New XT.

[The Duckmeister]

Overnight Shimano released details of the new M8000 Deore XT groupset, to officially be launched later this year.

Not surprisingly, a lot of inspiration has carried down from XTR, not the least in that it's gone 11-sp, and keeping the options of 1x, 2x & 3x cranks. An 11-42 cassette has been added, suggested specifically for 1x, alongside the 11-40 introduced with XTR.

Front derailleurs adopt the "side-swing" design, and as with XTR, regular top- & bottom-swing versions are also available for frames that don't allow the front cable entry routing.

Brakes are an evolution of the current model.

No word at this stage of a Di2 option.

 

[Shadow Puppet]

I've been waiting a few years for this.

I've been on a DIY 1x setup for the last few years and to be honest, it has worked great. It's made up of an XT groupset with a NW ring up front, XT Cassette with aftermarket WolfTooth 42T Cog and One up 16T to fill the gap from the removed shimano cog and a OneUp Rad cage. It works great although shifting is not quite as perfect as a full XT Dynasis setup. It's close but not quite there.

Sure SRAM have had 11 speed 1x for the last two years BUT it's just not affordable when my current DIY setup works so well.

I'm currently on a 2012 bike and looking at a new bike soon. The trend last year was for companies to go with the 1x craze and spec many trail bikes with SRAM 1x. Due to the cost of the SRAM groupset this has pushed up prices a little.
With this new XT, companies should be able to spec XT 1x11 and keep the prices down at the same time..... well here's hoping.

For me, XT is the standout groupset. Sure you can make a great groupset at XTR prices but the fact that XT is pretty much as good as XTR in function at a fraction of the price is what leaves me truly impressed.

Bring on 2016, I hope to see XT 1x11 specced on PLENTY of bikes.

 

[Jubas]

Also very interested in this, although must admit it'll probably be a while before I shift to it - nothing wrong with my 1x10 at the moment!

Has anyone seen the cassette cog sizes? Have they just thrown on a 42/40 onto the existing 11-36? Or, have they made adjustments to the spacing throughout the whole cassette?

 

[Shadow Puppet]

Also very interested in this, although must admit it'll probably be a while before I shift to it - nothing wrong with my 1x10 at the moment!

Has anyone seen the cassette cog sizes? Have they just thrown on a 42/40 onto the existing 11-36? Or, have they made adjustments to the spacing throughout the whole cassette?

They have apparently made adjustments throughout the whole cassette to make the jump from on cog to the next smoother.

"the new XT offers 1×11, 2×11, and 3×11 setups with Shimano’s Rhythm Step progression aimed at keeping gearing steps smooth and consistent to maintain ideal pedaling cadence."

 

[The Duckmeister]

The 11-40 is the same range that came out with XTR last year (but cheaper materials for XT). It's the same as a 11-36 10-sp. for most of it (7 gears), then steps in by a tooth for the next three, with the 40 then tacked on. I don't know the steps for the 42 yet.

11-34 10-sp: 11-13-15-17-19-21-23-26-30-34.
11-36 10-sp: 11-13-15-17-19-21-24-28-32-36.

11-40 11-sp: 11-13-15-17-19-21-24-27-31-35-40

 

[c3024446]

Has anyone seen the cassette cog sizes? Have they just thrown on a 42/40 onto the existing 11-36? Or, have they made adjustments to the spacing throughout the whole cassette?

I think it's safe to assume yes to this. Likely then that the 11spd XT cassette will be 400gm or so. More than any 11spd SRAM one.

 

[Calvin27]

Nice. Does anyone know what the deal with 11sp is on existing hubs? I know road bikes specifically need to be 11sp compatible but what about mtb 135mm spacing? Does this work with 10 speed hubs?

(don't get me started on XD!)

 

[JTmofo]

Nice. Does anyone know what the deal with 11sp is on existing hubs? I know road bikes specifically need to be 11sp compatible but what about mtb 135mm spacing? Does this work with 10 speed hubs?

(don't get me started on XD!)

According to press release, it uses the same standard free hub.

 

[Shadow Puppet]

Nice. Does anyone know what the deal with 11sp is on existing hubs? I know road bikes specifically need to be 11sp compatible but what about mtb 135mm spacing? Does this work with 10 speed hubs?

(don't get me started on XD!)

Pretty sure the 11 speed Xt will work on a regular freehub. That's why it only goes down to 11T instead of 10T like SRAM.

 

[SF Trailboy]

I've just joined the list of people putting off a new bike purchase, about bloody time shimano.....

 

[JTmofo]

Pretty sure the 11 speed Xt will work on a regular freehub. That's why it only goes down to 11T instead of 10T like SRAM.

Yup..... XD SRAM freehub is to allow the use of 10T.
XTR 11-40 already uses standard freehub, so 11-42 should be no different.

 

[Flow-Rider]

http://www.vitalmtb.com/product/feature/First-Look-2016-Shimano-Deore-XT,324?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+VitalMtbSpotlights+%28Vital+MTB+Spotlights%29

 

[The Duckmeister]

As noted with XTR last year, it fits straight onto existing hubs. Being able to do that is why Shimano haven't gone smaller than 11T for the top gear - anything smaller requires a special freehub. The dinner plate-sized inner sprocket allows the extra cassette width to be accommodated by dishing the sprocket back from the cassette core, without impacting on the spokes.

 

[Calvin27]

Pretty sure the 11 speed Xt will work on a regular freehub. That's why it only goes down to 11T instead of 10T like SRAM.

Yeah i got that, but the road 11sp requires an extra 1mm (approx) over 10sp. So unless the wheels are designed to fit 10 and 11sp (with a 1mm spacer for 10 sp) it won't work.

No sure if this is the case for this as well. But meh, I am due for a wheel upgrade haha.

 

[deletude26]

Shimano XT 11-42t range: 11-13-15-17-19-21-24-28-32-37-42
Sram 10-42t range: 10-12-14-16-18-21-24-28-32-36-42

Shimano has a slightly smaller jump between the 37 and 42, but have an 11t, rather than a 10t. The best would be if OneUp made their 44t ring they made for Sram available for Shimano, as the jump would be slightly less (7 teeth) than the Sram (8 teeth), so it would shift better, and mean you could have a larger front ring, still climb well, and would be less likely to spin out. - Would also mean you don't have to by an XD driver, or new wheel to run 1x11 with a similar range to the Sram range.

 

[JTmofo]

Yeah i got that, but the road 11sp requires an extra 1mm (approx) over 10sp. So unless the wheels are designed to fit 10 and 11sp (with a 1mm spacer for 10 sp) it won't work.

No sure if this is the case for this as well. But meh, I am due for a wheel upgrade haha.

eh....... if you have an existing 10sp set up on your current MTB wheels, then the shimano MTB 11sp (XTR or XT) will fit.

 

[Snockers]

Yeah i got that, but the road 11sp requires an extra 1mm (approx) over 10sp. So unless the wheels are designed to fit 10 and 11sp (with a 1mm spacer for 10 sp) it won't work.

No sure if this is the case for this as well. But meh, I am due for a wheel upgrade haha.

With a 40 or 42T cog there's ample diameter to dish it back towards the spokes, without fouling on the spokes, allowing for the use of a standard 8/9/10s freehub. On a road hub the smaller diameter of the =<28t cog would cause the cog/chain to foul on the spokes.

 

[The Duckmeister]

Yeah i got that, but the road 11sp requires an extra 1mm (approx) over 10sp. So unless the wheels are designed to fit 10 and 11sp (with a 1mm spacer for 10 sp) it won't work.

No sure if this is the case for this as well. But meh, I am due for a wheel upgrade haha.

Road 11-sp. uses a longer freehub primarily for spoke clearance; the smaller big sprockets mean everything is in closer to the hub, so achieving the wider cassette only by dishing the big sprocket would put everything too close to the spokes. Moving the R/H flange inboard gives the required clearance (the freehub is 1.85mm longer, for reference).

 

[Mywifesirrational]

Any guesses as to a release date? 6mth, 1yr... longer?

Got XTR cassette, shifter and derailleur in the basket, just been waiting on a sale or discount code, I think I can happily wait until XT is released.

I don't feel the need to have a cog smaller than 10t, and quite like hows there is 2 cassette options depending on x1 or x2 front options.

 

[The Duckmeister]

It'll be for 2016 model year, so expect launch around July-ish.

Shimano have been working on the annual trickle-down principle for decades - last year (for this model year) we we got the full XTR works, so this year it's XT, next year SLX will get its turn. Secondly, they don't release official docs like this until release is imminent.