I used to have Shimano 10 speed on my bikes, Saint shifter, SLX mech, XT cassette, KMC chain and it was fairly bombproof and faultless. Before that I had SRAM X9 10 speed (pretty poor) and SRAM X9/0 9 speed (really rather nice). It’s confusing!

I now have 12 speed GX Eagle on one bike which is great but finicky. And 11 speed NX on the other bike, which due to commuting and a motor has eaten two chains and cassettes in 1200 miles. I like the 10 tooth cog on a normal bike but I think it’ll get destroyed too quickly on the ebike, so 11-40+ cassettes are probably best. Have had NX and SLX 11-42.

Happy to spend plenty on a shifter if it’s worth it, would rather get a middling price mech because Sod’s law says I’ll smash a fancy one on a tree stump. Unless they really last a lot longer I think cheaper cassettes are the way to go.

What would you suggest?

Shimano XT shifter and mech, Sunrace cassette, KMC chain does it for me in either 10spd or 11spd.

The cassette is probably the least critical in terms of how everything “feels”, it’s really just down to what range and steps between ratios you want. Cheaper cassettes are a bit heavier but I’ve not noticed any “out on the trail” difference between them.

I know SRAM say that Eagle is designed as a “system” with tooth profiles ,etc. meant to be optimised for each other but is that just SRAM doing their usual trying to tie you in to their products?

I’d look for an all steel cassette if you want longevity. My 11 speed sram gx level cassettes just seem to be going on and on (I haven’t worn one out yet).

I’d say the sram gx 11 speed mechs have been good – but only after a change of jockey wheels to nx ones in both mechs as the bearings in the standard ones seized. Since then they’ve just worked.

So perhaps shimano 11 speed mechs are a more reliable option – and probably cheaper. I don’t think you can mix up shimano and sram 11 speed mechs / shifters so I’m that case you’d need a shimano shifter too.

Sunrace MS8, happy with mine at 2500km since February. All steel, big ring(s) looking good. Bit of gouging on the freehub body which I’m monitoring.

“I’d look for an all steel cassette if you want longevity.”

It’s the small sprockets that die first on an ebike, especially with full turbo commuting mileage, a few big alloy ones don’t matter (but I like some easy gears for group rides when the motor is off).

As far as mech-shifter combo then I agree with whitestone on XT. Personally, I think the high end SRAM mechs perform a bit better. Their clutch system seems to be a notch above Shimano’s, but then high end SRAM mechs need to be much better because they’re so much more expensive. On the other hand, SRAM’s lower end mechs are hateful, low quality, rattly things. When you can pick up a Shimano XT mech for the price of SRAM NX then it’s a no-brainer for me.

For the shifters then I think it’s more a personal preference thing. I prefer the longer levers and lighter action of Shimano. Contrary to what’s been said above, you definitely can mix and match all SRAM and Shimano 11speed stuff, so pick the brand you prefer the feel of.

I can’t really advise on cassettes because I’ve only really used Shimano. I have a couple of mates swear SRAM Cassettes last far longer but I don’t know.

Steel is king. My XX1 11 speed cassette lasted several thousand miles over 4 years. I bet the GX ones last well. The 10t was fine.

I also ran a Shimano XT 11-42 and it was dead in a year. The top cog just disintegrated as it was too soft an aluminium. The replacement 11-46 Sunrace one has now lasted 2.5yrs despite the alloy big cog, I’d recommend them over Shimano for a normal freehub.

For derailleurs and shifters, Shimano XT shifter and whatever Shimano mech you like. I found the SLX shifters die much more easily but the mechs are much of a muchness. SRAM mechs are much less reliable.

Shimano are very conservative (with a small ‘c’), cautious if you like, and tend not to push kit out “just because”. Look at how long it’s taken them to produce a “gravel” groupset. So they’ll state that their mechs have a maximum cog size of X knowing that X+4 will work but a cog that size will do something like wear out the guide jockey bushing 20% faster or the upper pins on the parallelogram has 2% extra stress per gear change. Things we wouldn’t notice until they fail.

SRAM seem to be more “get it developed and out of the door” then let the users test the hell out of it. “What do you mean it clogs up in mud? No-one goes riding in mud!”. The high end stuff, like Eagle, seems to be good but the low end …

I’ve had precisely zero problems with Sunrace cassettes, I’m up to 3000km in about two years on one and way over that on another and both are still fine. I’ve a spare Sunrace cassette in a drawer – I tend to keep a full set of spares since inevitably something will need replacing the day before a trip – and notice that on the box it’s “Sunrace, Sturmey-Archer”, a quick check and it looks like they bought out SA in 2000.

@chiefgrooveguru – what size chainring do you have on your e-bike? If it’s small then there’ll be a lot more torque going through it – I’d a Shimano Alfine IGH and the recommendation was to keep the chainring to cog ratio at around 2:1 for that reason.

XTR shifter and mech, absolutely faultless in 3 and a bit years and about 6000km on my main race bike

i’m tempted by the new Box 9 Prime for the Levo. Steel cassette on alu body which is lighter than XX1 Eagle. You still get the 50 tooth cassette but with bigger gaps between gears. 9 speed chain which should wear better than the 11 speed and the bigger cassette spacing should stand up to winter muck better.

Or the new XTR which supposedly shifts incredibly well under power so ideally suited to an ebike.

XT shifter and mech, but whipperman connex chain (stainless or nickel plated), you’ll never go back to any other, infinitely reusable and hand removable quick link!!

The 11 XT cassette are shocking in terms of longevity and medieval in design. Switched to 10—42 Sram and can’t believe the difference. Happy with XT mech and shifter though, not brillant compared to 10speed but OK.

My XT shifter (11-speed) has just given up the ghost after less than a year. Trying SLX next.

10T is fine on ebike because at that speed you’re above the cutoff. It’s the 12/14/16T cogs that get mullered as they are the ones that take full boost.

Exactly the same as Whitestone for me. XT shifter and mech. Sunrace cassette and KMC chain. Shifts great and no problems over the last 2 years with this setup.

XX1 cassettes are said to pay for themselves over time as they are hardest steel
Chain, same
XT mech does fine
XTR 11 shifter is a bit lighter action if you like that, otherwise XT is good. Very.
I rotate 3 chains, chanding monthly, as the chains wear faster than cogs that should triple cassette life. It needs to that kits spendy!
Neil

I reckon I get around 4000 miles per £80 SRAM GX Cassette so to me that’s great value.The SRAM GX derailleurs don’t tend to last quite as well for me,but still good.