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Submitted by
Generalcuz
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver, CO
Date Reviewed: August 2, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Everywhere I Can Ride Anytime | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Treds on my Cannonda | | Strengths: | Okay, so it is a smooth shifting setup and could definitely work on my commuter bike. Sadly that wasn't what I bought it for. | | Weaknesses: | Within the first 8 miles of the Nederland Xterra in Eldora, the entire thing broke right off the skewer. I have never seen anything like that happen and it really made me get choked up considering how much fun the bike course was and how many people I was passing thanks to the 29er tires rolling over rocks. I basically dropped almost a hundred dollars in entry fees to swim a 1,000 meters and ride 8 of the 14 or so miles on the trail. Plus, when it broke off, it took out four of my spokes, chipped my frame, and scratched my rims. It looks like the derailer just couldnt support my riding habits. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano Deore | | Bike Setup: | 07 Cannondale 29er, Avid Juicy 7s (that finally work right)etc. Currently in pieces thanks to the Sram X-7 doing so much damage when it let go. | | Bottom Line: | I am giving it 2 flamin chilis because it did get me through a lot of riding this year and if you're not bouncing off cabbage sized rocks, it seems to work. I did a 50 mile race on it, one and a half Xterra triathlons, numerous free rides, etc. For the four months I had it on my bike, it worked with my average of 50 miles a week. Just a shame to see it blow out when I was in the midst of an event I trained for in extent of 5 months. I will be moving away from SRAM and Shimano. I know a lot of people love the XTR stuff but there has got to be something else out there. So begins my search considering that I need to be on the bike in less than 6 days for my next triathlon. Buy it if you do light riding, need a commuter spec'd setup, or something of that nature. Don't buy it if you do downhill or a lot of XC. Not saying it will happen to you like it did to me, but the "Did not finish" result from today was enough to make me move on from the good old SRAM X-7 | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mike howe
a Weekend Warrior
from Taunton, Somerset, England
Date Reviewed: July 30, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Weacombe singletrack | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | came on my bike | | Strengths: | does the job fine until you touch it | | Weaknesses: | well, mine snapped | | Bike Setup: | 07 marin quake 7.2, stock parts with nc-17 sudpin III pro pedals, and at the moment it has a snapped derailleur and therefore snapped spokes | | Bottom Line: | the bottom line is that this product snaps, the cage is just not strong enough, i snapped mine when i landed a 10 foot tabletop perfectly!!!!? this tabletop was like 2 foot high! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
blackprophet19
a Downhiller
from Spartanburg, SC
Date Reviewed: July 3, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | clemson freeride | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | bike worx | | Strengths: | shifted smooth..................... | | Weaknesses: | not strong at all...... | | Similar Products Used: | deore, deore LX,XT | | Bike Setup: | stock prophet 6 | | Bottom Line: | i had TWO sram x-7 go into my wheel while riding which riped them off.....i change 2 deore shifters and rear derailleur and the problem is fixed | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gary
a Weekend Warrior
from S. Carolina
Date Reviewed: March 30, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | bumpy | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Bike Worx | | Strengths: | X-7 was on bike from factory. Trouble -free operation with occasional cleaning. Nice shifting. Decent price. | | Weaknesses: | The X-7 and X-9 I purchased to replace the 7 both sheared off just under the skewer by the DR hanger. I ride mostly light-duty XC. I was disappointed in the short life of each unit. | | Similar Products Used: | X-9 purchased after X-7 failure. X-9 didn't last long either. Broke in same location just under skewer bolt. | | Bike Setup: | 06 Rush. Maverick SC32 fork. mech/discs. Nothing fancy otherwise. | | Bottom Line: | The price may be fair for replacement, but now I am out two derailleurs a few spokes and two wheel builds and have only had this bike for about a year and a half. It's not the end of the world, but I am rather disappointed by the short life span of both the X-7 and moreso the X-9, especially since I'm not the most aggressive rider. SRAM may need to look at their design and fix the weak areas.
I will do my best to avoid buying their products from now on. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Haven
a Weekend Warrior
from Florida
Date Reviewed: February 14, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Santos | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$45.00 | | Purchased At: | online | | Strengths: | bargain, fairly light, works well | | Weaknesses: | none yet
*must use SRAM rear shifter (1:1 actuation ratio) | | Similar Products Used: | shimano acera (stock on bike) | | Bike Setup: | hardrock currently being upgraded | | Bottom Line: | great upgrade and much lighter than stock Acera, easy to install. Shifts are clean and precise even with an 8sp cassette (will be a 9spd soon). | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Justin
a Cross Country Rider
from Palatka, Fl, USA
Date Reviewed: January 1, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | pricepoint.com | | Strengths: | predictable shifts even in technical sections | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | shimano deore | | Bike Setup: | custom built with gary fisher genesis hardtail | | Bottom Line: | This deraileur is very smooth and there is no skipped sprocket. For a while I was running single speed because of the hassle of deraileurs. Then I decided to go back to index gears and I haven't had any of my previous problems except the increase in weight. Now I am ready to race. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Zachariah
a Cross Country Rider
from Palm Desert, CA
Date Reviewed: December 19, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Hurkey Creek Park | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Fast, precise, gear changes; lightweight, minimal adjustment necessary. | | Weaknesses: | Protrudes out too far; cage pulley too long. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT/XTR; SRAM X0. | | Bike Setup: | 2006 Cannondale F600 | | Bottom Line: | The thumbs-only shifting of the X7 triggers took some getting used to. After the short learning curve, and some fine adjustment- gear changes were natural, and dead-on.
The 1:1 actuation ratio is the fairest trade you can get. It never misses a beat. Very reliable. Where else can you get Shimano XTR-quality shifting, at a DeoreLX price? SRAM obviously did their all homework..... | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
fadi
a
from toronto
Date Reviewed: November 9, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | Came Stock on 2007 Norco Atomik | | Strengths: | -VERY Strong Spring To Keep The Derailleur From Rattling And Juggling Back And Forth...
-No Noise, Not Even When Changing Gears :D
-Looks Nice
| | Weaknesses: | Mine Is Not Set Up Properly And It Keeps Changing Gears On My 5,6,and 7 Gears... | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano Deore, Shimano XTR, SRAM X.0, Shimano 7-SIS, Shimano Alvio. | | Bike Setup: | Stock 2007 Norco Atomik | | Bottom Line: | A Great Derailleur, If You Are Ever In Need Of A Rear Derailleur And Have A Low Amount Of Cash, Get This One ITS GREAT | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ian Bressat
a Downhiller
from West Sussex
Date Reviewed: October 26, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | PORC | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$55.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Only good on XC
easy to set up
| | Weaknesses: | horrible shifting, it flaps all over the place, noisy. | | Similar Products Used: | shimano alvio | | Bike Setup: | kona stab 1999 | | Bottom Line: | rubbish product, i hopped up a curb pne time and it wrapped in my wheel broke a spoke and the mech hanger. also 2 other times it has wrappen in the wheel doing a double and doing a table top Very cr*p for downhill freeride | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tim
a Weekend Warrior
from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Date Reviewed: August 26, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | anything with variety | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Morayfeild rd Super Cycles | | Strengths: | Shifts quick&clean when set up properly. Reasonably strong. Very reliable. Not expensive. | | Weaknesses: | I've found up-shifting can sometimes be poor going fast over bumpy terrain. | | Similar Products Used: | Cheap rubbish aka shimano SIS | | Bike Setup: | Giant Iguana XC hardtail | | Bottom Line: | I bought this derailleur for AU$119 and I haven't looked back. I use it for rough XC, commuting and small jumps, and it has performed well in 99% of situations - very reliable. I recommend it! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
JP Taberdo
a Cross Country Rider
from Brisbane
Date Reviewed: August 21, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Majura Pines | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Brisbane Bicycles | | Strengths: | Still going strong after 6500km! | | Weaknesses: | Could be a little smoother, but maybe that's something to do with my cassette. | | Similar Products Used: | Deore and LX. Just got a second hand Giant NRS with a deore rear mech - it sucks compared to X.7. SRAM shifts faster and more positively. | | Bike Setup: | Mongoose Meteore Comp | | Bottom Line: | Since my last review I've taken this derailler to three states in Aus doing XC and road touring. Its taken hits and a few sweet jumps. Its even had the extra strain of lugging a BoB Trailer with 15kg up and down hills for 1200km! My derailler hanger has been bent twice, but the mech still shifts well!
Buy it, adjust it right and enjoy :-) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Vinnie
a Cross Country Rider
from new york
Date Reviewed: July 30, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Jones park | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | came on bike | | Strengths: | cheap , smooth and perscise. | | Weaknesses: | wears fast. My long cage is always hitting rocks and logs and branches then it gets all messed up. | | Similar Products Used: | shimano | | Bike Setup: | cannondale rush 5 stock besides new panaracer fire tires. | | Bottom Line: | this is a good derailer but im going to switch to a medium cage (mabey x9) because every time it hits crap it tweaks it and streatches the cables. But otherwise its ok. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dimitar Trajkov
a Cross Country Rider
from Skopje, Macedonia
Date Reviewed: May 24, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | local dealer | | Strengths: | precise and smooth | | Weaknesses: | none | | Bike Setup: | trek 3700 | | Bottom Line: | I replaced my altus with sram x7 and until now it works quit good | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Freerider from NZ
a Weekend Warrior
from Auckland, New Zealand
Date Reviewed: April 28, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Worked really well and smooth most of the time, however... | | Weaknesses: | Very brittle. Ok, so I am a freerider :P While I was out at Woodhill forest I slightly misjudged a step up onto a raised structure and just landed on the edge of the raised structure. As soon as I landed i went off the edge knocking the derailleur lightly. SNAP. The Derailleur snapped and bent nearly going into a spoke. If you plan on doing any kind of freeriding DO NOT BUY THIS WEAK DERAILLEUR!!!! | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Jackacl. Pike 409, DMR V8 Pedals, e-thirteen chainguide, Sun Ringle Rhino Lite rims, Avid Juicy 5 brakes, Holly Roller tyres, SRAM X.7 Deraileur (well before it broke) | | Bottom Line: | This derailleur worked reall well for me for the first month or so of buying my new bike. However, after a month it lost the smoothness that i was used to and after a pathetic little crash (a light knock on the derailleur) it snapped and bent nearly knocking out some spokes in the process. Mabey if your a XC person this derailleur woul be ok, but if you are a DJ or FR or DH, don't get this derailleur, it will let you down!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
down hill
a Weekend Warrior
from walsenburg
Date Reviewed: April 22, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | the streets | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | The Great Divide | | Strengths: | its been to hell and back, and the springs are still strong a great derailleur for the price | | Weaknesses: | adjusting on trail, but what derailleur isnt
needs to come in a shorter cage | | Similar Products Used: | sram x-9, shimano xtr | | Bike Setup: | steelhead noleen mega air, truvativ hollzfeller, avid bb5 rear only, 26" front 24" rear sram x-7 shifter, derailleur and chain. | | Bottom Line: | it needs to be adjusted after a month or so of hard riding, but what derailleur doenst, smooth when setup properly, and its my longest lasting. the srings are stiff even after a few 20 foot gappers with horrible landing | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Grant
a Downhiller
from Castro Valley, California
Date Reviewed: February 4, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | JMP | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | Came on bike | | Strengths: | Smooth shifting
Quite
Hassle free
Light | | Weaknesses: | Broke on the 1st day out
| | Similar Products Used: | Deore LX
XT
| | Bike Setup: | Stock 7point | | Bottom Line: | I used X.7's on my XC bike for 5 months NO PROBLEMS! One day out FR/DH 1 crash = bent derailleur... It can be bent back but just be warned it does bend, it is not steel... I love it and would buy again. (possibly am going to buy again) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ray
a Weekend Warrior
from Puyallup, WA.
Date Reviewed: January 20, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Skookum Flats | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | Ebay | | Strengths: | Shifts perfectly | | Weaknesses: | I have read that it can break off if your chain length isn't set correctly. Have to disconnect rear shock to measure chain length at full suspension stroke, otherwise it will break on drops / jumps. I haven't had this happen but heard that it is a critical part of the set-up. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano | | Bike Setup: | X-7 drivetrain | | Bottom Line: | Replaced my old shimano drivetrain with X7 after reading these reviews. Glad I did. Lots of wet muddy riding and one monster endo that bent the hanger, straightened it back out and it still shifts perfectly. Click it, and it is in that gear. No hesitaion, no chattering around. Upshifts or downshifts, cranking up hills or on the flats it shifts right on queue everytime. Very precise, very reliable. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean Nysschen
a Cross Country Rider
from Johannesburg, SA
Date Reviewed: January 9, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | L.B.S | | Strengths: | Shifts real smooth and quick, cycle shop set it up and all Ive done is a slight adjustment since. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Older Shimano stuff | | Bike Setup: | 2007 Giant Alias | | Bottom Line: | One of the best setups around, Im well impressed with SRAM and will definately continue using them. Love the idea of shifting and being able to brake at the same time. Excellent quality!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ryan McCullough
a Weekend Warrior
from Ballymena, Co.Antrim, Northern Ireland
Date Reviewed: January 6, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | cameron(small trail) | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$52.00 | | Purchased At: | Evans cycles | | Strengths: | good shifting up, compact and quite light. | | Weaknesses: | i was heading from one local trail to another and i hopped off a curb and landed quite smoothly and the derailleur hit off a spoke(not sure how...any suggestions email me at bunkers91@hotmail.com) and bent it up round vertical and snapped aswell as bending 2 spokes! i have had this derailleur for 3 days! | | Similar Products Used: | shimano...not sure what one came with as a bike setup on a hardtail. | | Bike Setup: | dirt jumper/street bike. | | Bottom Line: | i think i have actually got a faulty derailleur and if not i would not suggest this product. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Josh
a
from Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: January 2, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | my own | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | Ebay | | Strengths: | for me its light. Durable and good looking design. Stayes close to the cassette. easy to adjust and install. overall realy good shifting | | Weaknesses: | none so far | | Bike Setup: | trek bruiser, manitou black elite, sram x7 shifters, sram x7 derailleur, avid juicy three hydraulic disc brakes | | Bottom Line: | After getting new avid brakes it forced me to get new shifters. That then forced me to get a new derailleur because of different ratios. I had no idea this setup would make such a difference in shifting. I originally had shimano's and they were heavy, hard to adjust, and just bad in almost every way.
Shifting is extremely fast (when adjusted right) and is accurate. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nick Price
a Weekend Warrior
from Birmingham, UK
Date Reviewed: December 26, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Coed-ye-brennin | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | Halfords | | Strengths: | strength and durability, doesnt bounce up and down - but stays consitently close to the cassette | | Weaknesses: | few, i suppose its a little heavy? | | Similar Products Used: | deore, xt | | Bike Setup: | mech is fitted to a kinesis maxlight xc hardtail | | Bottom Line: | ive coverd thousands of muddy uk winter miles with this mech, its battle scarred, its starting to look a bit tatty, but it still works flawlessly.
its hooked up to x7 trigger shifters with clarks preium cables. the lower 2:1 ratio is very mud friendly, means the mech can run a stronger spring while still being easy to shift up, meaning a draggy, rusted, clogged cable has little effect on your shifting, also thanks to this lower ratio, it never really needs adjustment after the initial cable stretch, it just works.
as with pretty much any rear mech aimed for the serious rider, any issues with the mech going into the spokes, snapping off etc, 99% of the time is due to in correct setup - or simple crash damage.
i wouldnt say this mech is weak, rather overbuilt to be honest, ive had sticks get sucked up into the drive train and get snapped by the mech, ive smacked it off a few rocks which required the frame hanger to be re-alligned, but the mech is still straight.
i have no complaints about this mech - i may upgrade mine to x9 sealed jockey wheels when they eventually wear out but thats about it.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Swotch
a Weekend Warrior
from Tenerife
Date Reviewed: December 12, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | cuevas negras | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | came with my C'dale | | Strengths: | Pecise shifting, really good feeling in the thumbs | | Weaknesses: | Weak frame wont withstand chain slaps | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano lx and deore systems | | Bike Setup: | Prophet600 factory setup with lefty, 2,5tires and 200mm hayes9 | | Bottom Line: | After happily using this thing for about half a year on all trails, it went right into the spokes on a flat landing after a small drop (3stairs). Spokes, chain, der hanger, derailleur, everything a mess , really. If it wont withstand a little chain slap after a drop...its to weak for serious riding IMO. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dejan
a
from Melbourne, Australia
Date Reviewed: December 3, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Excellent shifting, very strong and solid build | | Weaknesses: | None so far | | Similar Products Used: | Stupid, cheap and old Shimano SIS... | | Bike Setup: | 2007 Giant Alias | | Bottom Line: | Shifting is great and a breeze, transitions are unbelievably smooth, so smooth in fact that sometimes i dont even feel or hear it click into place. The derailleur has hardly and bob at all, no matter how rough the terrain is. Extremely recommended!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
JP Taberdo
a Cross Country Rider
from Brisbane
Date Reviewed: October 6, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | The Flames of Mt. Buggary | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Brisbane Bicycles | | Strengths: | Going really strong so far, especially after adjusting from cable stretch. Very crisp throughout. Cheap as quite expensive chips! | | Weaknesses: | Could be a bit better downshifting with load. I hate always having to ease off when shifting and climbing. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano LX -> definately not as good. | | Bike Setup: | Mongoose Meteore Comp 05 | | Bottom Line: | I'm pretty happy with SRAM. No problems of reliability or bad shifting, and I've been riding hard XC for the last few months. Noticeably different to Shimano LX - X-7 seems to shift with more guts. Definately recommended for XC, but I agree that getting something stronger for downhill or freeride is a good idea. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
david
a Weekend Warrior
from melbourne australia
Date Reviewed: September 19, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | castlemain piney | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | good reliable shifting in all conditions | | Weaknesses: | none that i have found | | Similar Products Used: | none properly | | Bike Setup: | upgraded giant iguana | | Bottom Line: | this derailler is really fantastic. it is reliable even when clogged with mud.the shifting acion is smooth and i like the fact that you can change four gears with one lever push. great price as well. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andre Swift
a Cross Country Rider
from Baltimore, MD
Date Reviewed: August 20, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Patapsco | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance Bikes | | Strengths: | Well...it seemed to work well with the X-7 shifters (really no complaints). It was the OEM equipment on my Mongoose Teocali Comp, comparably smooth as the Shimano XT | | Weaknesses: | Unlike the XT, this derailler missed a few notches while shifting and would bind up during heavy riding. Mine snapped below the hanger wiping out the quick release knob, derailler hanger. Luckily, I had just finished bombing down a hill and hit level ground when this happened. It just snapped for no reason. I will probably go back to using XT due to a proven track record on my other bikes. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano LX, XT | | Bike Setup: | Teocali Comp, LX frt der, X-7 shifters, X-7 rear der., AVID disc brakes. | | Bottom Line: | The Sram X.7 is a very good derailler, but I recommend replacing it with the X.9 or Shimano XT | |
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$ 52.00
