2001 Ti Airborne Corsair - Infant Joy / Eternal Conflict / Tinkerer Test Bed 🍷🤪
- Thread starter Woz
- Start date
Yes ..... and no .....
There are a few key dates, and to stress it does not equal supply and demand. It's only the second tire XT gruppo I've referenced.
I think, for us with a retro cantilever frame, if you wanted a full XT gruppo it's M770 and that's the end of. The next release is M780 in 2012 and good bye Shimano supporting your old retro tat with XT from there on in. I think this is a key date. May be worth moaning about I don't know.
The +98 section should really be discussing stuff like this in a wider sphere. 2012 is the logical end year with something XT with longevity in the material it uses. It only goes to LX, and down hill further thereafter. I don't doubt for a minute it goes down hill in a time compressed framework either in the lower ranks. Cues 9 speed budget does not offer a rim brake.
The writing is on the wall. No doubt this was all discussed at Shimano HQ in board rooms concerning product life cycle and trends.
Let's say this. Your early 1990s MTB frame with 135 rear OLN had - in the eyes of Shimano - on a XT level - enjoyed up to 2012 of compatibility.
It's 22 odd years compatibility. Much better than a life span of a laptop. much better than a fridge, but not as good as a vintage Singer sewing machine.
Once again, my love - hate relationship with Shimano. It would be interesting to see how the 22 odd years gets compressed even more as we approach today. I'm sure it does one way or the other but have not done research. but we can probably foresee about a 5 year useful time of a bicycle before you're expected to replace it with something new.
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Looking here at the XT Trekking gruppo is a bit odd:
https://bike.shimano.com/en-US/product/component/deorext-t8000.html
There are normal rim brake hubs listed but no rim brakes
It then gets even odder going down the pecking order of Deore, Acera, Alivio, Altus and even Tourney - mechanical shifters and brake levers available but no rim brakes at all. Shimano really wants us to get with it in 2024 and use at the minimum mechanical disc brakes:
Honestly thought Shimano would still have a rim brake somewhere, but it appears not to be the case.
I thought perhaps at least something may be there for BMX, but I can't even see the DX / DXR range so assume that one is axed and dead and buried.I'm not worried or too concerned, but do find it a bit sad rim brakes for any discipline and class of bikes is now firmly in the rear view mirror and fading out of view by the primary industry leader.
..... still trawling. In the 2024 - 2025 Compatibility Charts we see V-Brake pads are still available, but unsurprisingly, and I have known about it for a good few years the specific pads for ceramic coated rims was dropped. I'll probably have a rant over that later
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These are the last V-Brakes circled in red.
It seems you were right @grantoury - indeed it is only the Alivio 4000 Trekking group in todays line up that still has them.
https://bike.shimano.com/en-EU/product/component/alivio-t4000.html
The others were released prior, and according to this there was a XT Trekking BR-T780 now discontinued.
It seems you were right @grantoury - indeed it is only the Alivio 4000 Trekking group in todays line up that still has them.
https://bike.shimano.com/en-EU/product/component/alivio-t4000.html
The others were released prior, and according to this there was a XT Trekking BR-T780 now discontinued.
There's probably going to be a fair few stocks still out there for sometime. Then of course Ebay ....
I wonder if one day there will be a spate of Retrobikers hoarding Alivio T4000, stroking them and trying to convince themselves they are as good as obsolete XTR
Can't believe things take me so long. Finally had my deliveries, included some Alivio T4000 v-brake levers and the M70R2 Severe Weather pad inserts.
The Alivio T4000 v-brake levers a bit of a disappointment for this build. Shimano have fiddled with things, presumably to take into account wider tyres - what they have done is increase the v-brake arm length from the older 103mm to 107mm, and accordingly to maintain a reasonable mechanical advantage slapped on about 5mm extra from the brake lever pivot to the cable anchor. Obviously they "work" with older XT stuff but didn't feel right. They are also two finger, but I like the XT 1.5 finger and so didn't get on with them immediately either in that respect.
Decided to dust off the BL-M740, they feel perfect and give a dash of silver to the front.
The Alivio T4000 v-brake levers a bit of a disappointment for this build. Shimano have fiddled with things, presumably to take into account wider tyres - what they have done is increase the v-brake arm length from the older 103mm to 107mm, and accordingly to maintain a reasonable mechanical advantage slapped on about 5mm extra from the brake lever pivot to the cable anchor. Obviously they "work" with older XT stuff but didn't feel right. They are also two finger, but I like the XT 1.5 finger and so didn't get on with them immediately either in that respect.
Decided to dust off the BL-M740, they feel perfect and give a dash of silver to the front.
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Finally a nice day, managed to get a very quick / little shake-down / position check ride and do a quick local obligatory drive side shot. I'm locking this build now for the moment - at least till Spring and possibly beyond. Always think an industrial looking bike doesn't look quite right in a natural environment with greens so will hunt another location. I'm happy that more black in the centre is balancing it out better, and will look even better with a couple of black water bottles.
