As suspected, the 2011 Shimano XTR group has gone 2×10…but that isn’t all that’s changed!
Shimano recognized the changing mountain bike landscape, and the new XTR has a host of fresh technologies that let you tune the mix of components to suit your riding style, whether you’re riding trail and all mountain or racing your legs off on the XC circuit. Called “Rider Tuned”, the new parts mix offers different gearing ranges, types of brakes and pedals and settings on the components to tune their performance for the trail in front of you.
The most obvious change is the switch to Dyna-Sys 10 speed in both double and triple crankset options and the sharp edged new look, but there’s so much more to it than meets the eye. From all-new Ice Tech pads and rotors to a completely redesigned shifting mech called VIVID Index, XTR has broadened its reach.
Oh, and it also dropped weight. In its lightest configuration, it drops 200g (!) from the previous generation. In its heaviest, its still 60g lighter. The icing on the cake? All this new technology and lightweight goodness comes at you with no price increase over the previous group.
Check out all the goods after the break…
NOTE: Scroll all the way down to see some of these components on the bike with close-up, detail shots.
Starting with the most visible component, the crankset shown at the top of the post is the FC-M980 double. The M980 cranksets are available in both double and triple (full specs directly below) and are geared with trail riding (formerly known simply as “mountain biking”) in mind, but they all get the Chinese throwing star look of their current brake rotors. Here’s the triple:
FC-M980 Crankset
- Triple or double / 42T-32T-24T or 38T-24T trail inspired gearing
- Dyna-Sys gearing for greatest efficiency and stability
- Hollowtech II design maximizes stiffness while keeping weight to a minimum
- HG-X chainring tooth profile and Dual Spike provide unparalleled assertive front shifting
- Precision two-piece construction for perfect chainline and chainwheel alignment.
- Carbon / Titanium composite middle ring adds rigidity for better shifting, increases service life, and smoothly delivers powers to the cassette.
- Outboard bearings maximize stability and stiffness
- Estimated weight: 755g w/threaded BB
Yep, that middle chainring (on the 3x cranksets) is carbon/titanium, which means it’s going to be expensive to replace. Before you even ask, pricing for specific replacement parts hasn’t been provided. And since we know you’re also itching to ask, we’ll go ahead and tell you now: It doesn’t ship until October 2010.
TheFC-M985 is the race version, and it only comes in a double with three different gearing options to suit the size and strength of your quads. Like the recently introduced 10-speed XT and SLX groups, the new XTR gets the Dyna-Sys treatment, meaning 10 speed rear cassette, asymmetrical and directional chain and revised front gearing ratios (mainly on the 3x cranks…the 2x are something new for Shimano). We’ve ridden and raced the XT Dyna-Sys and it’s quite smooth and shifts well under load, so the new XTR should be pretty slick.
FC-M985 Crankset
- Double / 40T-28T, 42T-30T, and 44T-30T XC and race inspired gearing
- Dyna-Sys gearing for greatest efficiency and stability
- Hollowtech II design maximizes stiffness while keeping weight to a minimum
- HG-X chainring tooth profile and Dual Spike provide unparalleled assertive front shifting
- Precision two-piece construction for perfect chainline and chainwheel alignment.
- Carbon / Titanium composite middle ring adds rigidity for better shifting, increases service life, and smoothly delivers powers to the cassette.
- Q-factor reduced by 3mm per side compared to triple
- Outboard bearings maximize stability and stiffness
- Estimated weight: 698g w/threaded BB
The new XTR rear derailleur gets Shadow technology, so it’ll sit a little closer in toward the wheel.
RD-M980 – XTR Shimano Shadow Rear Derailleur
- Low Profile Shimano Shadow rear derailleur design
- Top normal spring design to mesh with the more common choice of RapidFire shifters for trail / all-mountain riding
- Main body spring tension works well with full outer casing and creates more consistent shift effort throughout entire cog range
- Carbon fiber outer pulley plate for light weight / Aluminum inner pulley plate for rigidity and durability
- Sealed bearing guide and tension pulleys
- Available in medium and long cage (GS and SGS)
- Total capacity: 41T (SGS), 35T (GS)
- Estimated weight: 175g
Notice that 41T max capacity for the long cage (SGS, pictured) derailleur? Interesting to think they might have something up their sleeve, but does anyone even make a 41T cog on a cassette? (Actually, we were off the mark on this…see Greg’s comment at bottom for explanation of capacity. Thanks, Greg!)
Up front, there’s a dizzying array of front derailleur options, giving frame designers all sorts of possibilities and a virtual certainty that there’s one to fit your frame if you’re upgrading.
FD-M980 / M981 Triple and M985 / M986 Double Front Derailleur
- Specific 10s cage design
- Available in Top Swing, conventional, or E-type configurations to mount on most any frame
- Multi-Access bolt for easily securing cable fixing bolt
- Adaptable clamp means one size fits all for 28.6, 31.8, 34.9 and multi-pull allows top or bottom cable pull .
- Set screws are angle outward for easier adjustment on some full suspension designs
- Clamp band positions the same for 9 and 10s versions
- Cage profiled for more tire clearance and specific compact cage for double
- Estimated weight: 125g
The shifters received a lot of attention with the redesign. Shimano’s media liason, Devin Walton, said the shifting effort is the same whether your shifting from the smallest cog or into the largest. Separately from the effort, Shimano tuned the “feel” of the shift action with what they call the VIVID Index, which creates a positive “click” that lets you know the shift was executed without creating any drag or requiring any additional effort to shift.
SL-M980 RapidFire Plus Shift Lever for double and triple
- Front shifter features mode converter for use on either double or triple front chainwheel (shown at bottom of post in the “on the bike” photos)
- VIVID index creates tactile rider feedback while maintaining low, linear shifting effort across the entire cog range
- Instant release for quick accurate shifting and multi-release for shifting several gears at a time
- 2-way release trigger allows thumb or finger actuation
- I-Spec clamp options for lightest weight when combine with XTR brake levers (shown below)
- Multi-bearing construction for greater durability and reduced effort
- Estimated weight: 195g/pr (I-Spec), 207g/pr (traditional clamp)
Both shifter pod versions (and both sides) have adjustable side reach. The I-Spec version above mounts directly to XTR brake levers.
For the new XTR, two brake levers are offered. As Shimano puts it, “the completely revamped XTR hydraulic brake system also features options that suit extreme trail use to lightweight cross-country. Servo-Wave precision control, ICE Technologies heat and fade resistance, and a variety of rotor sizes allow enthusiasts to perfectly match braking performance to their trail of choice.”
The lighter weight BL-M985, above, is the XC race oriented lever. Both use the same caliper, shown below, and the system weight for the XC version is 32g lighter per wheel than the more trail oriented BL-M988, shown next. The new compact caliper, combined with the lightweight XC lever, creates a brakeset that is 40 grams lighter than current XTR (M975), yet packs 10% greater braking power.
BR-M985 and BL-M985 – Hydraulic Brake System for XC and Race
- Integrated barrel reservoir design with split clamp is compact, light weight and easy to work on
- 13mm wide two finger brake lever with ergo pivot offers efficient input, smooth operation and features anti-slip dimples on surface
- Over-sized full ceramic piston is light weight, rigid and insulates the system from heat
- One piece caliper is incredibly rigid and has a lightweight aluminum banjo for universal fit
- Higher Power hose (compares to Saint SM-BH80)
- One-way bleeding and improved oil routing through the caliper results in higher integrity and quicker bleeds.
- Al back plate with resin or Ti back plate with metal compound brake pads offer the best blend of lightweight and tunable braking power
- Ispec compatible
- Estimated weight: 215g front / 229g rear
Visually, the differences are the lever’s shape, the outboard pivot/bearing, addition of a reach adjust knob and a copper colored end cap to the reservoir. The new trail oriented lever provides 25% more braking power over current XTR with no increase in weight.
BR-M985 and BL-M988 – Hydraulic Brake Caliper System for Trail
- Integrated barrel reservoir design with split clamp is compact, light weight and easy to work on
- Short stroke Servo-Wave mechanism has less freestroke and 25% greater lever input to suit more aggressive riding
- 14mm wide two finger brake lever with ergo pivot offers efficient input, smooth operation and features anti-slip dimples on surface
- Over-sized full ceramic piston is light weight, rigid and insulates the system from heat
- One piece caliper is incredibly rigid and has a lightweight aluminum banjo for universal fit
- Higher Power hose (compares to Saint SM-BH80)
- One-way bleeding and improved oil routing through the caliper results in higher integrity and quicker bleeds.
- Ice Technologies finned brake pads come standard for maximum heat control and fade reduction
- Ispec compatible
- Estimated weight: 247g front / 261g rear
The new Ice Tech brake rotors sandwich an aluminum layer between steel outer layers on the rotor, which helps them cool much, much faster than solid steel rotors. Shown above is the 203mm rotor with six blades. The 180 (below, left) and 160 get five blades and the 140 gets four.
SM-RT98 – Ice Technologies Rotor
- Three layer construction: Aluminum between Stainless Steel layers for optimal heat dissipation
- Aluminum spider for precise and true final product
- Heat related fade reduced by 35% and pad life improved
- 4 sizes available: 203mm, 180mm, 160mm, and 140mm
- Estimated weight: 126g / 160mm
The new XTR cassette comes in two size ranges, both 10 speed, ending with either a 34T or 36T cog. The backside of the spider resembles the throwing star design, which you can see at the bottom of this post.
CS-M980 Cassette
- 3 piece spider arm construction is light and rigid
- 5 largest cogs titanium for lightweight and durability
- 11-13-15-17-19-21-24-28-32-36 and 11-13-15-17-19-21-23-26-30-34
- Alloy lock ring
- Estimated weight: 255g
CN-M980 HG-X Chain
- HG-X directional chain specifically designed for MTB use
- Inner and outer plates feature asymmetrical design to optimize front and rear shifting
- Special plate chamfers help shed mud
- Zinc-alloy plated for maximum durability
- Hollow link pins for lightest possible weight
- Uses standard connecting pin
- Estimated weight: 259g
The new PD-M980 pedals drop 15 grams off of the current M970 while increasing pedal surface contact area by 270% for better pedaling stability. An oval shaped, slimmer pedal axle housing claims to shed mud better than prior designs, too.
PD-M980 – SPD Clipless Pedal
- The body has improved mud shedding capabilities due to an oval shaped axle body housing, a more slim profile to the axle body, and offset bindings to allow debris to better flow through the pedal
- Power transfer efficiency is improved by increasing shoe and pedal body contact by 270% over PD-M970.
- Wider bearing placement also provide great pedaling stability and bearing durability
- The new axle body is also lighter, reducing weight by 15g vs. PD-M970
- Continues to offer trademark SPD clipless pedal performance
- Estimated weight: 310g/pr
A totally new addition for the XTR level group is a “platform” pedal, with almost 160% more surface area than the PD-M980.
PD-M985 – SPD / Platform Trail Pedal
- A new platform designed specifically for trail use
- 158% more shoe/pedal contact vs. M980 with a 5.8mm wider platform
- Wider bearing placement provides great pedaling stability
- Integrated pedal cage allows for continuous pedaling even when not clipped in and better pedaling stability when cleats are engaged
- The cage also provides binding protection from rocks on rough trails
- Oval shaped axle body housing allows mud to more easily flow through
- Estimated weight: 398g
Another new item for the XTR level are various thru-axle options on both front and rear wheels. Riders will now have the options of E-thru 15mm front (below) and 12mm E-thru for the rear axle (above), in addition to standard quick release skewers.
Hubs will also be available for those wanting to build up their own hoops:
2011 SHIMANO XTR – ON THE BIKE PHOTOS
Note the adjuster dial for running the shifter with a double or triple crankset.
No, the tension screw was not properly set, but this was on a show bike only at the Cannondale press event…the second tier Jekyll gets new XTR shifters and derailleurs and cassette.
