Another proud member of the Zee Luddite drivetrain devotees here. In my younger, less financially stable days, I experienced multiple episodes of months at a time of not being able to ride my otherwise functioning bike due to destroyed dangly derailleurs. Call it PTSD, but I have absolutely zero interest in the new drivetrains that have become even more expensive & dangly. Now that I have middle-aged purchasing power, I buy Zee derailleurs 4 at time (roughly equivalent to buying 1 XTR derailleur) as a hoarding response.
I run them with the Goat Link, and a cassette in the 40-42t range. Current setup on my Dreadnought is 11-40 cassette w/ Hope EVO 165 cranks, and 30t chainring. Was running a 28t, but found I was spinning out on flatter, faster trails. Swapped out for a 30t before our Oaxaca sabbatical, and have been regretting the stiffer gearing on steep climbs. Probably would have been better off to leave the 28t on for this trip, and swap to the 30t when I get back home to Colorado.
Dec. 11, 2022, 8:07 a.m. - hankthespacecowboy
Another proud member of the Zee Luddite drivetrain devotees here. In my younger, less financially stable days, I experienced multiple episodes of months at a time of not being able to ride my otherwise functioning bike due to destroyed dangly derailleurs. Call it PTSD, but I have absolutely zero interest in the new drivetrains that have become even more expensive & dangly. Now that I have middle-aged purchasing power, I buy Zee derailleurs 4 at time (roughly equivalent to buying 1 XTR derailleur) as a hoarding response. I run them with the Goat Link, and a cassette in the 40-42t range. Current setup on my Dreadnought is 11-40 cassette w/ Hope EVO 165 cranks, and 30t chainring. Was running a 28t, but found I was spinning out on flatter, faster trails. Swapped out for a 30t before our Oaxaca sabbatical, and have been regretting the stiffer gearing on steep climbs. Probably would have been better off to leave the 28t on for this trip, and swap to the 30t when I get back home to Colorado.