If you don't feel like waiting for Chainlove its parent company Competitive Cyclist has medium and long cage Shimano XT Shadow Plus derailleurs for $70 with free shipping.

Actually, that may be cheaper than Chainlove because of the free shipping.

Jefe, what is a derailleur?



J/K. I have read numerous times that 1x9 needs no more than a short cage, although a medium might be a better choice if you suspect some day you will want a 2nd chain ring.

If you're *just* replacing the RD, I would add a +1 to the X9, simply because when I had it on my GT it never, EVER failed to shift properly. AFAIK the guy who has my GT now (my BIL) has never had shifting issues.

However, if you're doing a complete drive train upgrade (replacing ring, cassette & chain as well), that Zee in a 1x10 configuration looks really attractive.

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"Those skilled at the unorthodox are infinite as heaven and earth, inexhaustible as the great rivers."
— Tzun Tzu

I suppose Shimano vs. Sram is a bit like Ford vs. Chevy - Canon vs. Nikon etc. etc.....
But, here's another vote for X9 - no slips, drips, or errors on my 3x9 - there is a type 2 (clutch) X9 now if going 1or2x10. I recently upgraded my shifters (*new* take-offs bought on ebay - cheep!) from X7 to X0 and that made a world of difference -super crisp and accurate.

My SRAM X9 med cage rear D just will not die. I've had it over 5 years now, and it has moved across multiple bikes. It still shifts just as good as it did on day 1.

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Velo Ergo Endo

Thanks for the great advice, everyone. I'm leaning toward a SRAM X9 rear DR and an X9 shifter. I've heard a lot of good stuff about SRAM, so I think I'll give it a try. Given the type of riding I do, I think I'm going to stick with 1x9 and not lay down the extra scratch for a "clutch" DR and for converting to 1x10.

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A bicycle is a splendid thing.
~Ernest Hemingway

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"Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and
feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize
fishing is stupid and boring."
--Desmond Tutu

I have no dog in this fight, but is that video fair? As one of the comments stated: "You can't compare an old shimano deore long derailleur to a latest sram xO, its just not right."

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Obama's America: Our enemies don't fear us; our allies don't trust us.

That's why I didn't give that vid any intro at all.

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"Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and
feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize
fishing is stupid and boring."
--Desmond Tutu

Yeah, but you posted it. If it's apples to oranges, it's apples to oranges. Just sayin'.

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Obama's America: Our enemies don't fear us; our allies don't trust us.

Either way, those are clearly old derailleurs. You can see the fat b-tension spring in the video, which the Shadow derailleurs don't have anymore. I did a quick check on a newer 9-spd Shimano Shadow in the garage (no clutch), and I really don't think it would bounce like that on the trail.

SRAM or Shimano, it just goes to show how much better these things have gotten in the last couple of years.

SRAM x9 ftw

Let's hope so -- just bought an X9 rear dr and an X9 shifter. This is after spending 3 hours on my SS up in Cuyamaca and having a blast.

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A bicycle is a splendid thing.
~Ernest Hemingway

Sram 9spd shifters with shimano xt shadow plus or zee derailluer. No need to spend the extra cash for 10spd set up.

I thought Sram shifters won't work with Shimano derailleurs?

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Ride it until they CDFW it.

me too. for rear. fronts have the same ratio.

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Ambition is a poor excuse for not having sense enough to be lazy. ~Milan Kundera