worry

Hey guys,

Im working on my trail bike and hit a snag. Long story short, I purchased this bike used, and it had been hap-hazardly been converted to 1x by the previous owner. It had on it a 36t front chainring up front and maximum 36 cog on the rear. It wasnt geared low enough for me for the riding around here. I got a zee 1x crankset to replace the existing 3x with one ring on it. The chainring that I installed was a 32t. (the minimum size that will fit on the crankset) I also installed a 11-42T cassette on the back. I sized and installed a new chain as well.

Well, the problem is that maxed out, the derailleur does not have the clearance to shift to the 42t cog.

What 9 or 10 speed derailleur would you guys suggest that I purchase to solve this problem? (i dont mind putting a spacer in place of the 11t cog if it saves money, I have a 4.5mm spacer sitting on my workbench. Im pretty sure the existing x-9 shifter is a 9 speed. i just bought a 10 speed cassette because the existing cassette on the wheel was a 10 speed and i later speculated that it was probably installed there in error.)

The existing derailleur is a SRAM X4. There is a SRAM X9 quick shifter on the bars.

Thanks.

This is my first experience with a 1x bike and to be frank, it has been a pain in the rear

worry

more info:

I just googled this SRAM x-4 derailleur and it appears that it is an 8 speed derailleur.

I grabbed the cable and shifted the shifter through its range and it has 9 stops, so it is safe to say that it is a 9 speed shifter.

the existing cassette that i pulled is a shimano.

I am pretty sure most of these components are all mismatched, and non-original / non OE.

worry

best solution given my mismatched components?

worry

nothing?

HerrKaLeun

What wheel size do you have and what type of riding do you do that a 36-36 is not enough? I'm just asking because I installed a 36 chainring (also a Zee) and have a 32T rear but have 26" wheels and don't have a problem on normal riding (non real MTB).

Derailleurs have data on maximum cog size. So you need one listed for 42T. I didn't google for the one you selected, so you should.

You can use SRAM cassettes on shimano and vice versa... but the number of cogs needs to match for shifter and cassette. You may (sometimes) use derailleurs for different speeds than rated, but you need to be careful with actuation ratio to shifter, and it may not work. You also need a chain for 10-speed as they are thinner.

if you go from SRAM to shimano you should see if you like the shimano

cobba

Check the derailleur specs and see if it's rated for the cassette you've got.

https://productinfo.shimano.com/#/spe...r%20Derailleur

worry

thanks guys. to be honest, checking the derailleur specs was the first thing i did before posting that shimano stuff earlier. I happen to know its compatible with a 42t cog. SRAM doesnt produce a RD that goes to 42t, thats why a shimano RD and shifter are posted there.

im on 26" wheels

As far as the terrain, there are lots of steep hills where i live and ride. My cruiser bike has a triple ring setup that i ride most often with a small ring of 22t and largest cog of 28t. this yields a gear ratio of .79. I would ideally like to duplicate that on my trail bike as i can get up pretty much every hill without walking the bike.

a 36tx36t low combination yields a 1.0 gear ratio. too high

a 32chainringx36cog yields a .89 gear ratio. still too high.

a 32 chainringx 42cog yields a .76 gear ratio... thats what i prefer

So its either spend another ~$100 or...

maybe im missing a cheaper solution? thats why i made this thread.

maybe its better to put the old crankset back on and buy a front derailleur and a shifter and a granny chainring?

cobba

Specs for that long cage 10 speed say it's 36t max, the medium cage 11 speed is rated for a 42t cassette.

dabac

The "speeds" are in the shifter, not the derailer. The derailer only does what the shifter tells it to.
(Ignoring unusual ones like Sachs Commander and Shimano Positron..)
The actuation ratio is what you need to match.
What do you mean by "stops"?
Is that incl the start position, or do you get nine clicks?
The chain is already on one sprocket.
So you need one click less than the number of sprockets.
If you have nine clicks it's a 10-speed shifter.

Didn't you test ride before you bought it?
If it works, it works. Doesn't matter if the parts weren't meant to go together by the manufacturer.
If you can't clear the cassette, maybe something like this:https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/...ducts/goatlink will sort it out?

worry

there's 8 clicks

yes, on flat ground. i wasnt thinking about that stuff when i bought it. it was only after the first trail ride that i wished i had a lot more low end

thanks, ill bookmark that

worry

upon looking again, the potential RD to buy posted yesterday is indeed an 11 speed. I must have missed that part... does it matter?

or would it not work?

cobba

The previous photo with the shifter and derailleur shows a 10 speed long cage derailleur.

The pull ratios of 10 & 11 speed are slightly different, 1.1:1 for the 11 and 1.2:1 for the 10.

I've seen posts where people say the 10 & 11 speed components are compatible and work fine, I've seen posts people say they will work together but aren't perfect, I've seen posts people say they won't work together.

https://blog.artscyclery.com/science-...compatibility/

worry

the goat tooth suggestion got me thinking. I wonder if theres any reason why i couldnt buy a m10x1 tap and a piece of 5/16" steel out of a remnants bin and cut out a new derailleur hanger, just longer than the one that is on my bike by about 3/4". it would literally cost me the price of a tap and 4 or 5 dollars for a piece of steel. or aluminum really. The problem is that i dont want to spend a bunch of money on this bike... I already spent like $100 on the crankset and another 40 on the chainring, plus a chain, after buying it for $200. its kind of a money pit. in retrospect I wish i would have just bought a new bike. Regretting it. Oh well, I wont do it again I suppose

Retro Grouch 

First, tell me about your 11/42t cassette? I want to know brand and number of cogs. A company that markets an 11/42 cassette must also market, or at least know of, a derailleur that will match. Sram cassette - Sram derailleur. Now all that you have to do is to find a shifter that matches your derailleur. Sram derailleur - Sram shifter. Good-to-go!

Second, congratulations! You have just become a certified (or certifiable) bike tinkerer. You have discovered that you can almost never change one part of a bicycle without having to change something else to make it work.

worry

It is a Sunrace cassette with 10 cogs, sourced from Ebay.

Thanks for the congrats. yes, that has been a lesson learned for sure

worry

the old cassette and chain are back on the bike. Ill just learn to deal with it and move on. Over it. Next time im buying a brand new bike that suits me well from the start. good lesson

Thanks for the input guys

HerrKaLeun

Maybe explore some cheaper stores if you paid that much. Looks like you have the Zee crank and I got the same crank inc. chainring and BB for $98
. Using a cheaper store may open up some more options for derailleur etc. i know getting that kind of information after the fact isn't good, but may help in the future.

hermanchauw

How about installing a Roadlink or Goatlink?

Roadlink allows a short cage road rd to clear a 36t cog so that is at least 4 tooth up from 32t with medium cage road rd.

If you are using your current rd which can clear 36t, adding 4t that should at least clear 40t. If it is not long enough, replace it with a longer cage.

Retro Grouch 

Longer cage probably won't do it. That just yields more chain wrap capacity.

The issue here is the relationship of the upper pulley with the 42t cog. Unfortunately, there just aren't very many derailleurs that are rated by the manufacturer to clear a 42t cog. There's probably a way to make it work if you fool around with it enough but my philosophy when spending money is to only buy stuff that's rated by the manufacturer to work together.

If it was my bike I think that I'd get a cassette with a 36t big cog and work on the motor to make up for the gearing difference.

HerrKaLeun

Best comment yet. I was thinking more about this gear ratio yesterday when I rode my 26" bike with 36T chainring and maximum 32T rear while towing my daughter and her tow-bike (together 70 pounds) up hills (and she is not pedaling fast enough to actually help).
Unless you live in San Francisco, a 36T cassette with 36T chainring should get you through anything in 26" wheels.

Bicyclists think too much about improving transmissions, when the problem is in the motor.

worry

i suppose it is just personal preference... to each his own

trailflow1

Here's a cheaper alternative
www.goo.gl/Bwiygy

worry

thanks