By Knut Nes
GearNewsVideos
35 Comments

Shimano introduce Linkglide – 2 new groupsets for ebikes that is

Shimano introduces Linkglide. So what is that? Well it’s the technology used on their two new ebike specific groupsets – that they also intoduce. Here is the Deore M5130 and the XT M8130. And I’m a bit excited about this. Check out the video below to hear why.

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Knut Nes
Started mountainbiking in the 90s. Moved to emtbs in 2014 and have been reviewing them since 2016. Contact me here https://emtb.no/contact/

35 Comments

  1. I’m no weight weenie, but is an XT cassette now 780g? AFAIK, lead isn’t a particularly strong metal…

  2. [QUOTE=”Norange, post: 293811, member: 778″]
    lead isn’t a particularly strong metal…
    [/QUOTE]
    No, but it’s soft, so it stops you wearing your chain out 😉

  4. I would give a try to the chain but the cassette, wow … I know they are ebikes and weight don’t matter but heavy casing tires 38 forks heavier cassettes heavier wheels …

  5. Great to see Ebike specific parts i will be happy to put up with weight penalty for longer life.
    Surprised no Microspline compatibility.
    I ride 12 speed SLX at 10*45 which is a perfect range so would have liked to see the 10 speed the same.

  6. 43 cog cassette seems perfect! There is no need for anything bigger than that on an emtb, unless you’re an extremely slow rider who likes to pedal at very fast cadence.

  7. 43 cog cassette is not enough, if you want to ride real steep stuff!
    46 is at least the minimum, 50 is even better! Trust me, I live in the mountains.

  8. Any info on when this groupset will be widely available on the market? So far its not available on the usual online stores.

  10. I run a 10-51T casette on one of my eMTBS and it’s perfect for the steepest sections.
    43 is certainly not enough for mountains or even hilly tracks in downs and so on.

  11. I’ve got a local distributor getting some stock in the next couple of weeks. I am switching over to the 11 speed XT linkglide groupset. So i’ll be going from 10-51 hyperglide+ 12 speed to 11-50 linkglide 11 speed.

    I’m also planning to swap out my 3-pawl dt swiss hubs to 36t ratchet with the ‘Ratchet LN’ upgrade kit. I think the combination of those two upgrades is really going to change the feel of the bike in a big way. The decreased pedal shock from the Linkglide combined with the reduced degrees of engagement in the hub. I think it will make for a really great feeling.

  14. At this weight for this linkglide stuff, wouldnt kindernay or rohloff be a better option? Weight of the kindernay is pretty damn close to this. Id much rather have a small simple inexpensive tensioner dangling than any pricey long cage shimano der. With emtb i think a 9 speed wide range kindernay or rohloff makes most sense, a 10-50ish range, bmx chain and minimalist tensioner.. honestly it could be 7 or 8 speed and id bemore than fine

  15. [QUOTE=”Dirtnvert, post: 318396, member: 1268″]
    Id much rather have a small simple inexpensive tensioner dangling than any pricey long cage shimano der.
    [/QUOTE]

    Linkglide all uses short cage derailleurs. It’s also cheaper then the standard shimano 12 speed derailleur equivalents.

  16. The linkglide derailleurs are all shorter and cheaper then their 12 speed shimano equivalents, for what its worth.

  17. The 11 speed XT linkglide derailleur looks to have the same cage length as medium cage M8000 XT 11 speed hyperglide did.
    10 speed Deore linkglide looks to have a shorter cage but it is paired with a smaller range 11-43 cassette.
    Neither have as short a cage as 10 speed Zee/Saint derailleurs

    The fact that Shimano say linkglide cassettes can be run with their current HG chains says to me that the cassette sprocket teeth must still be 1.6mm thick (the same as HG) and any extra material is simply to stiffen the cassette rather than to add any actual meat to the sprocket teeth.

  18. If its a wide range cassette , it may be shorter than 12 spd der cage, it wonrt be short or near as short as a tensioner. Shimano has made a lot of good design features on it, im just wondering if kindernay or rohloff makes more sense. I hear rohloff is fairly durable and ive heard good things about kindernay but there isnt a large number of either out there. Are theu as durable as i hear? Whats the warrantee process if tgey have problems? Do they have to be sent back to the manufacturer in their respective countries? I recently heard there is some drag on rohloff and possibly kindernay, is that a deal breaker? Personally id like to get away from cassette wear and , freehub bodies, and derailleurs all together. Its long past due

  19. [QUOTE=”Gary, post: 318405, member: 247″]
    The fact that Shimano say linkglide cassettes can be run with their current HG chains says to me that the cassette sprocket teeth must still be 1.6mm thick (the same as HG) and any extra material is simply to stiffen the cassette rather than to add any actual meat to the sprocket teeth.
    [/QUOTE]

    Heres the info from Shimano regarding this:
    [ATTACH type=”full”]66794[/ATTACH]

  20. It’s not actually clear what that rendered pic from Shimano is even showing.
    Without context or dimensions it isn’t particularly helpful.

    We know the narrow link of a 10, 11 and 12 speed HG chain is 2.2mm.
    And we know current HG sprocket width to be 1.6mm. And Shimano claim current HG chains are compatible so what is the actual width of the new linkglide sprockets that they are claiming to be 300% more durable?

    Please don’t just copy and paste more marketing BS.

  21. [QUOTE=”Dirtnvert, post: 318406, member: 1268″]
    im just wondering if kindernay or rohloff makes more sense. I hear rohloff is fairly durable and ive heard good things about kindernay but there isnt a large number of either out there. Are theu as durable as i hear? Whats the warrantee process if tgey have problems? Do they have to be sent back to the manufacturer in their respective countries? I recently heard there is some drag on rohloff and possibly kindernay, is that a deal breaker? Personally id like to get away from cassette wear and , freehub bodies, and derailleurs all together. Its long past due
    [/QUOTE]
    What would put me off the Kindernay system for a hard ridden mtb is the bolt on universal hub body. IDK but as someone who has cracked and broken many one piece Alu hub shells the design just doesn’t inspire confidence.

    Rohloffs are durable and proven so that would be my choice but the bolt on attachments, cables and shifters still look like something your weird uncle built in his garage from a box of old parts. (which may or may not appeal to you ?).

    Yes there is slight drag on Rohloffs but not so much that would put you off unless you were thinking if putting it on a time trial bike. ?
    No idea about the kindernay

  22. [QUOTE=”Gary, post: 318456, member: 247″]
    It’s not actually clear what that rendered pic from Shimano is even showing.
    Without context or dimensions it isn’t particularly helpful.

    We know the narrow link of a 10, 11 and 12 speed HG chain is 2.2mm.
    And we know current HG sprocket width to be 1.6mm. And Shimano claim current HG chains are compatible so what is the actual width of the new linkglide sprockets that they are claiming to be 300% more durable?

    Please don’t just copy and paste more marketing BS.
    [/QUOTE]

    If you think Shimano is just making things up that’s fine, im just trying to answer your questions.

    The diagram is showing the increased sized base of the teeth. It’s also showing a bit of the newly designed chamfered teeth profile that affects how the chain ramps up and down the cassette during gear changes.

    These two things when combined are what increases the durability.
    The chain no longer causes such high torque against the cassette at the moments where the chain finally engages when changing gears. Those moments where it can be felt all the way through the pedal.

    I’ve seen some videos of people with the linkglide drivetrain running, shifting through the cassette and it is much smoother. There is definitely less stress being put on the cassette teeth by the chain. That and the reinforced teeth are where Shimano is saying the increased durability comes from.

    I have a feeling this video might rile you up a bit haha but Shimano shows the effect of this different ramping profile at the 2 minute point in this video. They are saying that by not causing that shock, it improves the durability of the cassette.
    [MEDIA=youtube]u7NiBzz9mp8[/MEDIA]

  23. [QUOTE=”silverstone, post: 296789, member: 3982″]
    43 cog cassette is not enough, if you want to ride real steep stuff!
    46 is at least the minimum, 50 is even better! Trust me, I live in the mountains.
    [/QUOTE]
    Love my 38F/50R combo! ??

  24. [QUOTE=”Gary, post: 318467, member: 247″]
    What would put me off the Kindernay system for a hard ridden mtb is the bolt on universal hub body. IDK but as someone who has cracked and broken many one piece Alu hub shells the design just doesn’t inspire confidence.

    Rohloffs are durable and proven so that would be my choice but the bolt on attachments, cables and shifters still look like something your weird uncle built in his garage from a box of old parts. (which may or may not appeal to you ?).

    Yes there is slight drag on Rohloffs but not so much that would put you off unless you were thinking if putting it on a time trial bike. ?
    No idea about the kindernay
    [/QUOTE]
    Ive never broken any hub bodies. All ive heard about are the og nukeproof(before crc bought nukeproof) bonded alu/carbon seperating. Interesting concern though. I like the hydraulic fittings and shifting of the kinderlay but im not too torn up about the rohloff jumble of ugliness if it works. Function has a way of changing how i see things. Pre emtb i wouldve hated huge battery incased downtubes. Now im all about the thicc ?. J Lo riding a range vlt with the 900w would be next level !!

  25. [USER=11309]@Akelu[/USER].. I’m not saying Shimano is making anything up at all… I’m saying their marketing and tech info is not entirely clear. And it’s not difficult to make claims of a certain percentage increase if you word it vaguely.

    I’m also not going to be riled by yet another copy n pasted piece if information I’ve already seen.

    If I can at all help it I try to avoid using wide ratio cassettes on my bikes as the shifting performance and rate of wear is vastly superior.
    Have you ever used a close ratio cassette on your mtb with a mech designed for smaller range?

    This is the hardtail I’ve been riding this weekend.
    [ATTACH type=”full”]66836[/ATTACH]
    That’s an 11-25 cassette and an old short cage XO mech.
    Shifting is vastly superior and the chain drop Shimano are attempting to lessen is already much reduced. As a much shorter chain is required chain slap is minimised and the need for a clutch in the mech is removed.

  26. I wish i could use something like that around here. What ever happened to that 2 speed rear hub that someone designed. Thought we’d see that released by now

  27. The hub bodies I’ve personally split/cracked most over the years by a long way have been Hope technology hubs. Ie. Shiny machined and anodised Alu.

  28. [QUOTE=”Dirtnvert, post: 318505, member: 1268″]
    I wish i could use something like that around here. What ever happened to that 2 speed rear hub that someone designed. Thought we’d see that released by now
    [/QUOTE]
    Don’t forget 2 speed BBs ?

  29. [QUOTE=”Gary, post: 318506, member: 247″]
    The hub bodies I’ve personally split/cracked most over the years by a long way have been Hope technology hubs. Ie. Shiny machined and anodised Alu.
    [/QUOTE]
    Holy shit man! No idea what youre doing? I guess pushing it on jumps. I guess im more of a wear shit out rather than break stuff guy

  30. [QUOTE=”Gary, post: 318507, member: 247″]
    Don’t forget 2 speed BBs ?
    [/QUOTE]
    Sure, sounds good. We could have a 2 speed freehub + 2 spd bb and be fine. Sign me up

  31. I just tend to keep hubs for a decent length of time. And build my wheels fairly high tension.
    Must’ve had 20+ hope hubs but that’s over a 25yr period.

  32. Ya ive had great luck with hope hubs. I guess a few sets but ive not had any longer than 4 or 5 years

  35. Does anyone know where to get the chain / cassettes in the UK? My quick look only shows German stores.

    And am I correct in thinking you can use a LG chain with a normal cassette to try and get better life?

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