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I've been riding 1 x 10 for ages, with a 32t front and 11 - 36 rear. It does me ok, I still push / carry up some stuff in the Lakes and occasionally Peak but I reckon no amount of gears would get me up some of that. So far so good. What I do find though is that on longer days I can struggle with climbs towards the end of the ride.
I also have a big (7 day) ride planned in August with a fully laden bike. AND my rear mech is a mess of bodged straightenings and looks a bit like a curly wurly. So I reckon it's time for a new gear set up.
11spd seems the way to go, since I want a bigger range and I need a new mech. I'm fairly set on a Sunrace cassette as a couple of riding buddies have them and rate them. I *think* I'm gonna go 46t, with a view to upping to a 34 or 36 on the front in the future.
I've had Shimano on my bikes since the dawn of time, but I've heard rumblings that SRAM 11spd is actually nicer, and the combos that I'm looking at (SLX mech / XT shifter or GX mech / NX shifter) are about the same price - SRAM mech is a little bit more expensive, but the shifter is cheaper.
So what would you do STW? Does anyone have experience of both? Advice? Suggestions? Tell me I should get an Eagle setup?
Cheers!
Having ridden virtually every combo going I would say if I was in your position I would buy a Sunrace MX3 11-46 cassette and a new M6000 mech and stay 10 spd.
For me the SRAM 11sp is the just works, had GX and NX which are both good.
I thought the M6000 (Deore) was only rated up to 11-42? M7000 can do it though.
I agree with the 10 speed sentiment though - mine felt much nicer than the 11 speed that replaced it. The only advantage for 11 is I think there are some wider shifts on the 10 speed.
Currently have 11-46 with 34t oval. Gets me up most rideable stuff in the Dales and Lakes, and if you've been managing on 32t 11-36, then you will be pleasantly surprised by the range.
You doing Ravenglass/Ravenscar then? I remember your thread earlier in the year.
Interesting, 10spd would be cheaper too which is a bonus. I believe I could use an 11spd mech with a 10spd cassette and shifter if I stay Shimano right?
Yep, booking train tickets to Ravenglass tonight, it's all getting alarmingly real now.
Most of my bikes are 10spd (helps with spares) but my FS is 11spd. I went 11spd not so much for the extra range but having slightly smaller jumps in the ratios. My bikepacking bike is 1x10 with 32T up front and an 11-42 cassette - I tend to swap between 30T & 32T depending on what's available when the current one wears out.
If you struggle with climbs later in the day then fit a smaller chainring not bigger - my fat bike has a 28T chainring for example. By the time I run out of gears I'm better off walking anyway. As @benpinnick says - the Sunrace MX3 is fine, get a new mech, cable and cable outer and you'll be fine. I can't comment on SRAM as I've not had a bike with it fitted. Some Shimano mechs have two capacities stated: one for 1x systems and one for 2x, I can't remember which series I've fitted, probably XT, but it will handle 11-46 for 1x and 11-42 for 2x
You could try putting a 28t (oval?) chainring on the front as well.
I find it really helps compared to having a 32t, and unless you're somewhere very flat or riding on roads a lot you won't spin out.
I was thinking I'd stick with the 32 till post big ride, then maybe go up when stuff needs replacing. I guess there's nothing to stop me going 10spd 11-42 with a 30t up front though.
I believe I could use an 11spd mech with a 10spd cassette and shifter if I stay Shimano right?
Yes, that should shift better/ be more adjustable in the bigger sprockets too. You might manage fine with 11-42 and 30 or 32t oval - it would still give you quite a bit extra gearing compared to your current setup.
I'd personally find anything under 32t a bit frustrating on parts of that route though - Vale of York etc.
Putting an 11-46 on would give you a bit more easy gear without the risk of spinning out. And allow you to go up to 34t for normal rides.
Switching to SRAM 11sp may depend on whether you can/want to swap to a new freehub as well, not an issue with shimano.
Pretty sure SRAM NX uses a normal freehub, though I'll probably go with a Sunrace cassette whichever I end up with.
TBH I think an M7000 11spd mech with wide range 10spd cassette is probably the way to go. Cheaper too, which is a massive bonus.
The M6000 mech handles 11-46 no probs. Not even at the end of the b adjust. Remember Shimano will never state a capacity bigger that the matching component they sell, even if it works.
Crafty buggers...perhaps they can't work out a way to make an 11-46 Deore cassette heavier than the SLX.
perhaps they can’t work out a way to make an 11-46 Deore cassette heavier than the SLX
😂
In all seriousness it’s a mix of personal tastes and whether you want to spend money question. Some people just don’t like SRAM ergonomics and there are even people who are simply determined not to like the brand on a cherry picked principle. Last time I looked, XT vs GX was pretty much the same price until you considered freehub. The shift quality is pretty much the same but it does need to be said that the GX shift pod feels nasty and cheap. XD cassettes need more care on installation than the old Shimano standard which is pretty much impossible to get wrong unless you just don’t tighten the lock ring. I prefer a higher series shifter which blows the cost parity. You should also consider that the (lighter) 10-42 GX cassette being all steel will outlast the Shimano offerings if you’re going to spend much time in the lower gears. You should also check the gear calcs and consider what impact the difference in top gear will have (if any). This has always been my decider, I value top and bottom gears so Shimano drove me to a bigger heavier cassette and a bigger front ring to get the same ratios. If you will almost never use the top gear it’s a non-issue.
NX is standard Shimano fitting.
No experience on the Sunrace 10sp options, but I’ve heard as many niggle about shifting as I’ve heard praises. I suspect it’s setup dependent and at least partly influenced by people’s attitudes to spending money, but the caveat about alloy cogs vs steel obviously still applies.
GX 11spd is my first full SRAM transmission and I really like it, even if it doesn't look or feel quite as nice as SLX. That said, benpinnicks suggestion sounds most sensible, I very much doubt you'd miss the smaller gaps on an 11spd cassette as long as you have the range on a 10spd
On the other hand, 10spd 11-46 cassettes seem to be appreciably more than 11spd ones. Making the price difference quite a bit less.
Hmm.
I run and really like my 11 speed SRAM GX set up, that is till something goes wrong and the SRAM replacement parts are quite pricey! I've had to replace the shifter and mech in the last year (at separate times)
I have also used a well maintained SLX set up and it was lovely. I have also then used poorly maintained SRAM and Shimano set ups which have been awful!
Next time something goes wrong for me I am going to Shimano SLX as for the price of one SRAM GX mech I could get the SLX shifter and mech!
I'm using an 11-46 10 speed Sunrace cassette with an SLX M7000 11 speed mech - works perfectly
True but the comparable weight cassettes are pretty close in price....
10spd 11-46 cassettes seem to be appreciably more than 11spd ones. Making the price difference quite a bit less.
I noticed this too. Was one of the main factors in plumping for 11 speed in the end.
I'm just in the process of replacing all my 11spd drive chain , I've opted for a Works Components 32t oval ring (£22), a Sunrace 11-42 cassette (£50) & a SRAM PC1130 chain (£14). I have an existing XT M8000 mech & shifter. XTR shifter is supposed to be much nicer.
A sunrace 11 42 11 speed weighs 412 g if anyone is interested.
I went 11-46 sunrace 11spd with xt shifter and mech. Worked well with a 32t ring for bike packing. Changed to a 36t ring for normal biking.