All photos courtesy of Shimano, unless otherwise noted

Last year was a big one for Shimano. Over the summer, they released their long-awaited response to SRAM AXS wireless electronic shifting in the form of Shimano Di2. First came the top-of-the-line, shiny XTR Di2 drivetrain, followed two weeks later by wireless XT and Deore offerings.

And those who love the crisp shifting of mechanical drivetrains rolled their eyes, fearing their beloved cables were no more. But, not to fear, Shimano hasn’t forgotten about the practicality of cables.

The past year at Shimano

During the same launch of the new Di2 drivetrains, new XTR and XT brakes were also introduced, with Shimano making significant changes to their stoppers. Reach adjust was reworked onto the lever, wandering bite point was addressed with a new low-viscosity mineral oil, and pad rattle was also addressed.

Oh, and the brakes were redesigned, bringing the master cylinder more parallel with the handlebars. And while Shimano made other changes to the brakes, the power and lever feel remained very similar to previous iterations, making Shimano lovers everywhere rejoice.

Photos from Jeff’s time on the new XTR offerings

But it is also fair to say that the release of the Di2 drivetrains overshadowed the new brakes. While many wondered when Shimano would update their brakes, perhaps more wondered when they would “compete with SRAM” once again.

While there was certainly a lot of buzz around the new electronic drivetrain offerings, many riders just want the crisp, reliable shifting of something like a mechanical XT drivetrain. Sadly, there were no new Shimano options with cables introduced last year. 

Well, cable lovers, your day has arrived.

New cable-actuated derailleurs

Okay, so cables haven’t come back to Shimano XT derailleurs yet, but the brand is announcing new derailleurs at the Deore M7200 and M6200 levels. And these three derailleurs (the M7200-level has 12- and 11-speed offerings) shift with good ol’ fashioned cables.

They also all have technology that trickled down from the XT and XTR Di2 offerings. First and foremost is a new look, which comes from Shimano’s SHADOW ES technology, found on both the M7200 and M7230 derailleurs (12- and 11-speed, respectively). Both feature a similar wedge-shaped front as we see on the new Di2 offerings, allowing the derailleur to glance off a rock strikes more effectively.

And, like the Di2 offerings, these two no longer feature a clutch. Rather, SHADOW ES incorporates a dual spring design that, according to Shimano, “creates higher chain tension for better chain wrap and retention.”

M7230 (left) / M7200 (middle) / M6200 (right)

Trickling down to the M6200 level, we see Shimano sticking with the clutch that worked so well on previous iterations. 

More clutch talk a bit later.

In step with the other new offerings, the Deore M6200 derailleur features the same wedge front to better deflect impacts. 

Shimano claims that a feature of all the new derailleurs is “reliable shifting even under heavy pedaling.” Across the board, all three new offerings use the same steel-cage construction and are designed for Shimano’s larger gear ranges. Unlike Di2, which has short and long cage options, the new M7200, M7230, and M6200 feature long cages only. 

The M7200 and M6200 are both Shimano 12-speed Hyperglide+ and utilize a 10-51T cassette. The 11-speed Linkglide M7230 derailleur works off a similarly geared 10-50T cassette.

The other parts of the drivetrain

Chainring and cranks

Shimano also introduces the M6200 Deore crank. The two-piece crank is optimized for rigidity and features a 24mm steel axle and a direct-mount chainring. It has a standard 176mm Q-factor and features a 55mm chainline. 

The new Deore cranks come in 165, 170, and 175mm lengths, with either a 30T or 32T chainring. The one-piece steel chainring features Shimano’s Dynamic Chain Engagement technology, which they claim enhances chain retention while maintaining efficiency and durability.

The M7200 cassette. The more affordable M6200 cassette looks exactly the same, save for the largest cog, which isn’t black

Cassette

Two new cassettes are available in this release. Both are 12-speed, 10-51T range, Hyperglide+ options, and both are relatively similar. The M6200 is the most affordable option, with steel construction on each cog. Jumping up to the M7200 “lightweight” cassette gives you essentially the same setup, but with an aluminum 51T cog instead of a steel one.

What those weight savings are is unknown, as Shimano didn’t include weights in their press material. Also absent from the press material was a mention of an 11-speed cassette.

Shifter

Similar to the new derailleurs, Shimano is offering three new shifters in this mechanical lineup. All shifters fall into the M6200 category but differ in features and functions. 

The M6200 shifter works with 12-speed Hyperglide+ and allows for single or multiple shifts (up to three shifts at once). The M6210 shifter is essentially the same as the M6200, except it lacks the multiple-shift option, as it is intended for higher-torque e-bikes.

Both shifters feature Shimano’s Rapidfire shifting triggers, actuated with your thumb. They also feature 2-Way Release, meaning you can push them in the opposite direction with your finger.

Shimano’s M6230 also features Rapidfire and 2-Way Release, but for the 11-speed Linkglide option. It also has a multishift option, but only two gears at a time.

But what about a clutch?

Yes, save for the M6200, these new derailleurs do not feature the clutch found on previous Shimano derailleurs. Rather, they use the same Shadow ES Dual Spring Chain Stabilizer found on the Di2 derailleurs.

Now, there has been quite a bit of criticism on the World Wide Web regarding Shimano’s controversial decision to ditch the clutch. Much of this came after people rode with the new XT and XTR Di2 derailleurs and noticed significant chain slap.

In his long-term review of the XTR derailleur, Jeff mentioned how the clutchless system made it more difficult to remove the rear wheel. While I agree with that, I am also one of those who have experienced a lot of chain-slap and noise, although I haven’t had the opportunity to say so publicly. 

Shimano says that its Shadow ES Dual Spring Chain Stabilizer “increases spring forceby 70% for better chain engagement and reliability over rough terrain.” It is unclear whether this means better chain engagement than the clutch, but, in my experience, the bikes I’ve ridden with the new Di2 XT derailleurs suffer from more chain slap and noise than an old XT derailleur with a clutch.

We reached out to Shimano regarding the lack of a clutch in these new models. As of publishing, we haven’t received any response. 

New Shimano brakes

The new Deore M6200 and M6220 brakes also directly benefit from “trickle-down technology developed at the XTR and DEORE XT level.” The brakes range from XC to enduro, with 2-piston (M6200) and 4-piston (M6220) options. 

2-piston (left) / 4-piston (right)

Both calipers are two-piece designs and feature new internal seals. They share the same Deore M6200 lever, which also received a bit of a facelift. The brake levers use low-viscosity mineral oil and feature a parallel-to-the-bar design like the XT and XTR brakes. Along with the new mineral oil, Shimano says their upgraded internal seals “ensure smooth fluid flow between lever and caliper, maintaining consistent braking feel in both hot and cold conditions.”

Shimano further aids braking with its SERVO WAVE power curve, which engages the pads faster with a smooth, controllable power ramp-up. The levers feature Shimano’s I-SPEC EV for the option of mounting the shifter directly to them. While the new brakes do not include a rotor, they come in at a solid price point.

Deore M6220 4-piston brakes	$315
Deore M6200 2-piston brakes	$245
Deore M6200 12-speed shifter (multi-shift)	$30
Deore M6210 12-speed shifter (single-shift)	$30
Deore M6230 11-speed shifter	$30
Deore M6200 cassette	$140
Deore M7200 cassette	$180
Deore M6200 crank (all lengths/chainring options)	$100
Deore M6200 derailleur	$65
Deore M7200 derailleur	$100
Deore M7230 derailleur	$100

Weights for the updated components were not available as of press time.