SLX

Shimano Deore LX hub in a front wheel

SLX (formerly LX and LX Sport ) is the name of a group of bicycle components for trekking bikes and formerly mountain bikes from the Japanese manufacturer Shimano . The group has existed in a different form since the 1980s and is considered the entry-level group for sporty trekking and mountain bike riders. It belongs to the Shimano Deore series, like the XT and XTR groups, but is qualitatively below these two and above cheaper groups such as Altus.

Today's standard for the group is a 2 or 3-fold 11-fold circuit, a 1x11-fold or 1x12-fold circuit. Hollowtech II bottom brackets and cranks are used (as of 2020). In the case of new bikes, LX or SLX components are often mixed with higher quality XT or XTR components.

technology

LX rear hub FH-M570

The parts of the LX / SLX group differ only slightly in function and design from the corresponding components of the higher-quality series. However, they are a little heavier and a little less robust.

The group includes all components :

• Rear derailleur
• Derailleur
• Cranks
• Bottom bracket
• Chainrings
• Bicycle brakes ( V- brakes and disc brakes )
• Shift and brake levers (always as a unit since around 2005)
• Hubs

The components were compatible with all other Shimano groupsets until the introduction of 9-speed shifting technology. The SLX group is compatible with other Shimano groups with the same shifting technology (9-speed, 10-speed, 11-speed).

history

The LX group developed out of the Shimano Deore series and resulted from the differentiation of Deore into the higher quality XT group and the somewhat heavier LX group. The page Wikipedialia suspects that the abbreviation stands for light ( L ight X (Cross)). For a short time randonneur bikes etc. a. also produces racing bike components under the name LX Sport .

Today the group is called SLX in the mountain bike sector and includes all modern components such as disc brakes, RapidFire shifters and the like. a. In 2018 Shimano launched a 1x11-speed variant of the SLX with a special cassette with 11-46 teeth (CS-M7000-11). A 1x12-speed variant of the SLX group has been offered since 2019. The 12-speed cassettes have up to 51 teeth on the largest sprocket.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Shimano Deore: 10 reasons for the LX / SLX / XT and XTR series . In: E-Bike Test . April 20, 2015 ( e-bike-test.org [accessed October 18, 2016]).
2. ↑ LX ® - WikiPedalia. Retrieved June 25, 2018 . 
3. ↑ Our guide to Shimano mountain bike groupsets from Deore to XTR - Chain Reaction Cycles. In: hub.chainreactioncycles.com. Retrieved October 18, 2016 .