# SRAM <-> Shimano 12-Speed Compatibility?



## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

My 1 year old stanta cruz has a SRAM GX Eagle Drive train. Great system, great range. But my derailer is beat to **** and is ready to be replaced. While I like SRAM systems overall, I've always preferred Shimano shifters. This leads me to two questions:

1) Will the new XT 12 speed shifter work with a SRAM Eagle derailer and cassette? 

2) Will the new XT 12 speed shifter AND XT 12 speed derailer work on a SRAM 12 speed cassette? 

It looks like the answer to #2 should be a yes, and maybe even #1. It will be really nice to get back on shimano shifters. I have previously used Shimano shifters with SRAM derailers, I think it was XT and X.9 9 speed. But I definitely want to stick with my 10-50 cassette!


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## OneTrustMan (Nov 11, 2017)

fellsbiker said:


> My 1 year old stanta cruz has a SRAM GX Eagle Drive train. Great system, great range. But my derailer is beat to **** and is ready to be replaced. While I like SRAM systems overall, I've always preferred Shimano shifters. This leads me to two questions:
> 
> 1) Will the new XT 12 speed shifter work with a SRAM Eagle derailer and cassette?
> 
> ...


It should work.


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## the mayor (Nov 18, 2004)

I have XTR 12... it works fine on a XX1 rear cassette with a Shimano chain. I just did a short test... but I'd say the XTR cassette shifts a tiny bit better... and I mean really tiny bit.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

the mayor said:


> I have XTR 12.....it works fine on a XX1 rear cassette with a Shimano chain.
> I just did a short test....but I'd say the XTR cassette shifts a tiny bit better.....and I mean really tiny bit.


Still, I wouldn't spend the money unless you're going to go all in.


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## the mayor (Nov 18, 2004)

Harold said:


> Still, I wouldn't spend the money unless you're going to go all in.


Although I agree with you... like I said , the difference was very small, if anything.( I will do some long rides sooner or later with the SRAM cassette). Add in the micro spline hub/driver fubar.... it makes the SRAM option a viable solution I now have KMC 12 chain on the way... to see if the XTR chain is really all it's hyped up to be.


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## smoothmoose (Jun 8, 2008)

Bump.

Anyone have more experience with mixing and matching SRAM and Shimano 12sp?

I currently have GX Eagle, but need to replace my shifter. Will the new XT 12sp shifter work?

Over time I want to swap the other parts of drivetrain to 12sp XT (maybe not the cassette) unless I can easily swap wheels to microspline.


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

I made the switch a month ago. It's been working great. And the shinamo shifters are much better. I did shifter and derailer but Doing just the shifter should work the same


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## smoothmoose (Jun 8, 2008)

fellsbiker said:


> I made the switch a month ago. It's been working great. And the shinamo shifters are much better. I did shifter and derailer but Doing just the shifter should work the same


I haven't tried XT 12-sp, but XTR was buttery smooth. That said, I heard Shimano using different cable leverage than SRAM, so an XT shifter may not work with a GX Eagle derailleur.

Hope someone has tried Shimano shifter and SRAM derailleur...


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## Ratt (Dec 22, 2003)

smoothmoose said:


> ...Hope someone has tried Shimano shifter and SRAM derailleur...





https://forums.mtbr.com/drivetrain-shifters-derailleurs-cranks/shimano-12sp-compatibility-sram-1113561.html



*https://forums.mtbr.com/tooltime/replacing-gx-12-speed-derailleur-xt-12-speed-what-about-shifters-1110135.html*

There maybe more here and on youtube


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## chadbrochills (Aug 9, 2018)

Just a quick bump to confirm an XTR 12 spd shifter will indeed work with an Eagle derailleur. 

My 5010 came with NX Eagle and I've always hated the shifter as there's a lot of slop in the downshift lever, even compared to the next step up, GX. Saw some threads on here yesterday, including this one, called a few LBS's and one had the XTR lever in stock for the same price as online so I grabbed it. Installed it after work, didn't change the outer housing as it was relatively new, slid the cable through it, made sure the derailleur was indexed properly and it was shifting perfect. 

Love the 2 gear up-shift with this lever. Only thing it won't do, in my limited 5 minute stroll around my yard, is shift under load. Thinking about moving to an XTR derailleur as I'm on my 3rd NX derailleur now, thankfully I didn't have to pay for the 2 that **** the bed.


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## Klainmeister (Apr 14, 2012)

Just wanna throw in some quick thoughts: have 4 bikes with Eagle (my wife and I), and two have been never ending headaches with adjustments, ghosting, etc.

Swapped out the GX and XO1 Derailleurs for XT with the XT shifter, kept the rest the same and it's a HUGE upgrade. The shifter is so damn smooth and crisp and there's been no re-adjustments and fiddling. 

If you have XD or an existing cassette but are frustrated with Eagle, do yourself a favor and at least just upgrade the Derailleur to SLX/XT/XTR. Worth it.


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## Outhouse (Jul 26, 2019)

my m7100 derailleur and shifter work great on my eagle cassette and chain. Love it


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## DeeEight (Jan 13, 2004)

fellsbiker said:


> My 1 year old stanta cruz has a SRAM GX Eagle Drive train. Great system, great range. But my derailer is beat to **** and is ready to be replaced. While I like SRAM systems overall, I've always preferred Shimano shifters. This leads me to two questions:
> 
> 1) Will the new XT 12 speed shifter work with a SRAM Eagle derailer and cassette?
> 
> ...


First I'll preface with the face that SRAM and Shimano 12 speed cassettes have the same spacing and are cross compatible. Their shifters and derailleurs however are NOT cross compatible.

1) No.
2) Yes.


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## retrofred (Jan 19, 2004)

Its good to see some positive feed back in using xt shimano rear derailleur and shifter working with sram XD eagle cassette. I'll be doing this upgrade soon. 

Sent from my SM-T837T using Tapatalk


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## macduff (Sep 4, 2012)

I’ve been running SRAM 12spd cassette and Shimano 12spd RD & shifters for about a year on my HD3 I suspect chain choice and setup has more impact on shifting than the product mix, ooops I err’d I’m using an 11spd XTR RD and 12spd XTR shifter. Shimano 11&12spd has same cable pull so can be mixed which is a good way to get XTR when it’s last years stock.


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## prj71 (Dec 29, 2014)

Klainmeister said:


> Just wanna throw in some quick thoughts: have 4 bikes with Eagle (my wife and I), and two have been never ending headaches with adjustments, ghosting, etc.
> 
> Swapped out the GX and XO1 Derailleurs for XT with the XT shifter, kept the rest the same and it's a HUGE upgrade. The shifter is so damn smooth and crisp and there's been no re-adjustments and fiddling.
> 
> If you have XD or an existing cassette but are frustrated with Eagle, do yourself a favor and at least just upgrade the Derailleur to SLX/XT/XTR. Worth it.


Good to know. I have the GX eagle on my fat bike and am having to constantly fiddle with it. It's been nothing but headaches since I've owned the bike since new. It's garbage in my opinion and I'm looking at switching it all over to XT.


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## chadbrochills (Aug 9, 2018)

DeeEight said:


> First I'll preface with the face that SRAM and Shimano 12 speed cassettes have the same spacing and are cross compatible. *Their shifters and derailleurs however are NOT cross compatible. *


Then my bike must have some voodoo magic going on because my bike isn't having any issues running an XTR shifter on a POS NX derailleur.

Guy at the store I bought the shifter from said the same thing "oh, they're not compatible..." meanwhile it works like a charm.


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## bullit43 (Dec 29, 2010)

After seeing this post I've buyed an XTR derailleur and XT lever (I know the opposite is the right thing to do do) and it's working like a charm on GX cassete and SRAM chain


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## Leafy1 (Feb 17, 2019)

chadbrochills said:


> Then my bike must have some voodoo magic going on because my bike isn't having any issues running an XTR shifter on a POS NX derailleur.
> 
> Guy at the store I bought the shifter from said the same thing "oh, they're not compatible..." meanwhile it works like a charm.


You be fair, it does take a bit of finessing to get the setup to work right. I'm sure its easier to setup with both parts being shimano. Though even with the goofy setup there's way less fiddling between rides with the nx shifter and slx derailleur. Heres my two videos on the subject.


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## chadbrochills (Aug 9, 2018)

Leafy1 said:


> You be fair, it does take a bit of finessing to get the setup to work right. I'm sure its easier to setup with both parts being shimano. Though even with the goofy setup there's way less fiddling between rides with the nx shifter and slx derailleur. Heres my two videos on the subject.


It took me like less than 15 minutes to remove the NX shifter, install the XTR, and get it running fine. It was simple and works just fine.


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## Hasse (Aug 4, 2005)

Is it ok to run a SRAM chainring with a 12 speed Shimano chain, Simano rear derailleur and SRAM cassette?


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## eriekr (Oct 25, 2016)

the mayor said:


> I have XTR 12.....it works fine on a XX1 rear cassette with a Shimano chain.
> I just did a short test....but I'd say the XTR cassette shifts a tiny bit better.....and I mean really tiny bit.


I think u should use sram chain


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## Sprocking_Crail (Feb 27, 2016)

Would a SRAM XO1 crankset and chainring be compatible with an XT 12 speed drivetrain?


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## brex17 (Jan 31, 2019)

Yes, you can use a sram eagle crankset and chainring with Shimano 12 speed. If you are using the Shimano 12 speed chain, use an Eagle quick link rather than a Shimano quick link.


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## mfa81 (Apr 1, 2011)

brex17 said:


> Yes, you can use a sram eagle crankset and chainring with Shimano 12 speed.
> If you are using the Shimano 12 speed chain, use an Eagle quick link rather than a Shimano quick link.


Using a sram chainring would not get him all the benefits shimano claims the hyperglide+ provides, compatible yes, optimal probably not.

But what you can do is just buy a new chainring, I think wolftooth make some hyperglide direct mount rings for sram cranks


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## Leafy1 (Feb 17, 2019)

mfa81 said:


> using a sram chainring would not get him all the benefits shimano claims the hyperglide+ provides, compatible yes, optimal probably not.
> 
> but what you can do is just buy a new chainring, I think wolftooth make some hyperglide direct mount rings for sram cranks


Who cares about hyperglide. The big deal with shimano 12s is that the bits are way cheaper than sram (like 13% cheaper SLX vs NX) and they also dont suck and require constant fiddling (unlike sram).


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## brex17 (Jan 31, 2019)

The chainring has nothing to do with the hyperglide+ shifting. That is all in the cassette.


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## Leafy1 (Feb 17, 2019)

brex17 said:


> The chainring has nothing to do with the hyperglide+ shifting. That is all in the cassette.


Cassette and chain. And I was under the impression from earlier in this thread that the shimano chain was different enough that it doesn't fit properly on the sram chainrings.


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## mevnet (Oct 4, 2013)

Leafy1 said:


> cassette and chain. And I was under the impression from eariler in this thread that the shimano chain was different enough that it doesnt fit properly on the sram chainrings.


It does but works better with an Eagle quick link. 
Expect slightly more friction between the chain and chainring to start with, especially if they are brand new.

And yes, the mixing of he 2 drivetrains works fine, with the cheapest swaps being Shimano derailleur on Eagle drivetrain - 




Or Shimano shifter on otherwise complete Eagle drivetrain - 




We've raced the XTR shifter+derailleur with everything else Eagle all last season, works like a charm -


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## evildos (Aug 17, 2015)

Hello !

Sorry if it's been already asked here, but I'm having a hard time finding the information I want.

I currently have a full Shimano 12 speed drivetrain (All XT, except for XTR derailleur).

If I purchase a SRAM Eagle shifter/derailleur/Cassette, combo, do I also need to change the crankset, or will it work properly with the current one ?

Thanks !


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## Alfred_Buchi (Aug 8, 2017)

How old is your XT setup? I'd happily trade you a full GX drivetrain straight up. I need hyperglide for my girlfriend who shifts under load mercilessly.


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## evildos (Aug 17, 2015)

Probably around 500km, but I'm not interested in trading, thanks for the proposition.


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## mevnet (Oct 4, 2013)

evildos said:


> Hello !
> 
> Sorry if it's been already asked here, but I'm having a hard time finding the information I want.
> 
> ...


See the post right before yours!


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## evildos (Aug 17, 2015)

mevnet said:


> See the post right before yours!


Ah, sorry ! I got confused...


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## retrofred (Jan 19, 2004)

Just read through this post and today am get the xtr shifter and xt rear derailleur and for now sticking with my GX cassette. Ibis makes a micro spline free hub for my 738 wheels and if I might order one and completely leave sram.

Sent from my SM-T837T using Tapatalk


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## retrofred (Jan 19, 2004)

So I got my Shimano XT rear derailleur and a XTR shifter today and got it mounted up. Way easier than the SRAM eagle was. Shifter seems a little stiff but shifts nice on the GX cassette. 

Sent from my SM-G988U using Tapatalk


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## satanas (Feb 12, 2005)

Is the following combo likely to work, and if not why not?

1. M985 XTR cranks with NSB 30T N-W ring (AFAIK, nobody makes 88 bcd HG+ rings)
2. SRAM Eagle gripshift (unfashionable, but I have weak thumbs and this works for me)
3. XT8100 rear derailleur
4. XT or SLX 12 speed 10-51 cassette
5. XT or SLX chain (maybe with SRAM joining link)

The other problem is that I have DT Swiss M1900 Spline wheels and it's not clear whether it's possible to get a MicroSpline freehub body that will fit the rear hub. If not, Plan B would be to use a Sunrace 11-50/51 12 speed cassette and maybe an Eagle chain.

Any thoughts?


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## Endosch2 (Dec 31, 2019)

Will this work???

I am building a Yeti SB100 for my wife. Ultimately I want a 12s XT drivetrain, but I have an extra pair of XD driver take off wheels I want to use.

Could I use the XD Driver with the Sram Eagle 12s 10-50 cassette, a Sram Eagle GX Chain, and XT 12 Speed everything else (crankset, 12s chainring, Rear Der, Shifter)? I know that the XT shifters and rear Der work on the Eagle cassette, but do I need a Sram crank to run with the Sram chain or can I use an XT 12 Speed crank with a Shimano 32t chainring?

Thanks!


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## satanas (Feb 12, 2005)

I don't know if the SRAM chain will work on the 12 speed Shimano chainring, but if it won't One Up make a Switch spider to fit Shimano cranks, and you could use one of their non-HG+ rings on that. Or just use an 11 speed Shimano crank and chainring.


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## AlexEh (May 11, 2020)

Looks like I'm trying to go the opposite direction of most people here... 

I'm currently running full GX 12s and need to replace the cassette and derailleur. Is it possible to use a Shimano 12s cassette with SRAM shifter/derailleur/chain? What if I went Shimano cassette/derailleur/chain with SRAM shifter? The difference in cost for the GX vs. SLX cassette is significant and I'd like to save the dough if possible... thanks!


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## satanas (Feb 12, 2005)

If your hub has an XD freehub body now (10T small cog) the Shimano cassette won't fit, but if it's HG (11T small cog) then any 12 speed cassette that will go on should work; that doesn't include Shimano though. Changing the freehub body to MicroSpline so an SLX 12 speed cassette fits might be expensive, or impossible...


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## AlexEh (May 11, 2020)

Yeah, I remembered after posting that everything hinges on whichever freehub I've got - it's XD so I'm roped into the spendier cassette. Gotta love proprietary tech. Thanks for your response, much appreciated!



satanas said:


> If your hub has an XD freehub body now (10T small cog) the Shimano cassette won't fit, but if it's HG (11T small cog) then any 12 speed cassette that will go on should work; that doesn't include Shimano though. Changing the freehub body to MicroSpline so an SLX 12 speed cassette fits might be expensive, or impossible...


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## sroc3 (Feb 28, 2014)

I have a Trek Roscoe 7 2020 and it comes with a SRAM SX drivetrain. Despite what the LBS told me - that it would not work and the combination would be wrong.....I recently upgraded to an XT shifter and SLX derailleur, running on an SX Cassette. I installed it myself and indexed the gears and all - took a bit of twiddling around but got it to shift flawlessly. I went on a ride that evening and it shifted amazing. No complaints here :thumbsup:


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## nick.stromkern (Aug 16, 2018)

brex17 said:


> If you are using the Shimano 12 speed chain, use an Eagle quick link rather than a Shimano quick link.


Why are you suggesting this? I was actually looking for info if this would work as I have to to change frames and am too cheap to get Shimano links, so I am genuinely interested what are the pros.


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## dvdslw45 (Mar 20, 2019)

nick.stromkern said:


> Why are you suggesting this?
> I was actually looking for info if this would work as I have to to change frames and am too cheap to get Shimano links , so I am genuinely interested what are the pros.


The Shimano quick links are narrower than the Sram links which makes them noisy and could affect shift quality when using a Sram Cassette or chainring with a Shimano 12 speed hyperglide chain.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

nick.stromkern said:


> Why are you suggesting this?
> I was actually looking for info if this would work as I have to to change frames and am too cheap to get Shimano links , so I am genuinely interested what are the pros.





dvdslw45 said:


> The Shimano quick links are narrower than the Sram links which makes them noisy and could affect shift quality when using a Sram Cassette or chainring with a Shimano 12 speed hyperglide chain.


I ran an Eagle link on my HG+ chain for quite awhile because of a lack of 28t chainrings. I do not recommend using a Shimano HG+ drivetrain on a cassette that's not specifically compatible because the spacing between cogs on Shimano are every so slightly different. It might "work" but you're degrading performance. You might as well use one of the Sunrace 903 cassettes meant for Shimano (or one of the less expensive ones if cost is an issue) if you can't run a Shimano one.

After seeing some visuals from Wolftooth about how the Shimano HG+ chain is supposed to contact the chainrings, I am no longer using Eagle links in my chain.









I'm using a OneUp ring (because it comes in a 28t size, and was available before any other 28t rings) which has a slightly different shape than Wolftooth's, the chain is the same, and it's meant to contact the teeth on chainrings differently than Eagle chains. So, the Eagle link works, but it lines up differently than the rest of the chain. This, it seems to me, is likely to increase wear.

At this point, chainring availability is good enough that there's no good reason to use the Eagle link method as your primary option.

What I've decided to do is to use Shimano links when installing my HG+ chains. However, I've decided to make sure that I'm carrying Eagle links in my pack for emergencies. The reason for that is that more people are using Eagle drivetrains, and they CAN'T use Shimano links. I can put an Eagle link on my chain in a pinch, but I can also share it with anyone on a SRAM 12spd drivetrain. Since I use my repair tools and parts more often on other people's bikes than my own, I feel like this is a better solution.

This came up because a few weeks ago, a riding buddy totally mangled his chain and needed multiple quick links. We didn't have enough among our crew, because I had a Shimano HG+ quick link instead of a SRAM one. His ride was done and he had to kick-bike it back to the trailhead.


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## nick.stromkern (Aug 16, 2018)

Harold said:


> I ran an Eagle link on my HG+ chain for quite awhile because of a lack of 28t chainrings. I do not recommend using a Shimano HG+ drivetrain on a cassette that's not specifically compatible because the spacing between cogs on Shimano are every so slightly different.


I have a complete XT set (hubs, brakes, drivetrain...) that landed in my hands as a gift by some immense amounts of luck.

Maintenance and replacements are literally too rich for my blood, so my inner cheapish self was looking to use some eagle quick links in case of need.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

nick.stromkern said:


> I have a complete XT set (hubs, brakes, drivetrain...) that landed in my hands as a gift by some immense amounts of luck.
> 
> Maintenance and replacements are literally too rich for my blood, so my inner cheapish self was looking to use some eagle quick links in case of need.


The way I plan to deal with it is if I need to use one of my emergency Eagle quick links for a field repair, I'll order a Shimano quick link to replace it. Yeah, the Eagle links are a lot less expensive than the Shimano ones, so I get that part of it. BUT, I don't want my drivetrain to wear out faster because I'm using an Eagle quick link, which will be more expensive to deal with than using Shimano quick links. Ideally, I'll maintain my own stuff well enough that I won't need to use them on my own drivetrain. It's been a LONG time since I've broken a chain. and with Eagle links being cheaper, it's no big deal to give them away to other riders who are in a bind. My riding buddies have been really good about buying me replacements for things I've given them. I don't expect it, but it helps offset the stuff that I give to riders I don't know and will likely never see again.

One thing to keep in mind is that top level chains these days are MORE durable than the lower level ones. So while the purchase price is higher, they cost less per mile. I'll likely continue to use XTR chains for the life of my drivetrain. Also, this does not appear to be true for cassettes. So now that XT and SLX cassettes are available, I'll sacrifice a few grams and buy the less expensive cassettes.


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## cdalemaniac (Jun 18, 2007)

DeeEight said:


> First I'll preface with the face that SRAM and Shimano 12 speed cassettes have the same spacing and are cross compatible. Their shifters and derailleurs however are NOT cross compatible.
> 
> 1) No.
> 2) Yes.


Will 12 speed Eagle work with a 12 speed shimano cassette? I'm currently running 1x11 all sram xo1 with xt cassette. Want to get a microspline freewheel for my i9 wheels since the xtr cassette is cheaper and switch to xo1 eagle rear d and shifter.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Leafy1 (Feb 17, 2019)

cdalemaniac said:


> Will 12 speed Eagle work with a 12 speed shimano cassette? I'm currently running 1x11 all sram xo1 with xt cassette. Want to get a microspline freewheel for my i9 wheels since the xtr cassette is cheaper and switch to xo1 eagle rear d and shifter.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Yeah it should work, but why? This shifter and derailleur are the biggest upgrade when converting n sram to shimano. I could take out leave hyperglide, but not having to constantly adjust the sram mech is amazing.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

cdalemaniac said:


> Will 12 speed Eagle work with a 12 speed shimano cassette? I'm currently running 1x11 all sram xo1 with xt cassette. Want to get a microspline freewheel for my i9 wheels since the xtr cassette is cheaper and switch to xo1 eagle rear d and shifter.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Read the posts about Shimano and SRAM. The Shimano cassette spacing is a touch different. It'll work, but it won't work as well as all Shimano or even all SRAM.


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## ungod (Apr 16, 2011)

Just another point to add, I believe a lot of the XTR cassette is titanium, which doesn't last as long as steel for sprockets. I'd probably stick with SRAM cassettes since you already have the XD driver.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

ungod said:


> Just another point to add, I believe a lot of the XTR cassette is titanium, which doesn't last as long as steel for sprockets. I'd probably stick with SRAM cassettes since you already have the XD driver.


Definitely agree about sticking with SRAM in this case.

But the XTR cassette has cogs in alu (biggest 3), steel (middle 5 cogs), and Ti (smallest 4 cogs). I think the idea is that the ones you should probably spend the most time in are the most durable (steel). The biggest ones are alu (much lighter), and then the few Ti cogs gives you a little bit more weight savings and a little hit to durability. When I replace mine, I'll probably use an XT or possibly even SLX cassette for cost reasons.

The way Shimano went about its 12spd stuff, it seems like you're best off going all Shimano or all SRAM. The more you try to mix the Shimano stuff with other brands, the more you're going to compromise the whole drivetrain. It's not as interchangeable as it used to be.


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## satanas (Feb 12, 2005)

^ I don't think that's correct - the smallest 4 cogs are steel, not Ti - then there are 5 Ti cogs, then 3 alu cogs. The latest Shimano spec sheets don't detail this, but it certainly appears to be the case going by the photos and XTR 11 speed cassettes.

If it was me I'd either stick with the expensive but light and durable SRAM cassettes, or else use XT, SLX or Deore which are much cheaper than XTR and have mostly steel cogs. YMMV.


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## bogeydog (Apr 13, 2015)

Shimano 12 spd cassette, chainring, Chaim with SRAM AXS derailleur and shifter. Works flawlessly. 

Sent from my SM-G986U1 using Tapatalk


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

satanas said:


> ^ I don't think that's correct - the smallest 4 cogs are steel, not Ti - then there are 5 Ti cogs, then 3 alu cogs. The latest Shimano spec sheets don't detail this, but it certainly appears to be the case going by the photos and XTR 11 speed cassettes.
> 
> If it was me I'd either stick with the expensive but light and durable SRAM cassettes, or else use XT, SLX or Deore which are much cheaper than XTR and have mostly steel cogs. YMMV.


Maybe. Mine's a little dirty, so it's tougher to tell the difference between the steel and Ti cogs. I can see they're different from each other, but ID'ing them is trickier.

I don't like how stupid expensive SRAM's cassettes are to get the light weights. I bought the XTR drivetrain before anything else was available, and was hoping it'd last long enough for the more affordable XT cassettes were out. Turns out, Shimano's timeline was WAY faster than I needed. I've had the XTR cassette on for over a year now and it's still in good shape.


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## cdalemaniac (Jun 18, 2007)

bogeydog said:


> Shimano 12 spd cassette, chainring, Chaim with SRAM AXS derailleur and shifter. Works flawlessly.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G986U1 using Tapatalk




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## le_pedal (Jul 10, 2018)

chadbrochills said:


> Then my bike must have some voodoo magic going on because my bike isn't having any issues running an XTR shifter on a POS NX derailleur.
> 
> Guy at the store I bought the shifter from said the same thing "oh, they're not compatible..." meanwhile it works like a charm.


Can we get a 3rd vote on this? We have someone swearing that they are compatible and someone else sure that they are NOT (Eagle Shifter + Shimano 12spd derailleur and vice versa)


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## sroc3 (Feb 28, 2014)

I have an XT Shifter (8100), SLX Derailleur (7100)

SRAM SX Casette w/ SX Crank

KMC Ti-Nitride Chain

Despite what my LBS said - I installed it all myself and indexed my own gears even. 

Works FLAWLESSLY. I was even shifting under load many times yesterday, no issues whatsoever.

It's actually working so well that when i order my new Wheelset from Light Bicycle, Im getting an XD Driver to use a GX cassette I bought from a friend, instead of going full Shimano.


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## jamcorse (Mar 23, 2018)

*SRAM Shifter Shimano Mech*



le_pedal said:


> Can we get a 3rd vote on this? We have someone swearing that they are compatible and someone else sure that they are NOT (Eagle Shifter + Shimano 12spd derailleur and vice versa)


Hi, I have just replaced a horrid SRAM SX Eagle mech with a Shimano SLX 12sp mech on a friend's Bossnut and he says that it is a massive improvement. All gears work fine and shifting way crisper and more reliable than it was. Still using the SX shifter for now.

So I can say that it works, the pull ratios are close enough to work on 12 speed so they must be near identical. It would be a smart move by Shimano to have made it so, given the quantity of junk NX and SX eagle OEM mechs out there...


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## jon123 (Oct 11, 2009)

bogeydog said:


> Shimano 12 spd cassette, chainring, Chaim with SRAM AXS derailleur and shifter. Works flawlessly.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G986U1 using Tapatalk


Are you using XT or XTR chain/cassette?

And when you do chain length are you using Sram or Shimano's specifications?

Thanks


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## bogeydog (Apr 13, 2015)

jon123 said:


> Are you using XT or XTR chain/cassette?
> 
> And when you do chain length are you using Sram or Shimano's specifications?
> 
> Thanks


XTR per Shimano instructions

Sent from my SM-G986U1 using Tapatalk


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## jon123 (Oct 11, 2009)

bogeydog said:


> XTR per Shimano instructions
> 
> Sent from my SM-G986U1 using Tapatalk


Had you used an Eagle cassette with your AXS (or just went straight to Shimano)?

And if so what made you switch?


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## bogeydog (Apr 13, 2015)

jon123 said:


> Had you used an Eagle cassette with your AXS (or just went straight to Shimano)?
> 
> And if so what made you switch?


Yes. I wanted to see if the jump from gear was different. I do like the spacing better on the Shimano upper rings

Sent from my SM-G986U1 using Tapatalk


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## jon123 (Oct 11, 2009)

bogeydog said:


> Yes. I wanted to see if the jump from gear was different. I do like the spacing better on the Shimano upper rings
> 
> Sent from my SM-G986U1 using Tapatalk


Other than the spacing do you find the shift quality improved? In terms of smoothness, noise, consistency


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## bogeydog (Apr 13, 2015)

jon123 said:


> Other than the spacing do you find the shift quality improved? In terms of smoothness, noise, consistency


Yes provided you find the sweet spot for the b-gap. I set to new SRAM spec which came with their newest derailleur instructions

Sent from my SM-G986U1 using Tapatalk


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## jon123 (Oct 11, 2009)

bogeydog said:


> Yes provided you find the sweet spot for the b-gap. I set to new SRAM spec which came with their newest derailleur instructions
> 
> Sent from my SM-G986U1 using Tapatalk


Yeah, the friggin finicky Sram b gap.

There isn't new spec for AXS though right? I know there's a slight difference - and different tool - between AXS and mechanical Eagle. But no recent changes to AXS b gap right?


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## bogeydog (Apr 13, 2015)

jon123 said:


> Yeah, the friggin finicky Sram b gap.
> 
> There isn't new spec for AXS though right? I know there's a slight difference - and different tool - between AXS and mechanical Eagle. But no recent changes to AXS b gap right?


The new tool has a different tool but this tool doesn't work on the Shimano cassette because the 2nd to largest gear is different than the SRAM. So you need to set by measurement and approximate where SRAM 2nd ring would be. I tried the old b-gap tool and it didn't get the top jockey wheel close enough. Find the new manual and that shows the correct measurement in millimeters. I also spoke to SRAM and was told that the Enduro guys found a new dimension that worked better with 50 or 52T.

Sent from my SM-G986U1 using Tapatalk


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## The Good Life (Sep 22, 2013)

Here is my experience with Shimano XT mech and XTR shifter mixed with the OEM SRAM GX cassette/chain/chainring.

Had constant tuning issues with the OEM GX mech, and was never smooth in the climbing gears despite checking b-gap and indexing multiple times on stand and on trail. SRAM warrantied the GX mech due to >4 mm side to side play in the derailleur bolt (metal on metal pivot in the GX versus the X01 that has a non-metallic and replaceable bushing). This was my opportunity to do a partial conversion to Shimano to hopefully reduce future replacement costs, as well as reduce the constant tuning tweaks.

I wanted an XT mech and shifter combo, but due to limited availability locally bought the XTR shifter (likely not worth the $ for me). The XT/XTR conversion was super easy to tune on the stand following Shimano instructions and is the first mech I haven't had to fine-tune on the trail under load. Three weeks of riding on it and it is still very smooth through all gears and no crunching in the lowest two gear (shift to granny). My wheels/hub (Newmen SL A.30 GEN1) don't accept microspline, so I won't get the advantage of any easy and cheaper cassette replacement without investing in a new Wheel/hub, but the peace of mind that I'm not going to be fiddling forever with the mech tune is already paying off.


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## sroc3 (Feb 28, 2014)

The Good Life said:


> Here is my experience with Shimano XT mech and XTR shifter mixed with the OEM SRAM GX cassette/chain/chainring.
> 
> Had constant tuning issues with the OEM GX mech, and was never smooth in the climbing gears despite checking b-gap and indexing multiple times on stand and on trail. SRAM warrantied the GX mech due to >4 mm side to side play in the derailleur bolt (metal on metal pivot in the GX versus the X01 that has a non-metallic and replaceable bushing). This was my opportunity to do a partial conversion to Shimano to hopefully reduce future replacement costs, as well as reduce the constant tuning tweaks. I I wanted an XT mech and shifter combo, but due to limited availability locally bought the XTR shifter (likely not worth the $ for me). The XT/XTR conversion was super easy to tune on the stand following Shimano instructions and is the first mech I haven't had to fine-tune on the trail under load. Three weeks of riding on it and it is still very smooth through all gears and no crunching in the lowest two gear (shift to granny). My wheels/hub (Newmen SL A.30 GEN1) don't accept microspline, so I won't get the advantage of any easy and cheaper cassette replacement without investing in a new Wheel/hub, but the peace of mind that I'm not going to be fiddling forever with the mech tune is already paying off.


Ha! Exactly what I'll be doing: I have the same setup from Shimano - XT shifter to SLX Derailleur + SRAM SX Cassette. I am changing to GX cassette in about a month. The Local bike shop said it would not work.....lol. Shifts flawlessly, even under load. I installed and indexed myself. Not sure what chain you are using but try the KMC ti-Nitride Chain. It's Under $60 on Amazon and my shifting got even smoother:


Amazon.com


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## xmessenger (Aug 13, 2010)

Just ordered a XT rear mech and Xtr shifter to replace my XO rear and XX shifter. I came from Xtr 3x10 on a ti ht and expected perfect shifts with myy dream carbon fiber fancy full suss build.

Right from the start it couldn't handle dropping the 4 big gears in a sweep. Adjusted the b gap and that was fixed but I have never had the smooth perfect shifts I had with the Shimano set up. I still have crunchy shifts and regularly having to nudge a shift. I tried upgrading the stock gx shifter with xo but no luck. A change from the gx chain to KMC helped a bit but it just bit the dust in short order it had stretched out which shocked me as I normally have great luck with their chains. Perhaps it was my choosing Progold rather than my preferred Squirt.

Just went for a ride on the ht waiting for my new stuff and reminded of how shifting should be. I had read so many glowing reviews of Eagle, especially GX and up, but frankly it rides more like 8 speed era Shimano which is a real downer when you drop $10 k on your dream build. Onyx hubs kick ass though.

Anyways, fingers crossed the Shimano parts change all this. Oh, I also purchased a XX chain. This chain has a pretty solid Rep and seeing as I have an XO cassette, should be the best match.


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## The Good Life (Sep 22, 2013)

sroc3 said:


> Ha! Exactly what I'll be doing: I have the same setup from Shimano - XT shifter to SLX Derailleur + SRAM SX Cassette. I am changing to GX cassette in about a month. The Local bike shop said it would not work.....lol. Shifts flawlessly, even under load. I installed and indexed myself. Not sure what chain you are using but try the KMC ti-Nitride Chain. It's Under $60 on Amazon and my shifting got even smoother:
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BYXSWNN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Thanks for the tip on the KMC chain. Is it your experience that the KMC x12 chain is smooth than the Eagle chains, irrespective of GX versus X01 version? Just curious as the KMC Ti-Nitride is about the same price as the X01 chain, which seems to get good reviews for longevity. I've been running the cheaper GX chains and seem to be changing them out at about 0.5% stretch due to my past shifting issues (according to my cheap chain gauge). I'm hoping that I'll get more life out of chains now that I've sorted out the mech and shifter issues. It's definitely been a worthy upgrade so far to have more confidence in the shifting under climbing loads and rapid upshifting that ran my chain right off the cassette a couple of times, and far cheaper than upgrading to a X01 mech + shifter, which was my original strategy.


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## sroc3 (Feb 28, 2014)

The Good Life said:


> Thanks for the tip on the KMC chain. Is it your experience that the KMC x12 chain is smooth than the Eagle chains, irrespective of GX versus X01 version? Just curious as the KMC Ti-Nitride is about the same price as the X01 chain, which seems to get good reviews for longevity. I've been running the cheaper GX chains and seem to be changing them out at about 0.5% stretch due to my past shifting issues (according to my cheap chain gauge). I'm hoping that I'll get more life out of chains now that I've sorted out the mech and shifter issues. It's definitely been a worthy upgrade so far to have more confidence in the shifting under climbing loads and rapid upshifting that ran my chain right off the cassette a couple of times, and far cheaper than upgrading to a X01 mech + shifter, which was my original strategy.


I literally ride everyday. I'm in Vegas - in desert, dusty conditions, constantly changing from singletrack to short rocky climbs - which stresses that chain out. I do shift during the climbs too. The KMC shifts flawlessly and I have had no issues thus far. Note that I do clean my chain with lube every other ride - apply some "Rock & Roll" Extreme, then reverse the chain and run through a clean rag. I've had this same chain on my two previous Full Suspension bikes in California. Never had issues, never had breaks. :thumbsup:

NOTE: I'm 160lbs. If you are a bigger and stronger guy, then the stresses you put on that chain will be greater than mine. So can't speak to the longevity of your chain if that is the case.

If you are stretching a lot then I would just go with the SRAM XX1. It's $89 on Amazon. That's only a $36 delta between the KMC. Totally worth it if you don't have to keep changing all the time.


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## AndyBW (Aug 9, 2020)

retrofred said:


> So I got my Shimano XT rear derailleur and a XTR shifter today and got it mounted up. Way easier than the SRAM eagle was. Shifter seems a little stiff but shifts nice on the GX cassette.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G988U using Tapatalk


So did you have to change your derailleur hanger to fit the shimano rear derailleur?


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

AndyBW said:


> So did you have to change your derailleur hanger to fit the shimano rear derailleur?


Nope. All derailer mount the same way at the same point, unless it's a Saint or something funky like that. So you don't need different hangers for different derailers.


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## AndyBW (Aug 9, 2020)

*derailleur hanger*

So for everyone that changed to shimano xt 12 speed rear derailleur from Sram GX eagle was it necessary to change the derailleur hanger to a shimano direct mount hanger?
Keen to do the change but is this a step that hasn't been mentioned?

Thanks


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

AndyBW said:


> So for everyone that changed to shimano xt 12 speed rear derailleur from Sram GX eagle was it necessary to change the derailleur hanger to a shimano direct mount hanger?
> Keen to do the change but is this a step that hasn't been mentioned?
> 
> Thanks


See my previous post.


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## AndyBW (Aug 9, 2020)

Ok that sounds good. I have noticed Rocky mountain sell two different hangers for their 2019 Altitude so thought a change may have been required.


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## Leafy1 (Feb 17, 2019)

AndyBW said:


> Ok that sounds good. I have noticed Rocky mountain sell two different hangers for their 2019 Altitude so thought a change may have been required.


Yeah some bikes seem to have the B-screw pad a little thick and you need a thinner one to get the B set right on the Shimano stuff. My Vitus Sentier is like that, I have the screw backed all the way out, the next time I have the hanger off I'm going to take a file to it and take like 50 thou off so I can get it set even better.


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## sroc3 (Feb 28, 2014)

I have a Trek Roscoe 7 2020 and didn't have to change the hanger. Changed from Sram to SHimmy.


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## BigJZ74 (Jul 18, 2010)

On my 2 main bikes, one is GX Eagle, the other is Shimano XT 12 speed. I'm not picky, i am satisfied with the shifting of both, but definitely prefer the spacing of the XT cassette. I find the 45-51t Gap so much better than the 42-50/52T gap on SRAM. Could I swap to a XT cassette and a Microspline Driver. and run my GX eagle shifter/GX Eagle Lunar Max Derailleur....If so, what chain..


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## DrewBird (Apr 11, 2007)

Yes. Run a Shimano chain for best shifting, but note it may not work with you chainring due to the beveled inner surfaces of the links. If you do run Shimano, run it with a SRAM master link. The Shimano link is extra narrow and will run afoul of SRAM’s stupid narrow-wide jockey wheels.


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## Shadow4eva (Jul 11, 2017)

BigJZ74 said:


> On my 2 main bikes, one is GX Eagle, the other is Shimano XT 12 speed. I'm not picky, i am satisfied with the shifting of both, but definitely prefer the spacing of the XT cassette. I find the 45-51t Gap so much better than the 42-50/52T gap on SRAM. Could I swap to a XT cassette and a Microspline Driver. and run my GX eagle shifter/GX Eagle Lunar Max Derailleur....If so, what chain..


You can refer to this as source material:
https://www.bikemag.com/gear/components/drivetrain/a-mismatch-made-in-heaven-xtr-axs/

Sent from my Mate 30 Pro using Tapatalk


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## satanas (Feb 12, 2005)

^ I notice the date is April 1, 2020, and the writer says "When in doubt or when being a smug ********, I find..." so I have my doubts about that article.


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## BigJZ74 (Jul 18, 2010)

DrewBird said:


> Yes. Run a Shimano chain for best shifting, but note it may not work with you chainring due to the beveled inner surfaces of the links. If you do run Shimano, run it with a SRAM master link. The Shimano link is extra narrow and will run afoul of SRAM's stupid narrow-wide jockey wheels.


I need a new cassette anyways so I am gonna order the XT Cassette, Chain, and AB Cinch HG+ 32T Oval. If I don't like how it feels, I'll buy the XT Derailleur and shifter. Still have GX on my 3rd bike, a Meta HT so if I end up with full XT on my Rallon, I'll have backup parts.


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## Shadow4eva (Jul 11, 2017)

satanas said:


> ^ I notice the date is April 1, 2020, and the writer says "When in doubt or when being a smug ********, I find..." so I have my doubts about that article.


While it was posted on April Fool's day, if you scroll down to the comments section, someone's comments does validate what was being said. I'd take that as a positive, hahahaha.

Sent from my Mate 30 Pro using Tapatalk


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## Leafy1 (Feb 17, 2019)

So I guess I broke my slx derailleur when I crashed and broke my shoulder so I ordered another slx derailleur and finally upgraded from NX shifter to XT. Double upshifts are amazing and the trigger effort is lower than with either all NX stuff or the NX shifter and SLX deraileur.


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## boubla (May 12, 2012)

Since its been a while that people have been mixing 12s drive trains I wondered how the durability looks like?

One thing I love about my xx1 eagle drive train is how durable it is (specially if you use an XX1 chain, I found the X01 coating wears off faster and the chain doesn't last as long - though it still last long).

I'm tempted to do a mix in order to save on parts for another build, but I'm afraid it ends up being as durable as 11s drive trains - which last 2x or 3x less than the xx1 eagle in my experience. I suspect that when the setup isnt perfect this damages the chain and cogs faster basically.


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## sroc3 (Feb 28, 2014)

Leafy1 said:


> So I guess I broke my slx derailleur when I crashed and broke my shoulder so I ordered another slx derailleur and finally upgraded from NX shifter to XT. Double upshifts are amazing and the trigger effort is lower than with either all NX stuff or the NX shifter and SLX deraileur.


Yes, because it isn't apples to apples. SLX level is GX and XT level is X01 in SRAM. NX and SX are just the lower ones. Great for entry level but going up to GX and X01 the differences are felt quite a bit. I went from SX and NX drivetrains to SLX/XT (my hardtail) and X01 (Full Sus). Totally worth the upgrades


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## Leafy1 (Feb 17, 2019)

sroc3 said:


> Yes, because it isn't apples to apples. SLX level is GX and XT level is X01 in SRAM. NX and SX are just the lower ones. Great for entry level but going up to GX and X01 the differences are felt quite a bit. I went from SX and NX drivetrains to SLX/XT (my hardtail) and X01 (Full Sus). Totally worth the upgrades


Hopefully SRAM gets their **** together on the pricing then. You can buy an SLX shifter and Derailleur for what an NX derailleur costs.


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## sroc3 (Feb 28, 2014)

Leafy1 said:


> Hopefully SRAM gets their **** together on the pricing then. You can buy an SLX shifter and Derailleur for what an NX derailleur costs.


They won't change that. They know that Shimano's market is a captive one and that price-matching won't shift customers over (no pun intended  Haha!). But creating a better product will. Most people don't realize this but SRAM may be an American owned company, but its Drivetrains were born in Germany and still are mostly designed and created there. Although the cheaper drivetrains may be made in China or Portugal.

The only reason i didn't convert my Specialized into Shimano (SLX/XT) again was because I was kind of impressed by how smooth the NX was. Then figured I would give X01 a try . Damn impressive upgrade I'll tell ya! SRAM is just as smooth as Shimano, but feels more "mechanical". Kind of like shifting a manual in a Honda S2000 and comparing it to a Porsche manual.


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## tigeranddog (Oct 3, 2020)

*Convert from SRAM to Shimano*



OneTrustMan said:


> It should work.


I'm currently running SRAM SX eagle 1 (32T) x 12 (11-50) on my MTB. Unfortunately at 70 years of age I'm finding it is not enough gearing for me to climb the hills where I live, most of which are between mid teens to mid 40's % + I've only been riding for 3 years. I was thinking about converting from 1x to 2x but still want to have the 11-50 cassette. Can anyone suggest what changes I would need to make to achieve this outcome. One thing I would hope is a 32-22 crank, but if not possible then 36-26. I imagine I would still be able to use the cassette & RD.


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## The Good Life (Sep 22, 2013)

Has anyone running a Shimano 12-spd derailleur with SRAM chain and cassette on full suspension worked out if the chain length needs to be increased from that spec'd by SRAM? I ask this as after running this combination for a number of months I've noticed that I have a noticeable pulley type sound when in the 42T and 50T (similar sound to a chain running over a pulley chain guide).

I've compared Shimano's and SRAM's chain sizing procedures (of course they don't use an easily comparable method!) and unless SRAM's additional step of compressing the suspension to full travel is the key difference in the procedures it would appear the Shimano 12-spd requires a longer chain length than Eagle.

Any experience or advice?

Maybe I just notice this sound now that the crunching and grinding of the original GX derailleur is no longer in my life.


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## Leafy1 (Feb 17, 2019)

tigeranddog said:


> I'm currently running SRAM SX eagle 1 (32T) x 12 (11-50) on my MTB. Unfortunately at 70 years of age I'm finding it is not enough gearing for me to climb the hills where I live, most of which are between mid teens to mid 40's % + I've only been riding for 3 years. I was thinking about converting from 1x to 2x but still want to have the 11-50 cassette. Can anyone suggest what changes I would need to make to achieve this outcome. One thing I would hope is a 32-22 crank, but if not possible then 36-26. I imagine I would still be able to use the cassette & RD.


Honestly, even a 28t front sprocket makes the 50T sprocket so slow it take more effort to balance than it does to pedal and its slower than walking. Maybe try a 30T sprocket up front, taking a few MPH of the top speed is probably a good idea to avoid injury.


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## tigeranddog (Oct 3, 2020)

*Convert from SRAM 1 x 12 to 2 x 12 using Shimano*



Leafy1 said:


> Honestly, even a 28t front sprocket makes the 50T sprocket so slow it take more effort to balance than it does to pedal and its slower than walking. Maybe try a 30T sprocket up front, taking a few MPH of the top speed is probably a good idea to avoid injury.


Thanks for your reply leafy. I've successfully had the conversion done. My lbs used a Shimano front shifter, FD and changed the SRAM 1x crankset to the Shimano 12s 2x crankset (36-26). No changes made to the SRAM RD, chain or 12s 11-50 cassette. Works fine except can't ride big-big, which poses my next question. Would adding a goatlink resolve this?


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## JMac47 (Apr 23, 2004)

*Slx 12->sram xo1?*

New Epic EVO w/stock 10/51 cassette wanting to put my e13 Race wheels on which has a new XO1 10/50 cassette.

1) Will the RR derailleur play nice? Should I use the XX1 chain with it or should I stick with the Shimano chain?

2) Will the Shimano cassette that will be moved over to the other bike play nice with the GX rr derailleur? Keep Shim chain with that cassette?

3).....Should I just switch full matching drivetrains over keeping the Eagle/e13 setup for the EVO, selling the '20 GT Sensor Pro with the components off of that?


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## BigJZ74 (Jul 18, 2010)

JMac47 said:


> New Epic EVO w/stock 10/51 cassette wanting to put my e13 Race wheels on which has a new XO1 10/50 cassette.
> 
> 1) Will the RR derailleur play nice? Should I use the XX1 chain with it or should I stick with the Shimano chain?
> 
> ...


If new bike has a complete SLX drivetrain, you can just buy a Microspline driver from E*13 and use the same 10-51t cassette on ur e13 Race wheels

https://www.ethirteen.com/collections/all-wheels/products/freehub?variant=31622504415335


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## JMac47 (Apr 23, 2004)

Thanks. Yeah found that out today. Other question would be if the SRAM Eagle GX derailleur would shift the Shimano 51 tooth cassette if I put the EVO wheels onto the other bike. If so I wouldn't need an e13 driver. Wouldn't think 1 tooth would throw the GX Eagle setup off.


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## michvin (Nov 11, 2020)

Is there an easy way to mount XT shifter to the Sram guide brake lever (like the NX shifter is mounted)? thanks!


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## Shadow4eva (Jul 11, 2017)

michvin said:


> Is there an easy way to mount XT shifter to the Sram guide brake lever (like the NX shifter is mounted)? thanks!


My friend had a reverse setup - XTR M9120 4 piston brakes mated to X01 Eagle shifters, all he had to do was a little filing if memory serves me right. I think it would also work the way you're thinking of with some filing done at the MMX/i-Spec EV mounts.
Also FYI - PNW dropper remote mounting hardware for MMX and i-Spec EV seem to be the same dimensions as well, food for thought?

Sent from my LIO-N29 using Tapatalk


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## michvin (Nov 11, 2020)

Thanks! I really did not want to swap the brakes out as of yet. Eventually I'll go full shimano, but not right now and need an interim solution.
Thanks again


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## RickMTB (Jun 2, 2019)

*Shimano XT derailleur with SRAM GX shifter*

Hi, I have been through this thread - perhaps I missed it - but is anyone running a Shimano XT 12 sp drive train using a GX shifter.

The bike I am looking at has all Shimano gear however I prefer SRAM brakes and want to go the Matcher maker route.

There doesnt seem to be any adapters to mate an XT shifter to the match maker clamp so only solution I can see is to use a SCRAM shifter.

Anyone done this - and if so - happy with the result?

Thanks


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## nick.stromkern (Aug 16, 2018)

Leafy1 said:


> Double upshifts are amazing and the trigger effort is lower than with either all NX stuff or the NX shifter and SLX deraileur.


I already have an XT bike, but want to build a backup one for cheap. The problem is my source is currently out of shifters and I am too impatient to wait - would matching with SRAM be fiddly or is it easy to get it working?

The setup will be Deore FC, SLX derraileur and Deore cassette. I have Sram SX shifter available as temporary solution until they get back stock of XT shifters in about 2 months.


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## SqueakyWheel73 (Sep 21, 2018)

michvin said:


> Is there an easy way to mount XT shifter to the Sram guide brake lever (like the NX shifter is mounted)? thanks!


I'm a little late, but Problem Solvers make adapters for this purpose too. If you go to the chart at the bottom of this page you can easily tell which adapter would work for your needs.


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## Henrik C (Jan 8, 2021)

SqueakyWheel73 said:


> I'm a little late, but Problem Solvers make adapters for this purpose too. If you go to the chart at the bottom of this page you can easily tell which adapter would work for your needs.


I have been looking all over for an adapter which makes it possible to mount an XT shifter to Sram brakes. The link you have provided says that there is still no option for i-spec EV on Sram brakes. Are you sure about your post?


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## BigJZ74 (Jul 18, 2010)

Henrik C said:


> I have been looking all over for an adapter which makes it possible to mount an XT shifter to Sram brakes. The link you have provided says that there is still no option for i-spec EV on Sram brakes. Are you sure about your post?


I would think so, but not 100% sure that EV would fit matchmaker. The reason I think that is due to the fact that a few dropper companies are selling their Matchmaker clamps as EV mounts as well.


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## davet (Jan 12, 2004)

First off, thanks for all the advice in this thread. I came here looking for a way to upgrade from 11 to 12spd on 2 bikes and this is the ticket. I can get xd drivers for both hubs, but not microspline.

I'm about to purchase everything, going xt shifter/derailleur and sram gx cassette and chain. One question, the xt derailleur is made for shimano's 51 tooth cassette, will it work on the gx 52 tooth cassette?? The gx 50 tooth isn't available locally right now.


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## theturquoisewarrior (Nov 15, 2005)

Henrik C said:


> I have been looking all over for an adapter which makes it possible to mount an XT shifter to Sram brakes. The link you have provided says that there is still no option for i-spec EV on Sram brakes. Are you sure about your post?


I've got that set-up on one of my bikes.
I had to buy the Problem Solvers adaptors as a pair though (and they're not cheap here in New Zealand) even though I have no use for the left one.
I'm running Sram Code RSC brakes along with Shimano XTR 12 speed shifter.
I did have to file part of the adaptor though in order to get the shifter to sit far enough to the right for my personal preference when running my brake levers as far in as I do to use them for one finger braking. You can't really see any of where I filed it though as it's all hidden under the brake reservoir.
If you know what your looking at, you can also find the same type of adaptors on Aliexpress for far cheaper and they do sell them separately (just the right if that's all you need).


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## Placek (Jun 9, 2009)

Can You help me guys:

I'm running now 
12Eagle casette, 12 RD9100 derailleur, X01 Chan

Need to change crankset and wondering:

Would XTR Crankset work assuming i have XTR chainring or should i also change the chain to xtr ?

There is also a risk that leaving Sram Casette mess up too much and i should leave current setup and go with FaceFace or Sram crank?


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## The Good Life (Sep 22, 2013)

davet said:


> First off, thanks for all the advice in this thread. I came here looking for a way to upgrade from 11 to 12spd on 2 bikes and this is the ticket. I can get xd drivers for both hubs, but not microspline.
> 
> I'm about to purchase everything, going xt shifter/derailleur and sram gx cassette and chain. One question, the xt derailleur is made for shimano's 51 tooth cassette, will it work on the gx 52 tooth cassette?? The gx 50 tooth isn't available locally right now.


Dave - Did you go with the GX 52T paired with a XT shifter & derailleur? I'm looking at the same cassette replacement and have already replaced the GX shifter & derailleur a 2 years ago with XT, so don't want to have to upgrade those again. Seems like it would be a common hybrid upgrade for those with rear hubs not upgradable to Microspline, but wanting the extended range. Any experience or conclusions on this option would be appreciated.


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## davet (Jan 12, 2004)

That is exactly what I did. 12spd XT shifter and derailleaur, GX 52 tooth cassette chain. The first couple of rides, the shifting was smooth but a bit noisy. After that it’s been fantastic, quiet, shifts great. If there is one complaint, it would be in 52 if you back pedal it may occasionally drop down, but I don’t normally do that intentionally. It’s more if you stall on a climb and try to reposition your pedals. It rarely happens though.


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## The Good Life (Sep 22, 2013)

davet said:


> That is exactly what I did. 12spd XT shifter and derailleaur, GX 52 tooth cassette chain. The first couple of rides, the shifting was smooth but a bit noisy. After that it's been fantastic, quiet, shifts great. If there is one complaint, it would be in 52 if you back pedal it may occasionally drop down, but I don't normally do that intentionally. It's more if you stall on a climb and try to reposition your pedals. It rarely happens though.


Thanks for the fast response! That sounds like an acceptable issue, relative my past skipping and tuning frustrations with the complete GX Eagle system. My old GX 10-50T cassette and XT derailleur has hardly needed a tune since install, and I only recently gave it a two click adjust on the barrel to reduce the little click/rub on the 50T when climbing in the 42T (it was a quite day in the forest). Can I ask what chainring you are running up front with the 10-52T? I'm interested in going bigger than the stock 30T that came on the bike to get a little more top end back, relative to what I had with previous 11-speed Shimano gearing. Appreciate the sharing on experiences!


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## davet (Jan 12, 2004)

I’m using a One Up oval 30 tooth chainring. The climbs around here are a bit challenging, I need all the help I can get.


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## Placek (Jun 9, 2009)

Hi all

Can You help me with this chainring - oval for new xtr ?


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## MTB Engineer (Feb 15, 2021)

Alugear make a really nice and fairly priced oval for Shimano DM HG+:








Review: Alugear Oval direct mount Shimano HG+ chain ring


Review of the Alugear direct mount Shimano 12-speed HG+ boost Sram 3-bolt oval MTB chain ring




mtbengineer.blogspot.com


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## Placek (Jun 9, 2009)

MTB Engineer said:


> Alugear make a really nice and fairly priced oval for Shimano DM HG+:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Cool didn't know about that one.
If we stick to the one on picture , maybe this one?








Red/Black 30T/32T/34T/36T/38T Oval/Round Direct Mount Narrow Wide Chain Ring 12 Speed Shimano XTR M9100 XT M8100 SLX M7100


New tooth profile with Dynamic Chain Engagement+ Better chain engagement for greater chain retention Special gear teeth profile designed for MTB riding usage Smoother driving even over bumpy terrain 1x with proprietary chain retention technology Direct mount (Lighter and stiffer design & easy...




dcbikes.com.sg


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## BigJZ74 (Jul 18, 2010)

Placek said:


> Hi all
> 
> Can You help me with this chainring - oval for new xtr ?
> View attachment 1935802


Absolut Black Premium OVAL SHIMANO Direct Mount 1X Chainring


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## Sergi (Jan 12, 2021)

bullit43 said:


> View attachment 1313291
> After seeing this post I've buyed an XTR derailleur and XT lever (I know the opposite is the right thing to do do) and it's working like a charm on GX cassete and SRAM chain


is it a 11-50 gx?
Li am not sure if it will work with 11t as they reccomnd 10 t max.


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## AlexValex (Oct 27, 2017)

great thread, turning back to it.


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## The Good Life (Sep 22, 2013)

Have anyone had longer term success at pairing the Shimano 12-spd deraileur + shifter with Eagle cassettes (50 or 52T), or found it better or the same as the full Eagle drivetrain?
I have two riding seasons on the XT deraileur + XTR shilfter paired with Eagle GX 50T and GX chain, and have found it to be good but not great, as the drivetrain wears. It appears to be sensitive to the B screw adjustment, and what I have been trying to tune out is a hesitation on down shifting from the 5OT through 36T. Just wondering if others have had better performance long term or seen similar issues?


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## Leafy1 (Feb 17, 2019)

My combo platter is on my hardtail which I havent ridden much after getting my trail pistol but its still better than lightly used NX and equalish to the basically brand new NX on my wife's bike. I expect hers to decline and to swap the XT/SLX combo onto her bike to see how it works on the 52t cassette. I will say the X01 eagle is like leagues ahead of NX and better than the XT/SLX on an NX cassette except for the feel, the shimano is much more crisp, of course is costs like 3 times as much. Both shimano and X01 are able to take a few rock strikes to the jockey cage before needing to touch up the hanger and tuning.


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## The_Bob (Jan 16, 2018)

Just made the switch to an SLX rear derailleur on my Pyga Hyrax, which is full GX Eagle otherwise. The clutch in the GX Eagle derailleur went very slack and resulted in my bike sounding like a bucket of bolts. The SLX is half the price of a new GX Eagle locally, so I took the plunge. I had to route a new external cable as the Shimano derailleur connects to the cable further back than the GX Eagle one. Bolted up the SLX derailleur, set the limit screws and the b-tension as per the guide on the SLX derailleur and all is grafting as it should. Now the bike is stealthyAF and I have a clutch that can be serviced.


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## daviduk (Jul 30, 2021)

hi all
i have just bought a new 12 speed SLX M7100 rear mech and 12 speed SLX M7100 shifter to replace my eagle 12 speed rear mech and sx 12 speed shifter.
using kmc 12 speed gold chain and the stock dub 12 speed nx crank 
(all were working perfect just fancied a change)

installed fine,shifts bottom and top gears fine but seems to want to jump 2 gears mid cassette

any ideas?


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## daviduk (Jul 30, 2021)

its ok i sorted it im a dumbass...

when i routed the inner cable thru the rear mech i went the wrong way round where it connects to the cinch bolt and plate..dont do that..ever..


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## high_desert_mud (Jul 22, 2017)

MTB Engineer said:


> Alugear make a really nice and fairly priced oval for Shimano DM HG+:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


has anyone else used this "alugear" besides MTBEngr? He looks legit (has a blog about misc mtb) BUT he's also the _only _review online I can find about AluGear ...


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## MTB Engineer (Feb 15, 2021)

Glad to be the first at something! I just put on a new XT chain and my Alugear chainring has ~3500km / 210h on it. No issues, skipping or noise so I expect it to last at least one more chain before needing replacing.


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## Trond (Mar 7, 2004)

high_desert_mud said:


> has anyone else used this "alugear" besides MTBEngr? He looks legit (has a blog about misc mtb) BUT he's also the _only _review online I can find about AluGear ...


We both ran Alugear (oval 30) through Swiss Epic in what I would call challenging conditions. No problems at all. Affordable and nice products.


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## bogeydog (Apr 13, 2015)

Al I have 3 chainrings from Alugear. All great. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## satanas (Feb 12, 2005)

Good to know - they seem to make more sizes and offsets than anyone else too... ;-)


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## Yootah (Jun 30, 2017)

I know this comes up a lot, didn't want to start another thread so I'm gonna piggyback this one.

My bike has SRAM GX. The boy's bike is XT 12 speed, and I'm about to convert the wife from a 3x to NX Eagle. If I wanted to run all three bikes on the same direct drive trainer and not play cassette-swapping games, what cassette is going to cause the least amount of grief? Seems like most trainers come with an HG hub and it'd be real easy to slap an NX cassette on there and be done with it, how will the XT bike run on that? Mostly ok, or utter garbage?


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## Leafy1 (Feb 17, 2019)

Yootah said:


> I know this comes up a lot, didn't want to start another thread so I'm gonna piggyback this one.
> 
> My bike has SRAM GX. The boy's bike is XT 12 speed, and I'm about to convert the wife from a 3x to NX Eagle. If I wanted to run all three bikes on the same direct drive trainer and not play cassette-swapping games, what cassette is going to cause the least amount of grief? Seems like most trainers come with an HG hub and it'd be real easy to slap an NX cassette on there and be done with it, how will the XT bike run on that? Mostly ok, or utter garbage?


the xt bike will run better on it than the nx bike.


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