So I’ve ridden this thing about quite a bit recently in conditions best suited to a snorkel and mask.

So far so good, let me add I went straight for a Rad Cage and complete new drivetrain with Deore (med cage) mech, so no old bent knackered mech, short cage, worn jockey wheels or chain to contend with! The gear changes are crisp and fast with no noticeable difference from when it was 11-36 Shimano SLX. I didn’t try it with the standard medium cage so don’t know how much better or worse it would be!

The downsides are few and minor, the cassette is a bit tinny sounding and was noisy for a while on the 36t, which has settled down/worn away. The chain also drops down the block if I back peddle on the 40t. The setup does have to be pretty precise to achieve decent shifting, the b tension needs to be set within a small sweet spot and on my bike the front chainring needed spacing in by about 3mm to get a centre chainline, it didn’t shift right until I spaced it! You also lose the ability to drop from the hardest gears to the softest in one shift of a front mech, although you get used to it and it’s not a deal breaker IMO.

So all in all I’m a happy 1x10nr (cool story bro), with 32t up front not missing the reduced range much, a bit more out of pocket for the privilege though 😐 The only thing I can’t say for sure is how long it will stay this way. The all alloy cassette does seem more robust than an all alloy SRAM cassette I had a while back, which felt like it was made from tin cans and bent just as easily.

+1 happy with my Sunrace 11-40 too

(RADr cage, XT mech, XTR shifter, 32 oval NW ring)

Was about to start a thread based on these expander cassettes – glad I checked first!
Just gone 1×10 but still on Deore 11-36 cassette with 30T NW up front – only one ride to test it so far – think there may be scope to go for a larger range on the cassette so a 11-40 not out of the question.
Praxis do one for £100 (£90 in some places) – it won’t be much different to this though surely?
Sunrace seems to be a better option than buying an XT cassette and an expander then faffing with 16/17/18 teeth etc? Just had a little bonus from work so might get the Sunrace with it anyway – you can never have too many easy climbing gears 😉

Any further updates on the 11-40 Sunrace cassette? Still performing well over time? Any damage to the freehub?

Just purchased the mx3 cassette the more I wind the b tension screw in to clear the jockey wheels on a xt mech the more the chain catches on the arm that bolts the cable. I am in the process off grinding the arm down a bit, Just hope it does not weaken it too much.

I’ve got a 11-42 had zero problems with it, standard xt rear mech

I recently fitted a MX3 11-42t. Changes are not quite as silky smooth as the XT 11-36 it replaced, but not far off and I’m very happy with it.

Ok 11 months use now worn out i.e. won’t accept a new chain and skips with the old.

Was only saying how good it was about a week back, day after it dropped the chain for the first time 😆 jobs **** the lot needs replacing chain @ 0.5 according to the Park tools gauge.

Steel this time me tinks.

BITD when 8 speed was king and chains were considerably cheaper, I would change them religiously every 3 months. Cassettes lasted years
I am currently on my second chain on an MX3 that is 6 months old (original snapped a fortnight ago, no skipping YET…….)

One chain on that cassette (it’s actually only the first 2-3 sprockets that are hooked) and measuring the chain next to the new one, it’s no where near as bad as I’ve let chains wear before. I’ve actually had the plates visibly thinner on one side in the past 😆 I’ve took a link out and flipped the chain rings to get the last bit of wear on an original chain. We are talking about 2-2.5 years use with a bit of fettling!

I’ll change chains sooner this time round see if that helps.

I got the all steel one (MG3 is it?) 11-42 and it’s been flawless so far.

So it might be worth the extra weight on the cheaper steel one for extra shelf life

Yup steel has been ordered.

Can’t say I’m particularly surprised. Any mechanical thing where there’s dirt and metal on metal contact, the softest thing wears out first. In this case it was half the cassette and the chain ring both made from 7075 aluminium alloy. The chain was still serviceable.

I’ve a 42 on order, a fat bike and a whole lot of unclimbable climbs lined up!

So to sum up. If you go with a lightweight cassette you get about a years wear, about half what you would get from a reasonably maintained triple IME but with minimal fettling (other than cable tension adjustment as it stretches) to keep it sweet.

Now the replacement cost is lower for 1×10 but not half at current prices. Therefore and hardly surprising in this unscientific test, overall I have paid a premium for the convenience of a 1x drivetrain.

1x 2x or 3x takes your pick. I can live with the increased wear (should see a slight improvement with steel) so am staying 1x for the foreseeable future.

If anyone’s still awake there’s my take on the hot potato.

What does one year equate to in miles for you?

I’ve done 500k on my mx3 11-42 still shifting fine

@ Rickos – That’s a good question and one I can’t really answer as I don’t bother to monitor my riding, not helpful I know.

I do get out for the most part at least twice a week all off-road, no commuting, obligatory pub rides! Done Various Peaks rides, Mellor, Phillips, Clayton, Werneth Low, Cannock, Stile Cop, Macc Forest incl DH, Goyt Valley, Llandegla, Lee & Cragg, Gisburn, Rivington and Lakes this year. Some many times including all black and some diamond DH runs.