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Well after much deliberating I ordered a camino frameset to build up a gravel bike for use in mainly in the north lakes and some touring either pulling a trailer or with front and rear racks.
I have a set of r7000 hydro / mechanical sti's to go on and a 5800 gs rear mech and an unused 11-36 cassette and chain. I am trying to build the rest up as cheap;y as possible and was going to go GRX 30-46, new bb and front mech for the build. However I have a 24-38 xt double and a hope mtb bb that are sat doing nothing, so I'm wondering if i can remover the inner and use the bb and chainset as a single 38 and use a slx 11-42 or 11-46 cassette and a road link extender.
Will the slx cassette work with the road sti? and the mtb chainset as a single ring option?
ratio wise 38 -11 is similar to 46 13 and a bit so i think it will be ok for the iding on this bike its not going to be racing on the road
and 38 - 46 is pretty much exactly the same as 30-36 and little bit easier than 38 -42 (2.2 gear inches)
grx chain set front mech and bb is going to set me back roughly 160
roadlink slx cassette and chain roughly £90 but can sell the new 11-36 and chain so may bet 45 of that back.
or will the mtb chainset and bb give a horrible chainline that wont work well at all
thanks
You really need to go triple. I realise that's a dirty word and unfashionable in 2020, but that's the truth.
The only way you can get gear range to ride a bike up a steep offroad and potentially down a tarmac hill is with a triple. You'll also get close ratio gears and optimum chainline.
If you get the range with a double, you'll be cross chaining when 'going along'. It works but it's not pleasant to be riding between rings.
If you go with 38 single, you won't have the range to ride up very steep hills offroad.
I'd go Sora R3000 9spd shifters, 29'er triple 22/30/40 chainset and 11-34/36 cassette. Robust, inexpensive, maximum range, perfect chainline when your gasping up steep offroad section, just going along then later riding downhill tarmac home, close ratio gears and takes MTB rear derailleurs and a strong 9 speed chain to boot. Those XT 9 speed casettes are light too if you can find one. Standard shimano freehub not needing Sram XD. Maybe some cheap Deore or Shimano 756 hubs Fit Spyre brakes.
Singles and doubles for what you're needing to do, is building in 'gear poverty' living in the Lakes, riding offroad and road and possibly pulling trailer. The frame I assume takes a triple as it's not for plus tyres etc.
That Camino...it should have 'long chainstays' really for racks and panniers and long wheelbase for stability with trailers etc - I'd ask or check about that.
I wrote a but about why 11-46 didn't work on my gravel bike here https://ukgravelco.com/2020/06/18/shimano-deore-cs-m5100-cassette/
Now running 40 - 11-51 11sp. Way too low gearing for my local rides but a laden bike in the lakes? Could work for you.
I’d go Sora R3000 9spd shifters
Great shifters but cable only, if I was on a heavily laden bike or one with a trailer I'd want hydraulic stopping power.
Rocket dog, the 11-51 casstter should shift ok with 105 7000 stis? and 105 rear mech, i think i will need a road link at least. I'll look into that option, other wise I thinkit would be the 11-42 if i go single ring. I'm wondering if 30-46 grx double may work out easier
How about using those r7000 brifters for braking and the rear mech, but using a bar end shifter connected to a triple chainset?
Rocket dog, the 11-51 casstter should shift ok with 105 7000 stis?
works with the GRX 810 shifter so i don't see why not, the 105 rear mech I'm not too sure of. the RX+ probably as that and the GRX mechs seem more like MTB mechs and the 105 is definitely road plus f you are going 1 x it's got no clutch. so not 100% sure there
I'm using a XT 11-40T cassette, R7000 50/34 cranks and a R8000 rear mech. No Roadlink. That replaces a triple setup I was previously using and its been fine. I suspect the 11-42T cassette might work too.
Still tempted by a Super Compact chainset but will see how this works on some laden climbs first.
I don't have a fast cadence so 50/11 top is good on the road.
As above, I’m using 50/34 on an 11-40 cassette GRX/XTR and can pull my daughter in the chariot (30-40kg) up an average 13-14% gradient hill for 3-4km okay. Yes, it hurts, but it’s easily doable. We’ve also done some shorter 18-22% gradients.