Coffee or tea, Aldi or Edeka, SPD or CDU: our lives are an endless loop of decisions, countless of which we make every day. Many are relatively insignificant, others have a lasting impact on our lives. But there is usually no ONE truth. This is the slogan used by component giant Shimano in its latest campaign. "There is no single truth" - every biker decides for themselves whether one or two chainrings on the cranks are optimal for them. The Japanese company's competitor is based in the USA, but develops its gears in Schweinfurt in Lower Franconia and is called Sram. For "the company that lives 1x", however, the decision has already been made. The future of mountain biking will continue to be written without derailleurs. In a video, Sram has already buried the front derailleur - year of death 2017. In future, bikes will be able to manage with a chainring at the front. And currently with eleven or twelve gears.
Mountain bike drivetrains are no longer a duel of systems, but of philosophies. To shed some light on the tangle of gear ratios and models, we have invited nine current groupsets from Shimano and Sram for comparison. In three three-way battles, high-end parts, mid-range drivetrains and entry-level drivetrains have to prove themselves. All of Sram's groupsets are of course on the single-speed wave. At Shimano, we chose double and triple setups, as found on thousands of standard bikes, and deliberately avoided the variants with a single chainring (XTR, XT and SLX). Those who stubbornly focus on weight will usually end up with Sram. The elimination of the front derailleur and left-hand gear lever has too clear an effect on the scales. However, the duel between NX and SLX shows that 1 x 11 does not necessarily have to be lighter than 3 x 10. And in terms of range, the two groupsets are worlds apart: While the NX stops at 382 per cent, the SLX with its 40-30-22 crank gradation offers a whopping 595 per cent. The single drivetrains take a significant step forward with the Sram Eagle, which achieves an impressive 500 per cent. And of course, the simplified shifting logic also speaks in favour of the single drivetrains. Bikers can concentrate on the trail instead of worrying about the right gear combination of sprocket and chainring. Only the high purchase and wear costs are slowing down the hype surrounding 1 x 12, but we are sure that this will soon change with more favourable groupsets.
SAME BANDWIDTH
Thanks to the 12-speed sprocket, the Sram Eagle groupset can almost hold a candle to the Shimano 2x groupset in terms of range.
100 % - With a gear ratio of 100 %, the rear wheel turns just as fast as the crank. A lower value, e.g. 61 % (26 mm blade, 42 mm sprocket) describes a climbing gear. Values above 300 % indicate a fast gear ratio.
Cassette with 50 teeth - If you ride the Sram Eagle in the lowest gear, you get a value of 64%. With Shimano, you get 61% in the climbing gear in the double setup. For comparison: A triple crank (24/32/42) with a 36 sprocket delivers 66 %. The gear gradation is very similar, although Shimano has a slightly finer gradation. Shimano achieves 327 % in the highest gear, the Eagle is at 320 %. Compared to the triple crankset (42 t cassette), both systems lag behind (381 %).
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In the test duel: Sram Eagle 1x12 against Shimano XTR 2x11
Sram XX1 EAGLE 1x12 - Sram X01 EAGLE 1x12 - Shimano XTR 2x11
In the Champions League of MTB drivetrains, the two Eagle groupsets from Sram compete against the mechanical 2x11 version of the Shimano XTR.
If you're not saving up for a Rolex but want to impress your mates with front marathon placings, you're faced with this luxury problem. The most important question is: Can I get by with a front chainring, or do I stick with the front derailleur from Shimano's XTR groupset? The two 1x12 groupsets from Sram and the double XTR hardly differ in terms of range, but Shimano is ahead in terms of gradation. Purists, fans of uncluttered cockpits and bikers who are really looking for every gram will not be able to ignore Sram. By eliminating the left shift lever and front derailleur, you save up to 250 grams. But the Americans pay dearly for this with the golden groupset. For comparison: For the new price of an XX1 Eagle you can get a solid aluminium hardtail! If you do without the gold look, you save money. Because the X01 Eagle is only 40 grams heavier. They also function identically and the wear costs are lower with the X01. If you are focussing on slightly more finely tuned gear steps, you will have to go for the XTR double setup. For the majority, a crank with a 36/26 gradation should cover the application range. If you want more, you have to go for the XT cassette with 11-42 gradation (XTR: 11-40). Plus point Shimano: With similar wear values (see BIKE 10/16), the cost of the XTR is only half that of the XX1 Eagle.
Conclusion Peter Nilges, Test Manager:
Full range, sufficient gradation, simplified shifting logic, clean cockpit, low weight - I can only think of arguments in favour of the 1x12 drivetrain. Apart from the price - but even this problem should soon solve itself with an affordable Eagle groupset.
In the test duel: Sram X1 1x11 against Shimano XT 2x11
X1 1x11 - XT 2x11 - XT Di2 2x11
In the mid-range, it's a battle of philosophies: Sram sends the 1x11 X1 groupset into the race, while Shimano's best-selling XT drivetrain competes.
If you look at the recommended retail prices, this duel seems a little unfair at first glance. However, Google searches and our experience tell a different story. Both mechanical groupsets cost around 600 euros on the net, adorn thousands of bikes from Alutech to YT Industries and stand for proven technology that is also used in expensive top gear systems. Of course, sensitive bikers may notice minimal differences in operation compared to the very expensive groupsets (left). But the only real compromises are in the material mix and the weight. This once again speaks in favour of the single-speed version from Sram, which is 400 grams lighter than the Shimano XT with 22 gears. However, this is at the expense of the range, which no longer provides the right gear on ramps or fast gravel descents. On the other hand, if you combine the XT with the new 11-42 cassette, you are equipped for every tour and get a finer gradation in the higher gears. The wear costs also clearly speak in favour of the bestseller from Japan. The XT chain and cassette cost less than half as much as the X1. That leaves the expensive Di2 version. Wear costs and range are similar to the mechanical version. Whether the one-handed operation with Synchroshift function is worth the purchase costs remains a question of budget.
Conclusion Stefan Loibl, test editor:
Marathons, home trails and fast tours in the foothills of the Alps: 420 per cent bandwidth of the single-speed drivetrains is not enough for me. Finely graduated gears are also important to me. That's why double drivetrains are the solution for me.
In the test duel: Sram NX 1x11 against Shimano SLX
Sram NX 1x11 - Shimano SLX 3x10 - Shimano SLX 2x11
In the third round, the most affordable 1x11 drivetrain from Sram and the Shimano SLX enter the ring in two versions.
Because Sram didn't want to send its 2x11 version of the GX to the test, the Shimano SLX is making a double appearance. In the classic triple line-up with the 40/30/22 crank gradation and as a 2x11 groupset with an 11-42 cassette. On the scales, just 80 grams separate the three competitors. The street prices of the NX and the two SLX versions are also on a comparable level. The NX, which does not require an XD freehub, is available online for as little as 240 euros. The range of the three gears is completely different, i.e. the total gear ratio from the lowest to the highest gear. With the Sram NX, you always have to make some kind of compromise: Either an adequate climbing gear is missing, or you are cranking downhill into the void - at least with a sporty riding style. With the SLX in a 2x setup, you achieve the same values as the Shimano XT (see diagram above). If you want to have the right gear on board without having to change the chainring from an Alpine cross to a downhill pass on tarmac, go for the 3x10 version with a finely graduated 11-36 cassette. If you factor out overlaps and unfavourable combinations, you are still left with 16 "real" gears. The favourable wear parts of the NX and SLX are pleasing. You can replace the chain and cassette on both groupsets for around 70 euros. This also pays off in the long term.
Conclusion Ludwig Döhl, test editor:
For me, triple gear ratios are a thing of the past. Modern 11-speed cassettes with 11-42 teeth make the third chainring on the crank superfluous. The SLX 2x11 with 529 per cent gear range has enough gears to master every situation on the bike.
You can read this article or the entire issue of BIKE 8/2017 in the BIKE app (iTunes and Google Play) or the issue in the DK shop reorder:
Upgrade: from XX1 to Eagle or from 10-speed to 11-speed
If you don't care about every gram and can do without the latest gimmicks from the manufacturers, you will be able to shift reliably for a long time with these components - without having to plunder your holiday budget.
Shimano Deore
At the beginning of the year, the Japanese company gave its classic groupset a makeover. The new M6000 retains ten sprockets on the cassette and can be ridden in a double or triple setup. In terms of gear ratios, it offers similar options to the SLX. According to Shimano's price recommendations, the complete groupset without brakes costs 318 euros, but the Deore should be available from retailers and online shops for well under 300 euros. The low wear costs (chain price: 20 euros) of the 10-speed groupset are particularly pleasing.
Upgrade kits
Various online shops offer so-called upgrade kits for Sram and Shimano drivetrains. This allows you to tune an XX1 to Eagle or convert an old SLX to an 11-speed drivetrain, for example. For an X01, such a kit costs a hefty 600 euros and is not worth it in our opinion. With the SLX, however, you can get the right shift lever, chain, cassette and rear derailleur for around 160 euros. In the best case scenario, you'll have three more gears. This makes sense especially if you have to replace the chain and cassette anyway because they are worn out.
You can read this article or the entire issue of BIKE 8/2017 in the BIKE app (iTunes and Google Play) or purchase the issue in the DK shop reorder:
