Shimano’s new SLX gear had left LX as a bit of a fifth wheel in the Japanese giant’s MTB armoury, so the decision was made to rebrand the groupset as touring and urban kit. We’ve been running some of this kit on an urban bike for the last month… The most obvious changes in the design are the chainset, which is now available in a road-friendly 46/36/26, and the control gear which comes as an integrated V-brake and shifter unit, with big, friendly displays and chunky levers. Technology wise the 09 groupset is at a similar level – you get the dual release on the shifters, and Hollowtech II technology – and the prices are a fairly close match too. Shimano claim to have shaved a couple of hundred grams off the overall weight. So what’s it like to ride? well, the chainset, which in terms of ratios sits between a MTB triple and a compact, gives pretty much the perfect range of gears for your urban riding. I was pairing it with a 12-25 cassette; the mech will handle anything up to an 11-30, so it can go lower, but even on the steeps the 26/25 bottom gear was plenty low enough. The shifters take a bit of getting used to, both in terms of looks and function, but the changes (longer levers, bigger displays) are well thought out given the urban bent. Shifting is light and accurate. We didn’t run the V-brakes but we wouldn’t anticipate any problems, as they look only cosmetically different to last year’s offerings. Overall it’s a good full groupset in a sector where manufacturers normally have to use a bit of a mix-and match approach to spec. Expect to see it adorning plenty of £700-£1000 urban steeds in 2009. Click here for the image gallery
New Shimano LX: it’s LX, but not as we know it.
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I see quite a few MAAP items out in the Surrey Hills. The new shop has a cafe and they're from Melbourne so the coffee should be good: I'm looking forward to visiting.
@chrisonabike Mercedes was acceptable, but the second one (old Toyota people carrier/ex-taxi) was a prosecutable offence.
I wasn't saying that nor talking about people who say that. I said it was silly to claim that wearing a helmet indicates acceptance of dangerous driving and poor infrastructure. I choose to wear a helmet; I also regularly report dangerous driving to the police and correspond with councils and road authorities about ways infrastructure could be improved for cyclists. I rather doubt I'm the only helmet wearer who does so.
@JamieT (a pedant writes) she's a London Assembly member, not an MP.
@Rendel Harris ".....but the claim that wearing one is somehow to be accepting dangerous driving and poor infrastructure is silly." Not that silly. Demanding that cyclists wear a helmet is seen by many people as 'the answer' to cycling safety, so there's no need to put in infrastructure. The difference between infrastructure and helmets is that infrastructure works. Helmets are a distraction from what really works, and the more time we spend talking about them, the less time we spend on things that do work. Helmets should be consigned to the dustbin of history as a failed experiment, and we should cease even mentioning them.
@Mr Blackbird Hats off to George Hall My hat's not coming off- despite this touch of cycleway-washing, Hall still bears the Mark of Cain, until he repudiates his party altogether
Perhaps an article showing a) what is available in the uk as cargo bikes and) comments from real life scenarios from those already using bikes or cargo bikes as one gentleman has done in the comments. Perhaps road.cc could follow up with this. Even the London Assembly member said not every business should use cargo bikes but suggested a more nuanced approach suitable for certain trades or companies....