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Hiya chaps,
I've seen the Hope and the E13 TRS 11speed cassettes, but both appear to have longevity issues.
I would prefer not to go to Eagle, and keep my X01 11 speed. What cassettes are out there to extend the range of my 11 speed?
I can only run a 32t up front, and most of my riding is steep up and steep down, so range is good! I also can't run a cheat ring at the front.
Cheers!
Ricks
Sunrace do an 11 speed 11-50 cassette.
Although my Hope cassette does well enough and the alu half is available separately.
I've had good results with Sunrace cassettes (11-50) but guess you have an XD driver at the moment? Sunrace only support the standard shimano freehub...
EDIT - beaten to it!
I assume cheat ring is 28t or the like? If it is, daft question "can't" or "won't" have one?
As for alternatives there is always 2x as an option (and really it's the right answer for needing bigger range even if unfashionable, everything has it's place ultimately, 1x 2x or even gawd ferbid 3x) or the sunrace cassette reviewed a few weeks ago https://singletrackmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/need-more-range-on-your-1x11-drivetrain-we-review-the-enormous-11-50t-mx80-cassette-from-sunrace/
Are you sure you want to go for a bigger range?
I ride the golfie and thornie as my main locals and they punch up and down. I can't imagine wanting a larger range on the cassette (32 front 44 rear) Any easier than that on the up would be spinning out like mad with the legs and you wont have the momentum to get over anything technical that easily without likely clipping a pedal and you wont use it on a fireroad.
I'm not particularly fit (pretty spent after 13-15 miles of the golfie) but I dont think range is the answer.
Specialized Slaughter on the back instead of a full DH tyre?
New freehub and Shimano XT 11-46 cassette? Losing range at the higher end tho'.
Otherwise there’s the Sunrace option mentioned above but I don’t think the X01 mech can cope with the 50t cog, based on what I read in the STW review anyway, so you would need to purchase a GX Eagle mech which apparently does work with an 11sp shifter.
I assume cheat ring is 28t or the like? If it is, daft question “can’t” or “won’t” have one?
As for alternatives there is always 2x as an option
Nope. I can run 30t lowest, but it'll cause issues with the chainstay, so 32t max for me.
Frame is 1x only, and I'm never going 2x!
Alexx... Same for me, local is Golfie/Thornilee/Glendanger.
I'm 32t 42t at the moment. It's fine, but id prefer a cheat gear for things like the inners pushup climb, or the Thornielee main path. I can probably ride it in a one-r three times but I'd prefer a bit more spin.
Sram XD Cassette and a wolftooth/oneup 44/45/46t 1st gear replacement
https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/collections/cassette-cogs
What about an oval front ring might help you get that little bit of extra grind?
I'd try a larger shimano cassette first - they are dirt cheap compared to other options and anytime I've seen a mate with eagle they are never in the easiest ring so it seems a shame carrying it around. If I had to I'd probably go down the wolftooth route though on the shimano cassette.
I've been looking a this recently....
https://garbaruk.com/11-speed.html
Not cheap, but light, available in both shimano and XD freehub.
I've been searching for some reviews before taking the plunge myself.
Sunrace also do an 11-46 cassette which has a better spread of gears than the Shimano one with less of a jump between first and second, also less compatability issues than the 11-50 going off the linked review on here. I was going to fit an 11-50 but was worried it was pushing the limits a bit so went 11-46.
I'm currently fitting an MX80 11 to 50..... it's proving to be a pain in the rear. 🙁
Chain bits hits XT cable "lever", sgs mech....
Not an B tension issue.
Trying a short cage SLX next. The shifting is fine but it's hit and miss (literally) on compatibility with the mech.
Will be making a post on it later tonight....
Linked article reckons sg mech works better with the 11-50 cassette, not sure why, bought whole xt drivetrain from lbs and they supplied it with sgs mech for Sunrace 11-46 as that’s what Shimano recommend, not a huge amount of clearance it has to be said, I could see why the 11-50 could be tricky.
Oneup 50t with XT works a treat and lasts a long time. I find the 50t comes into its own at the tail end of yet another massive Lakes or Highlands epic.
Will create a thread for it later but here is the crux of the issue. In the middle rings, as the chain jumps between gears it actually hits the cable swing arm of the mech. Still messing about with chain length which might hold the cure but I'm not optimistic. B screw length does not help. New XT mech, sgs.
Cage length is the big factor.... Perhaps the stw review was right and a shorter cage is the key....though counter intuitive. Have a gs cage SLX here to try.
Picture looking down from above the mech.
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Hmm just getting eagle or fitter, not decided yet
Change of plan.
Going to fit a gx Eagle mech with an 11spd shifter and see what that's like. 🙂
@poopscoop, why counterintuitive that shorter cages might be better?
Cage length is about handling excess chain length caused by present gear selection. Once you’re past tiny DH mechs, it’s nothing to do with the size of the cassette if you’re in a 1x setup. An 11-50 cassette has a tooth difference of 39, so you need a mech that has 39T capacity.
It just so happens the M8000 GS has 39T capacity. It does say max 46 cassette, but bear in mind that’s all Shimano make so they’re hardly likely to advertise competitors!
For a big cassette like this, the ability of the mech not to crash into the cassette is the important thing, and that’s about shape and geometry. Just because the derailleur can cope with the shifts doesn’t mean it’s not going to foul on a component it was never designed to work with ...
Thanks vincie, what you have said does make sense.
Even more so if you read my post about the MX80 I made today! 😀