I think the first iteration of 1x11 XTR was it. Man that thing shifted like butter, didn’t spit the chain off backpedalling in the 42t cog. Everything since has just been a massive disappointment. I’ve got SRAM on my current bikes, and it’s nice having no wires or cables, but it sucks engagement wise.
I’m using that gen. An M8000 shifter with an M7000 cassette and an M8000 derailleur. It’s absolutely incredible. For example, ever since getting this drivetrain I started habitually shifting under power. I recently built a new bike for my wife and I found an M8000 shifter and M7000 cassette for her. I had an M8100 derailleur lying around so I used that with it and it’s not as smooth as the M8000 but pretty close.
The XTR was it though. I had an m8000 xt setup for awhile too, but that m9000 XTR setup, holy fuck. I actually had the m9000 setup first, and sold the bike with it on it, and regretted it ever since.
Even the m8000 xt, which my next bike had and honestly it was a pretty good setup too, but it never quite lived up to that m9 XTR setup. It cost me a fortune, like 1x11 was not even really a thing yet it was just coming out, but I ate shit and needed a new derailleur, and got my shop to pull some strings and get their hands on one. I’m not kidding I think the setup was well over a thousand bucks. But you have to trust me on this, it literally felt like butter. I’ve yet to witness another drive train since that was a smooth as that one. I laughed like a little school girl that first ride, I still remember it vividly (and that’s over a decade ago now).
You know, I looked at my shifter just now and it’s actually XTR. The rest is as stated. 😂
Yeah, I think it’s the mechanical manufacturing precision that takes a great derailleur system like SLX, XT and gets it that extra step to feel magical. With that said, it’s very impressive how good the cheap stuff is these days too. CUES is quite something for the price.
I actually have a SRAM NX Eagle on my Trek Rail right now. That thing eats derailleurs and hangers for breakfast, and the bike shop guy was like legit these are lasting a long time. Hes right btw, it’s lasted, but it shifts so rough, like I’ve tasted the dark side and I want back in
I will never quit the satisfying *CLICK* of my 10-year-old XT shifter!
That aside, I did ride an auto-shifting ebike a few years ago in Vancouver and it was nice I guess.
I think the first iteration of 1x11 XTR was it. Man that thing shifted like butter, didn’t spit the chain off backpedalling in the 42t cog. Everything since has just been a massive disappointment. I’ve got SRAM on my current bikes, and it’s nice having no wires or cables, but it sucks engagement wise.
I’m using that gen. An M8000 shifter with an M7000 cassette and an M8000 derailleur. It’s absolutely incredible. For example, ever since getting this drivetrain I started habitually shifting under power. I recently built a new bike for my wife and I found an M8000 shifter and M7000 cassette for her. I had an M8100 derailleur lying around so I used that with it and it’s not as smooth as the M8000 but pretty close.
The XTR was it though. I had an m8000 xt setup for awhile too, but that m9000 XTR setup, holy fuck. I actually had the m9000 setup first, and sold the bike with it on it, and regretted it ever since.
Even the m8000 xt, which my next bike had and honestly it was a pretty good setup too, but it never quite lived up to that m9 XTR setup. It cost me a fortune, like 1x11 was not even really a thing yet it was just coming out, but I ate shit and needed a new derailleur, and got my shop to pull some strings and get their hands on one. I’m not kidding I think the setup was well over a thousand bucks. But you have to trust me on this, it literally felt like butter. I’ve yet to witness another drive train since that was a smooth as that one. I laughed like a little school girl that first ride, I still remember it vividly (and that’s over a decade ago now).
You know, I looked at my shifter just now and it’s actually XTR. The rest is as stated. 😂
Yeah, I think it’s the mechanical manufacturing precision that takes a great derailleur system like SLX, XT and gets it that extra step to feel magical. With that said, it’s very impressive how good the cheap stuff is these days too. CUES is quite something for the price.
I actually have a SRAM NX Eagle on my Trek Rail right now. That thing eats derailleurs and hangers for breakfast, and the bike shop guy was like legit these are lasting a long time. Hes right btw, it’s lasted, but it shifts so rough, like I’ve tasted the dark side and I want back in