My 10 favourite things about new Shimano XTR Di2

And two things I’m not so keen on. Here’s a first ride review thoughts of the whole new Shimano XTR gruppo.

Shimano XTR Di2 headlines

• No wires finally
• Still 12-speed
• Standard gear hanger
• More ‘tucked away’ Shadow ES mech design
• Shorter cage (GS) and standard cage (SGS) rear mech options
• Shorter cage for 9-45T cassette, standard cage for 10-51T cassette
• 160mm crank length option
• New brake design and new ‘low viscosity’ mineral oil
• Two new carbon wheelsets; cartridge bearings and new ‘Direct Engagement’ freehub design w/ 102 POE

Key price info

• XTR M9250 gearset (shifter, battery, charger, chain, mech) SRP £799.99
• XTR rear mech SRP £549.99
• XTR cassette SRP £399.99
• XTR cranks w/o chainring SRP £249.99
• XTR chainring SRP £129.99
• XTR disc brake set SRP £449.99 (2-pot), £499.99 (4-pot)
• XTR XC carbon wheelset SRP F: £814.99 & R: £884.99
• XTR Enduro/Trail carbon wheelset SRP F: £584.99, R: £664.99

It’s not a controversial stance to say that Shimano have been playing catch-up with its main rival SRAM for quite a while now. It started when SRAM kicked off the whole 1x drivetrain thang back in 2012. Shimano have seemingly been floundering since then.

In terms of electronically actuated drivetrains, Shimano actually had something of head start. The Japanese giant’s Di2 electronic drivetrain came out way back in 2009. SRAM didn’t appear with its AXS electronic stuff until 2019.

You’d be forgiven for asking just what the blinking flip has Shimano been doing for the past 16(!) years in terms of electronic drivetrains? The short answer, to this long period of time, is that Shimano went back to the drawing board. Repeatedly.

Anyway, to get to the point. Is the new Shimano Di2 XTR anything more than just catching up with SRAM AXS Transmission? The answer is “no”, in the bigger picture. But “yes” in the details.

I’ll list all the new parts and stuff later. But first, let’s get straight to my favourite things about the new XTR (and a couple of immediate niggles).

1. No more wires

At all*. No more of the fiddly and ugly ‘halfway house’ of previous Di2 with thin cables running from not-so-secreted batteries into mechs and shifters.

*if you see any pics of a new XTR Di2 rear mech with a cable running into it, that’s an ebike specific cable that’s drawing power from the main ebike battery.

2. New brake fluid

Yes, I’m excited about brake fluid. Because this is the main indication that Shimano have finally addressed the ‘wandering bite point’ that has plagued Shimano (mainly rear) brakes for years now. A thinner fluid and, tellingly, redesigned caliper seals, will hopefully consign the wandering bite point to history. I certainly didn’t experience any during my albeit brief test period. Also, the lever blade shape has been changed ever so slightly; they bend upwards a bit. I really like Shimano blades. YMMV.

3. The return of short(er) cage mechs

GS FTW! New XTR is still mainly going to be seen in the standard ‘SGS’ cage with a 10-51T cassette but the option of a shorter cage mech (requiring the use of a 9-45T cassette, more later) is going to be great for riders seeking a low AF profile derailleur set-up.

4. Shadow ES

Speaking of low profile mechs. All versions of the new XTR Di2 rear mech are designed to be as ‘narrow’ and tucked away as possible. It’s impressive and inspiring to look back down at your rear axle when riding along and basically you can’t really see the rear mech at all as it’s hidden by the chain stay above it.

5. No UDH required

The new XTR Di2 mechs will attach to any gear hanger. Including UDH. This means if you have a bicycle that isn’t UDH – and can’t be due to its suspension design, for example – you can still attach XTR Di2 to your bike. This means that you still have the issue of bending hangers – compared to SRAM Transmission – but the significantly narrower and higher profile of the rear mech combined with the new ‘Automatic Impact Recovery Function’ (the mech absorbs trail impacts and then automatically resets back into position) should greatlyu reduce this risk.

6. Shifter feels like a shifter

The XTR Di2 shifter feels more like a cable shifter (as opposed to the wooly computer mouse feel of SRAM AXS). There’s an actual, physical, indexed click when you actuate it. This is possibly the standout feature to me, oddly enough. The ergonomics of Shimano are back to their best.

7. Short cranks

Crank length options down to 160mm. Because long cranks have no place on off-road bicycles with wide-range gearing options (there is a 28T chainring size also available in XTR flavour now). A shorter GS cage set-up with 9-45T cassette, 160mm cranks and 28T chainring anyone? Yes please.

8. Cartridge bearing hubs

Whilst Shimano’s attempt to cling on to good ol’ ways of cup and cone bearings was weirdly admirable (cup and cone is theoretically the best yes but… real life), I won’t be alone in being pleased to see the move to cartridge bearings. It means I can willingly put Shimano wheels on my bike once more.

9. Redesigned freehub

Some of you may remember some of the first Microspline rear hubs from Shimano. They weren’t great. They made lots of worrying creaking and clicking noises and they felt through your feet like you’d installed the incorrect chain or something. And then they failed to engage completely as the insides fell to bits. Anyway. These are not those. The new Direct Engagement freehub has a nicely ‘Goldilocks’ number of points of engagement (POE), namely 102. Or, 3.5° if you prefer. Enough to be consistent without being hyperactive. And there’s a noticeable lack of drag when coasting, which is lovely.

10. Fast shifting

This is the biggie I suppose. It’s certainly the most immediate thing that differentiates XTR Di2 from Transmission-era SRAM AXS. Shifting takes place pretty much instantly as you actuate the shifter paddles. There’s no delay while the system waits for the ‘right’ cassette teeth to come along. Does this mean the shifting is rougher or noisier? Occasionally so, yes. Is it a better experience for regular bikes (ie. not ebikes)? Yes it is.

A lot of drivetrain technology of late has clearly had ebikes as the principle use. Which is understandable and I’m fine with it. I ride eebs more than I ride regular bikes, truth be told. But it was still nice to get on the new XTR Di2 stuff and feel like it was still designed just as much for regular bikes as it is for ebikes. It was still a tactile and rapid rider response experience. There was none of the delay or ‘distancing’ of rider versus machine that old giffers like me can still experience with ebikes.

So what didn’t I like?

1. No more index finger shifting

You don’t realise you like something until it’s gone. Both of the shifter paddles on the new XTR Di2 shifter are actutated by your thumb. Which for the vast majority of time is fine. But I won’t be alone in those riders who like to shift into harder gears, whilst stood up cranking out of the saddle, using my index finger. Hopefully this may be something that Shimano can address and amend in future iterations of shifter firmware? Fingers crossed.

2. Non-adjustable clutch tension

The new rear mech does away with the one-way friction clutch design that’s adjustable via a dinky Allen key (on higher tier groupset). The new clutch is a fixed two-spring design. Which is no doubt stronger and better at keeping the chain under control but for suspension nerds out there (ahem) it’s a shame to remove the ability to tone down the mech’s affect on the wheel rebound.

Shimano XTR Di2 components in full

Rear mechs

“You can’t hurt what you can’t hit—the XTR M9250 rear derailleur with new “SHIMANO SHADOW ES technology is stronger than ever and features a low-profile wedge design. The stabilizer unit blends seamlessly into the body of the derailleur, eliminating edges so it glances off trail obstacles and avoids most rock strikes and impacts on the trail. When the inevitable hits do happen, the derailleur absorbs the impact and then Shimano’s automatic impact recovery function instantly returns the derailleur to its original position.”

RD-M9250 – Wireless Rear Derailleur

• SHIMANO SHADOW ES Technology
• Precise wireless shifting
• Robust structure with skid plate design
• Solid pulley construction
• Removable and rechargeable onboard battery
• Long Cage RD-M9250 SGS for use with 10-51T Cassette
• Mid Cage RD-M9250 GS for use with 9-45T Cassette

RD-M9260 – Rear Derailleur for E-MTB

• SHIMANO SHADOW ES Technology
• Wired rear derailleur for E-MTB
• Constant power supply from e-bike battery
• AUTO SHIFT technology
• FREE SHIFT technology
• Long Cage SGS
• 12-Speed RD-M926012 for HYPERGLIDE+
• 11-Speed RD-M926011L for LINKGLIDE

CS-M9200-12 – Cassette Options

• Smoother, more durable shifting under load
• 12-Speed HYPERGLIDE+
• MICRO SPLINE
• Optimized for lightweight and durability
• Cassette Options: 9-45T and 10-51T

Cranksets

FC-M9220 – Trail/Enduro Crank

• High-durability crankset for Trail/Enduro
• Enduro-specific spindle ensures stiff power transfer and impact resistance
• Proven HOLLOWTECH II construction
• Standard 176mm Q-Factor
• Crank Arm Length: 160, 165, 170, 175mm
• Chainline: 55mm

FC-M9200 – XC Crank

• Lightweight crankset for XC riding and racing
• Proven HOLLOWTECH II construction
• XC-friendly 168mm Q-Factor
• Crank Arm Length: 165, 170, 175mm
• Chainline: 55mm

Shifter

SW-M9250R – Di2 Shifter Switch

• SHIMANO RAPID ES technology
• Precise wireless shifting
• Tactile feel with each shift
• Multiple shift modes, including hold-down multi-shift, click-through double shift, or locked-out single shift
• Four-way paddle adjust
• Programmable third button on shifter for added customization – like controlling your bike computer or controlling FREE SHIFT and AUTO SHIFT functions through the E-TUBE app
• I-SPEC EV and clamp band options

Brakes

Trail / Enduro Brake Lever Development

“When it comes to power and consistency, the BL-M9220 brake lever features a redesigned SERVO WAVE track, which ramps power smoothly but quickly, and is ideal for trail and enduro riders. The new ERGO FLOW lever design ensures consistent rebound speed at any temperature with a reformulated low-viscosity mineral oil that flows consistently through the system in a wider temperature range. The combination of these two ensures stable piston movement within the system, delivering consistent performance and smooth power modulation.

“The brake levers feature Shimano ERGO FLOW technology and have been redesigned to move the pivot point closer to the bar, ensuring the levers follow the natural path of the rider’s finger when pulling the brake. The lever shape has also been refined with a new asymmetrical upswept design that meets your finger at its natural angle, encouraging an aggressive riding position and even weight distribution for better riding control.”

BL-M9220 – Enduro / Trail Brake Lever

• ERGO FLOW Technology
• Smooth SERVOWAVE power curve
• Low-viscosity oil that remains stable over a wider temperature range
• Closer pivot point and upswept lever blade for natural braking motion
• New reach adjust dial on lever body
• I-SPEC EV compatible
• Durable alloy lever blade

BR-M9220 – Enduro / Trail Brake Caliper

• Dual diameter 4-piston design
• Anti-rattle finned pad design
• Low-viscosity hydraulic brake fluid
• Caliper seals with consistent rebound speed
• One-piece caliper design for optimized rigidity and weight

BL-M9200 – XC Brake Lever

• Lightweight construction with carbon lever blade
• Magnesium master cylinder
• Low-viscosity hydraulic brake fluid
• I-SPEC EV compatible

BR-M9200 – XC Brake Caliper

• Lightweight 2-piston design
• Heat-resistant resin piston
• Low-viscosity hydraulic brake fluid
• Post mount
• Caliper seals with consistent rebound speed

Wheels

“Offered in a super lightweight XC option, or a more durable enduro option, the XTR wheels feature updated industrial cartridge hub design for easy service while focusing on superior sealing.”

WH-M9220 – Enduro / Trail Wheels

• Durable 29-inch carbon tubeless rim
• Hookless rim with 30mm internal width to prevent deformation and punctures
• Durable stainless-steel spokes
• 28-hole conventional structure
• 3.5-degree engagement angle
• Lower drag while coasting
• MICRO SPLINE
• CENTERLOCK disc brake

WH-M9200 – Lightweight XC Wheels

• Lightweight 29-inch carbon tubeless rim
• Hooked rim with 29.6mm internal width
• Lightweight titanium spokes
• 24-hole straight spoke structure
• 3.5-degree engagement angle
• Lower drag while coasting
• MICRO SPLINE
• CENTERLOCK disc brake

How much does it all weigh?

Er. I have no idea, yet. Sorry! We’ve not had our test samples arrive yet.

The big ol’ price list