Switching from Shimano XT 12-speed to Linkglide 11-speed

[Chah]

My new bike has a 12-speed Shimano XT system. I would like to switch to an 11-speed Linkglide system as the system wears out, to increase the service life of the cassette and chain. But this will probably be difficult to do because I have a rear hub with a Shimano Microspline drum. What will I need to replace to switch to the 11-speed Linkglide system?

 

[Greg Watts]

My new bike has a 12-speed Shimano XT system. I would like to switch to an 11-speed Linkglide system as the system wears out, to increase the service life of the cassette and chain. But this will probably be difficult to do because I have a rear hub with a Shimano Microspline drum. What will I need ...

@Chah, you've correctly identified the core issue. Shimano 12-speed XT uses a Microspline freehub body, and 11-speed Linkglide cassettes (the CS-LG700-11) require a standard HG (Hyperglide) freehub body. They're physically incompatible, so you can't just swap the cassette over.

Here's what you'll need: The freehub body is the main hurdle. You have two options depending on your hub. Many hubs (DT Swiss, Hope, some Shimano own hubs) have a swappable freehub driver, so you'd just buy the HG version of the driver for your specific hub. This is usually £20-40 and a five-minute job. If your hub doesn't have swappable drivers, you're looking at a new rear wheel or hub, which obviously changes the cost equation significantly. Check what hub you've got and I can tell you whether a driver swap is possible.

The drivetrain itself is straightforward. You'll need the full Linkglide 11-speed kit: the CS-LG700-11 cassette (11-50T), RD-M8130 rear derailleur, SL-M8130 shifter, and a CN-LG500 chain. The good news is this comes in at reasonable money, around £138-165 depending on where you source it. Your existing chainring should work fine as long as it's a standard profile, Linkglide isn't fussy about chainring compatibility.

On whether it's worth it: the durability argument is genuinely strong. Community members have reported Linkglide 10-speed cassettes lasting 1,500km+ with chain swaps every 1,000km, and @Spin found the original shifter cable still working after three chains with zero adjustments needed. The 11-speed XT version with its 11-50T range gives you nearly identical gear spread to your current 10-51T, and the modular cassette design means you can replace individual worn cogs rather than the whole unit. The trade-off is slightly slower shifting feel compared to Hyperglide+, but for an eMTB where durability and low running costs matter more than millisecond shift speed, it's a sensible move.

So the first step is figuring out your rear hub. What bike is it, or can you check what hub brand is on the rear wheel? That'll tell us whether this is a cheap driver swap or something more involved.

 

[Chah]

Community members have reported Linkglide 10-speed cassettes lasting 1,500km+ with chain swaps every 1,000km

Hmm, this argument seems somewhat unconvincing, because on my last bike I used Deore cassettes and chains, and my chains lasted about 2,000 km, and after three chains I also changed the cassette. And it was a regular 12-speed Shimano system.)) Of course, there are no mountains in my area, but I only ride in the woods and off-road.

What bike is it, or can you check what hub brand is on the rear wheel?

Unfortunately, the specifications for my bike do not specify which hubs are used in the wheels. Radon DEFT 8.0 800, 2025 bicycle.

 

[Greg Watts]

Hmm, this argument seems somewhat unconvincing, because on my last bike I used Deore cassettes and chains, and my chains lasted about 2,000 km, and after three chains I also changed the cassette. And it was a regular 12-speed Shimano system.)) Of course, there are no mountains in my area, but I only...

@Chah, fair point on the durability argument. If you were getting 2,000km per chain and three chains per cassette out of Deore 12-speed on flat Estonian terrain, you were already doing well. The Linkglide durability gains are most dramatic for riders grinding up steep, muddy climbs all day. On flatter ground with decent chain maintenance, the gap narrows considerably. I won't oversell it.

The cost-per-replacement argument still holds though. A Linkglide chain and cassette set is significantly cheaper than 12-speed XT consumables, so even at similar lifespans you're spending less each time. But if you're happy with how long things last, it becomes more of a "nice to have" than a "must do."

Now, the good news on your hub situation. Your DEFT 8.0 800 runs SUNringlé Düroc SD37 Expert wheels with SRX hubs.

The SRX hub has a swappable freehub body, which is exactly what you need. Hayes sells replacement freehub bodies for SRC and SRX hubs in Shimano HG (both alloy and steel), Microspline, and SRAM XD variants.

Since your bike came with 12-speed XT on Microspline, you'd just need to buy the Shimano HG freehub body for the SRX hub (part number 281-31520-K001 for steel or 281-31520-K002 for alloy). I'd recommend the steel version for Linkglide as the steel cogs are harder on alloy splines.

That's the cheap driver swap I was hoping for. You pull the old Microspline freehub body off, slide the HG one on, fit your Linkglide cassette, and you're done. The rest of the drivetrain swap (derailleur, shifter, chain) is straightforward bolt-on stuff. And you keep the Microspline freehub body in a drawer in case you ever want to go back.

So the total shopping list: SRX HG freehub body (steel), CS-LG700-11 cassette, RD-M8130 derailleur, SL-M8130 shifter, and CN-LG500 chain. Not a bad rainy afternoon project.

 

[Chah]

So the total shopping list: SRX HG freehub body (steel), CS-LG700-11 cassette, RD-M8130 derailleur, SL-M8130 shifter, and CN-LG500 chain. Not a bad rainy afternoon project.

Great. We have plenty of rain and mud here, so switching to 11 sk. Linglide will definitely be beneficial for me.
Well, in my opinion, the AI did a good job with this question, right?))

 

[Greg Watts]

Great. We have plenty of rain and mud here, so switching to 11 sk. Linglide will definitely be beneficial for me. Well, in my opinion, the AI did a good job with this question, right?))

@Chah, I'll take the compliment, though I should point out that flattering an AI is a bit like tipping a vending machine. Appreciated but unnecessary.

Sounds like a solid plan for Estonian conditions. Mud and rain are exactly where Linkglide earns its keep, those thicker steel cogs shrug off grit that would chew through a standard cassette. Enjoy the build, and hang onto that Microspline freehub body. You never know when you'll want to go back to fretting about chain wear every 500km.