Street Bicycles

Quest Mtb

Choosing a Shimano Mountain Bike Component

Mountain bike components are designed to withstand more abuse and extreme riding conditions. These components are heavier, sometime larger and more durable then road bike components. Sometime you are riding on dirt, rock, or in water, etc and the components need to be durable enough so they can withstand abusive treatment.

It just so happened that my rear derailleur broke on my full suspension mountain bike. I was riding a down hill trail and lost control of my bike. The rear of the bike ended up hitting the face of a rock and I was left with a mangled rear derailleur. So I looked at the positive side of the accident and said to myself now is the time to upgrade.

I could find new or near new parts on Bike Servant which is a mountain bike classifieds website and lists mountain bikes for sale, bike parts and race events but I was in the car with my bike so I decided to go to the store.

On the way home from the trail I stopped at my local bike store to buy a new derailleur so I can resume riding as quickly as possible. I told the bike shop guy my situation and she asked me which aftermarket Shimano derailleur I wanted to buy. Not knowing anything about the different categories in the Shimano product line I asked for help and this is what she relayed to me.

Shimano Deore is their entry level category. These products are inexpensive and meant for the occasional or enthusiast rider. These components are stocked on entry level mountain bikes.

Shimano Deore LX is their next level in higher quality. This category level consists of a more durable product. The main difference that I noticed is that Deore LX is lighter then Deore. My derailleur was a Deore LX and it has shown me proven quality and reliability for many years.

Shimano Deore XT was referred to as their heavy duty category. This product category is not considered race quality performance but they are light weight and more durable then the LX category. The price difference between the LX category and the XT category was noticeable.

Shimano XTR is considered their high performance category. Again these parts are lighter then the XT category. As a consumer I took notice to the price increase from XT to XTR. It appeared to me that this category appeals to the racers that demand light weight and high performance.

Keep in mind that this is not a complete list of Shimano's product line. It is the list that my bike store carried.

So in my quest to buy a new derailleur I decided to purchase the Shimano Deore XT because of its light weight, durability and price. I had the bike shop install it for me and I was back on the trail in no time.

About the Author

Experience with full suspension and hardtail mountain bikes, bike parts and organizing race events for mountain biking.

bikes for sale
mountain bike classifieds

What kind of general care do I need to know for my new MTB shoes?

I just ordered a new pair of Pearl Izumi Quest MTB II shoes! Yay! I mostly commute to University and around town, and will probably ride even if it rains (should I not wear them then?). I have Forte platform pedals, so I can use any shoes. These are my first cycling shoes!
UPDATE= I got shoes 'cause I wanted to clip in! Thanks!

I just ordered a new pair of Pearl Izumi Quest MTB II shoes! Yay! I mostly commute to University and around town, and will probably ride even if it rains (should I not wear them then?). I have Forte platform pedals, so I can use any shoes. These are my first cycling shoes!
oh oh, and they're SPD compatible, of course.
Both the pedals and shoes....

If you have Forte platform pedals then you don't need the Pearl shoe unless you plan on changing the pedal over to either an SPD or Crank Bros. pedal. Either way I would NOT ride in the rain with them if it isn't necessary. No need getting them wet if you don't have to! Stay with the platform pedal and take the shoes back if you don't have any intention on getting a clip-less pedal

Quest MTB Ride 12-01-08