Welcome to the MEATengines take on cycling-content-creation’s lowest-of-low-hanging fruit. An entire week of ‘Best Of’ awards where we (I) choose a single product to top categories so diverse in terms of both use-case and price point as to render any verdict irrelevant.
If you can guess the winner(s) before scrolling down then award yourself 1000 bonus points* (*bonus points have no monetary value or value whatsoever).
Shimano’s XT LinkGlide is excellent, indexed, or using a friction thumb shifter. M8130 is a safe recommendation for a drivetrain that can run a personal pizza-sized low-gear. I maintain that the best-shifting drivetrain I’ve worked on in ’24 though is Claire’s magic combination of a 9-Speed SRAM X0 shifter, 10/11-Speed Shimano Zee derailleur, and a 10-speed cassette with one cog removed to make it nine. That’s not necessarily the most straightforward setup to assemble, and not everyone will be happy pedaling a 24×11-36t.
But then, none of that is really important, is it?
Only the magic of a three-speed #1FG drivetrain could truly command the MEATengines Awards. Sitting, standing, and walking with a single gear-ratio that’s way too low on the road and too high at least half the time on the trail. Single speeding, for the win.
Now could happily assign the top step to any part of my drivetrain. I’ve been using Endless KickAssCogs for years now and the same goes for Wolf Tooth CAMO stainless steel oval chain rings. More recently the MRP G5 2-bolt chain guide I’m using to tension the chain on the Banshee, sans sliders, has been a bit of a revelation. Then there’s the stalwart 175mm XT cranks and the near-instant and super solid engaging Project 321 hub.
Between the #1FG and miles, I change my chain often enough that there were a couple of new ones in 2023 and they both had one thing in common, they were 11-SPD versions. The last couple have been super-Gucci SRAM XX1 chains, and I do think they’re the best of the best, but I’ve had great results from high-end Shimano 11-SPD chains and KMC 11-SPD chains too.
There’s both pseudo-science and science behind it. I rode less expensive 8 & 9 speed chains for years without complaint but when I switched to running 11-SPD I noticed fairly soon that my chains seemed to be lasting much longer with any notable wear transfer to other components. Knock-on-workbench, I haven’t broken a chain on my single-speed in years. That’s entire anecdotal of course, but Shimano backs me up in all their LinkGlide materials when explaining why their latest drivetrain was designed around 11-SPD chains, rather than 12-SPD or 8/9/10-SPD, and that’s because 11-SPD has the most surface contact.
In the spirit of sharing, I’m giving this award to every company that makes a nice or even nice enough 11-SPD chain. Wippermann Connex 11sX? Good results. KMC X11? Good results. Shimano HG901? Yes, please! Shimano HG701? Yep, that’s great too. SRAM PC XX1 11-SPD? How many for a bulk discount? Can I just buy a bulk roll?
So there you have it. MEATengines drivetrain product of the year, 2023, is 11-SPD chains in general. Huzzah.