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Ultegra R8000: replace cage with long one

by Huckfinn
Sat, Mar 07, 2020 18:08
21

Hi,
I have a Canyon Grail (the one with the double handlebar). 50/34 with an 11/34 cassette. Where I live there are nice offroad tracks. They are quite steep and I'd like to replace the cassette with an 11/40. I know some people have managed to do it with the existing rear mech but I'd like to be sure it all works out ok so I thought of replacing the medium cage derailleur with a long one. Can anyone tell me how to go about it (i.e. which derailleur and cassette suggestion and if I'd have to replace any other component? Well, yeah, the chain I guess....)?
Thanks!!

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21 comments

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melliott | 4 years ago
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There's a blog on the 3T website by Gerard Vroomen where he talks about changing the chain length to get cassettes to fit. The blog post focus is 1x for the Strada and Exploro, and a lot of the cassette options need a XD-R freehub body. There's meant to be a part 2 for 2x soon.

https://blog.3t.bike/2020/01/12405/gravel-bike-tech-gears-for-tough-climbs-part-1/

I wanted easier on hills on my gravel bike, so I switched the front chainring to a 42t - easy to do on SRAM Rival 1. I rarely spin out on the flats, and I don't race on it, but it gets me up (pretty much) anything now.

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pockstone | 4 years ago
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Have you cosidered changing your chainset. FSA, Miche Graff do 46 - 30 combinations, or I think you can get even smaller rings with Spa cycles own brand chainsets. No need for faffing at the back, just lose a couple of links. If you've got a Shimano bottom bracket the Miche might be the way to go. Recently reviewed on road cc.  Don't know how the ratios stack up compared to a 40t cassette.

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Rich_cb | 4 years ago
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I have the RX800 set up with a wolftooth and an 11-40.

Works perfectly.

Can't imagine the standard R8000 would be any different in that regard.

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Huckfinn replied to Rich_cb | 4 years ago
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Thanks for that. That's great! And what do you have on the front? The "spread" between teeth is not too big?

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Rich_cb replied to Huckfinn | 4 years ago
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I have it set up 1x so just have a 42 on the front.

It is definitely a bit jumpy relative to an 11-34 but with a 2x setup you could probably mitigate the worst of it.

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Huckfinn replied to Rich_cb | 4 years ago
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Cool. Any suggestion for a reasonably good quality and lightweight 11-40 cassette?

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Rich_cb replied to Huckfinn | 4 years ago
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I'm using a Shimano SLX M7000.

No idea how it stacks up weight wise as that's not something I worry about too much.

I've done a few thousand Kms so far in some pretty grim weather and it's holding up well so quality seems good.

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Huckfinn replied to Rich_cb | 4 years ago
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Just to make sure, as I'm not that good on a technical level, I got in touch with Wolftooth. They said:..."The Roadlink will not expand the capacity of the derailleur.  With 2 chainrings and a wide range 11-40 cassette, I'd suggest using an XT M8000 SGS rear derailleur with our Tanpan 11."

!!!! That goes against what I read all over about people installing the Roadlink so as to actually use a wide range cassette! What are your thoughts on it?

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Rich_cb replied to Huckfinn | 4 years ago
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I don't have any experience of using the roadlink in a 2x system.

It works perfectly on a 1x system.

You may need to adjust your chainring sizes if your rear derailleur can't handle the extra capacity.

The manufacturers are usually pretty conservative about these things but it might be worth having a look on YouTube for examples of what people have managed to get working.

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Prosper0 | 4 years ago
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Shimano don't sell a long cage road derailleur. 

In 34-34 you have a very low gear already, but you could squeeze a little lower by just swapping the cassette to an 11-36, SRAM 11-36 cassettes would fit.

Your Ultegra derailleur officially maxes out at 34, but they tend to be conservative. You should be able to get a 36 to work just fine. 

 

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Huckfinn replied to Prosper0 | 4 years ago
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In fact originally I was going for the 11-36 but recently did some quite demanding offroad trails and, given no-one does an 11-38 I was leaning towards the 11-40. But tell me: could I just use my current medium cage with the Wolftooth roadlink and an 11_40 cassette...?

EDIT: KCNC actually does:

https://www.kcnc.com.tw/allproducts_detail_23.html

This with my medium cage + Wolftooth Roadlink maybe....?

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Mathemagician | 4 years ago
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I'm not really sure you can replace the cage with a longer one...my understanding of the rear derailleur cages is the short cage (SS) goes up to 30T, and the medium cage (GS), which I think is what you have, goes up to 34T. 

There might be a hack to use a mountain bike derailleur cage for a lower gear range, but I've not seen/heard of anything like that. Your best bet is to install a derailleur hanger extender such as https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/products/roadlink

 

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Huckfinn replied to Mathemagician | 4 years ago
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Thanks for that. In fact I did the calculation and I need 45t. Your suggestion might be the right one (and least expensive...)

So basically you reckon that the SHIMANO XT SGS Shadow could not be installed on my bike? This one: https://r2-bike.com/SHIMANO-XT-Rear-Derailleur-RD-M8000-SGS-Shadow-long-...

 

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ktache replied to Huckfinn | 4 years ago
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I think I heard that road and mountain bike shifters and derilleurs had different amount of pull, so that the newer ones were not that compatible.

Various people on here have had good things to say about the Wolftooth extender.

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Mathemagician replied to Huckfinn | 4 years ago
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Having a quick read around, I don't think R8000 and M8000 are cross compatible, though they may well be. Shimano ate usually twats for changing up cable pull ratios, so making frankenbikes isn't straightforward. Their product compatibility page suggests it's not doable, but if you fancy giving it a try I'll be interested to hear the results.

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VeloUSA | 4 years ago
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Step by step replacement instructions or go to YouTube for your unknown derailluer make/model. Good luck...

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/rear-derailleur-overhaul

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Huckfinn replied to VeloUSA | 4 years ago
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Hi. Thanks. I have a Shimano R8000.

The link you sent: isn't it just for servicing a derailleur (Shimano, Campagnolo, etc...)?

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mikewood replied to Huckfinn | 4 years ago
1 like

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

If you have a 34 on there already then it will be the medium cage which takes a 40 in the above article

 

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Huckfinn replied to mikewood | 4 years ago
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Thanks for that. I didn't see your comment! So it seems possible, right? And that would be with a 50-34 up front! So there isn't even a need for the Wolftooth Roadlink? (which, according to them, would NOT as they said to me ..."expand the capacity of the derailleur."

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gbzpto replied to Huckfinn | 4 years ago
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You can buy a cheap road link equivalent on eBay. I run a medium cage with a 11-36 cassette. It works fine. I have seen someone use a 40 cassette but the mech was unable to compensate at the harder end of the cassette so on the 11 and the chain was too long.

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Huckfinn replied to gbzpto | 4 years ago
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Thanks. What do you have up front? + The person trying to use the 11-40 was using a Roadlink or not?

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