Which drive train should I buy for my do-it-all ride?

[Dales Cannon]

It was still in the crank the first time it fell off - we were riding back along the fire roads and the crank just fell/slid off as I was pedaling. We stopped, tried to work out why it had come off, loosened everything up, reassembled and rode off only for it to keep on sliding off as if the pinch bolts didn't exist. By the time we got back to the carpark the tensioner was gone.

I'd had the cranks off earlier that day to tidy up, regrease, etc. I don't think that was the problem as they stayed on like normal for 40 mins riding before the crash.

This is where I say something stupid like it can't do that. #nofuckenidea

 

[johnny]

This is where I say something stupid like it can't do that. #nofuckenidea

Yeah, it's totally bizzare. If I hadn't already ridden it hard for 40 mins I'd say that it wasn't on right, etc. etc. But, it only came off after the stack, we put it back on again and everything looked right, but it just slid straight off again. I'll take pics.

 

[Jpez]

Yeah, it's totally bizzare. If I hadn't already ridden it hard for 40 mins I'd say that it wasn't on right, etc. etc. But, it only came off after the stack, we put it back on again and everything looked right, but it just slid straight off again. I'll take pics.

Nothing bizarre about it.
Just because you rode it for 40min before you crashed doesn’t mean you had it together properly. Just means that the stack was enough for it to fail because it wasn’t on properly. Too much of a coincidence that you had it apart earlier that day.
@Mattyp is on the money.
Crack a beer, carefully pull it apart and look at it. You’ll find the reason or the culprit.

 

[Litenbror]

How many spacers do you have on the BB? Similar thing happened to me and it turned out I had one too many spacers on the drive side. Also got half a ride out of it before the whole thing fell apart.

Also to answer your actual question 11spd shimano all the way. XT shifter, deore mech and slx cassette.

 

[birddog69]

Also to answer your actual question 11spd shimano all the way. XT shifter, deore mech and slx cassette.

I know this is off topic, but I am thinking of ending the 12 speed experiment and heading back to XT 11 speed. Which , fortunately, I still have all the bits for.

 

[PJO]

Any chance there is a hairline crack on the left pedal near the pinch bolts? So that it won't tighten properly.

I'm still running 11 speed shimano and loving it, but no longer available in higher spec to buy new, unless you find some older stock. You would have to go to deore level to get 11 speed, I am running a deore der. with an XT shifter as an experiment, it's not bad.

 

[DougalStrachan]

If I had to do a full drive train I think the 11 speed CUES would be worth a look, seems pretty bulletproof and uses the Linkglide etc. Or else yeah back to XT 11 speed, I'm not sold on the 12 speed stuff and would consider switching back to 11

 

[mas2]

If I had to do a full drive train I think the 11 speed CUES would be worth a look, seems pretty bulletproof and uses the Linkglide etc. Or else yeah back to XT 11 speed, I'm not sold on the 12 speed stuff and would consider switching back to 11

I concur. 11 speed linkglide would be the go.

 

[johnny]

Nothing bizarre about it.
Just because you rode it for 40min before you crashed doesn’t mean you had it together properly. Just means that the stack was enough for it to fail because it wasn’t on properly. Too much of a coincidence that you had it apart earlier that day.
@Mattyp is on the money.
Crack a beer, carefully pull it apart and look at it. You’ll find the reason or the culprit.

That's the thing, though. I tested it when I reassembled and it was fine. After it fell of riding back to the car, we pulled it apart, put it back on - triple checking that it was on properly and it just slid straight back off again.

I'll get around to taking pics, just been a super-busy week with a new boss.

 

[johnny]

I know this is off topic, but I am thinking of ending the 12 speed experiment and heading back to XT 11 speed. Which , fortunately, I still have all the bits for.

What don't you like about the 12sp?

Any chance there is a hairline crack on the left pedal near the pinch bolts? So that it won't tighten properly.

I'm still running 11 speed shimano and loving it, but no longer available in higher spec to buy new, unless you find some older stock. You would have to go to deore level to get 11 speed, I am running a deore der. with an XT shifter as an experiment, it's not bad.

If I had to do a full drive train I think the 11 speed CUES would be worth a look, seems pretty bulletproof and uses the Linkglide etc. Or else yeah back to XT 11 speed, I'm not sold on the 12 speed stuff and would consider switching back to 11

I concur. 11 speed linkglide would be the go.

When people say go back to 11 speed, does that mean going to Deore derailleur?

I'd be happy to do 11 speed, but as mentioned above, I don't think that they do it in XT anymore. Otherwise I'd happily jump on that. My inner bike snob says that it refuses to ride with me if I choose a Deore derailleur....

Is the reason why people suggest Linkglide over hyperglide simply to save some $$$, or is there another reason? I was under the impression that Linkglide is the cost-conscious version of Hyperglide.

 

[bear the bear]

Is the reason why people suggest Linkglide over hyperglide simply to save some $$$, or is there another reason? I was under the impression that Linkglide is the cost-conscious version of Hyperglide.

Linkglide is designed around e-bikes, which are way harder on components...

 

[johnny]

Linkglide is designed around e-bikes, which are way harder on components...

Yeah, was just reading that. Unless the 12sp are especially fragile, or something, I don't really have the need to go for the super-robust option (plus, I know it's not a huge amount, but I don't need the weight penalty either(. I've had the XT Shadow+ for over 10 years now and wouldn't be changing it if I hadn't come a-cropper the other day, so I'm not super hard on them.

 

[Tubbsy]

12sp has been fine under my fat ass so far - you didn't mind it on your carpark circuit on my Transition?

 

[Labcanary]

What don't you like about the 12sp?






When people say go back to 11 speed, does that mean going to Deore derailleur?

I'd be happy to do 11 speed, but as mentioned above, I don't think that they do it in XT anymore. Otherwise I'd happily jump on that. My inner bike snob says that it refuses to ride with me if I choose a Deore derailleur....

Is the reason why people suggest Linkglide over hyperglide simply to save some $$$, or is there another reason? I was under the impression that Linkglide is the cost-conscious version of Hyperglide.

What's wrong with Deore?

My opinion on why not 12 speed:
- if you are running 10 sp now, you will need to change the freehub to microspline (Shimano 12 speed cassettes) or XD (SRAM 12 speed cassettes). Unless you use a SRAM NX cassette (HG compatible).
- you will need to buy all new drivetrain bits.
-your current chainring is probably not 12 sp compatible.
- 12 speed components are expensive to replace.

I'm a 10 speed die hard. Is your current derailleur munted after the crash? If that is all that needs replacing, why not just replace that? Then buy some beers with all the money you saved

Is this the same spec as your derailleur?

Shimano RD-M786 Rear Derailleur Deore XT | Shimano Derailleurs

The Shimano RD-M786 Rear Derailleur Deore XT is Perfectly suited to a wide variety of MTB applications and delivers race-worthy performance.

www.georgesbikeshop.com.au

 

[The Duckmeister]

The main issue with 12-sp. is that due to the sprocket spacing being so close you only need to look at a rock the wrong way and it'll bend the derailleur enough to chuck the tuning up the creek. Stupid-sized cassettes that require the derailleur to be so long it's practically dragging on the ground don't help either! Plus there's everything noted in @Labcanary 's post above (if you want a HG-compatible 12-sp. cassette, you're looking at shit-level stuff that weighs about the same as an average bike frame).

If you look hard enough, there is plenty of new old-spec good level 10- & 11-sp. stuff around.