Shimano CS-M7000 SLX 11-Speed Cassette

Product Information

More affordable than XT, SLX is almost impossible to differentiate in performance terms when riding. Sure, there’s a weight penalty to be had, but the main down grade is the simpler, single-release shifter. Our tip: pair a SLX mech with a XT shifter for the best performance for your cash. Shimano Deore M6100 The two biggest, and most commonly found, brands that produce mountain bike drivetrains are Shimano and SRAM. In all in, the new SLX M7000 groupset achieves an unrivalled level of high performance, efficiency, durability and value. Competitive-level technologies found in Shimano’s premium MTB components have been transferred to the new SLX M7000 cranksets, derailleurs, cassettes, shifters, levers, rotors and hubs, letting you focus on what matters, getting maximum fun and enjoyment out of your rides.

The launch of Shimano’s new mid-range off-road SLX groupset brings many of the performance features of DEORE XT with affordability, durability and compatibility to make it suitable for almost every type of mountain biker. Third-party components will and do work with Shimano kit, and this includes chains, cassettes, chainrings and pedal cranks. However, it is unlikely that the full benefits of the technology in Shimano’s kit will be available. Longer (175mm+) cranks offer a better mechanical advantage but are harder to turn and so are better suited to taller riders and for more XC oriented bikes. Be sure to verify whether your brake levers are I-Spec compatible or whether an I-Spec adaptor is available for them. Otherwise, take care to buy the bar clamp shifter lever because converting a bar clamp shifter to an I-Spec shifter isn’t recommended. Shimano SLX M7100 groupset installation and setup The derailleur’s adjustable and on/off switchable clutch meant wheel removal and installation was easy. Plus, the clutch’s lever has clear on/off lettering to avoid confusion about its position, unlike the Microshift Advent X derailleur.

Weights

I tested the Shimano SLX M7100 groupset on several bikes including my Yeti SB165 long-term test bike and my personal Marin Alpine Trail XR.

Braking, especially after fitting upgraded pads, is great. Firm and predictable, with instant hands-free adjustment of reach. The look, too, is small and neat enough to complement any bike. Solid, workhorse stuff – Shimano’s SLX groupset comes recommended. Shimano also make two gravity/downhill groupsets (although Saint also designed for enduro, as is Zee, which also strays into ‘aggressive trail riding’ too).There is a vast range of chainring sizes to choose from, with the size being dictated by how many teeth the ring comprises. In simple terms, the more teeth equates to harder gearing but more speed, whilst smaller chainring sizes will provide easier gearing for better climbing prowess. The upside of this electronic shifting is incredible reliability with none of the degradation of shift quality that can occur when cables become stretched or contaminated with dirt and water. One of the most eye-catching elements of the new SLX grouppo are the cranks, which look simply sensational, even better than XTR in our opinion. SLX uses the same crank arm for 1×11 or 2×11 configurations (unlike XTR). Shimano’s 11-speed cassettes are far from light, but that’s no biggie we feel. The SLX cassette comes in 11-40 or 1-24 sizes.

Most notably, the FC-M7100 SLX crankset uses the same Hollowtech and Hollowtech II technology shared with Shimano’s XT M8100 and XTR M9100 groupsets and is an upgrade over Deore M6100. So how does it ride? The groupset in general is extremely competent to the point of dullness. Everything works as expected and I couldn’t find anything really to complain about. It’s a little heavier than XT, but it’s a little cheaper too. Shimano’s named and numbered proper mountain bike groupsets for XC/trail/enduro riding. NB: the series number is important, it denotes it’s the latest version of the groupset tier, eg. Shimano XT M8100 is current XT.SRAM’s NX Eagle uses a standard Shimano HG freehub body for its cassette, so represents a cheaper way to upgrade to 12 gears from 9, 10 or 11 speeds compared to SLX. However, stretching to the Shimano Micro Spline freehub system rewards you with fantastically and evenly spaced gears, something that SRAM’s current cassettes, in my opinion, don’t offer. Anyone who has ridden Shimano’s cranks knows just reliable and foolproof they are, but take care to tighten the pinch bolts that secure the left-hand crankarm nice and tight. We stuffed up badly, not torqueing them enough, and off a particularly harsh landing we actually rounded out the splines of the crankarm / axle interface. We stress though that this was our fault entirely, so we say this as a warning to others not to replicate our mistake, not as a criticism! (We said they were foolproof cranks, not Flow-foolproof!) The feel of the shifter under your thumb is really the only immediate giveaway that you’re riding SLX and not a more expensive groupset.