Which groupset for cyclocross to touring conversion

[songololo]

I have a cyclocross bike that has already seen me through some tours, however, I find the compact chainring is sometimes not geared low enough and I'm also growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of support for 10 speed shifters / components now that Shimano's road components have moved-on to 11.

It seems like the T6000 and T8000 groupsets might be worth considering, but they seem quite hard to find. They seem to be slightly modified versions of the M series mountain versions, so a few questions:

- Curious if touring cyclists have had much luck finding and using the T6000 or T8000 series components?
- Or do people use the M6000 / M8000 mountain bike components as these seem to be easier to find?
- Are these cross-compatible from T series to M series equivalents?
- Any appreciable difference in quality from the 6000 series to 8000 series components?
- Is there any reason these would not be compatible with a 10 speed road bike setup (cyclocross frame)? (Assuming I switch out the complete groupset).

Thanks.

EDIT - the cyclocross is of a pre-disc-brake vintage and has previously been modified to a flat-top handlebar.

[iandriver]

Do you have disc brakes or cantlivers?

Super compact chainsets exist that you can swap out for tours if you have a screw in bottom bracket.
Something like a Sora triple would be a good choice. 34t on the back and you can swap the inner ring down to a 26t.

Need to know more about the current bike and your braking requirements really.

[songololo]

I have existing cantilever breaks that I would like to keep and a flat top handlebar with a simple brake pull lever.

Part of the motivation for making a change now is that I have a broken (flat-bar style) shifter and it is becoming very difficult to find replacement 10 speed road shifters that don't cost over £100. So I'd rather spend the money converting to a drivetrain that will be easier and cheaper to maintain in future.

[irc]

Curious if touring cyclists have had much luck finding and using the T6000 or T8000 series components?
- Or do people use the M6000 / M8000 mountain bike components as these seem to be easier to find?

When I googled T6000 so see what it was the Bike Radar review said T6000 and M6000 were interchangable.


https://www.bikeradar.com/news/touring- ... -groupset/

[Sweep]

Yes, i am somewhat confusd by the shimano T and M prefixes.

Anyone got the final word on the issue?

[rotavator]

Yes, i am somewhat confusd by the shimano T and M prefixes.

Anyone got the final word on the issue?

I am not sure if this is what you are asking about but T stands for Trekking or Touring and M for Mountain biking.

[Sweep]

Yes, i am somewhat confusd by the shimano T and M prefixes.

Anyone got the final word on the issue?

I am not sure if this is what you are asking about but T stands for Trekking or Touring and M for Mountain biking.

I meant in terms of what they actually are - their qualities.

Are you saying that it's just diferential marketing labelling?

I had twigged that the M meant mountain and T trekking.

Though of course the distinction is complicated/fogged since touring cyclists have long used mountain bike bits.

So are they MTBing or trekking?

[hamster]

It's easy to misunderstand this from a UK viewpoint where tourers look much like racing bikes. The trekking groupsets are made for the German-style touring bike, with 700c wheels and flat or butterfly bars.
OK, they are broadly the same as MTB but with larger chainrings.

[songololo]

The T series seems remarkably hard to find. The M series is easier to find but the chainrings are probably a bit too small for touring.

[markjohnobrien]

T8000 (XT) and T6000 (Deore) trekking bits can be found on the German retailers - Bike 24 and Bike discount de de: chain rings are bigger (smallest rings are normally 26) than the MTB equiverlent and chain guards are fitted.

Full groupsets haven’t been available for a while.

[markjohnobrien]

XT trekking triple:

https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/shi ... 5mm-528853

While good quality, too expensive for me.