It would be good to get the new cranks as well, at least for aesthetic purposes [emoji23]

Sent from my Mate 30 Pro using Tapatalk

 

You ideally need a chainring that is specifically compatible with HG+. Your old one might work, but the HG+ chains engage differently and have extended inner plates so it won't work as intended. If you want to eliminate any possible issues the compatible chainring would solve that issue. If your cranks are XT M8000 series, there are definitely HG+ rings out there for them. I know Wolf Tooth makes them and I am pretty sure there are others.

 

Hah I have some other expensive hobbies, so trying to keep costs as low as possible right now. I mean, considering I’m talking about dropping another $1200 on this bike....

Cranks are Race Face Turbine. So it sounds like I should be able to keep the crankset but likely need a new M8100-specific chainring with a new tooth profile and chainline? Ok.

 

You need a chainring. Wolftooth (and maybe others) do Shimano 12 speed compatible rings which fit the M8000 cranks. Those rings are fairly pricey so you may want to consider a M8100 crankset with a ring for a bit more.https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com...ntain/products/96-mm-bcd-chainrings-for-shimano-xt-m8000?variant=32207392571427

 

you can also get the Race Face Direct Mount Cinch Narrow Wide Chainring - 12 Speed Shimano for your Race Face Turbine Crank.

 

OK, so give or take:

$100 CAD for RF CM Cinch chainring - 12sp
$115 for XT rear derailleur
$125 for XTR shifter
$160 for XT 12sp cassette
$70 for XTR chain
$650 for a NOBL rear carbon wheel+XTR microspline hub
++miscellaneous cables, hoses, etc.

So with taxes and so on, I'm looking at least $1300 Canadian plus labour costs (either mine or shop).

I may re-think this. I love the idea of easy shifting under load with 12sp, and I'm super-terrible at trying to squeeze out an extra pedal stroke and cranking through some ugly gear changes--lots of quick climbs and descents here, and I put a ton of wear on chains, cassettes and shift cables.

But I also hate the modulation on my XT M8000 brakes and compared to others I've tried, they feel so on/off - I find controlling wheelies, endos and manuals to be super difficult with XT brakes as they're so difficult to feather. Maybe it's just me as I don't see this issue widely discussed, but other brakes I've tried are not nearly as easy to suddenly lock up. Not sure if that issue has been fixed with the latest 8100, but that would mean another few hundred bucks.....

Maybe I stay with the classic 11sp for another little while, upgrade a bit elsewhere and save my money.