Shimano or Sram 1x12

[Nelson Marais]

Good evening,

I currently have a Cannondale Scalpel Carbon 2 MTB fitted with 2x10 XT group set. I’m considering changing to a 1x12. Is it worthwhile? If so, do you recommend Shimano or Sram? What is equivalent to my current XT group set?

[BaGearA]

low end Shimano 

 

high end (both are good but Sram a little better imo)

[OVERDRIVE]

What is Shimano? Thought there was only SRAM 

[Steady Spin]

Had Shimano XT/XTR…. now on SRAM GX. 

Finally happy. 

[ChrisF]

2 minutes ago, Steady Spin said:

Had Shimano XT/XTR…. now on SRAM GX. 

Finally happy. 

 

Tried gx twice .... now only Shimano on my bikes ....

[ChrisF]

1 hour ago, Nelson Marais said:

Good evening,

I currently have a Cannondale Scalpel Carbon 2 MTB fitted with 2x10 XT group set. I’m considering changing to a 1x12. Is it worthwhile? If so, do you recommend Shimano or Sram? What is equivalent to my current XT group set?

 

Nelson the tolerances on 1x12 systems is critical.  Cheaper units often are finicky ....

 

The better systems will typically require a new hub and wheel build ....

 

 

A decent 1x11 system costs a fraction of the above, and are robust.

[Phillippe Coetzee]

1 hour ago, Nelson Marais said:

Good evening,

I currently have a Cannondale Scalpel Carbon 2 MTB fitted with 2x10 XT group set. I’m considering changing to a 1x12. Is it worthwhile? If so, do you recommend Shimano or Sram? What is equivalent to my current XT group set?

if not mistaken your feehub plays a big roll aswell. The normale Shimano freehub (Dont know the right terms) does not cater for the higher end Sram groupsets. Please just help me out if I am wrong XD

[DieselnDust]

Cannondale Scalpel Carbon 2 with 2x 10 would be a 2013 to 2016 model.

Was this bike fitted with Stans  Wheelset or a Czero Carbon wheelset?

With either of the above wheelsets, most likely your hub will be able to be converted to a SRAM XD freehub and not to a Shimano Microspline freehub. If the hub is DT Swiss 350 then it can swing both ways.

Hereafter you will want to chose your drivetrain. I suspect your bike has SRAM MTB BB30 crankset that uses a SRAM 3 bolt mounting system so you will want to lose the spider and fit a compatible 12 speed Narrowide chainring.

With SRAM Eagle 12 speed drivertrain you don't need special chainrings so I'd recommend a SRAM GX drivetrain minimum with a XX1 chain.

[RobertWhitehead]

SRAM gives less km's before the chain and cassette is worn . 

[Jbr]

if you can find a XT 1x11(or XX1 1x11) it's the best option, 12 speed is useless and a pain in the ass.

I upgraded from mechanical XT 2x10 to 1x11 on my old bike and never ever had any issue, life was good and all I needed to worry was ride my bike. 

On the new bike I started with XTR 1x12, now I'm on GX AXS / XT cassette / XTR chain, it works much better but there's always a noise that pops after a couple hours in the dust, like said before, tolerances are low, chainring alignment requires compromises, and the extra gear doesn't justify the cost and trouble (again, I found it completely useless, on the road since I moved from AXS 12spd to Di2 11spd I do find that extra gear would be nice to have, but on the MTB I never found it was useful to have it)

If you really want to go the 12spd route GX Axs is a good idea.

[Steady Spin]

6 minutes ago, Jbr said:

if you can find a XT 1x11(or XX1 1x11) it's the best option, 12 speed is useless and a pain in the ass.

I upgraded from mechanical XT 2x10 to 1x11 on my old bike and never ever had any issue, life was good and all I needed to worry was ride my bike. 

On the new bike I started with XTR 1x12, now I'm on GX AXS / XT cassette / XTR chain, it works much better but there's always a noise that pops after a couple hours in the dust, like said before, tolerances are low, chainring alignment requires compromises, and the extra gear doesn't justify the cost and trouble (again, I found it completely useless, on the road since I moved from AXS 12spd to Di2 11spd I do find that extra gear would be nice to have, but on the MTB I never found it was useful to have it)

If you really want to go the 12spd route GX Axs is a good idea.

I share your frustrations. 

Always one noise or a slightly missed shift. Never mind how well everything is running it just isn’t going to be perfect all the time. 

[Wayne pudding Mol]

3 hours ago, RobertWhitehead said:

SRAM gives less km's before the chain and cassette is worn . 

12 500km same cassette same chainring - all still excellent - 2nd chain but neither it nor the first one even fits in the park tool chain checker thingy 

I reckon I’ll hit 20 000 with one more chain 

[madmarc]

GX - Eagle AXS - If you want to splurge a bit of cash

or

GX - Eagle mech.

or

NX - Eagle mech.  if you on a budget.

Freehub - Try using standard SRAM/SHITMANO splines - you have more price point options on cassettes

XD drive you limited for SRAM cassettes and they are pricey (Same with Shitmano micro spline)

But! make sure whoever installs it and sets it up knows what they doing - the set up instructions must be followed to the letter - Its not complicated but if not followed you will not be a happy camper.

Many SRAM haters were made because whoever did the installation and setup didn't know what they were doing.

[Baracuda]

https://bikepacking.com/gear/12-speed-shimano-xt-review/

For a long-term review.

Otherwise,  I am on 11-Speed XT, more than happy and no silly hubs required. 11-46 on the back. I have had the same cluster and chain for 4.5 years - covering 2 weekly rides, two Berg n Bushes etc etc. Just clean the chain after every second ride. Only now it is starting to show heavy wear, but replacing the cluster and chain is a fraction of the new 12 speed systems.

 

 

Edited March 24, 2022 by Baracuda

[Malut]

I went from xt10spd to deore12spd with sunrace 11-51 cassette. Front is a cheaper brand chainring with my standard cranks. Only a few months in, but great so far. It was a budget conversion but done right I guess by LBS and much improved the range and shifting speed. Was a bit cheaper than Sram NX kit and offered bigger gear range.

[Steady Spin]

Chain line and b-gap is the two most important things when setting up 12spd. 

Lots of tears when those two are out.