After introducing 12 speed cassettes on its top of the line XTR groupset, Shimano extends it to the very popular Deore XT and SLX groupsets. However, this is not the only change and it is indeed two brand new groupsets that the Japanese brand has just introduced. The cranksets abandon the 4 screws chainring fixing system and switch to Directmount (the chainring and the star are fixed together directly on the crank, at the axle). Technically, we have two different parts for the chainring and the star but it is impossible to disassemble the chainring from the star. The chainrings (30/32/34 teeth) are not compatible with the current Shimano transmissions, the chain would not wrap on them. ATTENTION the cranksets are not compatible with 12v chains only.