Shimano XT Di2 (+ Deore Di2)

Anytime Shimano or SRAM launch a new groupset, it’s exciting news. There are very few things in the world of bikes that are so globally impactful. With Shimano rolling out XTR Di2 a few weeks ago, and now XT Di2 and Deore Di2, we’re seeing the parts that are likely to end up on many of our bicycles over the next few years.

In a perfect world, we’d love to have had this on our bikes for a period of time, and to be able to give you a good understanding of how it performs. Unfortunately, times are tight and I didn’t have much time with the parts pre launch. So, this is really just a first look at what has been announced today and some discussion and interpretation of the new features. Ride impressions are going to have to wait a bit.

For me, I don’t hate this. This will give me a bit more time to digest all of these changes and take my time before I tell you about how they perform. If it was me and I wanted to understand how the new stuff performs, I’d start with Pete’s really detailed article on the new XTR, and then I’d add a little bit of weight and subtract a little bit of performance. So, on with what we know!

No cables anywhere

In all of the recent announcements, there is nary a derailleur cable to be found. Is the future of Shimano MTB all Di2? Will new cabled versions be announced at a later date? Will they continue selling the current/old cable versions on into the future? At this point, we don’t really know.

For all groupsets, the same strategy is in place. Gone are the semi-wireless systems (except for the semi-wireless e-bike versions, of course) and in are the new on-derailleur batteries.

SLX is gone

Missing from today’s announcements is any mention of SLX. More ominously, SLX has been removed from the groupset list on Shimano’s website. We asked about this, as well as new cable options, and here is the response:

There is no SLX Di2. For now, XT M8100, DEORE M6100, and CUES will carry forward as the mechanical MTB drivetrain options from Shimano.

So, Shimano is consolidating their mountain groups, with Deore straddling what was once the domain of SLX/Deore, Cues taking up everything below that, and XT and XTR up where they’ve always been. It will be interesting to see if there is an updated (and slightly upgraded) mechanical Deore groupset, because for me an SLX build almost always represented the best-bang-for-your-buck available from many manufacturers, and it feels like a gap is opening up with its demise.

Many XT bits, a few Deore bits

Like the recent XTR announcement, Shimano hasn’t skimped on the number of new XT products available. There are multiple cassette options, cage lengths, brake calipers, and both Linkglide and Hyperglide+ versions and e-bike/non e-bike versions. There is only a single crankset and brake lever available, and no new chain, bottom bracket or disc rotors.

The Deore launch is limited to a new shifter and derailler, making use of the existing Deore components for everything else. As well, there is only one cage length (SGS), but they are offering a few mutations of that (fully wireless 12 speed Hyperglide+, as well as a wired e-bike version in both Hyperglide+ and Linkglide).

Shifters

At first glance the new shifters look very, very similar to what was launched with XTR. The pod looks the same, as do the trigger placement and the programmable 3rd button (stock use is to enter trim mode, but it can be set up to do different things using the E-tube app). Shift action will likely be similar across all three with the “tactile shifting” that Pete raved about with XTR.

You do lose a few things from XTR, though. XT drops the “Mode Converter” feature, which allows you to program in specific shift modes beyond what comes stock (i.e. single shift only, click through double shift, etc). Deore does away with this as well as the 4-way adjustable levers. There’s also likely some differences in materials and finishes that are a bit less obvious.

My experience with any of these shifters is limited to fondling an XTR bike that was sitting in the lobby at Steed cycles. As Pete pointed out, the lever action feels amazing and it does feel like you’re shifting a mechanical lever, rather than just pushing on a button.

Shifter compatibility becomes a very interesting question. Officially, Shimano confirms that any 12-speed Di2 system will speak the same language. So, you can cross pollinate road, gravel and mountain 12-speed wireless systems (this also suggests that more announcements are incoming). The new semi-wireless e-bike derailleurs are also compatible with the new shifter (both 11 and 12-speed), and the derailleur tells the shifter what mode to enter into once they are paired. Backwards compatibility to older Di2 systems is unlikely, but I’m sure some enterprising people out there will let us know exactly what works with what.

Rear Derailleurs

Like the shifters, much of what was launched with XTR carries through to XT and Deore. Both are offered fully wireless (with a battery that slides in from the bottom), as well as with wired e-bike versions. All have the new “robust wedge” shape, designed to fend off rocks and detritus, and all have the new dual spring non-clutch mechanism. E-bike versions come in both 11 speed Linkglide and 12 speed Hyperglide+ versions. The big difference is in cage material (carbon on XTR, aluminum on XT, steel on Deore) and cage length (XT and XTR are available in both SGS and GS, while Deore only has SGS). There are almost certainly some other material, fit and finish differences hiding underneath the surface, and the weight reductions that go along with that.

Note that the (substantial) price of the rear derailleur does not include either a battery or charger, but if you buy “drivetrain upgrade kits” (860 USD for XT, 675 USD for Deore) you get the derailleur, shifter, battery and charger.

My first impressions of the derailleur are that it’s very substantial, in both good and bad ways. It is large! Perhaps not quite Transmission large, but pulling it out of the box was a bit of a “whoah!” moment. But it also just feels beefy and robust, even with numerous plastic bits.

One of the big questions I had following the XTR launch was on battery access. On the bottom of the parallelogram is a little door that slides off to expose the battery. It’s a 2-step process, where you have to slide a little switch, and then slide the battery cover out. It seems like an easy enough process, and I’m curious to see how this works out real world compared to the SRAM method, especially on trail with mud splattered all over everything.

Staying with the robustness theme is the dual spring clutch replacement. The cage pulls with a lot of force! It’s certainly going to pull tightly on your chain.

Brakes

At the levers, the new XT brakes levers look very similar to what we saw with XTR. The shape of the lever/master cylinder looks nearly identical, with the new offset hose routing and lever reach dial location. Inside, they are also running the same new low viscosity oil, the same relocated pivot point, the same redesigned servowave path. They don’t have the new upswept lever that XTR gets.

At the caliper end, there does look to be some divergence from XTR, at the very least in how they look. They do use the same updated, anti-rattle, finned pads as XTR, and the new resin pistons. There are also not one, not two, but three different calipers available! You can pair the lever with a 4-piston caliper, or a 2-piston caliper in either post or flat mount.

Cassettes

There is a new cassette and it does see some changes. From a distance, it doesn’t look much different than the outgoing M8100 cassette. The two largest cogs are made of aluminum while the smallest 10 cogs are forged from steel. It’s Hyperglide+ and Microspline (obviously), and that’s really all I know for know. My groupset shipped with the old cassette and once I have the new version in my hands, I’ll drive into this with more depth.

The biggest thing looks to be the new 9-45 tooth cassette (which needs a special tool for removal). I was very, very tempted to mark this option down when we asked for our review parts, but I thought it would be best to keep the variables to a minimum. Pairing the smaller cassette with a 28-tooth chainring looks like a great way to increase clearance and remove some weight.

I asked Shimano to expand a bit on what has changed with the new cassette. The major difference is weight, with the new cassette dropping 40 grams (or so). Shimano also indicates that they have added more material “at the base of some of the teeth, making them thicker and more durable”, as well as an updated rivet structure to “eliminate potential for creaking.”

There is no new Linkglide cassette planned, so the CS-LG700-11 cassette and CN-E8000-11 chain are going to be your best bet for the Linkglide systems.

Cranks

The new XT cranks don’t look all that much different than the old XT cranks. They have taken on some of the design cues from XTR, especially in the chainrings, but are much subtler overall. The updated hollow forged construction is carried through from XTR, but with XT there is only one version covering both XC and Enduro. Lengths are available in 5mm increments, starting at 160mm up to 175mm.

Chainrings are new as well and available in 2 tooth increments, starting at 28 teeth, all the way up to 36 teeth. The previous generation of chainring was offset 3mm, but the new generation has no offset. This does give some ability to play with chainlines by mixing and matching new/old cranks and chainrings, if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, but that’s done at your own risk.

Putting it all together, you get a 55mm chainline and a 176mm Q-factor. This all spins on the standard Shimano 24mm axle.

Wheels and Hubs

Similar to XTR, there are some big changes with the hubs, namely the sealed cartridge bearings and Direct Engagement freehub. Everything uses J-bend spokes and comes in the expected 15/110, 12/148 mm axle/spacing, with a microspline freehub and centerlock disc compatibility. The new hubs tout a 3.5-degree engagement.

The wheel option use aluminum rims and both front and rear are 28-hole, with the same limited options for axles, discs and freehub as the standalone hubs. They are available in both 650b and 29er, and are (of course) tubeless. Rims are hooked, and have a 30mm internal width. Most noticeable on the rims is the massive spoke offset! This could be the most substantially offset wheels that I’ve ever run. Thankfully, the offset doesn’t carry through to the rim bed. I find offset rims can sometimes be a pain to mount and seat.

I’ve very curious about these wheels. Shimano wheelsets are rare out there on the trails, and I wonder what the market is for an XT branded aluminum wheelset that requires centerlock discs. I think this would have been a fascinating spot for Shimano to flex their muscle with a medium cost carbon wheel. Aluminum feels more Deore level, these days.

General Observations

Shimano has done a good job reducing the amount of plastic packaging. Small parts are now in envelopes, not wrapped in plastic. Almost everything is cardboard or paper. There was some flexible foam wrapping around the wheels, a few hard plastic guards, and a handful of plastic bags, but the rest was all paper or cardboard.

I’m finding Shimano documentation to be a bit challenging these days. With so many different iterations of products, it’s never all that easy to find documents and instructions on exactly how things go together. These products were unreleased when I was installing them, so that wasn’t necessarily applicable here. But I was recently re-installing an XT crankset and it was a conundrum to figure out the correct spacer orientation. I would be happy if they created an easier system to navigate to the exact documentation needed for your particular part. As well, the latest generation of written instructions no longer has that Shimano je-ne-sais-quoi, I guess because they expect you to look online?

I like that most standards have carried through with these new parts. It’s great that most everything in the 12-speed ecosystem talks to one another, and there doesn’t seem to be anything arbitrarily new. Consistency is a good thing.

The exception though, is with the number of different tools required for locknuts. In addition to the standard hyperglide lockring (or the new one you’ll need for the 9-45 tooth cassette), and you’ll need at least two different bb tools as well. My old 44mm/16 notch bb tool got my centerlock discs into place, but I need something else for the chainring lockring. I would imagine it’s one of the half dozen ratchet style bb tools that I have in my toolbox, but of course that won’t work with the axle in the way. So, it looks like I’m going to need to add yet another lockring tool to my toolbox.

Speaking of centerlock, as somebody that switches brakes and wheels around often, I’m not the biggest fan of centerlock discs. However, it’s hard to argue with how quickly and slickly they mount up, compared to six bolt.

Conclusions

So, that’s what we know so far. You probably have questions! Pop them in the comments and we will see if we can get answers from Shimano. As well, I’d love to hear what you’d like to know about once I finally get riding this stuff. If there’s anything you’d like to see in the final review, please let me know.

Pricing

Shifters

XT – Available in I-SPEC EV or band clamp versions – US$190 (97 grams I-SPEC EV)

Deore – Available in I-SPEC EV or band clamp versions – US$140 (no weight given)

Derailleurs

XT – Available in fully wireless, 12 speed Hyperglide+ SGS or GS cage, or in wired e-bike SGS in either 12 speed Hyperglide+ or 11 speed Linkglide - US$570 (451 grams GS, 452 grams SGS, 427 grams E-bike)

Deore – Available in fully wireless, 12 speed Hyperglide+ SGS, or in wired e-bike SGS in either 12 speed Hyperglide+ or 11 speed Linkglide - US$435 (no weight given)

Cranks + Chainrings

XT Cranks – Hollowtech 2, 160-175mm, 55mm chainline – US$190

XT Chainrings -28-36 tooth – US$73

588 grams for 175mm w/32 tooth

Cassettes

XT – Hyperglide+, 10-51T or 9-45T – US$195 (463 grams 10-51, 426 grams 9-45)

Brakes

XT - 2-Piston Caliper w/ Servo Wave Lever and metal pad – US$240 per wheel (287g front, 321g rear)

XT - 4-Piston Enduro Caliper w/ Servo Wave Lever and metal pad – US$265 per wheel (310g front, 330g rear)

Wheels and Hubs

XT Wheels

Sold front only, rear only, or pair, 650b or 29”, centerlock disc only, 15/110 front and 12/148 rear, Microspline, 28h, complete with tubeless tape – US$250 front, US$325 rear, US$570 pair – 877 grams front, 997 grams rear

XT Hubs

Front – Centerlock Disc, 28 or 32 hole, 15/110 – US$75 – 130 grams

Rear – Centerlock Disc, 28 or 32 hole, 12/128, Microspline – US$180 – 251 grams

Accoutrements

Battery Charger – US$45

Battery – US$55

9 tooth cassette tool – US$39