Shimano XT / SLX 12-Speed

Calvin27

Eats Squid
I rode Justin Timberline my $30 Gumtree find and didn't have a bad time either.
Me and my mates have this concept of a 'klunkers' race. $200 total budget (bike plus bits) to buy a gumtree special, ONE weekend to get it up to scratch and then do a race series of our favorite local trails. Right now we are waiting for one bloke in particular to calm down a bit because his fitness has gone ballistic. But we are all scouring scumtree waiting for someone to instigate and start the thing.
 

slider_phil

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I think in reality, 98% of new drivetrains go on new bikes, so the microspline thing isn't a big deal for the majority or bike companies.

Unfortunately people like us who upgrade bits over time are 1% of users and our opinions matter fuck all.

We don't talk about that last 1% of people...
 

rowdyflat

chez le médecin
good point slider phil , some of the people i ride with havent got any idea what the drivetrain is because when it wears out they just take it to the lbs and get a new one
 

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out
I think in reality, 98% of new drivetrains go on new bikes, so the microspline thing isn't a big deal for the majority or bike companies.

Unfortunately people like us who upgrade bits over time are 1% of users and our opinions matter fuck all.

We don't talk about that last 1% of people...
Reckon the percentage would be a bit higher than that or you'd wonder why companies have went down the Geoblock path and why most bike shops blame online buying as their biggest competition.
 
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Litenbror

Eats Squid
It's never the woeful customer service that drives customer away is it? o_O:)
The last LBS I was in didn't have the compressor going because it was Saturday and the kid behind the counter didn't know how it worked. Me, went home and bought a twin chamber floor pump online so as to never have to go into that place again. It's no wonder we avoid them so much and buy online.
 

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
Me and my mates have this concept of a 'klunkers' race. $200 total budget (bike plus bits) to buy a gumtree special, ONE weekend to get it up to scratch and then do a race series of our favorite local trails. Right now we are waiting for one bloke in particular to calm down a bit because his fitness has gone ballistic. But we are all scouring scumtree waiting for someone to instigate and start the thing.
Gee, I'd almost give that a go a resurrect my racing career that I never really started :|

Although my budget bike is singlespeed that cost more to convert than the price of the bike anyhow and I think I'm behind the 8 ball on gearing already.
 

slider_phil

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Me and my mates have this concept of a 'klunkers' race. $200 total budget (bike plus bits) to buy a gumtree special, ONE weekend to get it up to scratch and then do a race series of our favorite local trails. Right now we are waiting for one bloke in particular to calm down a bit because his fitness has gone ballistic. But we are all scouring scumtree waiting for someone to instigate and start the thing.
You should start the inaugural Rotorburn Klunkers race. Moorey could probably supply the whole field with sub $200 Orange bikes. I'll bring the ear plugs to save our hearing.
 

Asininedrivel

caviar connoisseur
Geezus, xt is expensive! How can Shitmano justify a price hike of more than double ove 8000? RD-M8100 is 192 Euro on Hibike!
Imo XT should be expensive(r). It's meant to be a premium product with weight savings over SLX but sans the tinsel and bullshit of XTR. I never understood why you could buy groupsets of 11 speed SLX or XT for basically $100 difference. Seemed like total market cannibalisation - why have both models? It's like if Holden sold the Camira and Commodore for virtually the same price. Oh wait...
 

Daniel Hale

She fid, he fid, I fidn't
I'm still running an 11-36 10spd & feel guilty when going for 1st!
i feel guilty runnin SS, shoudln’t i be propping up some drivetrain company who works real hard to show me i need something they know full well i don’t...maybe i should shout myself a tea saucer sized 20t cog, for the the track really turns upward
i have a 21t for the tracklocross, but then i have a 46t up front on it
 

Calvin27

Eats Squid
So that clears up why they're doing it, to recover OEM spec on new bikes.
The whole bloody industry seems geared towards OEM spec on bikes now. t's really sad. Basically they are saying, yeah we only want you to buy our equipment on new bikes - which is a strange position to take from a component manufacturer.

The freehub is a strange place to wage a standard war. I mean it's hard enough already with wheels sizes, hub spacing and rotor mounts now we have to think about free hub standard on top of that? Does shimano expect us to just say, ok I'll just buy a XT wheelset? I mean I don't really care but not since they are still running loose bearings!

Roadie world looks a lot friendlier with standardisation.
 

ashes_mtb

Has preferences
I don't think it'll be that long before they expand licences to everyone else. They'll let the oems have a jump start with next year's lines and then open it up. Bit annoying for anyone that wants to upgrade early but there are options if someone is desperate to do that.

PS - loose bearings rock
 

rowdyflat

chez le médecin
Who would want a new bike anyway that just looks like everyone else's ?
Well most of people I ride with have got no clue.
More fun building one up out of parts and teaches you a lot about compatibility and maintenance.
 

Ultra Lord

Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
I just discovered hope sell half cassettes for when you wear out your aluminium granny rings.

Next cassette will definately be a hope jobby now.

They look nicer too.
 
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born-again-biker

Is looking for a 16" bar
So my new (last year) bike came with SRAM everything.
Including GX/NX 12 speed.

Now that I've had time to put some k's on the bike I think 12 speed is over-rated. (regardless of brand...)
At first I thought, "...Cool, 12 gears must be better than 11 for my lazy fitness levels....this will be sweet for climbing..."
....but in reality it's a pain.
Because many of the gears are quite close in ratio....I find I am changing gears a lot more often as the trail undulates compared to my old 1x11 bike.
This is most noticeable after a short climb when you want to get back down the cassette and accelerate. With the 12 speed it feels like I have to shift down the cassette eleventy million times to get some real power into the dirt.

Many might disagree, but I think 1x11 is actually the sweet spot for most trails, most riders, most bikes. Plus it's a little lighter (in theory) and a little cheaper.

When my current drive train is toast I reckon I'm gonna replace it with 1x11 Box Components / Microshift / Sunrace / other? / NOT-SRAM / Not Shimano.
 
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