Do modern groupsets last less?

[tintin40]

I'm not surprised chains are having a hard time now. With 1 x 12/13 systems and 50 teeth cassettes. But the 29er needs this to make it work up hill. Stop buying 29er's its rubbish. Every time some one buys one its anther nail in the 26er coffin. Too many on here buy them.

 

[jimo746]

I don't see there being any real difference tbh, things break now & then, it's a fact, some folk break things more often, either through rough riding/stunts/tricks, wear & tear, or lack of care. I recall breaking bits fairly often in the past, but not so much in more recent times.
I'm sure social media plays a part in proliferating the news of breakages too.
There's a general trend for things to improve over time, not get worse, so I'm going to say that modern groupsets do last.

 

[greencat]

I'm pretty much of the same view. In fact, stuff seems to break less than it used to. Probably I've become a better rider (it's rare for me to crunch the gears nowadays). But even so I remember the early rapidfire being so poor in terms of longevity, it was more than a decade before I went back. Bottom brackets seemed to wear out every 3 months back then too. Ditto pedals. Plus if you wore out one cog in a cassette - you'd never find a replacement just for that.

Some of my mates though go through the expensive end of the modern stuff very quickly - but they aren't good on maintenance or cleaning and are always pushing as hard as they can.

 

[Tootyred]

None of you are thinking like Mr Shimano......he wants sales, he knows people are now obsessed with the latest thing (see mobile phone sales...), he knows nobody fixes anything anymore, he wants to make stuff cheaper to improve profits.

Welcome to a perfect storm of crap.

Poor quality that wont last, at high prices, sold to people waiting in a queue to buy it, who will either sell it on in 2 years before it wears out or accept that it goes in the bin when it breaks.

Why on earth would Mr shimano ( or any other manufacturer) now want to make something the quality of an XT M730 chainset, that never breaks, with 10k ring quality and that will still be in service 35 years after he sold it!

He proved his reputation with that and is still trading on it.

We live in a disgusting throwaway society.....we see the issues as we are regularly dipping into the past for parts......

What really gets my goat is that the same companies have the gaul to have environmental policies on every aspect of their operation from printer ink to packaging, whilst simultaneously making parts that go into landfill 30 years earlier than needed.

Wow I've got cynical.

 

[greencat]

None of you are thinking like Mr Shimano......he wants sales, he knows people are now obsessed with the latest thing (see mobile phone sales...), he knows nobody fixes anything anymore, he wants to make stuff cheaper to improve profits.

Welcome to a perfect storm of crap.

Poor quality that wont last, at high prices, sold to people waiting in a queue to buy it, who will either sell it on in 2 years before it wears out or accept that it goes in the bin when it breaks.

Why on earth would Mr shimano ( or any other manufacturer) now want to make something the quality of an XT M730 chainset, that never breaks, with 10k ring quality and that will still be in service 35 years after he sold it!

He proved his reputation with that and is still trading on it.

Wow I've got cynical.

I seem to remember having exactly the same thoughts about the Shimano near monopoly back in the 90s as Sachs, Campag & Suntour all fell away from MTB drive chains/groupsets. Perhaps I've got less cynical.

 

[Tootyred]

I think that was more about some hideous management decisions on the part of shimanos competitors.

 

[joglo]

Just wanted to point out next to the durability another thing.
Nowadays components don't have this great finish any longer. Just use them in rough conditions without much cleaning for a winter season and you see obviously some wear. Colors fade, screws getting rusty or at least some kind of irreparabel oxidation starts.
While I have many 30 years old bikes which had been not cleaned the last decade and standing outside or used as daily to get to the underground station, but components look now after cleaning allmost like new again. In particular groups of early nineties (XT II, DX, sure XTR M900, but even the LX550) are superior when it comes to this great finish, unmatched.

 

[Tootyred]

Has tje price actually gone down of an xt groupset in real terms......? Anybody got a freewheel catalogue and an inflation calculator?

I bet they are cheaper now!

 

[brocklanders023]

But the 29er needs this to make it work up hill. Stop buying 29er's its rubbish. Every time some buys one its anther nail in the 26er coffin. Too many on here them.

Errrr, no they don't! I had a 2006 and 2010 Orange 5 with 26" wheels and now have a Orange Stage 5 with 29" wheels. The Stage is better uphill, downhill or on the flat and would be with exactly the same gears.

I'm glad modern bikes are actually made to fit us these days instead of every person 6 foot and above trying to squeeze themselves on to a 18/19" frame because the 21" looked stupid with tiny wheels! Retro is ace but so are modern bikes.

As for the groupsets, I've had no problem with Shimano 1x11. I've been running the same SLX set up for 5 years and only had to replace the chain once, nothing else and the GRX set up on my gravel bike is a joy. Can't comment on the 12sp stuff though.
Sram is a different story. I have 1x12 SX stuff on a bike and it's terrible, impossible to index properly and is made of cheese. The rear mech is so flexy that a slight knock pushed it straight in to my spokes, ripping one out and totalling the rim. My mate has Apex on his bike and that's gone baggy after only a year or so of riding. I'm sure the higher end stuff is better but the price is mind blowing!

I'm no great fan of 1x tbh and think 2x10 is a better option but we get what we're given and the Shimano stuff is no better or worse than it's ever been from my experience.

 

[Chopper the ex Copper]

I'd love it if someone built a carbon frame to accept a proper lightweight groupset from the fifties.i reckon overall bike weight could be lighter! Ooh aluminium cottered cranks on hollow axles yum! Wasnt uncommon for derailleurs to way sub 150g,how much does a di2 derailleur weigh? 205g! So youve saved some cable but added a battery....duh that'll be 5 large sir ....see you soon!

Id love it if someone sold a carbon frame with a weight capacity that can handle a 19 and a bit stone man. We're not all short arriss skinny sorts with tight T shirts, trendy spectacles and a propensity to stop for a latte every 3 minutes.

This is also why I don't give a hoot what components weigh. When the rider weighs over an eighth of a ton it doesn't matter in the slightest that I could have got a rear mech that was 12g lighter.

Errrr, no they don't! I had a 2006 and 2010 Orange 5 with 26" wheels and now have a Orange Stage 5 with 29" wheels. The Stage is better uphill, downhill or on the flat and would be with exactly the same gears.

Now ride them back to back in heavy mud. Its an inescapable reality that the extra rim diameter on my Merida 29 holds several kilograms more mud than the smaller 26 inch hoops on my other bikes. Even worse, its rotating mass so its effect is far greater than simply adding a few kg to the frame, all those inertial forces at play. Acceleration is decadened, steering numbed, all the flighty fast rolling character muted.

For 5 or 6 months a year the terrain outside of a trail centre (and even there as well...) is just a muddy mess. Great in Marin county, a disadvantage for best part of half a year in the UK. Unless I know its fairly hard packed out there mine stays in the shed over winter.

Don't get me wrong, the 26's still suffer but the difference is significant. This is why all through my MTB coaching career - until I retired from it last year - I stuck to 26", except in the driest months.

They all have their strengths and weaknesses, its a case of the best tool for the job at that type of terrain at that time of year...and a dollop of rider preference.