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Need to get new drive train Inc cranks and thinking of biting the 1 x 11 bullet (currently still 2 x 9)!
Want to stay shimano so slx or xt is what I'm looking at. Looks to be about £60 difference in price and 200g in weight.
Looking for opinions on people with either? Best I'm finding is £300 for xt.
Honest recommendation sram gx. Best value, lighter than XT and a good price. No real need for new cranks if you don't need them.
Both my main bikes, FS and HT, are running 1 x 11 and I wouldn't go back. With the right front ring and a large range cassette it seems to just work. I've had really good mileage out of my chains and cassettes so far so running costs whilst high aren't ridiculous.
I have not ever got on with sram feel hence why only thinking shimano but will see what on offer for gx as well.
If he goes to SRAM he'd need a new hub/freehub too
Think some of the new lower spec Sran x 11 is running with std hub/freehub. NX certainly does
It's NX only, but then offers no weight benefit over Shimano.
If it were me, I'd go SLX over XT...it's cheaper and looks better. 200g over the entire group set is around 40g per component.
I changed my hardtail from xt 2x9 to xt 1x11 about a year ago now and my thoughts so far are that there are more negatives than positives about it.
I like the simplicity of only one shifter and single ring up front and it's lighter, although in reality a couple hundred grams doesn't make much difference.
Dislikes are that compared to 9 & 10 speed everything has worn out twice as fast, the top sprocket of the cassette is made of cheese compared to the rest of it so you'll be replacing a good cassette due to wear on one sprocket, everything costs twice as much to replace as 9 or 10 speed, chainline is crap in some gears which probably contributes to the wear issue, once the chain ring starts wearing the chain will keep falling off (my last narrow wide ring lasted only 250 miles!), i don't like the big gaps between gears higher up the cassette as it always feels like you're in the wrong gear.
I'm sure it suits some people and sram 1x11 might be better but for me the 2x10 xt drivetrain on my full suss is far better.
Edited to add 99% of my riding is done on the Quantocks which is like grinding paste in the wet hence wear being a big issue for me
Dislikes are that compared to 9 & 10 speed everything has worn out twice as fast, the top sprocket of the cassette is made of cheese compared to the rest of it so you'll be
On gx 13 months one cassette not riding in grinding paste but seem to be out lasting the xt guys. 1 chain at 2000km,next bent when I snapped what appears to be a faulty chain ring and the cassette and mech are great. Bought one xd driver. That's it.