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Shimano speeds up XTR delivery w/ non-series MT900 crank, groups available now

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If you’re one of the lucky few, you might already have your hands on the new XTR M9100 group. If not, you’re probably impatiently waiting for new parts and dry trails like us. However, parts are arriving at warehouses around the country and shipping to dealers, as evidenced by the photos of the new crankset below. Thanks to a friend who goes by WH Bradford, we obtained some pictures of the interim crankset, the non-series FC-MT900-1.

Shimano speeds up XTR delivery w/ non-series M900 crank, groups available now

Clad in all black, the FC-MT900-1 was created as an interim option for the original FC-M9100-1 (and all XTR M9100 crank models) after productions issued caused a significant delay in their forecasted arrival. According to Shimano’s Mountain Bike Product Manager, Nick Murdick, the issue wasn’t that they couldn’t produce them, it was just that the current production method meant they couldn’t be produced fast enough. There are a handful of M9100 cranks that made it into the wild, and these are perfectly functional. But Shimano decided that they needed to offer another crank that they could quickly produce while waiting for the new production run of 9100 cranks to ramp up.

That gave birth to the FC-MT900-1 which is an all black beauty with a hollow forged crank arm.

Shimano speeds up XTR delivery w/ non-series M900 crank, groups available now

While the MT900 forgoes the new preload assembly of the M9100, it does gain the direct mount chainring capability and the exact same XTR chainring that will come on the M9100. Shimano also points out that this is still one of the lighter HollowTech II cranks they have made coming in at 587g for a 175mm crank with a 32t chainring and no BB.

Shimano speeds up XTR delivery w/ non-series M900 crank, groups available now

Apparently thousands of the MT900 cranks were made, but this will not be a permanent addition to the line up. After the M9100 cranks hit warehouses in June, the MT900 will be phased out which may be a bummer for some.

Why? Because the crankset is light, 12 speed compatible, comes in all black, and is substantially less expensive than the M9100 crankset. The MT900 crank and chainring combined sell for $229. Just the XTR M9100 chainring alone sells for $132.99, and the M9100 crankset without ring sells for $419.99. That means you’re basically getting the MT900 crank for less than $100 more than the chainring alone. However, the M9100 crankset will be lighter and has a narrower Q-factor than the MT900 (162 vs. 172mm), so that might be enough reason to hold out for the pricier M9100.

Shimano speeds up XTR delivery w/ non-series M900 crank, groups available now

No more Scylence

In other XTR related news, Murdick confirmed that the Scylence hub has been effectively cut from the line up due to the potential for long term durability issues. While Shimano’s test mules haven’t had any issues, apparently there is enough of a chance for the potential of issues down the road that Shimano has decided to modify the hubs for production. Now, instead of the two driver plates completely pulling away from each when you’re coasting, the plates will just skim across each other (which to us sounds more similar to the ratchet design of a DT Swiss hub or similar). This is supposedly not silent, but not exactly loud either.

The hub still offers very low amounts of drag and in terms of weight and price, it’s very competitive at 238g for the rear and a price tag of $294.99.

Shimano speeds up XTR delivery w/ non-series M900 crank, groups available now

11 Speed Gets Dropped

Shimano has also decided to axe the 11 speed option for the group, which they state was more an attempt to reduce the amount of SKUs than anything else. With the production difficulties to this point, they decided that they would focus their resources on the most in demand products – wide range 12 speed.

Murdick points out that the 11 speed group was still most requested by their pro athletes due to the ability to run a shorter cage derailleur and stronger wheels. However, you’ll still be able to run a shorter cage derailleur, just with a 12 speed 10-45t cassette. That also means the wider flange 11 speed specific rear hub is no longer on the table. To reiterate, you’ll have two options when it comes to gearing for XTR M9100 – 1×12 with a 10-45t cassette, or 1×12 with a 10-51t cassette.

2019 Shimano XTR M9100 photos installed on the bike with product development design story and background info from Bikerumor

Product Shipping Now

The best news is that in spite of their production difficulties, Shimano tells us that the groups are in the warehouses now and shipping to dealers. They have a few hundred of the MT900 cranks on hand now, and are expecting a large shipment at the end of the month. Once that shipment arrives, it will allow Shimano to completely open all of the ordering options (not just complete groups), and it will make finding single replacement parts much easier. As mentioned, the MT900 cranks will remain as the only option for the XTR group until the M9100 cranks arrive in June.

bike.shimano.com

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42 Comments
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Me
Me
5 years ago

I’m sorry, I just don’t see how it is faster for them to make a different, new crankset to fill in while they are able to ramp up the production on their other different, new crankset. And it took them 3 years to come out with this hub, and now they realize there is a problem? I’m sticking with my SRAM stuff. By the way, Shimano does make really nice fishing equipment though.

JNH
JNH
5 years ago
Reply to  Me

There was the minor issue that last March Shimano’s factory in Japan burnt down, taking a significant amount of tooling with it. This stop gap crank actually looks better than the intended model to me, it’s not as pretty, but it’s using the pinch bolt and end cap design most Shimano cranks use instead of the new one’s compression ring.

Eric
Eric
5 years ago
Reply to  JNH

They use that excuse for everything. E-bike batteries, R8000 parts, blah blah blah. It’s been a year, shift production, figure it out.

Brian
Brian
5 years ago
Reply to  Eric

Have you ever built a new manufacturing facility? It takes years of planning and construction to make it happen. Even with the right planning you have to ramp up production right before you move in to have nough product available during the move to meet orders and plan for a few months where you can’t make product as you test, certify, and ramp production back up. So when you unexpeditly lose your production facility and tooling equipment “just figuring it out” is a long process.

Woody
Woody
5 years ago
Reply to  Brian

In their defense 1x for MTB sorta came outta nowhere. Totally reasonable for a big industry player like Shimano to be caught off guard. Lolz. Scrambling to make up lost ground much?

Bill Morris
Bill Morris
5 years ago
Reply to  Brian

I think Shimano is lying. I think these were going to be the new XT 12 speed cranksets fo release later in the year or next year if the XTR series had been on schedule. Now, they just printed new info on the boxing and called them “black cranks” coz they dont have the XT finish or logo on them, Look at the weight, 587 grams , light enough to be XT component stuff.

VeloFreak
VeloFreak
5 years ago
Reply to  JNH

I agree. XTR cranks with that silvery touch, have been ugly since forever. Can’t remember a nice looking XTR crank since 1997. This simple full black one is perfect. Pity it’s heavy and with a huge regular Q-factor. Not nice for XC purists.

Shafty
Shafty
5 years ago
Reply to  Me

It’s not so much that it’s faster, per se, but that the orders are fulfilled. If you have all the rest of the parts made, you’d need a solution NOW. They’re not all that new either, they use existing forging methods (maybe tooling as well) and likely add in minor processing for the chainring mount. Keep in mind you NEED a special ring for this group, so they were forced to come up with something that could use it.

hobbanero1970
hobbanero1970
5 years ago

Their anodization facility burned down last year. The M9100 has a complex anodized finish. The M900 is just simple black…..easily outsourced.

Jacob Johnson
5 years ago

So basically everything they have been hyping the system to be is no longer valid. GEEZE! It doesn’t look like I’ll be sticking with a Shimano drive-train much longer as all the things I wanted have in that drive-train been done away with… Shimano has done nothing but contribute to the downward spiral by not controlling map pricing and continuing to sell abroad in markets that don’t have map pricing controls. They only care about the European markets & e-bikes any more. wow shimano just wow….. BOX COMPONENTS and TRP have entered the ring and are making some waves. I think since I’m having to hold out this long and they are’t going to deliver on their long over due promise I might as well wait for a brand that has the rider in mind and is truly trying to help the industry as a whole and not just their wallets. ( although they do have to make money )….. Shimano is no longer the innovator they once were no they are the trend chasers, and they act like they aren’t… JUST WOW!

mudmudmud
mudmudmud
5 years ago
Reply to  Jacob Johnson

A lot of whining in one post

blahblahblah
blahblahblah
5 years ago
Reply to  Jacob Johnson

so what your saying is the end of the world is nigh and its shimanos fault

Tim
Tim
5 years ago

Am I wrong or didn’t try a silent hub back in the 90’s with an lx version that used to burn out free hubs?

JNH
JNH
5 years ago
Reply to  Tim

Shimano RO80 and RO50 roller clutch hubs. They worked fine as long as you kept on top of the maintenance, if they started to feel mushy under power and you ignored it the consequences were expensive.

Velofreak
Velofreak
5 years ago
Reply to  JNH

Not true, that lx hub only problem was the very heavy weight it had, but worked flawlessly, silent, instant engagement and 100% silent. So many sram employees commenting here again. No japanese commenting on sram news ever.

Tim
Tim
5 years ago
Reply to  Velofreak

Disclaimer: I’m a different Tim than the OP… I’m neither Japanese nor a SRAM employee, and remember the LX (and earlier STX-RC) silent roller clutch hubs. They were silent, but I wouldn’t call their engagement instant. They PARTIALLY engaged pretty much instantly, but there was no clear moment when the engagement started, just kind of a mushy feeling where they were barely, then partially, then seemingly completely engaged. I had friends who did trials-ish riding on them in low gears, probably that mushiness was less noticeable in harder gears, but it was there for sure.
In addition to the qualities you noted, I think they were on the heavy side, and also pretty affordable, esp. compared to other rapid engagement hubs.

Mark
Mark
5 years ago
Reply to  JNH

Have the RO80 and RO50 become the fh-t300 and fh-t400 hubs currently on eBay for as little as $20?

Feeltheberm.com
5 years ago

I’m just waiting on the 203mm rotors to become available. No one (anywhere) seems to have them. I’ve had all the other parts of the group (less crankset) for a couple months now (ebay). But with all the rain in the bay area, it’s been easy to delay the installation so far.

Ettore
Ettore
5 years ago

Me too, exactly the same. 203 rotors. Have them on order since November, and now I saw that they’re delayed until June (!)

Glen
Glen
5 years ago

Try Swissstop Catalyst. Only slightly heavier but marketing material is very convincing. But weight prob not 1st concern when looking for a 203mm rotor. Stopping is.

http://www.swissstop.com/catalyst/

I have ordered but not tried yet

VeloFreak
VeloFreak
5 years ago

My main concern here is that this might (hope i’m wrong) delay xt 12 speed group. I might be wrong, those cranks look 300% xt range of price and quality. They also introduced an out of range silent rear hub… Grab one before they are gone for ever.

VeloFreak.
VeloFreak.
5 years ago

In any case, the real game changer here will be XT, and if it’s delayed, it’s bad for everyone. I still bet for XT to be introduced on April 15, with availability for aftermarket shelfs in september-october-november. And in bikes in mid season models and for sure for bikes in 2020.

See, XTR price is CHEAPER than X01, XT price will be lower than SRAM GX!! A Shimano deore performance and smoothness is light years ahead of XX1. Price/quality shimano is so much ahead of sram. Also, XT will make SRAM lower Eagle prices, otherwise they will be out in 3, 2, 1…

Sram should make a new gripshift that can work with shorter brake levers, sram also has to finally do a decent brake that actaully works and that don’t look so aged. Those huge levers from sram brakes are hideous. and the sram snowboarder/surfer brand graphics are a double facepalm, not to mention the kinky gold xx1 or the new multicolor one. Yankee design is a shame compared to german or japanese design.

I want to also say hi to all the SRAM PR people commenting here, hi guys!!!!

Tim
Tim
5 years ago
Reply to  VeloFreak.

Again, I’m not a SRAM guy… I think that the idea that Shimano will dislodge SRAM from its position of greater dominance just with a single well-done XT group is a bit fanciful. Agreed, SRAM stuff looks goofy, esp. the brakes. À propos brakes- XT and XTR brakes have been noted for their wandering bite point, and also for the issue of the ceramic cylinders cracking, and letting air into the lines. And yet people still laud these very same brakes. SRAM Codes on the other hand have a pretty good reputation; hasn’t it actually been some years since SRAM was known for reliably unreliable brakes? Again, I’ve got no dog in the game- I am still on mechanical discs and have no plan to change))

Javi
Javi
5 years ago
Reply to  VeloFreak.

Keep waiting!

Bill Morris
Bill Morris
5 years ago
Reply to  VeloFreak.

It would be marketing and business suicide to release the XT before all XTR 9100 series is available.

Heffe
Heffe
5 years ago

What is that bike, Santa Cruz?

Gears4Good
5 years ago
Reply to  Heffe

Yup. SC Tallboy.

Mark
Mark
5 years ago

Good that they’ve got non-series cranks, but what hubs are they shipping if they’ve cut Scylence?

Frank
Frank
5 years ago
Reply to  Mark

I am not sure, but I think they are keeping the 9100-series hubs, just re-tuning them so they are not-quite-scylent.

Mark
Mark
5 years ago
Reply to  Frank

With new spline?

HvdS
HvdS
5 years ago

Great! You can choose between 170 and 175 mm. Obviously according to Shimano people range in size from 170 to 175 cm.

Javi
Javi
5 years ago

Just the XTR M9100 chainring alone sells for $132.99 ???!!!!!

Eggs Benedict
Eggs Benedict
5 years ago
Reply to  Javi

It’s a nice chainring.

Will Sherman
5 years ago

I tried SRAM Gx for a day on a Salsa, and I have ridden Shimano for 20 years. No real difference, except that Shimanos’s double sided shifters are a big deal with my older hands on my mtb (over 50). However, the Udi2 on my road bike is Magnificent. I have thought about going Gx for the simplicity, but I would lose some low gear range for climbs unless I go a lot smaller on the front chainring than standard. I’m currently riding a 2×11 Xt /slx combo which is great. It seems odd that Shimano is not responding more quickly to the market demand for 1x systems.

Tim
Tim
5 years ago
Reply to  Will Sherman

Responding to demand for 1X would be admitting that SRAM had a great idea; it’s about saving face.

VeloFreak
VeloFreak
5 years ago
Reply to  Tim

In part, yes, but maybe they thought that a 300€ disposable cassette system was a stupid rip off. But consumer cant be more uninformed, 300€ disposable cassettes won the market, just like printer ink is more expensive than gold, and only when they were completely stablished, people noticed it and there was no way back to the great and cheap needle printers of the early nineties…

Tim
Tim
5 years ago
Reply to  VeloFreak

Good points. I for one am still on 8sp XT with Suntour thumbshifters, so am a bit bemused by some current drivetrain developments anyway)

King County
King County
5 years ago
Reply to  Will Sherman

Everyone is making good points. 1x is great and took over. However, occasionally, I find myself in a high gear from a downhill and have to quickly get into my lowest gear to climb. Obviously, it was easier to drop to a smaller chainring than it is to move 7 or so cassette cogs in one pedal rotation. It’s more of a thing on trails i never rode before. You can change gears without pedalling on good internally geared hubs, but i never used one in a real trail situation.

Maciej Pike-Biegunski
Maciej Pike-Biegunski
5 years ago

Take your pick riders…..be a beta tester for the most clever new ideas with SRAM, or wait for reliable product from Shimano.

I’ll take the reliable route anytime-XT 1×11 is exceptionally robust and hassle free. Next bike in a year or 2 might get XT 1×12 if it’s as good.

If the new non-S brand groupsets prove to be viable options, it would be nice to have some choices other than beta tester or wait 2 years to get a more reliable version….

Kewin L
Kewin L
5 years ago

I have ordered a bike which is currently more than 5 month delayed due to this crankset not beeing delivered by Shimano. Instead they will mount a Race Face NEXT SL G5 as a permantent replacement for the new XTR. However Race face could not deliver on time either. That why bike is delayed.

JMermar
JMermar
5 years ago
Reply to  Kewin L

Yes – the OEM’s are swapping in RaceFace – yet Shimano claims non Shimano chain ring is not compatible with new XTR chain. So out of the box you could have issues. Frustrating.

Nikola
Nikola
3 years ago

This is how I roll in MTB lately: Shimano braking / SRAM drivetrain / Mavic everything wheels:)

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