OneUp 45 Tooth XTR Conversion - Review
A number of aftermarket options have sprung up that cater to riders who want to tweak their bike's gearing range, but OneUp Components is quickly becoming the name that most will likely think of due to the company's quickly expanding lineup of wide-range cassette solutions. The latest edition to the Squamish, BC, company's catalog is a pie plate-sized, aluminum 45 tooth cog that's designed to work with Shimano's 11-speed XT and XTR drivetrains that would otherwise top out with a 40 or 42 (on XT only) tooth cog in their stock configuration. A steel 18 tooth cog is also included, which OneUp says, ''provides more even cassette progression for smoother cadence and improved shifting,'' and the whole shebang adds 12.5% to the gearing range over the stock setup.
The two-cog kit adds 65 grams to an XTR cassette, and OneUp has forsaken their usual anodized green colours for a slate grey finish that comes close to matching the rest of the XTR drivetrain. The 18 and 45 tooth cogs are only sold together as a kit, with an MSRP of $90 USD for both. www.oneupcomponents.com
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 Looks like a bunch of confusing, squiggly lines; is actually OneUp's gear chart that uses confusing, squiggly lines. |
Installation and Setup
The last OneUp component that I reviewed was their SRAM-specific X-Cog that, while not exactly requiring an engineering degree to install, does necessitate that you pry apart your extremely expensive X-Dome cassette with a flat blade screw driver before hammering the aftermarket cog in place. Scary stuff for some, especially if you paid full pop for that pricey X-Dome block, but, thankfully, OneUp's 45 tooth cog doesn't require you to pry or hammer anything. In fact, if you've got the tools to remove and install a cassette - a lockring tool and a chain whip, as well as a 2mm hex key to dial on some B-tension, and possibly a few links of 11-speed chain - you should be able to get the job done in ten or fifteen minutes.
The extra five teeth dwarf the stock 40 tooth cog that used to provide the easiest gearing option.
The OneUp cog is dished to fit behind the stock 40 tooth XTR cog with the correct spacing.
The job is as easy as removing the stock cassette from your wheel, sliding the 45 tooth OneUp cog onto the freehub body, and then reinstalling the XTR cassette with OneUp's steel 18 tooth cog and thin spacer in place of Shimano's 17 and 19 tooth paired cogs. Tighten down the lockring and slide the wheel back into your frame before checking your chain length and the derailleur's B-tension adjustment - you'll likely need to tinker with both before heading out for a ride. I had to add a link of chain to compensate for the OneUp cog being five teeth larger, as it would have been too short to allow for full suspension travel when I'm in my easiest gear, and most others will find the same.
OneUp's 45 tooth cog is machined to match standard freehub bodies, meaning that you can create a mega-wide range cassette on older wheels.
Out with the 17 and 19 tooth stock XTR cogs, in with the single 18 tooth steep cog and thin spacer.
I also added two full turns of B-tension to the XTR derailleur in order to have the upper pulley wheel clear the larger cog. Not enough B-tension will see the derailleur basically try to shift the chain into the side of the largest cog, and while it might eventually make its way up onto it, the shift will be about as agreeable as throwing a bunch of pots and pans down a flight of stairs. OneUp says that ''Due to the large pulley wheel offset of the latest 11 speed Shimano rear derailleurs, B-screw adjustment is well within the normal operating range and chain wrap is excellent throughout the cassette for flawless wide range shifting,'' but too much B-tension will slow things down in the opposite direction, so it's important to get this one right.
Performance
When I reviewed OneUp's 44 tooth X-Cog conversion to fit SRAM cassettes, I found the eight tooth jump between the 44 cog and stock 36 tooth cog to feel awkward and disruptive to my cadence. Yes, the X-Cog provided an easier and presumably terrain-opening gear for some riders, but I wasn't a fan of the gearing jump. It's an entirely different story with OneUp's 45 tooth XTR cog, though, as there's only a five tooth jump between it and the 40 tooth cog that sits just below it, which feels much more natural.
The 45 tooth cog will provide anyone with an easy enough gear to pedal their bike up anything they'd actually want to scale, that much is obvious, but it's also a very useable gear ratio in that you can jump between it and the 40 tooth next to it strictly to mix up your cadence without losing momentum. Much larger and the OneUp cog would likely have you feeling like you've shifted from 5th to 2nd gear while driving your car on the highway, but the five tooth gap isn't pronounced enough to prevent your legs from compensating. Then again, the full five tooth jump from the 40 tooth, which used to be the XTR cassette's easiest gear, is large enough to act as a bailout gear when you need to soft-pedal at the end of an all-day mission.
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| OneUp's 45 tooth cog is larger than the big chain rings that riders used to use, but it doesn't look out of place on the XTR cassette. |
I don't believe that our bikes should simply have the easiest gears available, and as I've said in the past, if I wanted to have that I'd be using three chain rings and a front derailleur. I want to get to the top of the mountain in a respectable amount of time, and my fitness is just as important to me as handling skills, just as it is with a lot of you out there. Those reasons are why the 45 tooth cog was paired with a slightly larger chain ring than usual, a 32 tooth, XTR compatible chain ring from OneUp, that created both a wider and easier range than I had been running. Riders with a bit of a competitive spirit in them would do well to do the same. And what of the "Dual Shift Zones" that OneUp says their 18 and 45 tooth cogs create? I have to admit that the converted cassette felt a lot like any other stock cassette out there, and I never really had the impression that there were two distinct "zones" to my shifting patterns.
Shift speed up onto the 45 tooth cog was a touch slower than going up to just the 40, which is totally to be expected, and the difference is marginal enough that many riders won't even notice the disparity. This increases under heavy pedalling loads, just as it does on a completely stock cassette, but it's pretty inconspicuous. But, much like I found with the 44 tooth X-Cog, coming down off of the OneUp pie plate was slower than I would have preferred, especially when turning over a low cadence. The larger the cog, the slower it rotates when you're pedalling, so this isn't exactly a surprise, but the difference in coming down off of the OneUp 45 and the Shimano 40 is night and day, with the former being quite a bit slower. The price to pay for that mountain taming gear, it seems.
Pinkbike's Take:
 | For a lot of riders, the big plus of OneUp's 45 tooth cog isn't just that it greatly increases the gearing range of their Shimano drivetrain, but that it does it without requiring the use or a different freehub body like SRAM does. Sure, you're not getting that small 10 tooth cog, but you are increasing the spread on the opposite end of the cassette, which is what the majority of riders will benefit from. In the end it's all about options: you can run a standard 11 - 40 tooth XTR or XT cassette, an 11 - 42 tooth XT cassette, or, for $90 USD, you can add OneUp's 45 tooth cog if an 11 - 45 tooth spread suits you and the terrain you ride. - Mike Levy |
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WTF are pussies doin' with 40+ tooth cogs? Climbin' walls at 5 cm/hour? Ô.o
The MOST anyone ever REALLY NEEDS, is a slow, a most of the time & a balls to the fvckin' wall!!! All neatly & elegantly wrapped in a problem free gearbox mid-bike. Until we get that. SS all the way baby!
Seriously, does anyone understand that shit?
The graph is a very poor representation of the message it is trying to convey.
It is trying to show that 1up gear ratios are better than stock;
....SRAM, considerably better due to the lower gearing shift change per gear which in theory makes the bike easier to pedal when you change 1 gear. (The text validates this from a rider experience perspective)
.... Shimano on par or slightly better than stock Shimano depending on what gear you like to use.
>>>Personally I would like a cassette that mixes a road cassette (11-27) for what is normally 5th to top, then 4 climbing gears with the big gear purely there as a rest gear (we don't have long, steep climbs like California in the UK)
Yea, I want to play with my $350 dollar cassette and put in a steel gear, throwing off the middle range, to add one easier gear. If it's that big of a deal, you should get a smaller chain ring for your crank.
I'm with @IronYETi just ride your bike
Gear ratios are NOT a continuous function and should not be represented as such.
BTW, don't neg prop me for "talking math" instead of riding, it's 2 am and I'll be riding when the sun comes up...
I seriously like this a lot. I only climb because I have to, it might as well be easy. For those making "man up" comments, I expect you to go to single speed rigid or shut up. We all use gears. We are all somewhere on the wimp scale. Oh, and lets not forget all the other conveniences we use like electric windows in our cars, oh, and cars.
Why do I need to buy a Shimano cassette and tweak it when I can buy a stock SRAM cassette and be a happy guy?
Adding teeth on the big side isn't as effective as removing teeth on the small side:-). One tooth on a 10 cog is 10%, one tooth on a 40 cog is 2.5%. Simple maths:-).
X1 groupset with XD driver = $770 (assuming you have a convertible wheelset)
XT Groupset with OneUp 45t = $450 (doesn't matter what wheelset you have)
So I guess i'm the antithesis of you, I don't get why anyone would bother with SRAM, especially when Shimano is widely known to have better shifting (in stock form of course).
I wonder if anyone will EVER win a race on an XT drivetrain?
(Insert "rolleyes" smiley if you were serious, "cheers" if you were joking.)
There are also idiots like me who still ride bikes with 9 and 10 speed drivelines, and it's nice to be able to take your 11spd trail bike's wheel off and simply swap a cassette in order to install it on your 9spd XC bike when you taco a wheel. Interchangeability is cool.
With how much backlash any new hub or BB standard gets on PB, I'm amazed at how many people suggest you just suck it up and get a different driver instead of a One-Up cog to achieve the range you want. I really like what One Up is doing, take existing parts, working within existing standards and make modifications to help people make their bikes work better for their personal style of riding, and do it for less than the cost of a set of tires.
I'm not sure where you are getting these numbers:
"X1 groupset with XD driver = $770 (assuming you have a convertible wheelset)
XT Groupset with OneUp 45t = $450 (doesn't matter what wheelset you have)"
For these drivetrains, its really just the cassette, derailleur, and shifter. Cranks and chainrings aren't limited to these two companies, and are compatible with other options. So its really just about the shifter, cassette, and derailleur.
I got there numbers for shiter/derailleur/cassette setups from Arts Cyclery (who have great deals):
Shimano XT: ~$325 + 90 (One-Up conversion) = $415
SRAM X1: ~465
That doesn't include the driver. But lots of wheels now come with options, so you only have to pay the price for the driver if you already have wheels with the older freehub. That's not a foregone conclusion. Even if you include the extra $75 for the driver, the difference isn't nearly what you are suggesting.
But this isn't apples to apples. The SRAM stuff works better, since its not a conversion kit. I've been using XO1 stuff for a while, and it is absolutely idiot proof. The XD driver works better than the oldschool toothed design.
Chainreaction.com - XT Groupset at with OneUp - $330 + 90 = $420
Artscyclery.com - X1 Groupset with XD driver - $570 + 80 = $650
Also, which works better is highly subjective. From my experience SRAM shifting is about the same as expanded Shimano, which is to say, 95% as good as stock Shimano. All three options are idiot proof.
"First, you need Cassette, Derailleur, Shifter, N/W, and Chain"
Of course. But the N/W ring/crankset and chain are compatible across platforms, and thus would cost the same. You don't need the entire groupset. I'm not sure where you are getting those figures.
Art's prices:
-X1 cassette: 240
-X1 derailleur: 160
-X1 shifter: 65
Total: 465
I got those figures directly off Arts. Look it up.
The chain and N/W rings are the same price between the two systems. Or you can use alternatives like Race Face. But on both of the sites you listed - Arts and Chainreaction - SRAM chains and chainrings are actually cheaper. Look it up.
The idea that Shimano is way cheaper than SRAM is a myth. Unless you are talking about ghetto 1x10, the price between the two is pretty comparable. The difference is that the SRAM system doesn't include aftermarket conversion kits that run outside the intended parameters of the drivetrain.
Finally, which works better isn't all that subjective. The 11x45 conversion that is reviewed above is a setup that was beyond what Shimano intended when they designed the system, and that is why shifts to the 45T cog is slow. Read the review. They actually tested it! It isn't just idle speculation.
The reason why SRAM has quickly become the industry OE standard for 1x drivetrains is because it works better than cobbled together conversion systems. Thats the selling point. If you already have a 10-speed drivetrain, you can put together a relatively cheap conversion. But that doesn't apply to the system that we are talking about, which is a new 2015/6 setup.
If you don't have a convertible wheelset on your existing 1x10 bike, tack another $400 minimum on that price for a new wheelset or $250 for XD-equipped hub and rebuild. For XT, you can skip this step.
Not seeing a scenario here where there is not a big price difference.
The reason "cobbled together conversion systems" exist is BECAUSE OF SRAM. When a third party can sell a $20 cog that requires the purchase of an entire cassette for enough to make $70 profit and still come in 50% cheaper than the competition, it's a no-brainer.
I still choose my barbaric 2x10 tho
Besides, even compared to GX, XT is STILL cheaper. And lighter.
There is no price argument for SRAM. That's a fact. There's nothing WRONG with SRAM either, so if you like SRAM better, then by all means, go for it. Hell i'm here talking on price despite the fact that i'm running XTR currently, so i'm all for buying what you like. But when it comes to best deal on a quality 1x11 drivetrain, XT will own that category until SLX M6000 is released.
You are bad at math!
Where are you getting the $320 figure for XT? Again, here is the minimal price:
XT derailleur: $120
XT shifter: $75
XT cassette: $130
One-Up conversion: $90
Total cost: $415
Also, not everyone will need to buy the driver separate. That is only if you already have a traditional wheelset. When I switched, I was also looking for new wheels, and it was a no-cost option. As SRAM has come to completely dominate the high end trailbike/all-mountain market, most wheelsets are available with XD as a standard option. With major improvements in wheels the past few years (super-wide rims, hookless rims, dropping cost of carbon) and new standards coming out, this will become even less of an issue.
But even if you include the driver, the cost is only $130 more. That's a far different situation than the crazy numbers you are throwing around. And we haven't even discussed GX, which is even cheaper.
There is also a weight consideration. X1 stuff is all lighter than XT. The cassette alone is 100 grams heavier, and that's not including the 65 gram One-Up weight penalty. The shifter and derailleur are about 25 grams heavier each. That's nearly half a pound for just those three components.
Finally, its laughable for you to suggest that XT "owns the category" for 1x11 drivetrains. Look at the market! SRAM is absolutely dominating OE sales on bikes that come with 1x drivetrains. If you buy a mid- to high-end mountain bike, it probably has a SRAM drivetrain. Shimano missed the boat on 1x drivetrains, and continues to try to convince people that they really need 2x setups.
You are clearly an extreme Shimano partisan. To be honest, I've never really understood that position. I use both Shimano and SRAM components on my bikes, and both work well. But in the particular case of 1X MTB drivetrains, SRAM is simply a better option. Shimano doesn't believe in it, and that is why they only developed 1x11 when the market absolutely forced them to do so. Thats why SRAM is better in this area. If you are looking for an XC bike, Shimano is probably better. Saint is awesome. But SRAM xx1 is a better solution for trail and all-mountain bikes. The price difference isn't that extreme if you are comparing 11-speed transmissions, and SRAMs don't require using aftermarket conversions that go beyond the intended use of the products. Again, read the review above!
Ok here we go, cassette/derailleur/shifter:
Cassette - www.chainreactioncycles.com/us/en/shimano-xt-m8000-11-speed-cassette/rp-prod135828
Derailleur - www.chainreactioncycles.com/us/en/shimano-xt-m8000-shadow-11-speed-rear-mech/rp-prod135893
Shifter - www.chainreactioncycles.com/us/en/shimano-xt-m8000-11-speed-trigger-shifter/rp-prod135894well
That's $241.47 + $90 for the OneUp parts = $331.47. So I was off by $11, which could be accounted for by exchange rates.
Now you need to make up your mind - are we upgrading an existing 10 speed bike or building a new one from parts? Cause if we are upgrading an existing bike, you NEED to include an XD drive in the cost. If we are building a bike from parts, then we need to include the rest of the drivetrain. Which will it be?
For the record, i run shimano xt/xtr/slx builds on all of my bikes, with the fatbike being the exception using 2x10 sram x9. It's not bad enough to justify swapping to shimano. I prefer shimano.
I've ridden 1x10 conversions and they suck. Seriously, i could never get them to shift right on the upper or lower end of the casette. Once i adjusted them to work right on one side, the other half of the casette shifted like crap. I had 500 miles on my wolftooth setup and returned to 2x10.
I demo'd a nomad and it was 32t front, x01 build. I didnt have an issue climbing but i found i didn't use the top 3 (smaller) cogs, so i could have dropped it to a 30t front if it was my bike. That impressed me. It also shifted like my 10 speed x9. Super easy to setup and just works, unlike the casette adapters. I also found myself shifting 1 cog, instead of 2 like i tend to do on my 2x setup.
Shimano prices are coming down, as the links you posted were lower prices than last time i checked. If gx and xt prices are the same - I'll go xt 11 speed. That's a no brainer. I'll stay away from conversions, though. Learned my lesson there.
Likewise, while I currently have Shimano XT or XTR on all my bikes, I have tried every angle, every dealer, and every MTB site's classified section I could find for the past three months to try to piece together a SRAM 1x11 setup that is cost effective. No matter what I found or what I tried, I could buy a BRAND NEW XT 2x10 setup cheaper. It's absolutely ludicrous that used 1x11 costs more than new 2x10, since you are getting LESS parts with 1x11. The whole point of 1x11 is LESS. Why does it cost MORE?!
On top of that, everyone that I trust and have spoken to PERSONALLY tells me that Shimano makes a more reliable drivetrain. These are guys that ride both (actually a few of them SELL both) and have essentially told me that the only reason to go SRAM, when you have a choice, is because Shimano doesn't have a viable 1x option. Obviously that was before. Now that they do, the two guys that I ride with that are currently on SRAM drivetrains both intend to switch to Shimano as soon as M8000 is attainable.
I also will be going 1x very soon. I'm testing a hacked XT 1x10 on my spare bike build that I should be starting within a month or so, and as long as I can make do with that, I will be converting my primary bike (XTR 2x10) to 1x using either the M8000 cassette and 45t expander, or possibly an X1 cassette (if I can manage to find it for a non-laughable price...since the XD driver for my wheelset is $130).
In the case of 1x, they remove one chainring and replace the other with a special chainring, then take away a shifter, cable, and derailleur and raise the price by 40%.
So what's that mean? Nothin'. Ive been riding off road for 35 years. Went from TA cranks, mafac cantilevers with migura moto levers, and hite rites. We had to use the same bike for XC, downhill and trials at races - and everyone did all three events. Now I've got carbon everything. I'm also older and slower, and I can promise you that only one thing hasn't changed from all those years on bikes.
Gears are just personal choice. You CAN push almost anything. Some people are going to spin more, some less. Until you've tried a different RANGE of gears, you won't know what works best for you. This aint suspension or brakes or tires where there's a legitimate difference in performance. This is a chain on a cog. Both brands work fantastic. More options allow for more people to find the right set up for them, and that set up will change with time - I don't ride the gears I ran when I was 22 now that I'm 45 cause it'd make me slower.
The part I don't get is that it's for XTR. If you ride XTR part spec, then you are probably passionate about riding. If you are passionate about riding, then don't you ride lots? And have strong legs and lungs?
If your intention is to run a 45/11 with a 36 or 38 ring and blaze fire roads then ok, sure. But 34/40 is more than enough low end for trail IMO.
I do like this product as it can help the Shimano guys catch up to the Sram 1x11 guys without having to change the freehub, but it does add weight.
On a side note, I'm surprised to see people defending 2x drivetrains here... once you go 1x, the simplicity, quiet, and reduced weight will keep you there. I've been running a single chainring on a 9 speed since 9 speed came out. Don't knock it 'til you try it!
(The hub I run is a Canfield Bros microdrive)
Please make a SS ovals for RF Next.start at 28,30,32 (10-11% ovality).
Many want them.
Perfect 1x setup includes the oval ring up front but the aluminum ones wear too quickly.
Yeah or due to the fact that they patent totally stupidiotarded junk while PB promotes the shit outta the company. Could be a bit of that too. :/
I'd be more concerned about how the altered chain angle from the 1x11 with a giant rear cog will effect suspension - in terms of squat... you're inching ever closer to the moto world with a tiny front cog and large rear - where squat is a very real effect (and useful in some circumstances)
26 goes to 27.5 qnd 29. These tires and rims weigh almost 300-400 grams more in many cases. Now you are talking 27.5+ and 29+? When does it f*cking end? When I buy a new KTM and go back to moto? Prices are less!
Then change the front cog to the next size down?
For example... SRAM 1x11 with 32T chainring gives about the same overall range as this setup with a 36T chainring.
32x10 = 36x11
32x42 = 36x45
Approximately, of course. With the 11T cog on Shimano instead of 10T with SRAM, it's the only way to give the same overall range.
I run 36t front and 11-36 10 speed rear, I rode last year with the same setup, from short trail rides to all day epics in the Pyrenees, never did I need anything lower than a 1:1 pedal to wheel rotation, if it's that steep you run out of traction or lift the front!
Normal people - not the nicest stuff, but fast.
Fat rich people - top of the line bike, but slow as sh*t.
Then there's sponsored riders - Top of the line, and fast as sh*t.
Scroll up for the discussion.
Using the numbers above--XT derailleur: $120, XT shifter: $75, XT cassette: $130, One-Up conversion: $90 = $420
I googled GX (bicycling.com -- full retail, can be found cheaper elsewhere)--derailleur $115, shifter $43, cassette $144, XD driver $50-100 depending on model = $352-402
Oh, look, cheaper AND wider gear range AND not some butchered frankenstein piece of shit
Cassette - www.chainreactioncycles.com/us/en/shimano-xt-m8000-11-speed-cassette/rp-prod135828
Derailleur - www.chainreactioncycles.com/us/en/shimano-xt-m8000-shadow-11-speed-rear-mech/rp-prod135893
Shifter - www.chainreactioncycles.com/us/en/shimano-xt-m8000-11-speed-trigger-shifter/rp-prod135894well
That's $241.47 + $90 for the OneUp parts = $331.47. So I was off by $11, which could be accounted for by exchange rates.
And yes, that's even cheaper than GX, and likely still shifts better than SRAM despite being "butchered".
Until GX hits the market, the only fair comparison is full retail vs full retail
You get more with GX? Huh?!
With GX, you get the exact same parts, except that they are lesser quality because they aren't meant to compete with XT. This is how we can tell that XT is going to be huge...when SRAM guys bring up XX in quality arguments, and GX in price arguments.
This is stupid. Your ass should be sore from riding, not from product releases.
I'm too lazy to look but X1 is probably about the same cost as XT when comparing real world prices. And even if it's more, you get more.
You also gotta look at long term ownership costs too. Unless you crash, shifters and derailleurs don't wear out. When it's time to replace that XT cassette, you're looking at XX1 replacement costs once you factor in buying this adapter cog again whereas with GX/X1, it's just the cassette.
Here's my question - how do you "get more" with X1?
As for Cassette replacement, XT is $92 + $90 for the OneUp cogs. Point me to a place where I can get the X1 cassette for $182. No, seriously...do it. I'll bookmark it for my winter upgrade project. If I could get the X1 cassette for a price comparable to the M8000 cassette and OneUp cogs, i'd very seriously consider running it instead. I'd have to find a better price on the XD driver I need, but i'd definitely give it a fair look.
EDIT: the M8000 cassette just went up on Merlin's site, the price is now lower:
www.merlincycles.com/shimano-m8000-xt-11-speed-cassette-85183.html
So now buy-in is $82 + 90 = $172. Your move.
But even at full retail, GX is cheaper. We don't know what it'll cost when it's actually released and available at Merlin but I guarantee Merlin isn't going to charge full retail.
You get more because you don't have some hackjob ghetto ass setup that shifts like ass (as the other adapter cogs have proven to do), you get wider overall gear range, and lighter weight. Those are literally the most important things when deciding on a drivetrain. If that's not "getting more" I don't know what is.
GX stuff is actually now on Chainreaction. $402 for shifter/derailleur/cassette/crank + $50-100 for XD driver
XT is $434 for shifter/derailleur/cassette/crank + $90 for adapter cog.
WHY ARE WE STILL COMPARING GX AND XT?!
OneUp stuff shifts great when you set it up as they intended. The only problems arise when you try to get away with not using the RAD cage on the 10-speed derailleurs or leaving out the 16t intermediate cog...etc. One of my riding buddies just sold a "hacked" 1x10 bike for a new Enduro with XX1...I helped him set up that 1x10, and it shifted perfectly. I haven't ridden his Enduro, but he says his old bike shifted better. He's one of the guys I mentioned in a previous comment that is going with XTR/XT 1x10 with this OneUp setup once he can get his hands on an XT cassette. Again, it's guys that have used both, not my own experience, that have told me to go with Shimano. I can tell you this though, SRAM shifters absolutely pale in comparison to Shimano. That much I stand firm on.
2.) Now you're talking about the RAD cage? Add more $ to the Shimano column
3.) Your buddy probably hasn't adjusted it since he got it to account for cable stretch. 1x11 is picky, I'll certainly give you that much.
Look man... I've had 1x10 Zee, 1x10 XT, 1x10 XTR, 1x11 XTR, and now 1x11 X01. Guess which one is my favorite? X01. Hands f*cking down. And this is coming from a Shimano fanboy. I have Shimano on my road bike, cross bike, and every mountain bike ever before this one.
2) RAD cage was for 10-speed, not 11. Those complaints you cite were all for the 10-speed 42t setup.
3) It's been adjusted every ride so far. He's got seven rides on that bike now, still adjusting every ride.
I'm a fan of the cheapest way to get what I want. If that's SRAM then you'll find SRAM on my bike. It's not, thus XTR is currently on it. I tried and tried and tried to piece together a SRAM 1x11 setup that I was happy with, and just couldn't make it work. No matter which configuration I go with, 1x11 will be a range compromise for me. I'm choosing to give up top end (that I will miss) to make it happen. There is no g'damn f-ing way i'm paying MORE for something that's going to be NOT AS GOOD for me as my current 2x10 on my primary bike. Combined with SRAM's higher prices and everyone I trust telling me "go with Shimano if you can", i'd have to be an idiot to go SRAM at this point.
That said, I could end up with an X1 cassette on XTR 1x11 over the winter. I'd do it if the price is right. But when the M8000 cassette is already available for $82, making the 45t cassette a $172 reality, it's very tough to argue for an X1 cassette when I have to add on a $130 XD driver too.
Your buddy is a junk mechanic or something is broken. My X01 shifts better than the 4 different 1x Shimano systems I had before it. Faster, smoother, cripser.
With the 10T SRAM cog you can easily get the top end you had a Shimano setup. 32x10 is almost the same ratio as 36x11. On a double, I can't imagine your big ring was bigger than 38. Use a 34 up front and bam, you have about the same ratio as you had with Shimano.
And the XD driver is not $130. I've seen it as cheap as $48.
I hear plenty about how SRAM is perfect on the internet, yet I have yet to find a single real rider (in person) in my years of riding who has tried both and said SRAM shifts better than Shimano. Just going on the short test rides i've done, and the feel of the levers on the SRAM setups i've tuned, I say no F-ing way. It's not even close. Shimano shifters feel like precision instruments while SRAM shifters feel like ball valves.
My 2x10 is 24/38 up front and 11-36 out back. I've run the math every way possible. With a 30 out front, 11-42 out back will lose me two top gears, and 10-42 will lose me one top gear. I can go to 32 up front with 11-45 out back and be within a ball hair of the range of the 30/10-42 setup. I'll sacrifice that ball hair if it saves me several hundred bucks. However if the difference is down to less than $100, I just might go with the SRAM cassette.
Please point me to where I can get an XD driver for a 2015 Fulcrum hub for $48. If you can find one for $60 or less i'll buy it now for the "just in case" scenario. Cheapest i've found anywhere is $130. It's $200 in some places.
I gave a $50-$100 range on the XD driver because that's what I've seen them for. Search on Amazon... they have one for $48, no idea if it'll fit Fulcrum hubs.
And no, no way, not ever, is GX EVEN COMPARABLE TO XT, LET ALONE BETTER!!! NO. JUST NO. Stop trying.
Not only that, it's a full steel cassette so it'll last longer, it isn't some hackjob that'll shift like ass, has wider gear range, and replacement cassette cost is cheaper. Where exactly are you winning with XT?