What’s the consensus of budget friendly drivetrains at the moment?

I currently have 1 x 10 speed running Sunrace Mech and cassette (11-42) at the moment. It’s OK, but needs to be kept nice and clean for good shifting. A cassette getting to 46+ is where I want to go.

In an ideal world I’d go to Deore 12 speed, as it gets all round big thumbs up, considering its price. But that would mean changing to micro spline, and as I like to run two different wheelsets (a skinny light set, and a chunky hefty set), that’s an extra £150 for new freehubs.

I’ve seen a sunrace groupset 12 speed option at £300 (shifter, cassette, mech and chain) which seems a good deal, anyone got that? Means I can stick with current HG freehubs too.

SRAM NX seems to be OK, and cheap, but many say it’s a bit feeble and dies quickly. hence cheap. I have an XD driver for one of the sets of wheels, but I’d need to buy one for the second wheelset.

The Box Two prime 9 is tempting. big gaps in cassette for sure, but I’m no too fussed about
that. The wide range and simplicity sounds like a good compromise.

Your thoughts please?

I’ve read universally bad comments about the 12 speed Sunrace stuff so would avoid that.

You could use 12 speed mech / shifter from Sram or Shimano and use a cassette from Sunrace though – or the NX 12 speed cassette that uses an hg freehub. Not sure with the Sunrace cassette if it’s spaced for Shimano or Sram gear though – both would probably work but the one with the exact spacing would work better.

If going Sram I’d get gx mech and shifter – if going Shimano then deore is absolutely fine.

If you go the Xd route then the Gx cassette is the cheapest Xd Sram cassette and anything higher than that gets mental expensive. The main advantages to the gx cassette over NX are lighter weight and the 10t highest cog so you can run a smaller chainring.

The Sunrace 12 speed cassette came on my ebike with the rest Shimano and works fine. However, it lasted 3 months and just over 1000km despite meticulous cleaning and checking the chain after every ride – clearly gets more wear on an ebike but would have expected a bit longer. Have GX group set on other bike and has been absolutely fine; robust, accurate and long lasting.

I’ve been running a sunrace cassette with 12 speed xt for around a year. It’s been faultless. Don’t really clean my cassette or chain that often but don’t leave it covered in mud if you get me?
Just don’t want to change to microspline until my freehub needs replacing
Incidentally I just put a new cassette/chain/chainring on my enduro bike. Old stuff has been passed onto the hardtail.
I think the sunrace cassette and deore 12 speed is a pretty solid option.
Although maybe I’m getting weaker as now I’ve had a 51t for ages I could go for another gear 😂

The main advantages to the gx cassette over NX are lighter weight and the 10t highest cog

Just remember the 10t also requires a free hub change to XD so not so so useful to the OP if they are trying to avoid that cost.

I bought an 11spd Microshift setup last year, and it’s been great.

11-46 cassette, fits on normal Shimano freehub, with alu carrier, so it doesn’t kill the freehub splines.

Finish and construction is nicer than Deore.

Clutch mechanism is better (imo) than Shimano, it used a ratchet system a bit like a freehub.

Shifter clamp is fixed though, so can’t use with ispec, etc.

Cassette, shifter and mech for approx £115 as far as I remember.

I’ve also used microshift with no complaints on a road bike. I’d personally stump up the cash for deore, you know it’ll work how you want after the initial expense. Do you have to buy it in one lump, maybe you use one wheel set more

How about Deore M5100 11 speed? You can get an 11-51 cassette and it fits a standard HG freehub. A quick google suggests it would cost in the region of £150-£200 for a full groupset.

I’ve noticed that XD has a touch more drag than Shimano. I don’t freewheel quite as far. I wonder what the downhillers use?

I’ve noticed that XD has a touch more drag than Shimano.

😂😂😂

Some kind of 11 speed- deore/sunrace combo would work well, get great range and be pretty cheap?

Remember also, 11 speed Shimano rear mech works fine with 10s shifter/cassette and give you the right reach to run a larger sunrace cassette.

12 speed sunrace cassette is working fine with sram derailleur and shifter for me.

Had an NX cassette but found it to be a poor design; only the largest 4 cogs are on a spider with the rest sliding on individually. After just 3 rides they started to cut into the freehold body, and I’m not heavy. No problems since switching to the Sunrace cassette.

11 speed deore would probably be my choice in that scenario. You can use any 12s shimano mech and 11s shifter, then if you do choose to change to microspline and 12s you only need to change the shifter sand can have a nicer mech. (friend is running an 11s shifter, 12s deore mech and, I think, an 11-46 cassette and rather likes it).

How about Deore M5100 11 speed? You can get an 11-51 cassette and it fits a standard HG freehub. A quick google suggests it would cost in the region of £150-£200 for a full groupset.

From where? Beyond importing options are very limited.

In stock here

https://www.tweekscycles.com/uk/shimano-cs-m5100-deore-11-speed-cassette-2012470

Thanks All!

I’ll try to digest what’s suggested. I was really liking the look and positive comments on the MicroShift Advent X gear, but it seems to be unavailavle in the UK. Some of the EU based websites have it, but…#Brexitbonus none of them currently shipping to the UK.

So I’ll avoid the Sunrace Gear apart from the Cassette, and mash up a shimano arrangemnt… maybe.
Just to confirm then a shimano 11s mech would do OK with a 10s shifter and cassette?

Nobody out there runnning the Box Components gear? Would be interesting to see what you think.

In stock here

Yeah, what about the rest of it? There doesn’t appear to be any RD-M5100 stock in Europe never mind the UK, Bike-Discount are quoting at least six weeks until restock.

I was in a similar position, I was running 11-42 10 speed but wanted a slightly lower climbing gear without losing top end. I’d looked at 12speed but it’s quite a bit more cost and reliability looks to be worse than 10 or 11 speed drivetrains judging by user experiences.

I decided to keep to 10 speed and bought a Deore 11-46 cassette and the new Deore 11 speed rear mech (it does work with a little bodging).

Yeah, what about the rest of it? There doesn’t appear to be any RD-M5100 stock in Europe never mind the UK, Bike-Discount are quoting at least six weeks until restock.

So frustrating. Rose, bike24 etc etc simply not shipping to UK. Despite having stock. And I bet that once they figure out how to ship to us again it’ll be with some sort of taxes we’ve never seen before.

R2 Bike are still shipping and I received a parcel from them within 3 days last week. No tax or duty or fees were charged, but the shipping cost had increased.

No tax or duty or fees were charged, but the shipping cost had increased.

None at all? You got the ex vat price?

Nobody out there runnning the Box Components gear? Would be interesting to see what you think.

I have a box one 11sp (2nd gen once they changed to a traditional shifter) and all i can say is it works. Its no better or worse than anything else that’s out there. The only plus is the graphics are orange which match my bike.

On a full suspension bike, (or i guess a hardtail that you are going to jump) my recommendation is the lightest cassette and mech you can afford and cope with the gear range.

For me thats bling bling 10 speed. Dropped 220g from the previous cassette, made a very obvious improvement to suspension perfromance and feel.

(Before we get another light bikes are quicker argument, no, the decrease in overall weight by about a third of a water bottle made no measurable difference to the climbing ability)

I just got one of those monster M5100 11-51 11 speed cassettes and an M6100 rear mech from Highonbikes, £114. Add chain, shifter and chainring of choice, good to go. HG compatible.

None at all? You got the ex vat price?

Yes indeedy-do!

Not sure I would risk it again though.

Just to confirm then a shimano 11s mech would do OK with a 10s shifter and cassette?

I can confirm this. Worked fine when i had 10 speed drivetrains on my bikes. I used the 11s mech to get the range for larger casettes.

I’d be tempted to go SLX 11 Speed. That comes in 11-46 flavours now. I’m on 12 speed X01 at the moment on one bike and 11 Speed XT on the other.

The old XT which is years old shifts way nicer and handles slop better than the much newer X01.

This years SLX is even better than my 3 year old XT. When the X01 wears out I’mm be going back to 11 speed XT Mech and Shifter and SLX cassette.

I can’t think of once I’ve gone, woo hoo! 12 gears over 11. That made the difference.