Converting a bike ready for youngest and want to ditch 2x without spending much, as will be fitting a ZTTO dropper lever where the FD shifter currently lives.
What's the max wide range cassette a 10spd XT derailleur would handle without the oneup cage gubbins?
He's not racing around so as long as he can get up the hills with a sensible NW chainring I'd only have to swap minimal parts (already sending fork to service and fitting new brakes).
I'm pretty sure one of my bikes is using an XT rear mech and an 11-42 cassette in a 1x10 setup, with a 34t chainring.
Ok thanks and b-screw handles that?
I'm thinking a 30 or 32t chainring as he's only a young un so don't want him to struggle on the steeps
Just checked and it is an XT mech and working fine with just the standard b-screw. I thought I might have to use a longer one but didn't need it. I had a 32t on it before but it's a 26" wheeled bike set up more for XC so while it was good at the low end it was a bit short on the flat. Would have been good for trail centre "winch and plummet" type stuff though.
Perfect thanks for that.
As above, I'm running an XT 10 speed with 11-42 and it's fine.
You could also get the new deore 10spd mech for more range, or run a £2 goat link copy.
It depends on your chainstays and mech hangar.
40T is pretty universal and is it gets bigger its more suck and see.
I recently did a 1x conversion with an XT rear mech. On the shimano website I managed to find the detailed manual for my mech and it stipulated a max of 46T. Combined with a 32T front gave me the same ratio as my previous lowest gear. SO worth checking with Shimano on your specific mech model.
One think you will need is 1x specific chainring which is called a wide-narrow ring. This keeps the chain on nice and securely. Total was about £100 for the both.
HTH
11-46 is the best compromise with older kit but usually requires a mech mod. Don't be afraid of modding, it's really easy and can be cheap goat links etc!
My 1x10, M615 Deore mech with Rad Cage (sold the bike on) was the best 1x setup I've had. It really was set and forgot, and as bulletproof as I've ever had!
Shimano 1x11, the mechs seem to take a battering and the CAGES are made of horrible cheap and nasty soft metal that bends far too easily!
I’m thinking a 30 or 32t chainring as he’s only a young un so don’t want him to struggle on the steeps
Then why ditch the double? Doesn't make any sense whatsoever.
You probably want a 30t at the front if it’s going to be 11-42 at the back for a young lad. My 14 year old nephew found 10-42 with a 32t chainring a bit hard up what weren’t huge hills a few weeks back. He needs to get fitter though.
I think if you stick a goat link copy on you should be fine with 11-42. I don’t know if Sunrace do an 11-46 in 10 speed?
Some cranks don’t allow for a 30t chainring so that’s another thing to check.
Sunrace definitely do 11-46 10 speed.
My XT 10 speed mech was fine unaltered with 11-42. Bought a sunrace 11-46 10 speed cassette and a sunrace derailleur hanger extender (£7) at the same time and it works perfectly.
Then why ditch the double? Doesn’t make any sense whatsoever.
both of my kids really struggled to shift the front mech with a clean setup on a safe flat trail (1 RF, 1 gripshift), as soon is it gets a bit of grit in it and they need to concentrate on where they're going they've no chance. Considered sticking them on a 1x, but for now we just stop and I shift it for them.
11-42 deore cassette looks a decent option and afaik works ok with 10spd mechs (Ive been running an 11-40 Trex hop up, slx mech without a droplink)
I've no particular issue with running a front mech (one of my XC bikes is 2x and the other still a 3x setup) however some folks do struggle with the combination of front and rear shifters - especially if they are new or infrequent riders. My wife is one of those so I'm going to go 1x on her bike now it's easy and reasonably cheap to do that. She's probably going to get either 1x10 with a 32 on the front and 11-42 on back or possible 1x11 with the 11-51 cassette and probably a 34t.
I've got 1x11 with an 11-51 on one of the bikes already and have ordered one of the kits from China with the cassette, mech, shifter and chain (which are all supposed to be Shimano) for about £100 so I'm hoping that does indeed arrive at some point.
Thanks for all above. Yes the decision to move to 1x is that youngest struggles with front chainring shifting currently and if we do away with the shifter there's room for one of the v light-action ztto dropper shifters to replace the hard to use current one.
I've done a few 1x conversions (with NW chainrings) but either replaced RD or fitted a oneup rad cage (faff). Just wanted to explore options for not having to do either.
I'll explore "copy goat links" unless anyone has a link?
search for "PILO" on ebay - there are others around, but i know that one works. not dirt cheap though...
I have a 10spd Sunrace 11-46 cassette which works perfectly with a Shimano mech and cheap goatlink . In fact it works better than my 11 Spd bike which has the correct Shim 11-46 cassette and matching XT mech
Thanks again all - bought the entire requirements inc. sunrace derailleur extender from Merlin for £111 which I thought was good given current demand/stock shortages. Going on an old XS Orange Five which if TFTuned can revive the old 1 1/8 fork should be a good bike for him.
Was going to suggest a cheap expander but seems you're all sorted
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/funn-clinch-expander-sprocket/rp-prod148388
I'm running 42-11 deore cassette with a deore ispec shifter and xt rear mech.
I tried a ebay copy goat link, it was terrible. I then put the mech back together with the screw almost all the way in and it runs fine. 32t oval ring on the front.
If you do buy a rear mech mod either buy a proper one or just go for a new deore rear mech designed for a bigger range.
Interesting to see that people are running 10 speed XT with an 11-42 cassette. I've got 10 speed SLX and needed a longer b screw to run a 42 cassette.
It's not universal it seems to work for some but not others. The last one I set up with an 11-42 really wouldn't work without mods and even with a chinese goat link it is far from perfect. Mech hanger was nicely aligned. As mentioned already, the rad cage is the best solution for me. Two set up like that and they are both perfect. Wish I could get a couple more. I'm sure there must be few languishing in the bottom of spares boxes from people that have upgraded to 11 and 12 speed.
I have a rad cage, I think an earlier version as it only replaced one side, on an XTR mech. Shifting seems similar to the SLX with an extended b screw but the SLX does run at a funny looking angle due to the b screw adjustment
