Originally Posted by Sangetsu

I use Shimano XTR v-brakes, no complaints. For 20" wheels I need adapters, but brakes with longer arms and slots work fine without adapters. The only problem with the longer arms and slots is that when the brake shoe is moved closer toward the end of the brake arms, the less leverage you have, which means increased braking effort. In a pinch, you can use your OEM brakes by moving the pads to the end of the slots, and turning them so the ends can grab the rim. I don't recommend doing this unless the alternative is no brakes at all.

With your 2X11 system, do you have any idea of the gear range as expressed in gear inches?

The range is from 17" to 85" (remember my Birdy has 20" wheels). It is quite adequate for just about anything, though the rear cassette looks the size of a dinner plate. There are some steep hills here in Japan, no need for me to get out of the saddle to climb them. The only difficulty I had was finding a front derailleur adapter which fit correctly. There is not a lot of space between the swingarm and the chain rings, so placement is critical. As I was using an Ultegra road hub, a spacer is needed for the 11 speed XTR cassette to fit properly, but it was included in the package.