Diminishing Returns #2: Component Selection

This is the second part in a series on determining where diminishing returns set in with regard to bikes. In this context, diminishing returns means that, once you spend a certain amount on a bike or component, continuing to spend more money gets smaller and smaller improvements (see Death of a Weight Weenie). Another way to put it is; at what point do you maximize the cost/ performance ratio such that you get the best value?

We are focusing on components because value, as far as it relates eo component selection, plays a very large role in determining the overall value of a given bike. A great frame with a lousy component selection will have a hard time being a great bike. These recommendations are based, then, on a combination of value, performance, and weight.

Cranks
Best case scenario cranks are incredibly stiff to limit power lost to flex, and light as a feather.

Best Value: Shimano SLX or Sram X7
Best Performance per dollar: Shimano XT or Shimano X9
Why: The SLX and X7 cranks are both designed with all the trickle down technology of the higher end offerings from their respective makers, but keeping the price down is one of the primary goals. This is the “how much value can we cram into these parts as cheap as possible” type design criteria. These parts work really well, but as an overall group set, sacrifice weight on the altar of affordability. The rings are a stripped down version of the higher end, so they are not as stiff and shifting is slower then higher end crank sets. The arms are not as stiff as the high end uber expensive cranks, but the average rider won’t be bothered by it. If you just got on the bike and started riding, most people would not think much about it unless the parts were ridden side by side or the rider was accustomed to the high end parts.

As you move up to XT and X9, the gap in performance to top end stuff gets incrementally smaller. The XT and X9 levels are worth buying mostly for the better quality chain rings. This is especially true of XT, which has really stiff, fast shifting chain rings in comparison to SLX, which has rings that are somewhat soft and lethargic, comparatively speaking. Still, while the differences are noticeable, the SLX cranks (some which we have ridden hard for 2 years) have been great. Most are still in service and will be for years to come.

What about the difference between Shimano top shelf XTR and the next one down, XT ? This is much harder to justify, although I seem to be doing just fine at it! XTR is significantly lighter and stiffer, but after a certain point who really cares? It ends up being jewelry for your bike and a boost for your psyche. It’s like a moth drawn to the flame; you can’t help wanting it, but man does the bill leave a mark!

The weight difference between the two (XTR vs XT) is 260 grams, which is over 1/2 of a pound. The XTR cranks/ chainrings are stiffer and thus better shifting. The differences are less with a 3×10 and the benefits are less noticeable moving to XT. Most of the weight savings seems to be in the rings anyway.

Yes, XTR performs wonderfully, is strong, and is the gold standard for light and stiff, but is it worth the buy in? If you are racing, and can afford it, then sure. For the average trail rider, it is expensive to maintain and not so much better than XT. Your money is better spent on a really nice wheel set and a Weight Watchers membership. That is as long as Weight Watchers gives you a calorie budget for all the beer you can buy with the money you saved from not upgrading.

Cassettes
I am a cassette junky and feel the difference it makes in shifting is vastly underestimated. Plus, it is a moving part attached to the wheels, so any weight reduction is magnified. I would rather have an X9 rear derailleur and a XO or XTR cassette than the other way.

Marketing and consumers have made companies spec with more emphasis on the derailleur than the cassette. The rear derailleur has, unfortunately, sold many bikes because of a perceived value. It is easy to see the label and seems, on the surface, to be most responsible for the quality of shifting. The weight difference between SRAM XX and Shimano XT cassette is almost a quarter pound. While not as big a deal as the rims and tires as far as weight, it does have an effect on rotational mass. What’s more, the cassette’s contribution towards improved shifting will make an average derailleur feel like a champ.

Best Value: Still Shimano XT
Why: Remember cost to performance ratio. The Shimano XT cassette at $114 cost is close to ⅓ of what the Sram XX cassette costs at $320 and still has a respectable weight compared to most cassettes on the market. Still, if I was building a bike for myself (and maybe I am), I would buy a Sram XO or XTR. I choose not to purchase cassettes under the XT grade. To be fair an XT cassette is really close to the performance of XTR or XO at less then half the price. As crack is to a junkie so is a cassette to FatBob. My personal bike has an XO cassette. In hindsight, I would be just as happy with an XT cassette seeing as it only adds about 50 grams to the bike.

Shifters
This is pretty much a wash. Most levels for both Shimano and SRAM are within 20 grams and cost varies over $100 a set. Is it worth it? Depends on the rider. They absolutely aid in shifting better but are they twice as good as the buy-in would dictate?

I choose SRAM because of the crisper feel and the sound it makes when shifting. It is easy to read that the bike has, in fact, shifted. I also prefer the paddle used by SRAM, as it is more dedicated to pushing either paddle for up or down shifting than Shimano’s dual release approach. Apples to Oranges. Between Shimano SLX-XT and SRAM X-7 -X-9 it would be hard to pick a clear winner. Most of the time vanity wins and I go for the higher end parts.

That said, I have been running SRAM X9 at $100 cheaper than SRAM XO, and am very happy with the shifting performance. To me, it’s not worth the extra money. Compared to X7, I prefer the X9. For my thumbs, it takes less effort to down-shift with the X9. The X7 are good but I feel that, for the few extra bucks it takes to get X9, the added benefits are greater than the cost. However, spending the additional $110+ to get to XO is hard to justify.

Best Value: Sram X-9 or Shimano XT.
Why: Again, happy mediums. The performance at these levels is good enough for all but the pickiest and financially well endowed. The side note is if I could only afford x-7 I would not be discontent. I have plenty of seat time on the JET9 with X7 kit and I have a lot of high end mixed parts spec to compare to. Except for the effort getting into the lowest gears, I never wish for more than the X-7.

Rear derailleur
As mentioned earlier, the rear derailleur probably gets more attention than is warranted. That said, shifting is pretty important to how you feel your bike performs. High end derailleurs will shift better and weigh less. The rear derailleur is a wash as far as weight.

Best Value: X9 or XT
Why: The shifting performance will be better with a high-end derailleur but, for me and where I live, I can’t justify the extra cost for something that is going to be ripped off my bike by a rock with unfortunate regularity. As as X7 goes, see notes above.

Front derailleur
Who shifts between the three chain rings that often anyway? The weight difference is negligible. I like the front derailleur to match the grade of the cranks – for looks only. If you run 1×9, why are you reading this part?

Best Value: Whatever matches FatBob’s cranks .
Why: That’s just how he is.

Chain
The chain is something most folks probably don’t give much thought to. It needs to be compatible with your shifting system and not break.

Best Value: PC 1031 or 1051
Why: Chains cost between $20-$70. I used to go for the $38 SRAM PC-99. Now I would just get a PC 1031 or 1051. They are only 30 grams heavier and cost half as much. To me, it is more important to change chains at regular intervals then have an expensive chain. I would end up switching mine 3 times a year, if I actually kept a bike that long. At $30 to $40 more then a 1031 chain, the high-end chains would add from $90 to $120 per year in maintenance costs.

Brakes
Stopping is important. Light weight is good. How easy are they to maintain, how durable, etc are all factors worth considering as well.

Best Value: Shimano SLX Shimano Brakes.
Why: They are easy to bleed and they use mineral oil, which is pretty harmless stuff if it gets on you or on your bike. Many other brake systems use DOT fluid which can burn your skin, ruin the finish on your bike and so, not surprisingly, is not too great for the environment. Shimano brakes offer plenty of power and excellent modulation. They are easy to align when you install them. Last but not least, they are pretty affordable and easy to get parts for. If you are traveling, almost any bike shop will have brake pads, and be able to service these brakes. The cons? They are heavy. That is the only mark against the Shimano SLXs in our book.

Our two year old SLX brakes still get compliments about how well they work.

As far as rotors go, 29erOnline uses 180mm front and 160mm in the rear. If I had to do it over, I would do 180mm front and rear. This seems to be plenty of rotor for XC and trail use in most locations we have been in. I went through a 200mm rotor phase, but feel it is really overkill for most rider’s needs.

Wheels
Ideally, wheels should weigh as little as possible, be as strong as possible, never flex, and stay true forever. Wider rims keep wider tires nice and square shaped as opposed to a horse shoe shape. This helps keep the tire from ballooning, helps prevent burping and it prevents the tire from rolling underneath the rider or squirming. I really like what the width does to a narrower tire, for the same reasons as above. The rear hub should react quickly.

Best Value – Heavy Rider: I would look at Hadley Hubs or Hope, if I was building from scratch and I had to watch my spending. These are not cheap. They are actually expensive. But, compared to Industry 9, Chris King, DT-Swiss etc., they are a good value, at a reasonable weight, and built to last.

Really, the real answer is read this article, decide to spec your bike with SLX, X7 or even Deore stuff if you have to, and invest in some good wheels. I still really believe in quality hand built wheels. That said, our recent wheel testing has opened my eyes to some really nice quality factory built wheels. It would be hard to not recommend the SunRingle’ Charger Expert wheels set. They are all mountain rated and are around $400 a set with tubeless capability. So, if you just can’t come up with the cash for a high-end hand built wheelset, no worries, the SunRingle’ wheels will serve you well at about the cost of the Hadley/Hope hub set.

Why: Handbuilt wheels typically add cost due to high costs of skilled labor. When specing a wheel to exactly the demands a rider will put on a wheel, even an inexpensive wheel build will cost more then the SunRingle’ Chargers. A factory built wheel is designed from the ground up for a purpose. Some companies cram a lot of value into wheel sets.

Best Value – Light Rider: Same concept as above. A high end hand built wheel set lets you pick the lightest combo for how and where you ride. A dedicated wheel set is made for a certain usage. Do you fit the mold ? If you do, great, if not, save those pennies and get a hand built set.
There really is no easy answer to this. So much depends on the individual. It is also a really important part of the bike. Higher end hubs use better guts. They roll with less friction, while ratcheting your pedals for technical moves they engage quickly which allows for instantaneous reaction, and typically they outlast cheaper models. High end rims can be stiffer, set up tubeless, and save weight at the most important part of the bike to save weight on – rotating mass. Spend money on wheels !

Why: Rotational mass. The lighter your wheels are, the less you have to work to get them rolling. Put another way, your hard work generates a better output. There is a flip side that I always tell new riders to consider. You will always be faster on your bike pedaling off the trail than walking back due to a parts failure. Light is great, but not at the expense of having a reliable wheel. Let the World Cup racers roll the dice on durability with their factory sponsor’s money. Don’t gamble with your own. Think happy mediums, and always include your riding style in the equation when making decisions.

Look for more wheel reviews and information. I have recently spent some time on carbon wheels from Roval and really like carbon. We need time to really push them but so far they are absolutely beautiful and really make for a noticeable improvement.

Also, having more experience with Easton Haven wheels, including changing spokes, there are some real pros to these factory built wheels. As stated above, this is really an individual thing.

Front Shock
The front shock is one of the most important places to invest some money because it has a major impact on the performance and handling of a bike. It adds comfort and keeps your front wheel on the ground while going over rough terrain. Last, it can absorb impacts that would normally send you over the bars. This is listed last for a reason. Many riders can go over the same terrain on a rigid bike, and easily navigate a trail without a problem. So, while suspension can make up for some skill and add a level of comfort, a rigid fork will not track terrain or add cushion like a suspension fork.

Best Value: Rock Shox Reba RL

Why: While I personally ride Fox Forks, they are really expensive and it’s only my preference that makes it worth the money for me. The Reba performs great. It is every bit as stiff and considerably less expensive than Fox’s offerings. I would recommend the RL version of the Reba. Rebound setting’s are a must. A lockout can be useful, but the lockout threshold, the T in Reba RLT, is not nearly as important and easy to live without. (A blow off valve allows you to fine tune how much force it takes to by-pass a lockout feature.)

Seatpost

From the sette Apx to a $150 Thomson masterpiece, besides a few grams, the difference is very small. Ask yourself if the seat post holds your saddle in place without slipping? If it does, you have a winner. From Sette APX, to Ritchey, or a factory OEM seat post, who cares? Well, me, but I recognize I’m not being entirely rational. I typically use Thomson because I have found the bolt heads on Easton posts to be too soft. Really though, if I didn’t have to change saddles every other day, they would be fine. I also have a hardware store down the road should I need bolts.

On a hardtail the above rules are dismissed. There is a reason why Specialized bikes switched to 27.2 seatposts on their hardtail 29ers. On hardtails you need to use materials that add comfort through flex and natural vibration dampening. My favorites have been titanium seat posts. Second best for comfort is carbon and last is a heavily butted aluminium. Now, if you are a heavy guy stick with a seat post like a Thomson Elite or other aluminum seat posts preferably with a two bolt head.

The last thing worth mentioning is a dropping seat post. Every time I think of taking the Specialized Command Post off my bike to save some weight, I end up backing out. I use the dropper post more then my front derailleur, by a long shot. Dropping the seat post on steep technical descents opens up a whole new world of confidence. Doing wheelies, manuals, jumps, berms, drops, or any other type of maneuver is easier and safer with the saddle dropped. If you have a trail bike, I can’t think of a better upgrade then a drop post. I like the Command Post because it is cable actuated and completely reliable. I have ridden the Crank Brothers version and have had non stop problems – even after paying to have it rebuilt. The Specialized product has given me no problems. This post will be on all the test bikes soon.

Handlebars
Having the correct length, sweep, and amount of rise to provide good fit are the most important things. After that, choosing carbon fiber is lighter and adds a degree of shock absorption, whereas aluminum is cheaper. For both, the more you spend, the better the strength to weight ratio will be.

Best Value:
Aluminium, Truvative Stylo or Hussefelt. Both are cheap and come in a variety of rises and widths and both are reasonable as far as weight goes. Plus, we have been riding them for 2 years and have had no problems.

Carbon: Easton. Haven, EC70 or Havoc. Dollar for dollar, you get a ton of performance with Easton Carbon. They also have a huge variety of widths, and rises. These bars are light and really have been setting the industry standard for over a decade. They are plenty stiff and durable, but at the same time, offer a level of shock absorption that aluminum does not.

Stem
This again is a who really cares ? Things important in a stem; Stiffness and strength. I like Thomson. I am also running an Easton EA90 all mountain stem. There are a number of well made inexpensive stems on the market. Anywhere from $35 and up will work fine. More important than which stem you run is the length. I prefer no longer then 100mm, and have really been preferring 80mm. I went through a 70mm phase and even down to 50mm at one point. Basically, short stems smooth your steering out. They also set your weight back on a bike (behind the front axle). This favors descending, but with a 29er’s stability and ability to keep the front end down more effectively then a 26er, you can get away with a more rear biased riding position – within reason. In addition, because of their typically longer top tubes, compared to similarly sized 26ers, I typically recommend you speed up/smooth out your 29er’s handling by running a shorter stem. Think 100mm and down wherever fit allows. Fit always comes first !

Tires
There are way too many variables. 29erOnline will be striving to do a better job of reviewing tires in the future.

29erOnline has been using Specialized Captain rear and Eskar/Purgatory fronts for about a year. This is our standard tire set up that we use for testing before we give a final review on a bike. We use the S-works and Control casings. all of them are tubeless ready. They are super reliable, set up tubeless, and have excellent durability. The Captain Control has it’s limits, but is a solid jack of all trades (except sticky mud). They seem to work on a variety of conditions and are a safe bet for you if you are starting to experiment with 29er tires, or just are not sure what to get.

Grips and Seats
These end up being personal choice. The seat Fat Bob prefers made Writer Bob miserable, and the seat Fat Bob hates is Writer Bob’s preferred seat.

Wrapping it all up
Obviously, there is a lot of personal preference in all of this. Hopefully, though, we have helped narrow down some options so you can make informed choices based on what is important to you, rather than just assuming the higher level is the best.

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