I need to replace my rear mech l, cassette and chain so am considering replacing my 2x with a 1x.

Is the SRAM NX groupset ok for £220? Am also considering deore m5100 or m6100 (but with a s subtweet cassette to avoid hub upgrade).

The cheapest option would be Deore m5100 and converting my Deore crank to 1x.

Is 1×11 still considered ok or am I better off going 1×12? (Parts availability etc)

NX is very poor quality in comparison to deore, lots of plastic parts in the mech. Cheap for a reason

Both my mate who got NX this year have had longevity issues. One shifter blew up, second one had a mech fail. Very plasticky and not very solid.

Conversely I have smashed my Deore 6100 through a lot and aside from a chain it’s all really good. Although I have fitted an XT shifter.

If m5100 had been around when the 10 speed stuff on my FS gave up the ghost that’s probably what I’d have had. As it is I shelled out for an xd freehub to run a sram cassette with shimano mech and shifter.

M5100 and m6100 mechs appear to have the same pull ratio by the way, so you could go from 11 to 12s at a later date by changing the shifter.

I’m still on 11-speed and loving it.

I’d suggest the following bits for the best bang-for buck…

Sunrace MX8 11-46t cassette – about £50 or £60
SLX 11-speed rear mech – about £50
Superstar narrow-wide ring – £30 (you’ll probably be limited to 30t minimum, which should be fine)

And if you need an 11-speed shifter, I’d splash out on an XT one myself. With the above parts you’d end up with a really nice-feeling, not at all heavy set-up.

Maybe the Deore 11-speed shifter and mech would save a few quid, I don’t actually know. And you’ll probably want a chain as well obvs.

New Deore over NX every day of the week.

12 speed isn’t really any advantage over 11 speed – I’d say 11 speed is less finicky in muddy conditions.

I’d be tempted to get the 11 speed new deore and stick on an 11-50 or 11-51 cassette. Both Sunrace or Shimano cassettes should fit on a standard HG freehub (rather than need XD or Microspline)- just pick the lightest one.

Thanks – the replies have confirmed what ones leaning towards.

I want a 51t cassette to preserve most of the range I have today and will pair it with a 32 or 34t chainring.

Just need to find somewhere with a 5100 rear mech in stock.

Nearly pulled the trigger on an NX groupset last night but bottled it thinking that seems too cheap! Reading this has confirmed I did the right thing by removing from my basket!
I’ll stick with good old 10 speed XT 😁

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/2020-pinkbike-awards-value-product-of-the-year-winner.html

Consider pairing deore mech/chain etc with a higher level shifter if you want the double/treble upshifting and two way shifting.

12 speed is a gimmick and unnecessary unless you’re really sensitive (I mean like REALLY sensitive) to jumps in each gear. As above, I find 12 speed very finnicky and would gladly go back to 10 speed if anyone made a decent, light, good value 10 speed cassette for an XD Driver. As it is I’ll probably swap to 11 speed and save some weight at the same time.

Rickos – I’m riding the 11-speed Sunrace 10-46t cassette, which uses an XD driver.

Is good. Tried 12 speed Shimano but went back to 11 after a few rides for reasons of economy and rear mech fragility.

Surely one of the main benefits of shimano 12 is the fact you can get both the wide range cassette in a lighter flavour combined with a nicer shifter in addition to removing some of the previous compatibility issues of mech capacity’s?

downsides being availability, cost and needing to replace a freebie for microspline.

i think you can put a pretty good group set together by cherry picking bits from the various groups.

deore/slx mech

xt shifter

slx cassette 51t

that’s my wishlist I’ll be starting to put together once supply chains seem to be back up and running.

currently I’m on 11 speed with the following on two bikes, no complaints but want the higher 51t to change the 30t to a bigger ring for higher top speed.

xt cassette 11- 46, slx mech (after breaking an xt) and xtr shifter with 30t on raceface cranks.

Deore 11 speed cassette 11-51 and derailleur is spot on.

I run an xtr shifter with it on Sram/truvativ cranks.

This replaced sram gx eagle junk, can’t imagine the sloppy horror of NX after a few miles.

Get an XT shifter and you have top grade shifting.

I’ve had NX on a Giant Trance for over a year. It hasn’t been ridden as much or as hard as some people’s bikes but it’s been spot on.

I’m just gonna throw it out there but my hardtail came with SRAM NX 12 speed. 14 months on its still running sweet as a nut. Only on one ride have a had the odd ghost shift but that route that day was horrendously muddy and was combined with a gritty towpath too. Until it breaks… Meh. Maybe I got lucky with this one

*waiting for mech to now implode on tomorrow’s ride*

Love my XT 12 speed vs the 11 spd XTR stuff I’ve had. Over a year now with no issues whatsoever. It’s on a bike that came with Sram NX that I stripped and sold new as it’s utter pish IMO.

I’d go 12spd Deore personally, unless you’re tied to an HG freehub, in which case I’d go 11 spd Deore with the 11-51 HG cassette. Would probably upgrade the shifter to XT though.

Anyone tried the Microshift AdventX kit yet? Or any of the Box Components stuff? Just out of interest, like.

When I looked the micro shift kit wasn’t actually much (if any) cheaper than going deore 11 speed with a Sunrace cassette. Why even risk it?

The box stuff is pretty heavy except the highest tier of it – and that’s actually really quite expensive.

I don’t understand why I’d want to even try either of those options.

Fair points, well presented.