Shimano 2012 XT

The new XT group gets reworked brakes with polished, reservoir-free master cylinders, tool-free lever-position adjustment and free-stroke adjustment, flow-through calipers and hinged lever clamps.

The knob you see is the lever-position adjustment. It changes the distance from the grip to the lever. On XTR, it requires a screwdriver, but on XT, it’s a big knob you can turn with your fingers, even while riding. And the free-stroke adjustment? That adjusts point at which a roller attached to the base of the lever (inside the lever body) rolls around the corner in the ServoWave mechanism — in other words, it changes the point at which the brake goes from low-power/high-pad-movement to high power/low-pad-movement.

XT now comes with either a double or triple crank, but there is only one set of shifters.

There are two new XT pedals, both a cross-country/cyclocross model and a trail version with a larger platform. Both get a new, thinner axle, and the tubular section of the body through which it passes is now oval in cross section with the horizontal dimension being considerably narrower than the old round cross-sectional diameter, allowing mud to pass through the pedal body more easily

For 2012, the XT rear derailleur sees an improved Shadow design.

The XT trail wheel gets a wider rim — to 21mm inner rim width, 24 spoke, it is UST tubeless and an optional 12mm through/142mm thru axle.

The trail wheel's hub bearing cone is now a “hybrid;” it’s aluminum with a steel bearing race adhered to the end to save weight over an all-steel cone. The cones on the 135mm QR axle remain unchanged (i.e., steel), since the threads are too small to hold up if they were aluminum.

Shimano outfitted all the bikes with its Pro line of static components.

Shimano trimmed the editors' bikes with its Pro Koryak seatpost rendered in 6061 aluminum.

Shimano's Pro line Vulture seat.

Editor's from all over the world attended the 2012 Shimano XT media camp, which was held at Northstar-at-Tahoe resort in Truckee, California.

The editors at the 2012 Shimano XT media camp hit the Emigrant trail just outside of Truckee, California.

The editors attending the 2012 Shimano XT media camp take a breather after testing the group on a ride near Truckee, California.

Shimano outfitted each editor's bike with the 2012 XT line and then took all in attendance riding.

Editors load their XT-spec'd rigs onto the gondola at Northstar-at-Tahoe resort near Truckee, California.