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Shimano XT Rapidfire

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$54.99

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Shimano XT Rapidfire

BikeRadar verdict

4.5 out of 5 stars

"Needs clean cables but otherwise light, fast, multi-option shifting at a great price"

6 comments
Wed 16 Jan 2008, 9:00 am GMTBy

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XT gives a much improved performance over LX without costing much more. Combining the two-way release mechanism with faster reacting internals and a metal push lever running on ball bearings, the shift is crisper and quicker.

The featherlight feel isn’t as positive as SRAM so may not suit everyone, but the multiple shifts and adjustable sliding mount increase appeal. 

It meshes really well with every brake we tried, and the gear indicator window is removable if you feel patronised or need to drop a few grams. It still needs clean cables to stop that mushy feeling, and it’s not quite as crisp as XTR, but at £55 it’s unmatched.

What's the score with BikeRadar reviews? You can find a full explanation of our ratings here.

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User Reviews

There are 6 reviews on this post

Showing 1 - 6 of 6 comments

  • Great quality shifter with a positive feel about them.

    They look great and I especially like the fact that you can push or pull the up shift so you can change gears on the fly with only thumb controls.

    Would recommend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • I completely agree with John! A very reliable and solid feeling set of shifters, with the highly versitile 'rapidfire' feature for large gear shifts on teh fly. Dual action rear lever is very useful for sudden up shifts, and build quality is SO much better than the LX. Superb value in my opinion, and a sound investment. Keep them well cleaned and they will run smooth for years, no doubt!

  • Ive been using mine for 6 months now and they still feel as good as when I fiest used them, for the price you get great build quality that lasts!

    thub controls rock!!!

  • Ive been using mine for 6 months now and they still feel as good as when I fiest used them, for the price you get great build quality that lasts!

    thub controls rock!!!

  • Great shifters. I've had the XT shifters on every bike i've had, and i always end up returning to them. Great pieces of kit for the money!

  • I've had them on the 'hack' for ten months and thought they were at best average until I bought a mountain bike with standard Deore shifters.

    Compared to 'bog standard' kit they have a superbly positive feel, give virtually instant down-changes and you just can't underplay the ability to shift more than one 'cog' with a single stroke when the terrain alters quickly.

    My only gripe is that I think there's not enough distance between the shift levers for someone with fat fingers like me (especially in gloves) but the wife already knows what she'll be buying me for my birthday!!

    Bob

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Specification

Name:
XT Rapidfire
Built by:
Shimano
Price:
$54.99

2-Way Release:
Yes
Weight (g):
255 g

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