Ex1 vs Shimano xt 12 speed

[Cyclopath1000]

2018 commencal meta power 650b..8 speed ex1 came with the bike..that stuff is crazy solid. On my second chain and cassette. Now with 3750 km. ..for a.moment I thought I needed a new rear deraillier but it was just my sloppy assembly after dropping the motor to replace the speed sensor...so at some point rear ex1 is us $150. Rear cassette is $310. The cassette is made out of tool steel. So I am thinking whether to continue to invest in the ex1 technology which I don't see any new bikes getting speced with vs going 12 speed Shimano which I believe they have an e-bike version. I don't think there is much of a price difference.. I'm not saying in any way that ex1 hasnt performed well..I'm just thinking it's future isn't there and I should go with the flow to 12 speed. I see no benefit form 48 vs 50 vs 51 teeth in the rear... It seems to go up any hill just fine. And I ride in NorCal and AZ where there are plenty of challenges. No lack of elevation.

 

[salko]

I would defenetely go for Shimano 12sp, EX1 cassette is just too much expensive for what it offers, you can get more than 4 Shimano SLX 12sp cassettes for the price of one EX1 cassette and I'm sure 1 Shimano cassete would last at least 3000km or even much more with no problems if you replace the chain before it stretches too much. And shifting should be smoother on Shimano in both directions. But going from EX1 to Shimano 12sp you will have to replace your freehub body to Microspline, if your rear hub doesn't supports conversion to Microspline you will have to replace the whole hub or complete rear wheel, but look for hubs/wheels which are emtb rated ...

 

[Cyclopath1000]

Yes I already was thinking about the need to put on a micro spline luckily I have a beautiful pair of hope pro4 hubs so a new driver is just the cost. I have Shimano XT XTR on my pivot 429 trail 12 speed and yeah it's the greatest thing since sliced toast.
As for the ex1 Yes the cassette is 309 buckaroos honestly I have tried to use analogue XT stuff so the 12-speed XT cassette is not that inexpensive either but I've heard people using Deore now because it's steel on e-bikes.

I read tonight the claim that the 8 speed ex1 is really 11 speed with a three cog spacer...now that's a bit of a head scratcher. I suspect that it's true My bike originally came with an 11-speed chain that didn't specifically state it was an EX-1 chain. I eventually figured out that the EX1 official chain is manufactured in Portugal and seeing is that the common Cal bike was sourced in the far East They used some other chain I then went and bought a bunch of these pc ex1 chains. I think I got around 2,000 or so kilometers maybe $2,400 km out of the chain and the cassette it started skipping and whereas I never really was able to measure much chain wear by the time I took it off it was really really stretched I meant it was ridiculously worn So it was hardly wearing and then it suddenly wore and I thought when they described this chain and this whole thing there was something extremely unique and special to this e-bike specific device I'm just not sure now and the very fact that I don't see any new bikes coming out with EX-1 makes me wonder was this really an amazing addition was the usage that I getting out of it nothing more than what you would get out of any steel cassette and there are others people talk about the pins I can tell you that the pins on this chain are solid. Anyway I am going to have to decide how to proceed for the next cassette and by then I might as well get a new derailleur to be the third cassette I think you should just toss the whole thing and get new stuff at that point trying to figure out what that stuff is though.

 

[R120]

XT 11 speed IMO, you dont need 12 speed on an EMTB. I would run with an SLX 11 Speed cassette.

 

[bluerich]

microSHIFT Acolyte Cassette - 8 Speed 12-46t Black ED Coated 657993290071 | eBay

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Perhaps one of these would work, if running a HG body?

 

[Cyclopath1000]

This is my last hurrah for my ex1 drivetrain. New smallest 3 cogs , new chain, new jockey wheels. I've already bought the 10 speed 11-46 deore cassette , shifter and will proceed with that when this cassette is toast. Right now post what's pictures the drive train is super solid.

 

[Sander23]

This is my last hurrah for my ex1 drivetrain. New smallest 3 cogs , new chain, new jockey wheels. I've already bought the 10 speed 11-46 deore cassette , shifter and will proceed with that when this cassette is toast. Right now post what's pictures the drive train is super solid.

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I just switched my first chain last weekend after 1700km. Changed the cog set 2 times in that milage.
With the new cogs and chain my drivetrain allmost look brandnew.

I will never go back to the xt 11speed wich ate my cogs like crazy. And i prefere the shifting so much more over the shimano..