The circlip is a good idea - I've lost a few jockey wheels on xtr mechs (not especially over-tensionning the derailleur), the last one only a week ago - it now rests in peace somewhere on Morzine's DH slope ... but will they be bringing the ridiculous price of spare jockey wheels down?

Doesn't the bike shop in Les Gets sell some rather nifty aluminium replacements? I got some from there for my XTR mech last year, and they've worked fine ever since...
Bummer about the bolts, mind - have you tried thread lock?

funny that, because I'm sure I saw them in the shop one day, and when I went back they weren't there anymore. But they gave me a used sram sealed jockey. I always forget to put loctite ...

What about the cassette - has that changed - is it all titanium - can you get an 11-34?

Oh yes... ...Scoop!

So basically all this all proves is that we need XT, but an XTR rear mech.

do you wanna know what i personally think?

its crap.

I work in a bike shop for a living and i think this is probably going to cause major compatibility probs, and besides, there wasnt anything wrong with the old XTR stuff!

catch my drift?

WASTE O' TIME,
they should concerntrate on their fishing rods or something!!!

They should concentrate on their chains, more like.

Well isn't everyone just full of joy.

Was it crap when we went to 1 1/8 steerers, suspension forks, STI road levers, disc brakes. Sure, new won't always be compatible, but anyone that pays out for XTR should feel like they're getting cutting edge. You have choices - stick with XT, mix and match or go all the way.

Without companies driving technology forward bikes would still be seven speed and rigid and I wouldn't have got interested in the sport.

7 Speed is brillaint! I recently rebuilt a friends retro GT and found that 7 speed chains are easier to put together and the gears are easier to set up.....

The only 'forward driving technology' that shimano were thinking about when they introduced/forced 9 speed upon us was one of their profits.

Companies remain profitable if they produce goods that people want to buy. If you don't, you end up like Sturmey Archer. Shimano may not be successful with new XTR if people don't want STI shifters and proprietry disc brake technology - we'll decide ultimately.

I don't fancy the STI shifter brake lever for MTB use.. I find it hard enough to brake and change gear on my road bike using sti, never mind off road!

I think that there'll be a market for the old thumb shifters for a while. Chain Reaction - start stock piling them now!

Absolutely.. Is there a nine speed version??

:o)

new products are often invented to rebolster a stagnant market (why do you think we went 7 to 8, and then to 9? was it really about performance?), windsurfing is a sport that does this radically every few years.

all i can say is i hope shimano's new products are better than the cr@p they've produced in the last few years (yes i'm bitter an twisted because i had to replace a 18month old xt front mech (that rattled itself to death), and the replacement came complete with a dodgy helicoil on the cable clamping system. i've also had a sachs chain on my bike - that came as standard - and its still going strong whereaes I used to get 10 months from an XT chain/rear block if i was lucky)