I’ll simply bounce proper in. So, I’ve been using Shimano’s new group, the XT LinkGlide, for nearly a 12 months. After logging just a few hundred filth miles on the group, I’ve been largely impressed. I’ve purposely achieved some laborious shifting whereas beneath load on techy climbs. I’ve run it relentlessly, and unnecessarily I’d add, up and down the cassette for lengthy intervals whereas using.
To date it’s taken the abuse with aplomb. To not point out you could get the cassette, chain, derailleur, and shifter for the worth of among the cassettes which might be in the marketplace proper now. So tremendous massive kudos to Shimano for that.
I’ve been a Shimano consumer for fairly a while. And it’s sort of the camp that I’ve hunkered down in since shopping for my first actual mountain bike again in late 1988, early 1990. What offered me on that bike approach again then, was the truth that it utilized the model new XT ST-M091 Speedy Hearth “push-push” 7-speed shifters.
As much as that time in my using, I had not skilled such exact and senseless shifting. That’s a fairly daring assertion, I do know. However it was friction thumb sifters for me up till then. And, after the rapid-fire shifters, I by no means seemed again.
Maintain On…
I simply wished to say, earlier than we bounce into it, that I’m not getting tremendous within the weeds for this assessment. I do know it’s straightforward to do with drivetrain elements, however I’m going to withstand this and hold this assessment top-level. That approach your eyes gained’t glaze over. You will get all techy-tech from our unique tech publish if you’d like.
However for this assessment, I’ll cowl how good it seems, what new tech it has, what it weighs, how straightforward it was to put in and alter on my mountain bike, and what I considered its efficiency. And possibly just a few antidotes and opinions alongside the best way. Who is aware of, we’ll see what type o’ time we’ve.
No massive whoop… let’s get on with it.
Shimano XT LinkGlide
Again in March 2023, once I was trying to construct up my Rivendell Gus Boots Willsen, Shimano had reached out and requested if I wished to assessment their new XT LinkGlide group. In the event you learn my stuff, you realize I’m not at all times pumped to strive one thing, simply because it’s the “latest-greatest”. So, initially I believed, “Naw, I’m good, thanks! I’ll simply use my present m8000 XT shifter, cassette, and rear derailleur”.
However I reconsidered once they advised me who the LinkGlide was meant for, the way it was imagined to carry out, how a lot it value, and the way it was totally different. So, I stated sure…I even advised them what bike I meant to apply it to, and so they have been on board.
The Cassette is The place the Tech is
Constructed to suit an ordinary HG cassette physique, the LinkGlide cassettes are designed to be extraordinarily strong and sturdy. They boast enamel which might be formed in another way then the HyperGlide enamel, are approach thicker, and have “2-way shifting guides”. Shimano says that the cassettes are 3 instances extra sturdy than their HyperGlide equal. As you may see within the above photos, the XT M8000 cassette’s enamel (photograph on the proper) are a lot thinner.
They’re advertising and marketing LinkGlide as optimum for each high-torque shifting functions (e-bike customers) and “lower than excellent” shifting (newer cyclists). As talked about earlier than, the totally different formed and taller shift ramps differ from the HG cassette. These ramps enable a totally totally different shift level. In concept, these ramps will provide a smoother shift whereas shifting beneath load.
The LinkGlide system will not be imagined to endure from, what Shimano calls, “shift shock” whereas shifting. You recognize the sensation…the place the chain “drops” onto the cassette throughout a shift such as you get typically with the HyperGlide system. I discovered this to be true… more often than not… extra on that later.
XT LinkGlide Set up
The XT LinkGlide was put in on my Gus simply sufficient. I used to be simply utilizing the shifter, cassette, and rear derailleur. There’s not a LinkGlide crankset. Undecided if there ever can be. One of many cool issues concerning the XT LinkGlide is that you just don’t want a selected chain to run the group such as you do with HyperGlide. LinkGlide will work with any Shimano or aftermarket chain.
They despatched the group to me with the Dura-Ace/XTR chain, in order that’s what I used. I truly needed to attain out to get one other chain as a result of my Gus’s chainstays are so fantastically lengthy.
The understated matte and gloss black shade that adorns the XT LinkGlide was a nice shock. Normally, or no less than traditionally, Shimano’s extra entry-level elements have at all times seemed nicely… entry-level. However, not so with with this group. It’s very good-looking and appears high-end.
Once I picked up the LinkGlide cassette field, I used to be shocked at how noticeably heavy it was. They stated it’s largely constructed with hardened metal and fairly heavy, however jeez Louise. So, I immediately weighed it in opposition to the 11-46t m8000 XT HyperGlide cassette I had available (regardless that it’s not a real apples-to-apples comparability). I discovered the brand new 11-50t LinkGlide cassette to be 626g to the m8000 XT cassette’s 447g.
Two Completely different Cassettes
That being stated, the LinkDrive cassette that Shimano despatched me is the LG700-11 from their new CUES U-8000 collection. It isn’t formally a part of the LinkGlide XT M8130 collection. The right cassette can be the LG600-11. That cassette has a metal, as an alternative of aluminum spider, and weighs in at a whopping claimed weight of 790g.
The LinkGlide shifter comes with a standard clamp, like mine, or the I-Spec with its ergo adjustability. After putting in the elements, I ran the housing and cables. The rear derailleur was straightforward to arrange. I simply set the excessive and low stops after which set the cable.
It wanted a bit of little bit of a activate the “B” screw after which shifted completely. The derailleur doesn’t have a barrel adjuster, however the shifter does. This made it straightforward to regulate the system after the primary few rides. Apart from my distinctive scenario of mixing two chains on my bike, the set up was straightforward.
How Did it Carry out?
Total I didn’t thoughts the best way the XT LinkGlide shifted. It was a slower shift than that of the XT HyperGlide. And, that will have led to the occasional feeling that the shifting felt cumbersome. And talking frankly, it took some getting used to.
One other small studying curve was the LinkGlide shifter. The shifter lets you throw a two-gear bounce up the cassette with one push. However, limits you to a single push/pull to return again down the cassette.
I’ve been using the 11-speed XT M8000 stuff solely on each mountain bike I’ve owned since 2017. As most of you most likely know, the M8000 shifter can throw three gears up the cassette in a single lengthy push. And might throw two gears again down the cassette in a fast “double-click” push.
So utilizing the brand new LinkGide shifter took a bit of getting used to as nicely. I needed to alter how I approached just a few particular sections on two of my favourite rides due to it. And I’ll inform you, even after I bought used to it, and have ridden a whole bunch of miles on it, I nonetheless want the best way commonplace XT shifts over this.
In Conclusion
Total, the XT 11-speed LinkGlide system appears to be very powerful. And after a whole bunch of miles of use and purposeful abuse, it by no means missed a gear shift. I did, nevertheless, “endure” from the occasional “shift shock” or “pedal shock” that Shimano says the LinkGlide eliminates.
It actually wasn’t a giant deal when you’ve been using the HyperGlide stuff, trigger it occurs all the time with that system. And possibly it will be eradicated if I used to be utilizing this technique on an eBike.
I by no means did fairly get used to it, nor did I really like how gradual the LinkGide shifted. Look, I do know I’m not racing or something, however I do like my bike stuff to work exceptionally nicely. And I’ve actually gotten spoiled by the shifting of my present XT HyperGlide stuff. I’m a non-transitional human, and I really like my M8000. Sue me.
Nonetheless, when you don’t have that top finish reference level, new riders will discover the shifting greater than sufficient. Glorious even, if the comparability is different cheap teams that come on entry stage bikes.
If in case you have an eBike, don’t want 12 speeds, and also you’re shifting beneath massive quantities of torque, then the XT LinkGlide is your group. In case you are okay buying and selling weight financial savings for sturdiness? Then the XT LinkGlide is your group. The sheer sturdiness of the LinkGlide cassette will prevent cash on chains and cassettes in the long term. If I owned an eBike, I’d run the XT 11-speed LinkGlide system, and it will be effective with me.
It’s straightforward within the pockets as nicely. At Jenson USA, as of the writing of this text, the costs are as follows:
- XT LinkGlide Rear Derailleur: $122
- XT LinkGlide Shifter: $67
- LinkGlide LG500 Chain: $23
- LinkGlide LG700 11-speed Cassette (as examined): $130
- LinkGlide LG600 11-speed Cassette (XT Sequence): $202 (Amazon)
That’s solely $342 earlier than relevant tax and delivery for the group. that features the cassette that was examined, a LinkGlide chain, the XT LinkGlide derailleur, and the XT LinkGlide shifter. That may be a nice deal.
A Completely different Tackle XT LinkGlide (From Zach’s POV)
Together with Ron, I additionally bought an XT LinkGlide equipment to take a look at. Initially, I had deliberate to apply it to a fats bike. My thought was that winter highway salt, sea salt, and all of the mud and grit are notoriously troublesome on fats bike drivetrains, and one thing that was extra sturdy and cheaper can be an ideal choice.
However… I additionally had some lighter Shimano 12-speed Deore/XT elements obtainable for the construct, and my interior weight weenie bought the very best of me. That left me with an XT LinkGlide group to placed on one thing else.
Then it hit me. My Raleigh Redux commuter got here with a 9-speed drivetrain that was in want of an replace. Provided that LinkGlide is designed to work nicely with ebikes, it appeared like an ideal match… solely the hybrid gearing up entrance made it a bit of fascinating.
Like Ron, I additionally wanted an extended chain to make the large cassette work with the big chainring. Nonetheless, I came upon that Shimano affords an E-MTB chain, the CN-E8000-11. This chain is 138 hyperlinks as an alternative of 116, and was lengthy sufficient for me with out having to make use of two chains. I additionally needed to take away one aspect of the chain information plate across the chainring and shift the chainring over utilizing chainring spacers to create a chainline that may work with the rear cassette. These modifications weren’t as a result of something associated to LinkGlide, however moderately me making an attempt to run a variety MTB drivetrain on a hybrid e-bike with a giant chainring.
In the long run, all of it labored surprisingly nicely and I used to be left with a drivetrain that had far more vary. Like Ron, I discovered the shifting to be totally different, however I didn’t have any downside getting used to it. It’s a really optimistic really feel to the shifter, and lacks among the finesse that you just’ll discover on the increased finish. With that stated, it really works nice, particularly when hammering by the gears on an ebike.
Previous to the LinkGlide set up, I’ve truly damaged extra chains on this Raleigh than my different bikes mixed. So the truth that the LinkGlide drivetrain remains to be working flawlessly, is spectacular. Due to that, I’d don’t have any reservations about recommending this group to anybody on the lookout for a sturdy drivetrain on a price range.
