The all-new Shimano XTR M9000 group launched last April but has only recently started shipping, both on complete bikes and as separate components through the aftermarket channels.
We’ve covered the tech details for the drivetrain here and the new Race/Trail brakes here, and now we’ve got hands on the individual components for photos and actual weights…
The crankset will be available without chainrings, a feature already being taken advantage of with aftermarket narrow/wide chainring offerings from Wolf Tooth Components and OneUp Components. Regardless of whether you want to run a single, double or triple, it’s all the same crank arm…but two different Q-factors are available.
Technically, to get the bare cranks as shown above, you’ll check off the 1x option on your order form, and then just not order the chainring if you opt for 3rd party gear. You can also go ahead and order up a Stages power meter equipped non-drive arm.
The new derailleurs are a big departure from past models. The clutch mechanism has been slightly relocated and you can use the rear on Direct Mount hangers. The front’s the biggest news, though, with a redesigned parallelogram structure and, more impressively the new Side Swing design (not shown here) that really and truly makes front shifting otherworldly. It’s about as good as we can imagine mechanical shifting to be and we’re curious if this design might port over to the road someday. Dura-Ace is amazing, but this takes it to another level.
The brakes are offered in two versions, Trail and Race. The Trail models, shown here, get the IceTech pads with heat sinks and finned caliper bodies. The levers get adjustable reach and free stroke, too. The Race models pare things down to save weight, as you’ll see further down on the scale.
Pick your focus. The new 11-40 cassette breaks down into a whopping eight pieces including lock nut. Curious how those gear ratios stack up to XX1? Check out this chart.
The larger clusters use carbon fiber carriers that are quite impressive. The molded spiders are bonded to a metal spline for solid contact with the freehub body, and they’re wider than single-cog contact patches to help prevent digging into softer alloy FH bodies.
XTR M9000 ACTUAL WEIGHTS
The double crankset with a 36/26 and the narrower Q-factor is 621g.
The naked crankset is just 472g. That adds up to a complete 1x crankset at just about 520g with one of the third party 32T chainrings. We don’t have weights for the XTR single chainring yet.
Direct mount side swing top-pull front derailleur is 135g. Rear mech is 222g.
The cassette comes in at 328g.
The M9000 Race bracelet is 206g for the rear and 190g for the front. We’ve weighed the Freeza rotors before and a 160mm CenterLock version comes in at 116g. So, total for two wheels of stoppers with 160mm CL rotors would be 628g.
The M9020 Trail brakes come in at 255g front and 270g rear. That’d put the set with rotors at 757g, or 129g more than the Race kit.
Shifters are 106g front and 118g rear.
Setup the complete bike with a double and Trail brakes and you’re looking at 2,287g (5.04lb) plus the chain and cable housing. Build up a 1×11 group using one of the aforementioned 32T chainrings with Race brakes and the group (minus chain and housing) would be just 1816g. Compare that to 1,7629g for the same parts to build an XX1 group with the new direct mount chainrings and the SRAM Guide brakes…keeping in mind you’d need a new freehub body for the SRAM system.
Huge thanks to Jason at Fresh Bikes for making the parts available. Check back soon for XTR Di2 weights, and read our ride review of the new XTR Mechanical and Di2 groups to see how they perform out on the trail!
