Uprading my whole drivetrain and will have sram x.7 shifters, x.9 rear mech, sram pg970 cassette and unsure what fron mech to get?

Its a 27speed system and been looking at Shimano LX, SLX or XT - and ideas?

It'll be fitted to a 1999 GT I-drive full suspension AM bike.

Thanks!!

XT.

p.s. I'd swap your shifters/mech too - I've not looked at the prices but if it works out similar, go for X9 shifters and an X7 mech. In my experience the difference between X7 and X9 is greater with the shifters. Also it's a master/slave thing - the shifters control the mech so it's generally better to spend the money there.

already bought shifters and they are x.7 however not yet got rear mech - can get x.7 for £42 or x.9 for £49 - is it worth the extra few ££?

And seen the sram front mech's much told shimano front mechs are better? most big companies that spec sram kit still opt for shimano front mech...

Would there be much difference between slx and xt in terms of performance?

One bike I have is X7 rear, X-Gen front and X7 shifters.

t'other is X9 rear, XT front and X9 shifters.

They both feel the same (my X7 is the old X9 so they are essentially identical). The SRAM X-Gen looks sturdier, but then it is conventional and the XT is top swing.

yeh my front mech would have to be top swing and my new shifters are also last y's x.9's

Also - any idea what size front mech i need????? (1999 GT xcr 4000)

John Gourette wrote (see)

Upgrade to X9. From what? I can't think of anything worse.

I guess whatever was on a '99 bike is worse than '09 Sram X9.

A rusty nail through the knee would also be worse than upgrading to X9

There's two for starters.