McBTC

The spec for some of the 2019 road-endurance/comfort/gravel bikes are out and many will come 105-equipped that now sport 11x34 11-speed freewheels, replacing the previous compact 11x32. With the usual 50/34 cranks, this latest offering now gives riders a 1:1 gear ratio.

I followed a few links and one of them talked about the Ultegra (HG800) hub actually comes with a removal too and apparently a spacer that is needed for installation on a road bike. No mention of any issues with the older derailleur although I imagine an extra link or two chain links might be required...

Anyone try this at home or at a LBS with good results?

redlude97

11 speed freewheels....

Zaskar

50/34 and 11-34 was available in 2018 - r8000. I have this setup on my gravel bike. I'm not sure what your question is. Are you talking about retrofitting?

Cyclist0108

I'm already on my second one. Works fine with my Ultegra Di2 derailleur. No issues. You might have to adjust the B-screw.

The only place I could find it was Universalcycles.com

Fits on my ordinary 11-speed cassette/hub with the included spacer.

HTupolev

I'm not sure about 11-speed freewheels, but if you want to snap some wheel axles, there's at least a 10-speed freewheel out there.

McBTC

It apparently is showing up now in a 105 groupset for 2019 and hoping it's backward compatible-- e.g., my 105-equipped 11-speed compact rig is a 2015 bike.

SSRI

the new 11-34 cassettes are great, you can fit them on 10 speed hubs. you will need to use the spacer if you use an 11 speed hub.

raisinberry777

In addition to, not replacing. The CS-7000 is still available in an 11-28, 11-30, 11-32 and 12-25 combo. The CS-HG700-11 is the cassette with 11-34 and, as pointed out by others, fits a 10 speed or MTB hub by itself, or an 11 speed hub with the supplied spacer.

Elvo

I run 11 speed 11-36T with an ultegra RD and no roadlink

mstateglfr 

can you post up the link you mention?

the r8000 hubs are centerlock disc. So the rear is spaced for at 148mm OLD. Perhaps there is a spacer that is removed to convert the hub to 130mm OLD for road bike spacing.

CliffordK

I put on a 11/42 on my gravel/touring/utility bike. It is a bit tough to get everything working perfectly, but it isn't bad. Using an M8000 RD, and friction bar end shifters. May try the Microshift Mega sometime.

I think the Shimano 11/34 skips the 12T sprocket, and is not what I would like on the road bike.

IRD Elite does include the 12T in a couple of their wide cassettes. I have one to try out soon.

TimothyH

I run Ultegra 34-50 cranks and SRAM Force 11-36 cassette with a 6870 GS derailleur.

No problems whatsoever.

I crosschain the crud out of it.


-Tim-

McBTC

Here you go...

https://www.competitivecyclist.com/s...hg800-cassette

I can only guess there must be thousands of bikes delivered over the last 3 or more years that are 105-equipped with 11x32 11-speed freewheels with 50/34 cranks so there is a market for those interested in swapping out the OEM hub for Shimano's latest, 105-compact compatible 11x34 11-speed HG700 freewheel... if it's that simple-- essentially bringing your old bike up to the latest 2019 gearing spec.

I don't need to go very far out of my way to make use of a 1:1 gear option (or even a lower gear just to have it) but, I don't want to buy a new bike just to get it.

mstateglfr 

a new hub isnt needed to use an 11-34 cassette.
you could toss that on a 5800 hub.
a 5800 hub will support an 11-36 cassette. It'll support even bigger too.

the hub doesnt care what size cassette you have.
and 5800 VS rear derailleur can handle 34t cassettes without issue. Even some 36t cassettes work without issue/effort/adjustment.

McBTC

The description here sounds like the removable spacer is only for use on MTBs so I guess on a road bike just swapping it out gives you a lower gear that works with 105s compact, indexed shifting.

https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...ontent=Shimano

Revised-- read it again and it reads more like it's MTB-compatible because the spacer can be removed; otherwise, I'd leave the space on for use on a road bike. Not sure whether the chain needs to be longer... I've never fussed with the rivets on an 11-speed chain.

McBTC

11-34 gearing (11-13-15-17-19-21-23-25-27-30-34t)

vs.

11-32 gearing (11-12-13-14-16-18-20-22-25-28-32t)

I spend most of my time in the 3-gear, 20-25t range so... having a 4-gear 19-25t range would work well for me.

lyrictenor1

McBTC

This has more info than the LBS I went to today knew about... e.g.,

https://www.competitivecyclist.com/s...hg700-cassette

Enables you to be a spinning domestique... wow, the marketing!

Check...

Update: ordered it... may be able to give some feedback on it around this time next week to anyone interested.

McBTC

I'm hesitant about adding an extra link to the chain as shifting is very good now and it seems to me there's already enough slack that the bike won't break in 'big-big' which I'd never intentionally ride in anyway. Looking forward to seeing how it goes...

BarryVee

Not HG700 but put an 11-34 CS-HG800-11 on my Emonda with 11 speed C24 wheels. Made a small B screw adjustment and it worked fine with the 6800 GS cage derailleur. Couldn't get the derailleur to adjust until figuring out the extra included spacer had to go on the free hub first. Eventually traded out the 6800 for RS-8000 mid cage seen in the pictures. The chain was sized for 11-32 and worked fine for 11-34. I did remove two links when changing rear derailleurs. My understanding is all this should apply to 105 as well.

McBTC

Great, good to hear-- my understanding as well... the cassette comes with the spacer already attached for a road set-up which must be removed if used on a MTB wheel. Apparently, Ultegra (CS-HG800-11) was a year ahead of 105.

BarryVee

Difference between the cassettes is the gear 1-3 spider. Here we see it is flat on a 6800 11-28. And concave on an 8000 11-34. Raised boss on both spiders is the same height. Top spacer in third picture shows the one included with the R8000 to make up the difference, it's the same thickness as those included between gears 6-7-8-9 but keyed differently.

McBTC

Interesting... the LBS thought a spacer wasn't needed on the 11x32 because it was built-in but as you've shown, it apparently is required on the 11x34 to take up the space created by the concavity, assuming the CS-HG700 11-speed cassette is designed the same as the 8000. From a pic of the spoke side of the cluster it doesn't look concave but it does look recessed but, with the spacer already in place to bring it back to level....

BarryVee

700 & 800 cassette weights are not the same. And it sounds like 1-3 gear spiders may be different from each other too.

McBTC

Sheesh... I'll be adding ~2 ounces to my rig, going from 11x32 to 11x34.-- although, compact gearing probably is still lighter than going to a triple.