Shimano Deore M6100 £207.96 (w/o chainring)
M6100 is the latest addition to Shimano’s drivetrain line-up, featuring trickledown tech, including a Shadow RD+ mech with adjustable and on/off clutch as well as a Rapidfire Plus shifter that enables you to shift up three easier gears at once (but you can only shift down one gear at a time). It also has 2-Way Release. The 10-51t cassette needs a new-standard Micro Spline freehub body. Both the chain and cassette have Hyperglide+ tech to improve on-the-gas shifting. Installation was straightforward, but the chain must be orientated and sized as per Shimano’s instructions. Gear indexing and limit screw set-up was also simple, but B-tension proved trickier to perfect than with XT. In fact, shift quality was best when we ignored the B-tension guide and set it by feel.
Shifting performance was consistent up and down the cassette, even under full power, needing only light pushes of the paddle to move the mech. The shift feel was solid and defined, although not as crisp as XT or GX Eagle, and didn’t degrade over time. We found the clutch’s factory tension to be spot-on – it didn’t interfere with the feel but silenced chain slap and stabilised the chain. Although the steel cassette is heavy it’s built to last, and the teeth were showing little sign of wear by the end of testing. The gear ratios are well-spaced, which makes the steps between each sprocket more gradual and requires less extreme changes in pedalling cadence. As with XT, the chain snapped after just 500km. But for the price, there’s nothing on the market that rivals Deore’s performance and feel. The cost given here excludes the chainring, as it’s not sold separately from the crank arms. www.freewheel.co.uk