Need a bottom bracket (68/73 threaded) and was thinking Hope stainless steel. Rear hub again Hope,not yet bought so can spec any manufacturer for cassette etc.
The rest of the drivetrain full XT (30-11/46) Plunder the Boxing Day sales. What other combinations should I be looking at.
SRAM Eagle way out my budget.

If you’re going for XT cranks, make sure you put some invisiframe type stuff on them or they’ll look super tatty really quick.

If you haven’t bought a hub, then get one with an XD driver and use a SRAM GX cassette instead of the much heavier 11-46 XT, with the same ramge – good value here with chain included:

https://www.bike-components.de/en/SRAM/GX-11-speed-XG-1150-Cassette-PC-1130-Chain-Set-p50103/

Raceface aeffect crank arms are a bargain, and you can bang a oneup oval boost ring on them, use a standard 24m BB. Turbines are lighter but use a 30mm BB, would need a more expensive BB like Hope to get decent life.

The bike the drivetrain is going on is a long term keeper. 10 years going by my last one. With this in mind is it worth going for a Hope crankset or are they not really worth the extra cash say over XT?

@honourablegeorge, with the cassette being SRAM could the rest of the drivetrain still be a Shimano?

Re: Hope v Shimano – depends what you mean by worth. Functionaly? Doubt it very much. Bling? Yep.

Is spiderless cranks/chainrings the way forward or stick with the spider/bolt option?

Don’t put a boost chainset on, use a normal one or the chain line will be crap
Unless you’re using plus tyres and need the clearance

If you haven’t bought a hub, then get one with an XD driver and use a SRAM GX cassette instead

Sage advice, and you could still use Shimano shifter and mech if you wanted. That’s what I’d do if starting again TBH.

I was after the 46 tooth on the Shimano tbh. The SRAM only look to be going to 42.

But it’s the same range, so you’d use a smaller (30 instead of 32, frinstance) c/ring with the sram, gaining a bit of ground clearance, and losing a bit of weight

I was going to go 30- 11/46. If I went with the SRAM option would 28- 10/42 give me the same range?

i run xtr shifter, xt double crank with 30 tooth hope retainer ring, xt mech, and 10 – 44 Hope cassette which is admittedly pricey but gives a bit of range over sram. Previously had a SRAM GX 10 – 42 cassette (on a 29’er)

I’m running the XT M8000 boost cranks with an Absolute Black 32t oval, XT 11-46 cassette and KMC sl chain. Works perfectly.

If it’s a long term keeper, I’d consider the hope cassette which sounds mad I know, but bear with me.

The freehub can come standard with the hub so costs no extra. The top 4 sprockets are alloy, the lower 7 are steel. The alloy ones can be purchased on their own, hence extending the lift of the cassette. The XT by comparison, has two alloy cogs that write off the whole cassette once worn. The other plus, is that when you do change the alloy 4, the new section might be available that goes up to 48 rather than the current 10-44. The steel 7 section is the same on both cassettes.

I have a SRAM GX mech and shifter in the classifieds…
Brand new

Technically you’d need a 27t for exactly the same gearing. But the range that might be difficult to get hold of 😉 range between to and bottom gear would be the same though.

lotto – Member
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@honourablegeorge, with the cassette being SRAM could the rest of the drivetrain still be a Shimano?

Yes… run that on both bikes, no issue

Hope cranks are mega expensive and heavy, I don’t think they’re worth it.

Onzadog – Member

The top 4 sprockets are alloy

That’s why I wouldn’t have it. Too much power in those gears for alu teeth.

@ honourablegeorge. You obviously know your onions regards cassettes etc and clearly in the SRAM camp. So what would be your ideal drivetrain top to bottom? ( not Eagle, too expensive)

You’re other option, it a sunrace 11-46 cassette which only has one alloy sprocket unlike the two on the xt if you’re going to worry about such things, it also has less of a jump to the top sprocket and I think is a little lighter than xt and can be found cheaper than sram gx.

It’s all about your own personal balance of weight/cost/durability.

Of course, the downside to xt, sunrace and I believe gx, is that one worn sprocket writes off the entire cassette and on more expensive sram versions, only the top sprocket can be replaced and that’s with expensive aftermarket versions.

GX however, is the only all steel 11 speed cassette I can think of.

I’m liking the idea of an all steel cassette for longevity. Is GX SRAM level SLX?

I run XTR mech and shifter, XT boost cranks with 32 ring and 11/42 XT cassette on DT350 (factory wheel set but 350 internals) boost hub rear and a Ultegra chain.

Might swap for a lighter SRAM cassette when the XT wears out.

Shifts brilliantly, no chainline issues either.

@lotto GX cassette is xt level pretty much, as far as weight and price go. Gx otherwise roughly SLX level.

I have GX cassette/chain from above, xt gearing and raceface Aeffect crank on the hardtail, find it a brilliant setup and didn’t break the bank.

You can obviously spend loads more than that chasing lightness, but rangw and shifting from that setup is every bit as good as the carbon cranks/xx1 cassette/xtr gears on my other bike, which was probably double or triple the price.

Thinking I’m going to go with the SRAM GX cassette, PC 1130 chain, Hope 30mm cranks and BB,Hope Boost chainring and SLX shifters/derailleur. Or for comparability would would GX shifters/derailleur be better? I’m assuming a medium cage rear mech?

Compatibility not an issue so go for whichever of SLX or GX you prefer. Shimano my personal.preference but neither a bad choice.

For 1z a medium cage SLX, yeah. GX all one size.

Compatibility not an issue so go for whichever of SLX or GX you prefer. Shimano my personal.preference but neither a bad choice.

For 1z a medium cage SLX, yeah. GX all one size.

Which freehub do I need for the GX cassette? Is it XD driver? With the cassette being all steel does my free hub therefore need to be steel? Can I spec this from original purchase or have to be an additional purchase?

I’d be careful with anything boost. I still had to run the BB spacer on the non-drive (wrong) side to get a decent chain line on my Hope cranks. Boost will surely exacerbate this?

How much does that lot add up to? Couldn’t you buy full XTR drive group for that money? I like my Hope cranks but I don’t think I’d take a drop in shifter or mech for them. Far more noticeable having better shifting than machined cranks IMO.

Edit: XTR seems to have gone up since Brexit!

I thought I had to go for a Boost drivetrain with a Boost frame? I’ll be running a Chronnicle.

As I said above, don’t bother with the boost chainset unless you need the tyre clearance
Normal chainset and boost hub give a near perfect chainline, no dropping the chain off the biggest cassette cog when back pedalling

Xf freehub for GX cassette… you can buy your hope hubs and wheels with the xd already fitted

Anybody used DMR axe cranks? Good value for money @£150 with chainring.

Your other option, is a sunrace 11-46 cassette which only has one alloy sprocket unlike the two on the xt if you’re going to worry about such things, it also has less of a jump to the top sprocket and I think is a little lighter than xt and can be found cheaper than sram gx.

Very much recommend the Sunrace. More sensible cog jump and cheaper.
Looks beautiful in black with the red spider too.

What makes the SRAM GX crankset Boost or nonboost? (Or any of there crank arms)Are SRAM crank arms like Shimano and have been adapted to Boost at manufacture or like Hope where you change the chainring to an offset one to accommodate Boost? I’m thinking SRAM cranks now as I like the direct mount chainring which Shimano don’t offer and lots of after market availability.

XO1 at Start Fitness is a good buy . Should be some voucher codes about.
Our SRAM cranks are sorted with offset chain rings on the boost hubs.
Got a set of Raceface Affect cranks.chain ring and bottom bracket that has just been taken of a new Enduro if you are interested