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Change / replace derailleur on a CX bike.

Hi,
I have a cyclocross bike with a Rotor 3DF, 36/46 Crankset and a SRAM XG1190 11x28 cassette.
I'd like to swap the cassette for an 11-40 or 11-42.

The guys at Wolftooth said: "..derailleur does NOT have enough capacity to handle an 11-40 cassette and a double chainring. You will have to be careful to not use small/small and large/large gearing combinations.."

So:can I simply buy a new derailleur, long cage (ex: Sram Unisex's Nx 1x11 Speed Long Cage Rear Derailleur-Red, Medium).

Thanks for any feedback!!

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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27 comments

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Huckfinn | 5 years ago
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Ok, Cool!

Thanks a lot for that!!

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Huckfinn | 5 years ago
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sorry

I meant "simply an 11-32 cassette".......

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CXR94Di2 replied to Huckfinn | 5 years ago
1 like

Huckfinn wrote:

sorry

I meant "simply an 11-32 cassette".......

 

Using  BikeCalc.com  

Having 36t chainring with a 42t cass gear it has a gear inch of 22.75"

Using a 30t chainring with a 32t cass gear................................ 24.87"

Smaller number is better for climbing steep hills

All depends where you want to spend your money, a new chainset or new long cage derailleur and wide range cassette 10-42, upto you.

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CXR94Di2 | 5 years ago
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using a 10-42 cass with a 46/30 crank will give a great range, infact slightly better than my triple setup with 11-40 cass

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Huckfinn | 5 years ago
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That's absolutely brilliant!

Thanks.

On a side note, and I guess for anyone in a similar fix, I contacted FSA about their sub-compact cranksets. The answer (so that would be option 2, I guess), is that I can replace the existing with their 48-32 or even 46-30 ones ans simply an 11-cassette. Would do you think of that option?

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CXR94Di2 | 5 years ago
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You could do both, but rear derailleur and
cass is a good start

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Huckfinn | 5 years ago
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Ok,

That what be this, right?:

https://www.wiggle.com/sram-force-1-rear-derailleur/

So you suggest this with an 11-36 or 10-42 cassette , in which case I would keep my existing 46-36 as is right? (or maybe swap the 36 for a 34...) + new chain.

That's it?

Did I understand it correctly...?

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Huckfinn | 5 years ago
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Unfortunately it's a short cage...!

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CXR94Di2 replied to Huckfinn | 5 years ago
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Huckfinn wrote:

Unfortunately it's a short cage...!

 

Sram Force 1 11 speed do, short, medium and long cages. 

 Wiggle has long cage in stock currently

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CXR94Di2 | 5 years ago
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Im not too familiar with SRAM but there specs sheets indicate a long cage RED 22 rear derailleur is EA(exact actuation 1:1) and will accomodate upto 42t rear cass 

11-30 11-32 11-36 10-42 cassettes available

https://www.sram.com/sites/default/files/techdocs/gen.0000000004941_rev_...

IT SEEMS LONG CAGE VERSION IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE  

This derailleur has EA and compatible upto 42t cassettes

https://www.sram.com/sram/road/products/sram-force-1-rear-derailleur

 

 

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Huckfinn | 5 years ago
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Sure!:

Shifters SRAM Red 22
Front Derailleur SRAM Red 22
Rear Derailleur SRAM Red 22
Brakes SRAM Red, hydraulic disc, size specific rotor diameter
Brake Levers SRAM Red 22
Cassette SRAM XG1190 11x28, 11-speed

Chain SRAM Red 22
Crankset Rotor 3DF, 36/46
Bottom Bracket Rotor 3DF

 

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CXR94Di2 | 5 years ago
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Ok. It might help you if you specify the exact drive and derailleurs so comments will be accurate

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Huckfinn | 5 years ago
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"...If I remember correctly, the OP bought a TCR advance 1 2014 10 speed."

Yeah, but that was another project. Which is now going quite well thanks to all the advice I received here!...but it was a Giant TCX (not TCR) advanced 1 of 2014.

This is a new thingo....and is an 11 speed...

 3

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fukawitribe | 5 years ago
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Ah - based on the cassette I thought we were talking 11-speed. The original suggestions you mention get my vote for sure if the cash is there.

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Jimthebikeguy.com | 5 years ago
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You are tying yourself in knots here. Do you need to keep your front mech? If not, then get a long cage rival 1 /apex 1 rear mech, and an 11-42 cassette. Then get a chainring of your choice, prb a 42 or 44, narrow wide. I am assuming you have an 11spd system, its hard to tell.

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CXR94Di2 replied to Jimthebikeguy.com | 5 years ago
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Jimthebikeguy.com wrote:

You are tying yourself in knots here. Do you need to keep your front mech? If not, then get a long cage rival 1 /apex 1 rear mech, and an 11-42 cassette. Then get a chainring of your choice, prb a 42 or 44, narrow wide. I am assuming you have an 11spd system, its hard to tell.

If I remember correctly, the OP bought a TCR advance 1 2014 10 speed.

He asked lots of questions about reducing gearing for easy climbing. Having got a bike with Rotor crank, it wont go below 33/34t (due to pcd) and the derailleur 11-28.

It was suggested to get a bike or frame and get adventure gearing 46/30 and a 11-36/40 cass and matching derailleur.

It can get quite expensive if the gearing doesnt suit the rider requirements.

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Huckfinn | 5 years ago
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 Or a very simple super-compact AbsoluteBlack 46/30 + 11-30 cassette?

 

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fukawitribe replied to Huckfinn | 5 years ago
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Huckfinn wrote:

 Or a very simple super-compact AbsoluteBlack 46/30 + 11-30 cassette?

I'd have an AbsoluteBlack 46/30 oval in a heart-beat - lovely bit of kit. Not sure of the RD and the 30T (or 32T) - might work as-is or with the old gag of B-tension screw backwards or might need a longer cage, not sure, not played with SRAM stuff so couldn't comment. With Shimano, plenty of folk have run 30/32T on a short cage so you may well be fine. Hit Google and YouTube for that I reckon

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Huckfinn | 5 years ago
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I have a small cage but....where does that leave me?

 

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fukawitribe | 5 years ago
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Depending on what rear mech you already have, i'd doubt that you'd need a RoadLink with an 11-34T - more likely a tweak with the B-tension screw if anything. WiFli should work fine, worth checking here and elsewhere with folk that have done exactly that - i've been running 11-34 with a Shimano medium cage (GS) RD-6800 for over a year now, works brilliantly, didn't even need to adjust the B-tension screw.

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Huckfinn | 5 years ago
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Ok; what if I just do this: 

1-Get smaller chainring (33 t). I'd have a 46-33 Crankset

2-Roadlink

3-11-34 cassette.

Would it work? I'd be happy climbing Turini or Madone with it if it did...:-)))

 

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Huckfinn | 5 years ago
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fukawitribe replied to Huckfinn | 5 years ago
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Huckfinn wrote:

Gosh!

So this would not be good?:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sram-1x11-Speed-Long-Derailleur/dp/B01BZBQHTK

That's an X-Actuation mech, so I would guess that it's not going to play nicely with an Exact Actuation shifter.

https://www.sram.com/sram/mountain/products/nx-1x11-x-horizon-rear-derai...

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kil0ran | 5 years ago
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SRAM derailleurs should be interchangeable - they all use the same pull I believe (SRAM call it Exact Actuation)

So just stick one of their large capacity derailleurs in and you should be good to go. You'll also need a new chain

 

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fukawitribe replied to kil0ran | 5 years ago
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kil0ran wrote:

SRAM derailleurs should be interchangeable - they all use the same pull I believe (SRAM call it Exact Actuation)

OP might need to be careful choosing the RD - i'd looked at this before and it's not as simple as I thought. Seems to be that SRAM 10 and 11-speed road RD/shifter is compatible with 10-speed MTB, but not 1x 11-speed. The first lot is Exact Actuation (1.3:1) and the second X-Actuation (1.12:1). From a MTBR forum post I had

Exact Actuation (Road 10 & 11sp, Mtn 10sp) is 3.1mm while X Actuation (Mtn 11sp) is 3.48mm

 

 

All a bit confusing IMO....

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Huckfinn | 5 years ago
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Thanks!!

But: can I just get a new derailleur and cassette to make this work the way i want? Aren't the components designed as part of a system with parts that are designed to work together? Like a rear derailleur that matches my SRAM Red shift levers?

Because, as an alternative: swap the 36 for a 30 (46-30 should be fine, don't you think?) + 11-32 cassette....

What do you think?

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CXR94Di2 | 5 years ago
0 likes

Yes. you might need a new longer chain

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