Wolftooth Road Link

[wpccrunner]

Next year I am going to be partaking in some monster cross gravel races in Western NC. Very hilly, rough forest roads and old moonshine/logging roads in the Blue ridge mountains with some seriously steep sections. I am going to be using my cross bike (Trek Crockett) which I currently have set-up as a 1x10 with dura ace 7900, 40t x 11-28 gearing.

For the gravel races I am looking to stay with a 1x10 but expand the cassette range to an 11-36, and, if needed, add a link or two to the chain. Last year I did one race and used a 50-34 x 12-30 and was glad I had the 34-30 low gear.

Going to an 11-36 would give a slightly lower gear, but the short cage 7900 derialluer is obviously not designed to handle a 36 tooth cog. Therefore, I am considering getting the Wolftooth Roadlink. Curious if anyone has used the Roadlink with a wide range cassette on a short cage shimano derailleur, and if so what kind of success have you had? Has shift performance suffered greatly?

I am not so concerned with the high gear, as any speeds over 30 mph were not necessary to be pedaling.

[andrewfelix]

Why not get a XT 9 speed derailleur? They're compatible with 10 speed road shifters.


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[Pieter]

I have a similar question (hope i'm not hijacking your thread). I always read that difference between short and long cage derailleurs was the capacity and not how big of a rear cog the derailleur could handle. But shimano also seems to specify the max cog? I was thinking about running a short 5800 derailleur with a road link and with an 11-36 cassette (single ring). Would this work?

[andrewfelix]

I think 36 is pushing it. Why not just get a smaller ring up front?


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[eric]

The Wolftooth Roadlink page has detailed tech info but does not address shift quality.

Max cog size and chain wrap are two separate specs. Cage size determines the chain wrap. Longer cages can take up more chain. Max cog size is determined by derailleur body geometry.

Shimano is known for a conservative max cog size spec and (to a lesser extent) chain wrap spec. There's no accepted standard for the length of the derailleur hanger. A longer hanger allows use of larger cogs. Shimano writes the cog size spec with a short hanger. Most bikes have longer hangers and can handle larger cogs.

However a derailleur speced for 28t is not going to handle 36t. 30t works for nearly everyone with Shimano and most everyone with Sram. 32t works for a few on Shimano and not on Sram. Past that with Sram you can use WiFli or MTB derailleurs. Shimano changed the cable pull ratio of their 10sp mtb derailleurs so they don't match the road derailleurs. However a 9sp mtb derailleur works.


The Road Link looks interesting and it's made just for the OP's 1x setup. Shift quality in the small cogs would be my concern as well. But since it's only $30 it'd be worth trying out.

[Jengaback]

My bike is currently running a 44t ring with an 11-36 cassette. I'm using 10spd 105 with an 9spd XT derailleur. It shifts absolutely fine. The only issue can be chain retention because there's no clutch but running a narrow wide ring and putting the derailleur in the high tension position will avoid drops on most terrain.