It has taken seven years, but Shimano has finally launched the long-awaited, wireless version of its top-flight XTR groupset, M9200.
It’ll come as no surprise that the drivetrain is wireless – cables no longer pull the derailleur across the cassette, instead Shimano’s own wireless protocol connects the shifter and derailleur, while a battery and motor push and pull the unit’s parallelogram over the cassette.
Shimano says market demands and performance benefits drove the removal of the gear cable.
It has taken time to get to this point, although the brand points to its other Di2 drivetrains that are prevalent in the eMTB market, as well as its durable Di2 LinkGlide 11-speed drivetrain releases over the past few years as proof that its engineers have been far from idle.
- Read more: Shimano XTR Di2 M9200 review
Lessons have been learnt from these drivetrains, while they've also taken up development resources.
In addition to the new gears, which come in a duo of flavours for XC and trail or enduro riders, there are new brakes and wheels, too.
The lighter-weight XC brakes are on the surface almost identical to the previous XC brakes, but the new trail or enduro brakes have completely revised levers and calipers.
Both contain a new mineral oil, said to boost performance across a range of temperatures, killing off the wandering bite point issue that has dogged Shimano brakes in recent years.
Carbon rims, as well as a quick pick-up rear hub, feature on the new wheelsets. Again, XC, trail and enduro riders are catered for.
Both pairs of rims are wide, with the enduro version just a little wider and sporting a broad rim wall to ward off punctures.
It is worth noting that there are no updates to either chains or rotors.
Fortunately, there are options for backward compatibility in the groupset – cranksets and chainrings, chains and cassettes of old will still work with the new groupset.
- Shimano M9200 groupset price (exc pedals, wheels): £2,234.88 / $2,561.97
- Shimano M9220 groupset price (exc pedals, wheels): £2,284.88 / $2,258.98
Shimano XTR M9200 Di2 drivetrain real-life weights
- Shimano XTR M9250 Di2 SGS 12-speed rear derailleur: 416g (including battery)
- Shimano BT-DN320 battery: 23g
- Shimano XTR SW-M9250-R Di2 shift switch: 100g (with I-SPEC EV mount)
- Shimano XTR CS-M9200 10-51t 12-speed cassette: 367g
- Shimano XTR CN-M9100 126-link chain with Quick-Link: 268g
- Shimano XTR FC-M9220 170mm crankset: 522g
- Shimano XTR SM-CRM96 32t chainring: 64g
- Total: 1,737g
Shimano XTR M9200 derailleurs
- RD-M9250 (SGS and GS): £549 / $620
- RD-M9260 (eMTB SGS, 11 and 12-speed): £549 / $620
- BT-DN320 battery: £39.99 / $52
- EC-DN100 charger: £29.99 / $44
The heart of any drivetrain has to be the derailleur.
The new XTR derailleur connects to the frame traditionally, via a derailleur hanger, and features low and high adjustments and a b-tension screw to set the distance between the top jockey wheel and the cassette.
The unit is designed to be as low-profile as possible, with skid plates and forms designed to slide past impacts, rather than hang up on them. This ‘Shadow ES’ form is intended to minimise the number of impacts the derailleur encounters.
Should an impact occur, the Automatic Impact Recovery mechanism brings the derailleur back to its required position, without the rider being required to shift up or down to reset the system.
The main knuckle, from which the cage hangs, is built around a dual spring, rather than the spring and clutch of old. This means there’s no adjustability there, nor a clutch on-off switch to make wheel removal easier.
Shimano claims this system gives more consistent tension on the cage, so chain retention is better, it’s less likely to suffer from chain slap and should encourage improved chain wrap on the cassette teeth.
Shimano XTR derailleur details
The battery has a capacity that's said to give a range of 340km. This is reportedly 40% more than competitors, thanks to a mechanically more efficient system, and a communication protocol with the shifter that needs fewer messages to be relaid back and forth.
Lights indicate the battery level on the derailleur.
The carbon cage features 13t jockey wheels. They’re solid, which the Shimano engineers explained reduces their flex.
This, in turn, means better shifting performance, which also improves efficiency, according to Shimano.
While larger jockey wheels are increasingly popular, because they’re mechanically more efficient, Shimano wasn't able to measure any notable improvements in efficiency, and so believes the stiffer jockey wheels offer the best performance.
Shimano XTR derailleur options
Shimano is offering two families – one for mountain bikes and one for electric mountain bikes, with the former utilising an onboard battery, while the latter is built to draw power from the eMTB’s main battery.
Each family will have two options – long and mid cages for the standard derailleur, and 11- and 12-speed options for the eMTB version.
The long, SGS derailleur is built for the 10-51t cassette. The mid, SG derailleur is built for the new 9-45t cassette.
In an update to the current Di2 MTB and eMTB-specific derailleurs, both Free Shift and Auto Shift will be available on the 12-speed setup – features previously reserved for 11-speed drivetrains.
Free Shift enables gears to be changed while you're not pedalling, by independently rotating the chainring, via the Shimano EP8 motor. This enables you to pre-select a gear for an upcoming trail feature.
Auto Shift uses speed and torque sensors to shift gears automatically, without rider inputs at the shifter, to keep the pedal cadence within an optimal range.
Shimano XTR shifter
- SW-M9250R: £184.99 / $205
Since Shimano released its Di2 drivetrains, its shifters have always mimicked ‘traditional’ cable shifters, with shift buttons in similar positions and offering a similar ‘click’ feel.
This is no different with the latest-generation shifter.
However, it is now a sleeker design, with a body that sits closely under the bar and now features a pair of four-way adjustable shift buttons.
The paddles are mounted on a ball joint, so their angle can be fully adjusted, and the larger and smaller paddles can be swapped front to back, too.
There’s the option for a single or push-through double click – a screw on the base of the shifter body enables or prevents this second click, depending on your preference.
As you'd now expect, the shifter can provide multi-shifts. Hold down the shift paddle and the derailleur will shift multiple sprockets at a time, with an in-app definition of how many shifts are provided.
A third button is provided on the shifter.
A long hold will enable you to trim the derailleur while riding and a short press can be used to control a variety of options.
These include those from third-party brands – Garmin and Magicshine are the two that stood out to us.
While Shimano says the function of that button is up to third parties, and wouldn’t comment on what that might be, road cyclists have been able to control their data screens on Garmin computers for years, and we would imagine a light-power toggle function might be offered by Magicshine.
Shimano XTR cassettes
- CS-M9200-12; $465 / £399.99
The Japanese drivetrain giant is releasing the groupset with two cassette options.
There’s Shimano’s long-standing 10-51t ratio cassette and a new 9-45t option.
They both get a new coating that's said to reduce wear.
The 9-45t option is 70g lighter in weight. While this might offer up advantages for XC riders, we feel this, in conjunction with the short-cage rear derailleur, could be a good option for enduro riders looking to boost ground clearance – it does so by 23mm.
This 9-45t cassette still fits on Shimano’s Microspline freehub body, but requires a new tool in order to fit it, because the existing lockring has a diameter that is too large to work.
Shimano acknowledges that the 9t sprocket is less efficient in terms of drivetrain efficiency, but it’s good to see this option for all riders, in our opinion.
Shifting performance should be similar to existing cassettes, thanks to the use of Hyperglide+ tooth profiling found on current-generation cassettes.
The existing LinkGlide cassette will be used for 11-speed builds.
Shimano XTR cranks
- FC-M9220 (trail and enduro): £379.98 / $415 (inc ring)
- FC-M9200 (XC): £379.98 / $415 (inc ring)
- FC-M9220 (trail and enduro): £249.99 / $280 (exc ring)
- FC-M9200 (XC): £249.99 / $280 (exc ring)
- SM-CRM96 chainring: £129.99 / $135
The jewels in the crown, in our eyes, are the new crank and chainring options.
Shimano has stuck with its tried-and-tested HollowTech II alloy construction.
Although it's identical in appearance, there will be a thicker, more durable trail and enduro option, and a lighter-weight XC crank, with the XC crank offering a slightly narrower Q-factor.
The cranks will be available in a broad range of lengths, from 160mm to 175mm.
The trail and enduro crank will have a Q-factor of 176mm, while the XC crank will be 168mm, both built around a 55mm chainline.
Sadly, there's no power meter option with XTR, so if you need to know how many watts you're pushing, you'll need to rely on third-party hardware.
The chainrings have a new look, too.
The closed portion of the rings’ splines is there to offer increased impact protection at the 3 and 9 o'clock crank position that is more likely to experience chaining impacts.
28-36t options will be offered, in two-tooth increments.
Shimano XTR brakes
- BR-M9220 (trail and enduro): £229.99 / $295
- BR-M9200 (XC): £249.99 / $260
As we’ve seen in previous iterations of Shimano’s groupsets, there will be two versions of the XTR brakes – trail and XC.
Shimano acknowledges the issues it has faced with wandering bite points and says it has fixed the problems with this generation.
The main issue, it says, was the mineral fluids, and so there’s a new type in use here.
Shimano XTR XC brakes
The XC brakes look nigh-on identical to the previous-generation XC brakes, with a svelte lever and a two-piston caliper.
Inside, though, new seals are designed to work with Shimano’s new low-viscosity mineral fluid, which is said to be much more stable at a range of temperatures.
Sadly, the new mineral oil is not backward-compatible, nor can you use your current bottle of mineral fluid to top up the brakes, because this would damage the new seals.
A magnesium master cylinder and carbon lever blade help keep weight low.
Shimano XTR trail and enduro brakes
The lever end of the trail brakes is much more obviously new, with a completely revised architecture.
The hose exits the lever body much closer to the bar, enabling cleaner-looking through-headset routed hosing.
The lever holds a larger reservoir of fluid, adding consistency, and the fluid is now pulled through the system, rather than pushed, by the master piston.
Shimano has subtly changed the brake lever blade to improve ergonomics.
The pivot has been moved closer to the bar to give a more natural-feeling lever travel through its stroke, while the lever is tilted 5 degrees upwards from the pivot, to better match your finger’s position over it when in use.
At the caliper end, the brake pad has grown in size, offering increased surface contact with the rotor.
The pads still feature their wings, to help dissipate heat, but the additional size is also said to reduce pad rattle.
This is further aided by an ovalised hole for the retaining pin to go through.
Shimano XTR wheels
- WH-M9220 (trail and enduro): £1,249.98 / $1,550
- WH-M9200 (XC): £1,699.98 / $2,170
Two sets of wheels will be offered – an XC pair and a set for enduro and trail riding. Both will feature carbon rims.
The enduro and trail wheels feature a hookless rim with a 30mm internal width, and a broad rim wall to ward off punctures. It’s held onto the hubs by 28 spokes – relatively few for a wheel of this type.
The hub has been built to reduce drag, while there’s a 3.5-degree engagement angle.
The XC wheels have a marginally narrower rim, at 29.6mm internally, and are built with 24 titanium spokes onto a low-drag, high-engagement hub.
Hubs will also be available to purchase.
Shimano XTR finishing touches
Shimano is also offering new pedals. Most noteworthy are the trail pedals, with an improved platform to offer more support to your shoes.
The XC-focused pedals will have two axle options – one offering a 3mm narrower stance.
An upgrade kit, consisting of a derailleur, shifter, and associated chargers and battery, will also be offered.
- PD-M9200 (XC pedals): £159.99 / $TBC
- PD-M9220 (trail and enduro pedals): £179.99 / $TBC
- SW-M9250 (upgrade pack): £799.99 / $TBC
