New drivetrain time imminent.

Is there any functional difference between 11sp SLX & XT?

Functionally not really, the XT is nicer though.

Not really, but a Sunrace cassette will be cheaper & lighter & just as functional.

Functionally not really, the XT is nicer though.

Nicer how?

I believe the 10sp stuff had plan bearings on the mech wheels on SLX and ball bearings on XT but I may be wrong.

Not sure about the 11sp stuff but afaik since the dawn of SLX it’s had bushings instead of bearings in the jockeys.

I’m not much of a Shimano fan these days as I think they’ve made some very bad calls in drivetrains post 10sp, but generally I’d go for SLX or Zee brakes depending how much power I thought I needed and XT transmission if I was trying for best balance, or SLX crank and mech with XT shifter if I really wanted to keep the costs down.

No reason you can’t swap the SLX jockeys for XT or something boutique and CNC’d at a later point.

Nicer how?

I was going to say “cast inner parallelogram link”, as opposed to cheap stamped sheet metal, but it looks like they fixed that on the 11 speed SLX.

Spec wise
http://bike.shimano.com/content/sac-bike/en/home/components11/mountain/deore-xt-m8000/rd-m8000-gs.html
http://bike.shimano.com/content/sac-bike/en/home/components11/mountain/slx-11-speed.html
Shimano tell you most of it

The plain black looks nicer and the SLX shifter looks a bit plasticy IMHO

I was going to say “cast inner parallelogram link”, as opposed to cheap stamped sheet metal, but it looks like they fixed that on the 11 speed SLX.

Yeah, I’m forever checking out other peoples inner parallelogram links, gotta make sure you focus on the important things in life 😉

When new, there’s no real functional difference between them, certainly so small I think you’d struggle to tell in a double blind test. There’s an argument to say that the links and bushes/bearings in XT parts wear a bit better so feel nicer for longer, but again, probably hard pushed to tell.

I generally go for the XT shifter, SLX/Deore other bits approach.

If i was getting complete groupset I would stretch to xt, if i am replacing worn out bits its often slx depending on funds.
I now mix and match based on no scientific reasons other than cost 😀 my 10sp hardtail is currently sporting xt shifters, cassette(last one was slx), deraileur and slx cranks, chainring and brakes. My 11sp FS is xt but just got an slx chainring for it.

My current XT gearing isn’t great. The SLX i’ve had in the past felt better. I like the XT brakes (which have come in for lots of hate recently) after upsizing rotors.

The XT shifter is much nicer IMO both in the lever feel and ergonomics, but also in the more positive click when you shift. I also like the double upshift thing you get.

Mech probably not much in it.

Sunrace cassette though.

i actually bought an SLX m7000 crank (£59.99 on CRC, clearance £10 off £75 spend) and an XT m8000 32t £99 merlin last week,

i prefered the shape and feel of the slx, but the XT coating looked better (although it scratches off easily), my final decision was based on the rest of my drivetrain is XT, with an XTR shifter so stuck with the XT.

weight wise the SLX was lighter than the XT equaivalent by 1 Gram at
611 grams (bolts/arms/spindle and plastic nut on 175mm, non boost, no BB)

check evans, wiggle, crc for lowest price on each part.

Functionally not really, the XT is nicer though.

Got both. Yeah, XT has a few more bells and whistles and is generally better finished, and a little lighter (chain and cassette spring to mind as obvious candidates here)

I really like the XT trigger double-shift too.

I really like the XT trigger double-shift too.

I’ve never paired up Shimano shifters and brakes on a single clamp before my current Soul build (M8000 on M675 brakes).

So far as I can see the pull trigger shift is rendered impossible to use by the brake lever?

Have you got banana fingers? It was fine when I had XT set up like that. Now I’ve got Saint shifter with an SLX mech, since the terrain here renders rear mechs a consumable item!

So far as I can see the pull trigger shift is rendered impossible to use by the brake lever?

iSpec 2 here. Works fine.

I have SLX with a XT shifter, which is the only bit that’s noticeable.

My SLX mech has developed a lot of play in the parallelogram linkage after less than a year. Hoping the XT I’ve just ordered for another bike lasts longer.

I’m not much of a Shimano fan these days as I think they’ve made some very bad calls in drivetrains post 10sp

Like what?

Running M8000 cranks, mech and shifter, and just paired them with M7000 cassette (for £42) and an HG54 chain.

Doesn’t feel much different or worse than M780 shifter, Zee mech, SLX 10 speed cassette, apart from the shifter. I like the M8000 better.

So far as I can see the pull trigger shift is rendered impossible to use by the brake lever?

Mine is fine with XTR M9000 shifter and XT M8000 brakes on one bike, the other is SLX M7000 shifter & Deore M615 brakes and I’d like to set it up i-spec but need another shifter and frankly CBA’d to spend the money

I am a big Shimano fan so went XT by default. My friend went SLX at the same time. I can’t see much difference. They’re both poor compared to 10-speed Shimano and compared to SRAM 11-speed:

– the cassettes are agricultural compared to the 10-42 SRAM 1150 that I have upgraded to. Shifting has improved markedly.
– clutch has failed within weeks. It’s very basic compared to the SRAM’s clutch.
– range is obsolete for 11-speed.
– brakes need frequent bleeding, for no apparent reason.
– spoke to Madison who are not very interested nor customer centric
– CRC have been brilliant though in smoothing the blow of what I consider as a flawed groupset.

Overall, Shimano have fallen behind SRAM thanks to the current XT/SLX.

I got an SLX shifter when I went 1×11. Funnily enough, it’s under the bar so you can’t see what model it is and I certainly can’t feel the difference between it and any XT (which all my other bikes have/had). I actually forgot I’d “downgraded” until I read a review in Singletrack saying the SLX shifters don’t feel as good and there’s more throw before the shift. My ride is now ruined 😆

minor fact, XT and XTR are made in the R&D facility in Japan – SLX and all others down are made in the manufacturing plant in Taiwan (apparently very high tech all the same) same for the road stuff (DuraAce and Ultegra are Japanese)

to my mind, Deore is that good it makes SLX redundant not XT