Always one for doing stuff on the cheap, some questions for the experts arising from the news item on STW announcing the arrival of new XT….

I already run a single ring 10 speed setup.
If I wanted to go 11 speed and get the wider ratio cassette, given that it fits onto a ‘normal’ freehub body, presumably I can just buy the cassette and it will fit?
Then, replace my existing 10 speed shifters with new 11 speed shifters.
Then get an 11 speed chain. Will this continue to work with my old 10 speed front chain ring which is a Middleburn Uno?
Would I need a new rear derailleur for big ring clearance at the back? Mine is a long cage 10 speed XTR mech.
Any wisdom out there?

Does anyone know if the cable pull ratio the same on 10 and 11 speed Shimano MTB mechs/ shifters?

I bet 50p you need an 11 speed specific rear mech.

I think the new RDs are different to clear the wider range cassettes as you mention.

No idea on pull ratios. Probably different too. 👿

Someone on here said that a 10 speed mech worked fine on 11 speed cassette. I’ve never seen this first hand though, nor have I tried.

Official line is new mech, shifter, chain and cassette are needed. No need to change chainring.

If I were doing it and there were reports of the 10 speed mechs working nicely and having the same cable pull then I would buy-

– shifter
– cassette

I run 9 speed chains on my 10 speed (because you can get them for £7 on CRC) and it’s perfect. I see no reason why if you have a 10 speed chain it shouldn’t perform acceptably on 11 speed. I have run 9 speed chainrings too, and because I run a 9 speed chain it behaves fine.

Then, replace my existing 10 speed shifters with new 11 speed shifters.

I reckon you’ll probably be OK just getting one.

So will a 10 speed thick thin chainring work with the 11 speed chain? I am assuming that the 11 speed chain is narrower and probably won’t fit on the thick bits of the chainring.

I run 9 speed chains on my 10 speed (because you can get them for £7 on CRC) and it’s perfect. I see no reason why if you have a 10 speed chain it shouldn’t perform acceptably on 11 speed.

I think thats because the internal width of 9 and 10 speeds chains is the same despite any external differences.

Provided nothing has changed re. the thickness of 11-speed cogs/rings/sprockets (whatever you want to call them) in relation to 10 speed stuff then all should be fine with older chains.

The internal dimensions of the chains are the same IIRC, its the external dimensions that are different to allow for more clearance between the cogs at the side of the chain.

So, no need to change chainring from what you are using now on 9 or 10 speed.

Thanks to everyone. No real clarity, but if I decide to give it a go I’ll update you all. Unlike road bike 11 speed where you need a new freehub body to fit 11 speed cassettes I think Shimano should at least be applauded for squeezing 11 cogs into existing 10 speed freehub.

They’ve not squeezed it per se, they’ve used the fact the largest sprockets are far larger than on the road to offset it. That wasn’t an option on the road stuff.

One last question arising from NJee20 comment above. It sounds like even though they’ve added an extra cog it will actually increase the total distance small to large cog, so they haven’t just squashed everything up a bit. In which case my question is; will a 10 speed mech have enough high to low capacity to accommodate the extra width? Given how easy it is to set the low-stop screw so low that the chain normally comes off and sticks between the cassette and spokes, I’d imagine this is possible.