had it replace with an XT 11/32 cassette with some $100 of credit left over. The XT cassette shift great....... | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bob Birmingham
a Cross Country Rider
from Belle Mead, NJ USA
Date Reviewed: October 13, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Wawayanda (Northern NJ) | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Looks totally trick, but looks can deceive... | | Weaknesses: | Weak...period... Busted the big cog on a moderate climb, not even cranking full torque... | | Bike Setup: | 2003 Cannondale Jekyll 2000 with full XTR gear setup. | | Bottom Line: | BIG DISAPPOINTMENT!!! I am with the others on this... This cassette is WEAK!!! I have only been riding my Jekyll for a few weeks, and to not bend, but BREAK a cog the way this one broke is unbelievable... Never have I seen a freewheel/cassette get trashed so easily. I am having it replaced (by Cannondale under warranty), but I fear I will trash the next one. I am a 220 lb XC rider with above average torque-ability, but nothing that should cause this kind of total metal failure... Hey, welcome to the world of XTR... I am starting to hear all the pro-XT stories and believing them... I suspect before the end of the year I will have "downspec'ed" to XTs.....
Shimano???? How 'bout "Shame-an-you"..... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gary White
a Cross Country Rider
from London, UK
Date Reviewed: September 8, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Old Springs Trail, Marin, Ca | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$130.00 | | Purchased At: | London, UK | | Strengths: | Light weight, that's it | | Weaknesses: | Shifting no better than XT, wears out in 300 miles of XC use, big cogs bend, burred teeth after 2 15 mile XC rides in dry conditions | | Similar Products Used: | XT, LX cassettes | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Superlight A, Mavic XL Crossmax UST wheels, Fox Float RLC 100mm forks, Race Face cranks and rings, XTR mechs and shifters, Hope Mini brake set | | Bottom Line: | Go for XT at almost a third of the price. No reason to use the XTR at all. It sucks (no pun intended. The XT shifts fine and can last over 1000 miles (though I'd always say change at 500 miles for serious XC users)for about $50 or less. Use with Race Face as a top line set-up | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mike
a Racer
from wisconsin
Date Reviewed: July 12, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | light and looks | | Weaknesses: | works itself loose on my rolf wheels and it has been bent on the outer rings | | Similar Products Used: | xt, lx, titanium clogs custom made at a metal casting and machining plant (i know the owner he does it for free kik ass)
| | Bike Setup: | specialized sworks m4, all xtr, rolf domlite wheels, michellin tires, milled ti clog, titanium handlebars and seatpost, sid fork, srp bolt kits | | Bottom Line: | this clog sux for a shimano
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bram Dally
a Cross Country Rider
from Puyallup Wa
Date Reviewed: January 11, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | Pricepoint | | Strengths: | lightweight | | Weaknesses: | flimsy, high priced | | Similar Products Used: | older XTR and XT cogsets | | Bike Setup: | Palomino Team | | Bottom Line: | With less than a month of use I puked the large cog on a simple steep climb on a dry clean trail. In retrospect, I suspect that this cog had started to fail earlier as the shifting into the largest cog had lost it's sharpness. This cog simply bent from torque. If you take a good look at the design, it doesn't require a rocket scientist to see that this thing would not likely work for any aggresive rider over 140 pounds. I've always been a big fan of Shimano and have serious issues with most of the shots taken at them. This thing, however, is garbage. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andrew Klauser
a Cross Country Rider
from Feldafing
Date Reviewed: August 21, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Strengths: | low weight | | Weaknesses: | good sound shifting as long as it holds out | | Similar Products Used: | xtr, xt, lx, all of the good ol' eight type | | Bike Setup: | Trek OCLV pro issue | | Bottom Line: | Well, in principle the nine cog XTR cassette is no better and no worse than the eight cog. In my opinion, the 3x9=27 gear system is just a marketing gag to force people who lost their soul to high end stuff to buy the whole set of shifting gear instead of just the part that needs to be replaced. The loss in safety (me = 220lbs) and in precision is not made up by just one additional gear that nobody needs, anyway. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Woody
a Cross Country Rider
from Belvidere, NJ
Date Reviewed: June 5, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Allamuchy | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$90.00 | | Strengths: | light, crisp shifting | | Weaknesses: | price, strength | | Similar Products Used: | XT | | Bike Setup: | Sycip custom Reynolds 853 Hardtail, XTR Cranks, Gripshift, Thomson, etc | | Bottom Line: | This cluster shifts as good as XT, no better.
It is very light, but not durable.
Must've thrown the chain into the spokes 6 times since I had the cluster. I finally got frustrated and purchased an XT. When I put the XTR cluster flat on a table, I saw the source of my problems. The largest cog had bent, enough to throw the chain into the spokes. Totally not acceptable. Light weight at the expense of durability is insane. This is what Keith Bontrager calls "stupid light"
I'm pretty much a small rider (155 lbs)and am amazed that I was able to torque this cog enough to permanently bend it. Apparently, Titanium makes great frames, and lousy gear cogs. I know XTR is meant as the "all out racing no holds barred" group. But I can't imagine all these strong riders racing on this cluster and then having to buy a new one for the next race (unless they're sponsored by Shimano).
Don't waste your money. Go with XT, or even LX. Shifting is great across the board, just depends how much you want to spend, and how much of a weight weenie you are.
I learned my lesson! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Will
a Weekend Warrior
from Denver, CO
Date Reviewed: April 26, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$95.00 | | Strengths: | Light | | Weaknesses: | Shipped with crack | | Similar Products Used: | Other shimanos | | Bottom Line: | Got the cassette and was ready to install when I noticed a crack in one of the titanium rings. So its shipping back to pricepoint and wait for a new one. Meanwhile I ride my old bike. If this is indicative of what I can expect, Im going to Sram or XT. For $100, I expect a perfect cassette. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mtber
a Weekend Warrior
from New Jersey
Date Reviewed: March 31, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | The Next trail I ride | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Looks, Ratio of gearing & Smooth shifting Durabity will be evaluated at years end, however it appears to be very well made! | | Weaknesses: | None so far | | Similar Products Used: | STX | | Bike Setup: | Giant AC Air Lite | | Bottom Line: | Great Product, works great with XTR rear derailer & No Miss shifts! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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