Alright, so back to the latest upgrades on my Strada.
The 12 speed Rotor cassette arrived last week and then I realized I need to order a 12 speed chain. Looking at ZFC recommendations, I decided to get the YBN 12 speed oil slick chain. (apparently, that's the only color guaranteed to be the 5th gen improved version) So I just waxed it with the new AB Graphene wax that just arrived a couple of weeks ago and it's ready to install.
- freshly waxed with AB Graphene
The Rotor cassette did not come with a spacer. It seems to be designed to fit a MTB HG hub since there's about a 2mm gap at the base of the freehub when mounted. The instructions were for a road hub, however, there's no mention of a spacer. When the lockring is tightened, the cassette seems secure and the gap remains so this cassette seems to work with both hub types without a spacer.
- slightly over the claimed weight of 225g
The Ratio Technology 12 speed ratchet requires the levers to be removed from the handlebar since the main pin that holds the shifter together can only be axcessed through the contact area with the bars. The good news is the ratchet can be swapped without rerouting the cables. So no need to remove the BB. Phew!
Their video is a great visual guide to do the swap. Very simple and can be done in less than 15 minutes. Hardest part was getting the levers back onto the bars while inserting the cable housings back into the lever ferrules. Had to rewrap the bars but the quality bar tape that I used came off without tearing.
- the two parts look similar albeit with one extra tooth.
- levers are well designed so it's easy to work on.
- The new ratchet weighs only a gram more.
My doubletap lever now shifts one extra gear. I clicked through the range and it feels like it did before. This is a unique but one of the most functional upgrade parts I've seen lately. They are 3d printed from metal but seem good enough to do the job. Kudos to Ratio Technology. This is a great mod for 1X road giving you wider range without huge gaps. The Rotor 11-36 cassette is reasonably light, has 1 tooth spacing for the first 5 cogs and when mated to a 50t chainring, you get a range comparable to running 11-25 on a compact. This makes my Strada more versatile since I can take it on steeper climbs and longer rides. Ride report will be coming soon.