Shimano XTR Rear Derailleur: Rider Review

Our "Rider Review" article series features the honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for.

Upgrades to your drivetrain will breathe new life into your ride. Sometimes, even the smallest upgrade can have a significant improvement. In the case of our friend, Patrick Moreland, a broken component led to an upgrade in quality and performance. Check out his review below!

Introduction

Three months ago, I replaced my X01 Eagle drivetrain with the new Shimano XT 12-speed M8100 drivetrain. I have put about 500 miles on this drivetrain so far, and overall it has worked great. Shifting under power in either direction is nice and smooth, the chain always stays engaged on the larger cogs, and the chain has not jammed in the rear derailleur. I cannot say the same thing for my old X01 drivetrain. I have, however, found that the clutch on the XT derailleur sticks out farther than the clutch on the X01 derailleur. I have struck the clutch cover on the same rock twice. I have ridden past that rock more than a hundred times and my X01 derailleur never touched. The second time I hit the XT derailleur, it bent inward a bit. I checked my derailleur hanger with my Park Tool DAG alignment tool, and it was still straight. I spent quite a bit of time trying to straighten the derailleur, but over the course of several rides, I had to accept that the shifting accuracy had been compromised.

Replacement 

I decided to order a replacement derailleur to restore shifting quality. I had noticed that the large structural piece of the XT derailleur that houses the clutch is made of plastic. Based on online photos of the XTR derailleur, that same piece appeared to be made of aluminum. For this reason alone, I decided to purchase the XTR derailleur this time. The XTR derailleur also weighs 44g less than the XT version. Upon arrival, I realized that the structural piece is still made of plastic, but it’s just painted to match the other pieces that are made of aluminum. I also noticed that the outer cage is made of either plastic or carbon fiber. It is thicker than the aluminum XT counterpart, but it is not as rigid. I think this might increase the resiliency of the derailleur in a light collision with a rock since it might deflect without deforming permanently.

Quality and Detail 

The overall fit and finish of the XTR derailleur is a step above the plain black XT unit. The glossy dark gray-blue color reminds me of a color Samsung would use on a phone. The finish on the hardware is also dressed up, giving the derailleur a classy appearance. The hole that the cable passes through has a pivoting plastic sleeve that the XT derailleur lacks, and it should help reduce friction at an awkward spot where the cable makes a somewhat harsh bend in the extreme gears. This derailleur does feel lightweight when held in your hand.

Performance and Final Impressions

Out on the trail, the original shifting accuracy I had before repeatedly bashing my XT derailleur into a rock has been restored. The amount of force required to push the shifter toward an easier gear is slightly decreased with the XTR derailleur vs. XT. Shifting accuracy in general also is slightly better. Maybe this is just my mind justifying the higher cost, and I am hopping over that dang rock now instead of squeezing past it.