Sramano- Franken Drivetrain - Covidiot or no..

I killed my 3 day old Shimano 11 speed derailleur mid-bike tour last summer with an unfortunately timed rock impact. After pushing/coasting my bike about 20-30K to a LBS on the island it turns out there was a miscommunication when I called and they didn't have a replacement Shimano derailleur after all. **sigh** But, being helpful folks they figured out that they could replace the derailleur, shifter and chain with with SRAM 11 speed bits they did have.

My drivetrain on that bike is:

- Hope Pro 4 rear hub with HG driver

- Shimano XT 11-46T cassette

- SRAM GX 11 speed derailleur

- SRAM NX shifter

- RF crank and ring

- SRAM chain

This unholy alliance of parts works just fine. I'm not a shift snob so as long as the I can pedal the bike and shifts happen without drama I'm happy. I'll keep riding the bike like this until I wear stuff out or a kill more parts.

OTOH I like uniformity enough that if I was shopping for a new drivetrain I'd just buy all Shimano 11 speed unless COVID supply chain issues forced my hand.

Apparently Shimano and SRAM 11 speed stuff is interchangeable unofficially. For future reference

yep. i'm running xt 11 spd gs rd & shifter w/ sram 10-42 (with 26t ring as a sort of semi-compact setup); works just dandy.

Running XT derailleur with otherwise all GX drivetrain 12 spd, no problemo. B-stop adjustment was about 1/2 a mm low for some reason. Also have to run new longer shifting housing as Shimano routing is crap compared to Sram.

Posted by: fartymarty

Is anyone on here still running 10 speed?

My current setup is full 10 speed, XT shifter, HG95 chains (rotating 3), Zee mech (11-36), Shimano HG500 11-42 cassette, Works Chainring or similar.  I run this on my HT and FS bike (Starling Murmur).  Even though the Zee is only rated to 36t it works fine on my frame for 42.

I'm running 11-42 slx 10spd with a 32 up front on one bike. I thought about getting an 11-46 Sunrace and adding a One-up RAD cage to avoid getting a new RD but sat on it too long and they're no longer available - even used. With the proliferation of 11/12 speed systems and pie plate sized cassettes it's unfortunately no longer an option, an inexpensive one to boot, to gain gearing. TBH tho, for the riding around here the 11-42 range is totally fine unless I let my fitness lag. I still like Andrew's idea of wide range 8 or 5 speed as that's all the gears that are really needed. But I guess that doesn't keep riders separated from their cash and the bike companies happy so I doubt we'll ever see it.

Posted by: syncro

Posted by: fartymarty

Is anyone on here still running 10 speed?

My current setup is full 10 speed, XT shifter, HG95 chains (rotating 3), Zee mech (11-36), Shimano HG500 11-42 cassette, Works Chainring or similar.  I run this on my HT and FS bike (Starling Murmur).  Even though the Zee is only rated to 36t it works fine on my frame for 42.

I'm running 11-42 slx 10spd with a 32 up front on one bike. I thought about getting an 11-46 Sunrace and adding a One-up RAD cage to avoid getting a new RD but sat on it too long and they're no longer available - even used. With the proliferation of 11/12 speed systems and pie plate sized cassettes it's unfortunately no longer an option, an inexpensive one to boot, to gain gearing. TBH tho, for the riding around here the 11-42 range is totally fine unless I let my fitness lag. I still like Andrew's idea of wide range 8 or 5 speed as that's all the gears that are really needed. But I guess that doesn't keep riders separated from their cash and the bike companies happy so I doubt we'll ever see it.

Wolf Tooth still stock the goat link - makes my 10spd SLX derailleur play nice with 11-42, and would probably be the same with 46, given the amount of B screw thread remaining.

just noticed you can get Sunrace 9spd 11- 50 and 8spd 11-42 cassettes!

wow  8spd 11-46

https://www.amazon.ca/Entweg-Freewheel-Cassette-Mountain-Bicycle/dp/B08LD5KQ3W/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAxeX_BRASEiwAc1QdkWZNgle39F2KwcqZx_UwFRU1KvZoz8pgc0Lj9diAHTtNIYq8GURnLRoCd4IQAvD_BwE&hvadid=475724707895&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9001529&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=3572657482898288357&hvtargid=kwd-1096361693023&hydadcr=24354_10908337&keywords=8+speed+cassette+11-46t&qid=1610200381&sr=8-5&tag=googcana-20

from what i hear even the cheaper versions of the latest Shimano shifts incredible

I duno why you want to fuck it up by going a-la-cart

I still got some deore light-action on my bar bike,

The hg500 shifts really well even under power.  This is why I stick with shimano cassettes.  I have run a Sunrace and Shimano 11-42 at the same time and the Shimano shifts better.

Plus I like short cage mechs like the Zee.  It is quite tucked away.  I have just replaced one Zee with a Saint on the HT (killed a Zee the other night and there are no Zees in UK atm) and it works up to 42 teeth but you have to be spot on with chain length otherwise you can't get enough B tension on the 11 cog.