Anybody "downgraded" from a 12 to a 10 speed group?

ottoshape

Well-known member
Dec 19, 2018
177
111
Right Here
It's really the farm where I ride, the woods are haunted.

Never occurred to me as a possibility, but I may have to look into that issue for my riding area...
-
This mech was free of debris when I left tonight:
IMG_20191104_173206.jpg
 

DrStupid

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Patreon
Jul 10, 2019
1,464
2,128
Pleasureville Ky
In answer to OP question. I can honestly say, yes.

I used:
XT 10 speed shifter
XT 11 speed derailleur
11-46 (dont yell at me please) sunrace 10 speed cassette.
34T chain ring.

The standard 10 speed chain wasnt long enough at 116 links. My bike with this gearing needs at least 118 links. I'm glad I checked this by letting all the air out of the shock and gently collapsing the suspension in the lowest gear (largest cog). If I had used the 116 link chain, I would have destroyed something on the first ride. Right now I'm using my 118 link 11 speed chain until my extra long 10 speed chain comes in.

Setup was a snap, and shifting is no longer an excercise in the quantum uncertainty principle. You click... it shifts. Period.

It's raining and cold, so my ride was short. The gear ratios feel fine to me as I'm rolling through the cassette. I doubt seriously I'll ever mis the extra cogs.

I'm beginning to understand what Gary's been saying all along. With all this electronic assist, I probably wont need the 46t largest cog. I dont know if 36t would be low enough for me right now, but I'm almost 100% sure that a 40T would be enough to climb anything around here.

I cant say it's a lot cheaper initially to set one up. The good stuff (xt) is still not excatly inexpensive, even in a 10 speed.
 

DrStupid

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Patreon
Jul 10, 2019
1,464
2,128
Pleasureville Ky
Thinking about going 10spd when my cassettes need changed (2x wheelsets)
Would probably go Zee/Saint mech/shifter and deore 11-36 cassettes. there's an 11-42 deore 10spd cassette too but a FR zee mech isn't meant to go higher than a 36t. Motor means I don't really need a 42t but will miss it when switched off. 36x36 is still low enough for fireroad climbing with the motor off.

Sunrace cassettes are shit. Avoid (especially for Eebs)
I been searching the web about the little Zee derailleur, and found something called a RADR aftermarket cage. This is designed to get the Zee to a 42T largest cog, but it's been discontinued ?.
RADr Cage
 

Gary

Old Tartan Bollocks
Author
Subscriber
Mar 29, 2018
10,496
10,699
the internet
Buying a super short cage mech and an aftermarket long cage for it?
?
It's your money ?
 

Fingerpuk

Member
Apr 8, 2020
250
197
Kent
When I need to replace my cassette I think I’ll go all out and get a Zee. The only bit of my bike I don’t like (is like better brakes) is the derailleur. It’s massive.
 

Fingerpuk

Member
Apr 8, 2020
250
197
Kent
That’s fine I never use the big ones on the ebike. I mainly use the bottom 4. Really the smallest one, then one a couple up, then another a couple up.
 

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