XT M8100 vs SLX M7100 Cassette - What's the Difference?

XT M8100 vs SLX M7100 Cassette – What’s the Difference? With Shimano offering 12-speed versions of their XT and SLX groupsets, we thought we would break down the differences of the XT M8100 cassette and the SLX M7100 cassette in this following article. XT is Shimano’s second tier group and SLX is their third-tier, so while there are some differences between the two cassettes, they are fairly similar at the end of the day.

WEIGHT

Weight is one of the differences between the two cassettes, with the XT cassette coming in lighter than the SLX cassette.

XT M8100 Cassette – 470 grams

SLX M7100 Cassette – 534 grams

Although the M8100 cassette is lighter, the 64 grams of weight savings is fairly minor at the end of the day. Most riders wouldn’t even notice or care about the weight savings, but for those who are really trying to save weight the XT does have a weight advantage.

PRICE

Another difference between these two cassettes is the price. This is where the SLX cassette has an advantage as it is more affordable than its XT counterpart.

XT M8100 Cassette – $209.95CAD

SLX M7100 Cassette – $139.95CAD

The $70 price savings with the SLX cassette is enticing as parts can add up quickly and customers are always trying to save where they can. This is a fairly large gap in price, and for the more budget oriented riders our there it is certainly more appealing.

COMPATIBILITY/FEATURES

Both cassettes come with a gear range of either 10-51T (1x) or 10-45T (2x). However, we only carry the 10-51T model for both cassettes.

XT M8100 Cassette

Gearing: 10-51T (10-12-14-16-18-21-24-28-33-39-45-51 teeth)

Gearing: 10-45T (10-12-14-16-18-21-24-28-32-36-40-45 teeth)

Hyperglide+ quicker shifting

Material: Aluminium & steel

BEAM SPIDER construction increased acceleration

MICRO SPLINE 10T lowest sprocket realized by new FREEHUB body construction

Compatibility: 1x or 2x chainring systems

SLX M7100 Cassette

Gearing: 10-51T (10-12-14-16-18-21-24-28-33-39-45-51 teeth)

Gearing: 10-45T (10-12-14-16-18-21-24-28-32-36-40-45 teeth)

Hyperglide+ quicker shifting

Material: Aluminium & steel

BEAM SPIDER construction increased acceleration

MICRO SPLINE 10T lowest sprocket realized by new FREEHUB body construction

Compatibility: 1x or 2x chainring systems

Both cassettes are the same when it comes to compatibility and features, so there are no added benefits to go with one over the other in this regard.

FINISH

The overall finish of the XT cassette and SLX are very similar, so you can’t really go wrong with either cassette in regard to the finish. Looks shouldn’t matter as much compared to the rest, but both of these cassettes have a clean finish and look to them. Putting either of these cassettes on a higher-end bike will still give you that premium look.

The XT cassette has ten steel sprockets and two aluminium sprockets attached to an aluminium spider. The structure of the SLX is mostly identical, but only one of the sprockets is aluminum. That is why in the above photo the XT cassette has two black aluminum sprockets while the SLX cassette only has one black sprocket.

OUR TAKE

With the features and benefits of both cassettes being the same, the only differences are really the weight, price, and finish. The extra $70 for the XT cassette really just gets you the 64 grams of weight savings and the finish with two black aluminum sprockets. If you are looking to save money the SLX cassette is definitely the better option as the weight savings are minimal and the finishes are fairly similar. However, the XT cassette is the higher end version, so those looking for the best of the best between the two should choose the XT cassette.

Click here to purchase the XT M8100 cassette