Article Shimano Linkglide for ebikes – first ride

[knut7]

It’s been more than a year since Shimano introduced the Linkglide drivetrain. I remember asking Shimano about availability back then. It’s available to order as of now, they said. But I’m not sure many people has bought this drivetrain so far; this is the first time we’ve seen it. Watch the video review, or keep on reading below.








2 versions



Shimano says the Linkglide is a more durable drivetrain that shifts consistently. The test bike is a 2022 Merida eOne-Sixty 975 that comes with the Shimano M8130. That’s the Linkglide XT 11-speed drivetrain with an 11-50t cassette. There is also a cheaper 10-speed Deore version, the M5130 with an 11-43t cassette.

Linkglide XT cassette



As opposed to the Shimano 12-speed cassettes, the Linkglide cassettes comes with 11 teeth on the smallest cog. Consequently, the cassette fits the regular HG style cassette bodies. And our test bike of course has...

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[1oldfart]

Maybe i missed something?
What is the weight difference between this 11/43 10S and my regular Deore 10S 11/46?
What is the price differenc?
What is the longevity difference?
I hope SRAM offers something better because here i see no reason to buy.
Heavier, more expensive, less range = no improvement in my opinion.
I guess they are selling a more sticker
EBIKE . . . . not my cup of ...

 

[cozzy]

Been waiting to buy one of these once they are readily available. Sick of wrecking a SRAM 10-42 cassette every 300 miles or so.
Couldn't take my eyes off that dork disc though

 

[Rich_F21316]

With a claimed 300% increase in life, I'm keen to put this to the test but I've had the 10 speed kit on order since February and my local bike shop is telling me the cassette is down for march 2023 delivery!
Crazy!

 

[knut7]

We didn't test the M5130.

Been waiting to buy one of these once they are readily available. Sick of wrecking a SRAM 10-42 cassette every 300 miles or so.
Couldn't take my eyes off that dork disc though

Yeah. We considered removing the dork disc. But we decided it's better not to removing anything that isn't ours. Who doesn't love a shiny transparent thing...

 

[RustyMTB]

Is this a long term set up? Logically that is the requirement to put the claimed benefits to the test.

 

[knut7]

Is this a long term set up? Logically that is the requirement to put the claimed benefits to the test.

We didn't get to keep this bike for long, but we're working on it.

 

[Pyr0]

Just ordered the 10 speed setup for my Levo to replace the 11 speed SRAM.
Ordered the cassette and derailleur from the UK and the shifter (without display) and chain from Germany.

[edit] Nope. the UK shop just emailed to say they don't have stock of the mech or cassette They have a date of jan 2023 for the mech, but no date for the cassette

Anyone seen stock of the 10speed cassette and mech?

At least i have the shifter without a display i guess, since no shops in the UK list it.

 

[knut7]

Mech seems to be available here
Shimano Deore RD-M5130-GS Shadow RD+ Rear Derailleur - medium - 10-speed (bike24.com)

Cassette wasn't easy. It seems to be available at this Italian shop, at quite a price
Cassetta SHIMANO DEORE CS-LG600-10 11-43 — Bike-store-Treviso

Or this Swedish shop
Shimano Deore Linkglide CS-LG600 10-vxl 11-43T Kassett för elcykel | TCMcykel.se

Never heard of either of those two shops.

 

[Pyr0]

Hi @knut7
Thank you for those links.
Unfortunately I don't think any of those shops will ship to the UK
I checked Bike24 and TCMcykel and they won't.

It looks like i'm just going to have to sit on the Linkglide shifter and chain for a while.

 

[Kingerz]

We didn't test the M5130.

Yeah. We considered removing the dork disc. But we decided it's better not to removing anything that isn't ours. Who doesn't love a shiny transparent thing...

No one loves that noob disc...

 

[Kingerz]

Been waiting to buy one of these once they are readily available. Sick of wrecking a SRAM 10-42 cassette every 300 miles or so.
Couldn't take my eyes off that dork disc though

300 miles? Unless you ride in sand, that's hard to imagine. My Deores and GXs have lasted 3 to 4 times that. What is your cleaning and chain rotation like>

 

[cozzy]

300 miles? Unless you ride in sand, that's hard to imagine. My Deores and GXs have lasted 3 to 4 times that. What is your cleaning and chain rotation like>

I only use 2 gears at the bikepark, which is the only place I ride.
12t down and 42t up.
The 12t will skip once the 2nd chain reaches .5 stretch and is changed.
I've just swapped to Shimano HG (in preparation for linkglide) so have just fitted an slx 11/46 and can buy the individual cogs for a few quid.
So I'm going to swap chains plus the 13t cog at the same time when .5 is measured to see if that helps

 

[Hardtail]

[edit] Nope. the UK shop just emailed to say they don't have stock of the mech or cassette They have a date of jan 2023 for the mech, but no date for the cassette

Anyone seen stock of the 10speed cassette and mech?

Ridewill.it Have the derailleur and Cassttee in stock but not the shifter
Bike-Discount.de only have the derailleur for 10speed.
Note that Bike-Discount state a minimum order of £175, no idea why!? and you still need to pay VAT at your end.

cheers,

 

[Pyr0]

Thanks @Hardtail I managed to place an order with Ridewill.it for the derailleur and the cassette. Fingers crossed.

 

[Hardtail]

Thanks @Hardtail I managed to place an order with Ridewill.it for the derailleur and the cassette. Fingers crossed.

We are all eager to know how the new Linkglide runs... keep us posted!

 

[Pyr0]

Nope.
Ridewill just emailled to say the cassette is not available
What is it with these shitty shops showing stock then emailing to cancel? FFS

Has anyone else seen a 10 speed Linkglide cassette anywhere please?

 

[Pyr0]

Perhaps I could buy a Shimano CS-M4100 Deore 10 speed cassette and HG chain?
Would they work with the LinkGlide shifter and derailleur while I wait?

 

[Hardtail]

Perhaps I could buy a Shimano CS-M4100 Deore 10 speed cassette and HG chain?
Would they work with the LinkGlide shifter and derailleur while I wait?

I’m fairly certain they are not compatible as they have a different ‘throw’ length. You can use a regular 10speed chain with Linkglide though.

 

[Pyr0]

The problem is that I have (if nothing else is cancelled) a linkglide shifter, derailleur and chain, but no cassette.
I just thought maybe I could use a hyperglide one instead.
Guess I'm stuck waiting.

 

[Alexbn921]

This isn't a bad idea but the weight is terrible and the price is way too high.

Plus you can't get it or spare parts if it breaks.

Overall fail in my book. It's going to die along with support for it.

 

[irie]

I reckon it will be quickly superceded by a V2 product. IYSWIM.

 

[Pyr0]

Well my deliveries from bikediscount.de and ridewill.it have arrived with no additional fees, but still no sign of a 10 speed cassette anywhere.

 

[cozzy]

Looks like all the 11 speed stuff is available now. Don't quite need it yet and unsure of the extra costs these days from the eu, but at least it's stock.

 

[irie]

Looks like all the 11 speed stuff is available now. Don't quite need it yet and unsure of the extra costs these days from the eu, but at least it's stock.

View attachment 90151

Not necessarily in stock. Ordered something from this site showing as in stock but turned out not to be so.

 

[BeBiker]

I don't understand this product.
I ride a bike with 11-46t 10sp HG, 38t chainring and another with 10-51t 12sp XT, 34t chainring.

An good mix would have been a microspline 10-51t ish 10sp, keeps topspeed and the 51t for climbs.
With a double-up and double-down shifter, of course.

 

[Pyr0]

I reckon it will be quickly superceded by a V2 product. IYSWIM.

Lol,
I was told today by Madison that Shimano discontinued the 11-43 option for the CS-LG600 cassette before it made production and they have replaced it with the CS-LG400

And so the hunt begins again...
If anyone sees a CS-LG400-10 11-43t cassette in stock, please let me know

 

[Pyr0]

Madison say they have the CS-LG400-10 speed cassettes in stock and available to order.
Now i just need to find a shop with an account.

 

[Pyr0]

10 speed CS-LG400 cassette ordered.

 

[Pyr0]

Huge thank you Mike @ High on Bikes