Just bent my 11spd rear mech 🙁 and was looking for a replacement.
Currently running Microshift XCD, which has been faultless for 2 years, and a replacement XCD derailleur is about £60.

For nearly the same price I can buy a complete Acolyte 8spd setup – 12-46 cassette, rear clutch mech and shifter (I have a couple of spare 8spd chains as I use them for SS).
£63 for the 3 bits, if I use a £10 new customer discount.

I already rate the Microshift stuff, and I like the idea if a more robust, wide range 8spd setup.
My only concern is the jumps in the cassette/ratio, will it be too much having been used to 11spd setup.

Any users with an opinion?

Ha, well obviously no-one 😆

Anyway, I bit the bullet and bought a set.
Fitted last night, no hassle at all, very easy to index, etc.

Took it out for a 45km ride today, lots of up and down (1000+m of ascent) and plenty of lumpy stuff.
It works. Very well 😎

Not much else to report really…if you want a cheap (£63 all in with CRC discount!), easy to set up, robust, wide-range setup then fill yer boots.

Not exactly the same, but in terms of trying a different brand…

I nearly took a chance on two Sunrace 9-speed MTB cassettes from Merlin for £17.50 each, but in the end I played it safe and paid ~£52 for two Shimano 12-36 from Amazon, just in case the unknown wasn’t so great.

Thanks for the PSA. There’s some great reviews for this groupset online and I’m looking for something cheap and simple to revive my wife’s hardtail. Might take a punt.

Sunrace cassettes are great btw

I’m a mac user.

Not much else to report really…if you want a cheap (£63 all in with CRC discount!), easy to set up, robust, wide-range setup then fill yer boots.

Thanks for the review!

I have long been curious about these setups, the sticking point for me previously with bodged up 1×9 or 1×10 was always the lack of clutch mech. So I could be sold on 1×8 with a clutch mech.

The other issue was always availability but I guess if CRC are stocking these bits it’s safe enough to buy without worrying about being unable to get a spare mech or whatever in the future.

I’m a mac user

😁 I hadn’t noticed the autocorrect mistake in the title. Bloody phones!

Not Acolyte but I’ve just had my first ride on Advent X 10 speed.
Wanted to build a bike up to leave at the caravan and the bits pile was full of everything except a drivetrain so I thought I’d give it a go. €160 from Bike24 for shifter, rear mech and 11-48 cassette.
Took about 6 days to arrive including the Easter holidays.
Setup was a breeze and it works just fine. I’ve been on either Di2 or AXS for the last few years so it’s a while since I’ve used a mechanical groupset but I’m really impressed with it for the money.

Another Advent X 10 Speed user here. Was a bit cheaper than chasing XT 9 Speed parts and so far has been spot on and cheaper.

Combine that with the Archer Di2 wireless gizmo and you’ve got one of the cheapest wireless setups. I’m very tempted.

I’m a mac user

😁 I hadn’t noticed the autocorrect mistake in the title. Bloody phones

In my head I substituted Microsoft for Shimano, I think of them being similar in their respective fields. So I thought ‘their 8 speed stuff is all low end I’m not interested in that thread’.
Took me a while to make the microshift connection. I have nothing to offer but now it’s of interest to read.

Would the cassette and derailleur work with an 8sp Claris chainset with flatbar shifters?

Would the cassette and derailleur work with an 8sp Claris chainset with flatbar shifters?

Chainset yes, shifter no.

Some of their stuff I’d Shimano compatible, but not this one. But the Microshift shifter is only £13.

This set-up has been great over the last 5 months, zero issues 🙂

I was just looking on CRC and it’s even cheaper now…
Cassette, rear mech, shifter and a Sram PC830 chain comes in at £65!

I used the Box 4 8 speed set up on my old Shand fatbike and it was superb – great value for money (although not as cheap as the Advent) – no probs with the jumps in the gear ratios – it was fine and if I was building a new bike up from scratch again I’d do the same again –