Shimano road 11speed derailleur with 36t casette

[NickGM]

Hi,

As the title suggests, I'm keen to use a Shimano road 11speed derailleur with 36t casette (or even bigger). However, as I understand it the road derailleurs are only rated up to 34t max. Has anyone tried going beyond this?

Thanks

[JA-Q001]

Hi,

As the title suggests, I'm keen to use a Shimano road 11speed derailleur with 36t casette (or even bigger). However, as I understand it the road derailleurs are only rated up to 34t max. Has anyone tried going beyond this?

Thanks

 

Depends on the type of road RD as well, as some can only go up to 29. 

 

Just google the Shimano specs for the specific RD, this will already tell you the calculated max before efficiency is compromised. Beyond that shifting will deteriorate. You can then start using a dropout extender, but again this is an extension to "make it work" beyond recommended capacity and efficiency will be lost somewhere. 

 

In the end. You will get a way to make it work, cheapest bet is a dropout extender, but some of your smoothness in shifting is going to get lost. 

[Chris_]

Hi,

As the title suggests, I'm keen to use a Shimano road 11speed derailleur with 36t casette (or even bigger). However, as I understand it the road derailleurs are only rated up to 34t max. Has anyone tried going beyond this?

Thanks

 

What are you building?

 

Edit: I don't want to be dumb and suggest a smaller chainring so will leave it with the above

Edited June 3, 2020 by Chris_

[Schnavel]

Another option would be to get a GRX rear derailleur. These work with Shimano road shifters, so you would be able to use a bigger cassette. 

[mecheng89]

Wolftooth or any other rear mech extender should do the job.

 

https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/collections/drivetrain-1/products/goatlink-11

 

Just make sure your chain length is correct too. 

[NickGM]

Another option would be to get a GRX rear derailleur. These work with Shimano road shifters, so you would be able to use a bigger cassette. 

That's what I want to buy, but the GRX 2x11 is only rated up to 34t. With 30t small ring in the front this gives a gear ratio of 30/34 = 0.88. It's OK, but not great for bikepacking and touring. Ideally I need a smaller number than that.

 

GRX 2x10 accepts 36t cassette, but not available in the country.

[NickGM]

What are you building?

 

Edit: I don't want to be dumb and suggest a smaller chainring so will leave it with the above

Thanks Chris, a gravel touring bike, see my reply to Schnavel. Looking at getting a GRX 2x groupset but the 2x11 does not provide enough low range for my purposes with a 34t cassette.

[Derrondv]

Hi,

As the title suggests, I'm keen to use a Shimano road 11speed derailleur with 36t casette (or even bigger). However, as I understand it the road derailleurs are only rated up to 34t max. Has anyone tried going beyond this?

Thanks

Try Rapide - they have an extender at a reasonable price.

I have also seen a guy use an XT M8000 11 speed derailleur with a road group set and I think he went to a 42.

Personally I've built a T Bar hybrid - kept the 50/34 crank but then used a SRAM MTB rear derailleur mated to a 11/36 with these ratio's I mostly ride in the 50 ring. 

[Clinton - theCOW]

I know you said road RD and the cheapest fix is the extender, also available from Wayne at Rapide.

 

If you use a MTB RD, you can get a much bigger ratio and it should work with the Road Shimano Shifters.

 

Watching this, been looking to build a Monster Cross for bike packing

[mecheng89]

Try Rapide - they have an extender at a reasonable price.

I have also seen a guy use an XT M8000 11 speed derailleur with a road group set and I think he went to a 42.

Personally I've built a T Bar hybrid - kept the 50/34 crank but then used a SRAM MTB rear derailleur mated to a 11/36 with these ratio's I mostly ride in the 50 ring. 

Rapide was the brand name that escaped me. 

[NickGM]

I know you said road RD and the cheapest fix is the extender, also available from Wayne at Rapide.

 

If you use a MTB RD, you can get a much bigger ratio and it should work with the Road Shimano Shifters.

 

Watching this, been looking to build a Monster Cross for bike packing

Thanks, will chat to Wayne.  

My understanding is that 11 speed shimano road shifters and mtb derailleur don't play well. 

https://road.cc/content/feature/246424-how-get-ultra-low-gearing-gravel-bike-adventures

[NickGM]

Most touring bikes have a low ratio of about 0.65ish. That's because you just want to spin slowly if you're carrying 20kg up hills for weeks on end. I don't need to go that low, but the 0.88 on offer from GRX 2x11 is still too high in my opinion. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe that is plenty, but chatting to mates who have done multi week tours - you are begging for that ratio on some days. 

[Fat Boab]

Must it be 11 speed? 10 sp STI and 9 sp MTB RD work a treat...

[Paul Ruinaard]

Hi, i have been running an 11-36 Cassette on 11 speed Ultegra on my road bike with an Ultegra RD for some time now it works fine.

 

The RD should ideally be long cage but i was not using one nor an MTB RD - just a standard Ultegra RD. You can get 11-36 Sunrace cassettes.

 

I neededsome climbing gears and also run Absolute Black Oval Rings up front and havent had any hassles shifting.

 

I have now gone to Ultegra DI 2 and it works a charm. Josh from cyclists workshop installed it for me.

Edited June 3, 2020 by Paul Ruinaard

[PeterF]

Hi,

As the title suggests, I'm keen to use a Shimano road 11speed derailleur with 36t casette (or even bigger). However, as I understand it the road derailleurs are only rated up to 34t max. Has anyone tried going beyond this?

Thanks

I fitted a Shimano Ultegra RX800 rear derailleur to my road bike with a Shimano XT 11-40 cassette and it shifts perfectly.  Running 1x though.

[MORNE]

Hi,

As the title suggests, I'm keen to use a Shimano road 11speed derailleur with 36t casette (or even bigger). However, as I understand it the road derailleurs are only rated up to 34t max. Has anyone tried going beyond this?

Thanks

still running a 10 speed shortcage shimano saint on the back of my bike with a 11-36 cassette. works flawlessly. as per the above post, ive read plenty of online posts of these also being able to handle 11-40s. if not.....wolftooth road/goatlink or the rapide one as already mentioned as well.