Shimano derailleurs - made of cheese?

[Doug Stampfer]

Until this year I've prob broken one derailleur in 30 years mtbing. I've broken 2 in the last couple of months.
Is it bad luck or are they getting crappier? The breaks look almost identical.

 

[Gary]

No. You're just clumsier.
Ebikers generally are.

 

[steve_sordy]

I broke an XT 12-speed and I was surprised to see that the section where it broke through the bolt holes was plastic.
I caught a young pine sapling and the main body broke in two pieces. No damage to the mech hanger.

 

[St4nley]

XT 12 speed is total garbage, to long and to flimsy , rear derailleur snapped on my wife’s bike and smashed into the rear seat stay, made an absolute mess of the the frame.

 

[dixie600mhz]

The rail is famous for the derailleur mount bolt being loose leading to failure. Check out this vid...look at 1m 20sec in.

 

[St4nley]

 

[Doug Stampfer]

Both of my derailleurs (XT & SLX) looked exactly like the one above. I was under the impression that the hanger was the designed weak point to save costly derailleur replacements

 

[madsen203]

Both of my derailleurs (XT & SLX) looked exactly like the one above. I was under the impression that the hanger was the designed weak point to save costly derailleur replacements

Not about saving the derailleur—it’s about saving the bike frame. True the hanger is the sacrifice piece in effort to save both but it’s main purpose is to protect the frame as if that damages, it could cause greater injury or expensive repairs. With carbon frames, repair is unlikely.

 

[Richwall]

I’ve wrecked 2 they’re garbage, 2nd one was 2 weeks old

 

[Manc44]

There's a gap in the market. All Shimano has to do is make a beefed up "eBike" 12-Speed rear mech, like Saint (or even beefier).

There is no Saint in 12-Speed or 11-Speed so there is currently no solution.

 

[Gary]

SAINT rear mechs aren't actually hugely stronger than XT. Not if you're still going to continue riding straight into and through things with it anyway.
If Shimano were to stick a medium/long cage on Saint so it would work with stupidly large 12 speed cassettes clearance would be just the same as the XT and I don't see the clumsy crowd suddenly avoiding the same obsticles just because their mech says SAINT on it.

 

[Manc44]

@Gary I agree and they wouldn't be much different, I was just thinking more about how Shimano could market such a thing and enough people would buy it. The Saint was a PITA because it had a stronger spring on it so shifting took more effort.

Maybe the answer is a Rohloff hub? Yes they are expensive but if people are spending £3,000+ on these bikes then it's just something they would have to factor in. Taking off the cost of a rear mech and 12-Speed cassette nowhere near offsets the cost but it at least might make the Rohloff about 15% "cheaper".

 

[Gary]

The Saint was a PITA because it had a stronger spring on it so shifting took more effort.

it's actually the SAINT shifter that's stiffer to push. Mate a zee/SLX 10 speed shifter to a SAINT mech and it should be as smooth and effortless as any other shimano mech when shifting. I hate SAINT shifters.

Rohloff still requires a sprung tensioner to work on an FS bike.

 

[High Rock Ruti]

Until this year I've prob broken one derailleur in 30 years mtbing. I've broken 2 in the last couple of months.
Is it bad luck or are they getting crappier? The breaks look almost identical.

High Rock Ruti

Send it back to Shimano they will send a new one, buy the next cheaper. model m8100 go to M6100 significantly less money, Shimano is backed up several months, the new one will come, just about the time your current one will be breaking again, then repeat the process I have done this at least six times, does not matter what the Shimano part is if you send it, they will replace it. Shimano has a two year guarantee, but more importantly they stand behind what they sell. Ignore what your LBS says go directly to Shimano, my buddy just got replacement disk and pads for free.

Warm Regards Ruti

ps I break at least one a year often more, e bikes chew up entire drive trains

 

[kronos42]

slx rear derailleur was just completely destroyed. I could not find an address for Shimano support for Germany. Only normal dealers are listed on the website as a service center. @High Rock Ruti where did you send your parts?

 

[High Rock Ruti]

High Rock Ruti

I send mine to California
SHIMANO NORTH AMERICA HOLDING, INC. / SHIMANO NORTH AMERICA BICYCLE, INC.
One Holland, Irvine, California 92618 U.S.A.
Phone: +1-949-951-5003 / Fax: +1-949-768-0920.


I just send in the broken part i.e. the derailleur in a box with a return address, nothing else. The last one took about 3 months to come back, but ignore what your LBS and your friends say, send it they will replace it.

Warm Regards Ruti