KMC chains - worth the money - a lighter and stronger ([HTML_REMOVED] more easy to service) part where there is a lot of movement.
XT brakes - I am very much liking mine - think the levers are perfect shape and very powerful despite running 160mm front and rear with a 91 kg rider. Do not have the Icetech rotors and pads yet but will be adding them when I go to 180 mm rotors so think that I should have much more braking with far less effort (seriously half finger by then). Not that I have any trouble stopping my bike at the moment.
@robot - yes there is, Shimano i-spec brackets (can get them at Universal Cycles) but it should be available as soon as dealers start to stock 2012 spare parts.
DT hubs on my wheelset so do not really care about the 20mm thing - but it is a fair point and given Shimano's R[HTML_REMOVED]D capability the adaptors should be able to slide right in. If Hope can do it on a small companies' budget then Shimano surely could of they wanted to.
SLX bash guard available as a spare part but then an E-13 turbo charger plate is light and easy to get.
I did not even bother with the large chainring - fitted a Heim 2 device during build phase which does a great job but it would be better if they used the slightly softer rubber/ plastic/ polymer of the DRS roller as then it would be quieter. Simple and does the job though. Agree that a 34T and 36T middle ring should be available as that way a two ring/ bash set up would be perfect, even for my relatively non race fit legs the 32T is just a little small.
It still seems that most MTBs and parts are designed by Californians and geared towards nice sunny days on buffed dusty trails. The whole "press fit BB on bikes without chain device tabs despite having 140-160mm of suspension travel" trend is evidence of this. Wake up engineers - I want to change my BB myself at home and quite a few of the better riders in the world want to be able to fit a DRS or equivalent for their everyday riding. Strange people bike engineers!
Everyday on a bicycle is a good day!!