If it's 10 speed comparable it will fit 11 for sure I have done this same thing. But in the last few years we have seen alot of good options for 9 and 10 speed wide range casettes. Box prime 9 microshift advent and advent x. The new deore 10 and 11 speed. What gear range are you looking for? I would start by finding the range you are wanting and find 9/10/11 speed transmissions that match your gearing. With all the above drivetrain I mentioned above the derailleurs can handle 42-51 tooth casettes without cage mods. I personally run advent x 48-11 on my 10 speed hub works great and very affordable. But if you have a square tapered crank or Isis drive crank you might need a hollowtech crank with a direct mount ring to get the chainline in the correct position. My bro has a 2015 giant trance 135 qr rear hub with a 1x10 we had to use a hollowtech 24mm spindle bb and a raceface cinch cranks with a non boost -6mm chainring on the cranks to get the correct chainline. I hoped this helps cheers.
I would be looking for anything for 42 or above... I don't want to go too high because of the chain issues. I would like to get a Shimano 11 speed 11-40 or 11-42 cassette and their shifter too. Just keep everything XT as it has double gear press both down and up the cassette
Bike in question is an old Iron Horse. I would probably switch out the crank as well if I went to a 1x11 drivetrain as well
The shimano hyperglide casette has been around for so long it has evolved to fit many speeds of casette. It's confusing because when they released it we were on 7 or 8 speed. Then came 9 and 10. The cassettes fit all the speeds listed on jenson because they designed the cassette around the existing freehub they had. The hg freehub is the longest standing design out there. That casette will fit. as well as many others that have a 11tooth high gear it wont go to 10 or 9.
So given the current hub I have now, I would NOT have to shave/file it down? From my understanding the SHAPE of the cassette fits on the hub but when going from 9 to 11 does that mean that the 11 speed cassettes are just more cassette packed into the SAME hub width? More gears, but thinner as well basically?
Deore m6000 is 10speed 42-11 will fit very easy on the hub easy to adjust and on sale for a good price right now. Use the m 6000 casette and get a 10speed xt derailleur and shifter as long as its all the same amount of speeds it will work. Or just use the deore m6000 casette and derailleur with a at shifter it will also work. The only thing to pay attention to is the max chainring the derailleur will hold some of the xt and slx will only do a 36t.
The steel on the m6000 casette will last longer gaurnteed to fit with no issue and save a little cash as well. The m6000 derailleur is also a updated design that is 1 gen newer than m8000. It just got outmoded by the new 12/11/10 deore they just came out with so spares down the road will be easier to find. Also easier to adjust and setup and less maintenance as well.