In this article, we use so-called affiliate links. With every purchase through these links, we receive a commission from the merchant. All relevant referral links are marked with . Learn more.
BIKE summary of the Deore XT Linkglide
The e-bike version of the XT is one of the best derailleur gears on the market, especially for SUVs and trekking bikes with a motor. The shifting feel is crisper than with the widely used Cues without compromising on durability. The range is excellent and the price is also reasonable. It is a pity that it is rarely fitted ex works.
Deore XT Linkglide: The facts
| Model | Deore XT 8130 |
| Price | 350 Euro |
| Weight | 1078 grammes |
| Bandwidth | 454 per cent |
| Smallest gear | 7.5 km/h |
Price and weight are manufacturer's specifications and refer to the complete shifting system with trigger and rear derailleur. For the smallest mountain gear, we use standardised parameters for tyre size and cadence and a 40 trekking chainring (28 inch, 47 millimetres, 60 rpm).
How to ride the Linkglide-XT
Few derailleur gears are as synonymous with quality as the Shimano XT. However, the Japanese classic has had a problem of late: the sporty and lightweight Hyperglide derailleur wears out quickly, especially on e-bikes. Of course, Shimano has long recognised this issue and also offers the XT in a durable Linkglide version with a reinforced chain and cassette. As you can see from the price, the Linkglide XT ranks above the highest quality mechanical Cues drivetrain. In practice, it impresses across the board.
The Linkglide XT only offers eleven gears instead of the twelve of the Hyperglide version. On an e-bike, however, this is more than enough and the gear changes are smoother without being undefined. While the Hyperglide XT, which is also widely used on e-bikes, can sometimes clunk under load, the Linkglide almost always remains in control. Only Srams Transmission (here in the test) can do this even better, but is not widely used for touring bikes. The range and gear gradation of the E-Bike XT are exemplary. And even on a bike with a mid-motor and a lot of load on the chain, you can count on high durability.
The XT Linkglide is installed relatively rarely, but can be found on some higher-priced SUVs and E-MTBs and is definitely a good option. It combines a wide range of applications and Shadow Plus damping against chain slap with a low weight. Even with a 40 mm chainring, the mountain gear is still excellent. E-MTBs and SUVs often have significantly lower gear ratios. The only drawback: fans of gear indicators on touring bikes are left empty-handed. As an XT Di2 Linkglide, the XT can also shift electronically or even fully automatically on request, but is then significantly more expensive.
The Shimano XT 8130 Linkglide at a glance
Strengths
- Smooth gear changes, even under load
- Defined shifting feel
- Significantly higher durability thanks to Linkglide
Weaknesses
- "Only" eleven gears
Adrian Kaether
Editor
