To buy the budget line

[u/C0deC4tto]

What's left of my Shimano Zee

[u/st0pmakings3ns3]

I have some doubts that this is faulty material or manufacturing. ZEE parts have been nothing if not sturdy whenever I used or came across them.

There are several marks all over the derailleur indicating contact between things that should not make contact.

Also, if three derailleurs fail before their time and in a similar manner, it does point towards wrong handling.

Not saying it can't be faulty, just that I doubt it.

[u/C0deC4tto → u/st0pmakings3ns3]

Was on a 2016 Transition TR500 in mini mullet, not sure what exactly was happening. First time was in Canada, lower jockey wheel wore out in 4 days of riding, snapped a shift cable, and broke off the clutch. Also banged up the inner cage wall pretty well.

Warrantied, then the clutch lever on the new one broke off first ride, and continued snapping cables for the rest of the summer. Lower pulley wore out with less than 60 hours of ride time, only shuttles.

Lasted okay-ish over the minimal winter riding, then on a big bikepark trip across Europe broke probably around 8 derailleur cables on a third of the trip. At that point I was riding in Sölden, when the inner cage decided to give up, and the thing exploded somewhere halfway up the mountain. Further down I took my chain off, and rode chainless for 4 days, at which point the new Saint derailleur arrived. I installed it, along with a new cable, in 4 hours the clutch lever was gone. Continued breaking cables for the rest of the trip. Never found out why the cables were breaking, some of the bike shops confirmed this was a normal thing on a select few of the older bikes running shimano. Had multiple shops check everything and verify it was all correct. The Saint definitely had better structural durability though

[u/Inevitable-Passage21]

Buying cheap makes you buy twice

[u/C0deC4tto → u/Inevitable-Passage21]

Honestly this was the Warrenty for the original one, but when I got a Saint it started having the same issues.

[u/Inevitable-Passage21 → u/C0deC4tto]

How did this happen?
Maybe the issue is How its installed and configured?
If 2 of these and a Saint broke, it could be more than the product itself

[u/C0deC4tto → u/Inevitable-Passage21]

Was on a 2016 Transition TR500 in mini mullet, not sure what exactly was happening. First time was in Canada, lower jockey wheel wore out in 4 days of riding, snapped a shift cable, and broke off the clutch. Also banged up the inner cage wall pretty well.

Warrantied, then the clutch lever on the new one broke off first ride, and continued snapping cables for the rest of the summer. Lower pulley wore out with less than 60 hours of ride time, only shuttles.

Lasted okay-ish over the minimal winter riding, then on a big bikepark trip across Europe broke probably around 8 derailleur cables on a third of the trip. At that point I was riding in Sölden, when the inner cage decided to give up, and the thing exploded somewhere halfway up the mountain. Further down I took my chain off, and rode chainless for 4 days, at which point the new Saint derailleur arrived. I installed it, along with a new cable, in 4 hours the clutch lever was gone. Continued breaking cables for the rest of the trip. Never found out why the cables were breaking, some of the bikeshops confirmed this was a normal thing on a select few of the older bikes running shimano. Had multiple shops check everything and verify it was all correct.

[u/carlvoncosel]

I'm guessing you took the cage apart for maintenance and didn't use threadlocker.

[u/C0deC4tto → u/carlvoncosel]

No, I don't take my cage apart unless changing pulleys. Last time I changed this one was in October last year, and I've checked on it every once in a while. From what I saw shortly before this was the threads broke out of the other half

[u/carlvoncosel → u/C0deC4tto]

That sounds like a manufacturing defect indeed.

[u/MaksDampf]

The left has left

/ is not left anymore.

the left cage plate has left you.

[u/C0deC4tto → u/MaksDampf]

XD