Do you actually want 12 speeds? It’ll be easier to make 1×10 set up. You can get wide range 10 speed cassettes and your existing shifter and chainset will be fine. You’ll want a new rear mech for the wide range and ideally a NW chainring.

You could get wider range gears by buying a 10 speed Deore 11-46 cassette like this:

https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-deore-m4100-cassette-10-speed-221879.html

And why not just get this cheap Deore chainset?

https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-deore-mt511-single-12-speed-chainset-with-chainring-299204.html

Then you might need a new mech to handle the bigger rear cog, and a new chain obvs.

I don’t think there’s much to be gained from having the extra cogs, I’m still on 11sp and it’s not held me back at all.

There are 12-speed cassettes that fit HG hubs; SRAM NX, notably, and then some third party (Subrace) ones. Top gear is 11-tooth, not 12,  but it’s possible.

I seem fine with 11-speed Deore and 11-51.

Really, the upgrade is going to be going 1x, not the number of cogs out back. You can get to 11-46 on 1×10 and keep your right shifter. The change will be your ratios are more spread out, of course…

is the slx mech/ shifter noticeably better?

Honestly, no.  SLX mech looks a little nicer (IMO) and I’m sure Shimano would argue it’s made of stronger components.  The shifter is pretty much identical … again at least from an external, visual, performance feel perspective.

1×12 will be more ‘future proof’

Not so sure about this. Shimano seem to be making a new range of drivetrains in 10 speed at the low to mid level. 13 speed will be out at some point at the top end but I think we will still see a lot of 10 speed around.

On a personal note after the CRC fire sale I have enough 10 speed to keep me going for a very long time 🙂

I’m running 1×10 Deore on a couple of bikes with M5100 rear mechs and a microshift 11-48 cassette on either (they’ll accommodate up to a 51t though). All parts bought cheap in various sales.

general benefits; I can still run old HG hubs, I didn’t need new shifters and the 5100 Mechs mean I have a future upgrade path to 11 speed if I want (allegedly they work with 12 speed too?).

The main question normally is what type of crank does it have and how available are N/W rings to suit?

I don’t reckon 12 speed is a substantial enough benefit to most people to go out of your way to upgrade an existing bike, obviously if buying a new bike it’s a different proposition, but if your just renewing an existing drivetrain keep changes minimal, going to 1x is perfectly viable with 10 speed though.

Nothing crazy in the UK right now… Merlin have the 11-51 M5100 cassette and the rear mech you need to go with it, at okay prices.

https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-deore-m5100-cassette-11-speed-265331.html

https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-deore-m5100-rear-derailleur-11-speed-265337.html

Anything above 10spd is unnecessary, imo….

10spd has better, crisper shifting and with wide range cassettes negates the need for 2x upfront.

GF’s gravel bike has Tiagra and it makes better shifts without any need for adjustment compared to my 11spd 105.

Old mtb with Sunrace 10spd wide cassette das more than adequate.

Wider range cassette, XT or Saint shifter to get the double or triple up/downshift on the one stroke, maybe a good used/NOS M781 or 786 mech. I’ve pretty much landed on this formula and have an alert set up for M781/6 on my local marketplace site as it works so well.

I put Microshift AdventX 11-48 cassette on my old hardtail, which I’d previously bodged from 3×9 to 2×9 22-36 (still on original Shimano triple crankset).

Very happy with the Microshift stuff 10 gears and the range from 11-48 is plenty.

@burko73 – I was running the original WTB Scraper 35 rims with Ranger 3.0″ tyres, I’ve now switched to slightly wider LB carbon rims and 2.8″ Schwalbe Johnny Watts which come up slightly narrower, but not much.

Up front it’s a Raceface 30t N/W ring (that has the female threads built in) and it’s mounted on the 104bcd part of the original crankset. I think I remember that the 2x crankset has boost chainline, not 100% on that though!

Out back it’s the original 10sp derailleur mounted on a Ali/ebay extender with a 10sp chain and a Shimano 11-46t cassette.

In lowest gear I’ve got about 1cm of space between chain and tyre, can’t remember it rubbing when I had the 3.0″ Rangers on there, at least not enough to cause issues.

Not sure why you’re getting tyre rub, unless 11sp cassettes are wider than 10sp? I though they are the same but have closer spaced cogs…

Hope that helps, I’ve (hopefully) added some photos, let me know if you need me to take any more! And yes, my bike is dirty, I just got in from riding…

Cheers

Holy sh*t, it actually worked!?