XT chainset with a steel SG-X middle ring?

[Anthony]

I bought a 4-arm 32t XT middle on eBay as a spare and when I received it, I found it was steel, weighed over twice as much as any other XT middle I could find and all it said on it was Shimano SG-X and M9 8-32. I queried this with the seller who insisted that he took it off an XT chainset, but suggested that 'it is over four years old', as if they hadn't invented aluminium until 2005.

I know XT comes in various forms and steel rings are a good idea for touring etc, but I've always thought of XT as sporty kit for people like me who can't afford XTR (not that I can afford XT either of course). The only mention of a steel SG-X middle ring I can find on the Shimano website is on an Alivio chainset.

I've never heard of steel XT middle rings, but does anybody know what the seller might be talking about please?

 

[REKIBorter]

This question got me wondering, taken a trip out to the man cave for some investigation, armed with a fridge magnet of course ...

Genuine original XT M737 - granny J22 steel, middle J32 alloy, outer J42 alloy. The only steel bits are the chain lifting plates on the middle ring and the pins on the outer ring. I have a set of modern 4 arm M9 Deore rings - granny N22 steel, middle N32 steel, outer N42 alloy.

Not sure if this helps much

 

[hamster]

XT middles have always been steel. It's only Deore that is steel these days. In earlier days then even Deore LX was Alu.

He is talking b o l l o c k s.

 

[REKIBorter]

XT middles have always been steel... b o l l o c k s.

I have 2 sets of XT M737 and both middle rings are alloy NOT steel

 

[jess]

yep I agree, I had to get a deore replacement (no xt middles in stock) 2 days before the mids champs. It was so heavy it freaked me out....did a crap race

 

[Xesh]

XT middles have always been steel... b o l l o c k s.

I have 2 sets of XT M737 and both middle rings are alloy NOT steel

What he said.

My M730 Biopace rings are all alloy too!

 

[SeeingisBelievingGTMuseum]

XT middles have always been alloy even back to the Biopace days. Post a picture of this steel chainring please.

 

[silverclaws]

I bought a 4-arm 32t XT middle on eBay as a spare and when I received it, I found it was steel, weighed over twice as much as any other XT middle I could find and all it said on it was Shimano SG-X and M9 8-32. I queried this with the seller who insisted that he took it off an XT chainset, but suggested that 'it is over four years old', as if they hadn't invented aluminium until 2005.

I know XT comes in various forms and steel rings are a good idea for touring etc, but I've always thought of XT as sporty kit for people like me who can't afford XTR (not that I can afford XT either of course). The only mention of a steel SG-X middle ring I can find on the Shimano website is on an Alivio chainset.

I've never heard of steel XT middle rings, but does anybody know what the seller might be talking about please?

My old xt chainset was all alloy, but that was on a '92 bike. Now the ring you are talking about, I have a Shimano SG-X and it is steel, but that is on a bike with early Shimano Altus gear, a '93 model. Now for my Saracen, I have sought out alloy chainrings, and have a Pace granny, a Stronglight middle and a Race face outer, hardly retro, but the name of my game, was to just get the correct ratio alloy rings as sacrifices have to be made given old stuff is getting scarce and I want my machine useable as soon as possible. The correct rings, old stock, can be found at my leisure.

 

[hamster]

XT middles have always been steel... b o l l o c k s.

I have 2 sets of XT M737 and both middle rings are alloy NOT steel

Sorry, me talking bollocks. XT always alu. Brain off.