Weird Old(ish) Drivetrain Mixing

I'm out of the loop on all the weird combos of old stuff out there. I'm looking to modernize my wife's bike which has a 3x10 shimano system to a 1 by because she never leaves the 30t front ring.. In theory I would like to keep the XT rear shifter, but the derailleur is non-clutch...

The more I dig, the more it seems like I should just get her a full microshift advent 9 speed system and a narrow-wide 96 bcd ring. It would probably cost just a little more than a shimano clutch derailleur and the wolf tooth adapter - never mind the cassette.

Anyone have suggestions to keep that nice multi-release shifter in use besides selling it to Andrew Major?

Easiest upgrade route is a Sunrace 10 speed 11-46 cassette, and a M6000 Deore clutch rd. The M7000 slx and M8000 xt rd work the same as well if you feel like splurging

The 10sp shimano shifters and above rd work without needing any links or any other modifications to the rd

I actually ran 1x9 with a narrow-wide ring and no clutch, no chainguide for a while on a hardtail, and it performed reasonably well with not that many dropped chains. You could try something like that as a first option.

I run a race face 30t on a XTR triple, sun race 46t 10 speed cassette, KMC chain, 10 speed XTw/ RadR cage and 10 speed XTR shifter. Works beaut. 

Dunno if a RadR cage is still available, but stock 10 speed shimano (probably) won’t go to a 46 tooth cog.  Apparently 11 speed Shimano derailleurs will and mesh with 10 speed well.

Posted by: D_C_

I actually ran 1x9 with a narrow-wide ring and no clutch, no chainguide for a while on a hardtail, and it performed reasonably well with not that many dropped chains. You could try something like that as a first option.

I’ve got my sons bike on 1x9 with an XTnon clutch and narrow wide and its fine. Very few dropped chains. Would try it first.

Posted by: tashi

I run a race face 30t on a XTR triple, sun race 46t 10 speed cassette, KMC chain, 10 speed XTw/ RadR cage and 10 speed XTR shifter. Works beaut. 

Dunno if a RadR cage is still available, but stock 10 speed shimano (probably) won’t go to a 46 tooth cog.  Apparently 11 speed Shimano derailleurs will and mesh with 10 speed well.

They are discontinued. I may have one kicking in the bin actually. 

I’ve heard the same with 11 to 10. I’ve got a wolftooth Tanpan and it works well. But that’s for 105 Brifters to 10 speed deore rear.

I ran a 1x10 with a NW chainring and no clutch for a couple of years. Only a few dropped chains and that was from rowdy riding. I ended up adding a chainguide and only swapped out the derailleur when it met its doom at the hands of a shark-fin rock.

I'd recommend swapping the chainring, leave the front derailleur on (index it to not require the shifter) and see how it goes.

Posted by: tashi

I run a race face 30t on a XTR triple, sun race 46t 10 speed cassette, KMC chain, 10 speed XTw/ RadR cage and 10 speed XTR shifter. Works beaut. 

Dunno if a RadR cage is still available, but stock 10 speed shimano (probably) won’t go to a 46 tooth cog.  Apparently 11 speed Shimano derailleurs will and mesh with 10 speed well.

The aforementioned M6000 Deore 10spd Derailleur does indeed work with no mods on an 11-46, provided it is the model with the GS cage (no idea about the SGS variant). Shifted very nicely on the aforementioned SunRace cassette with a KMC 10spd chain and Saint shifter (or any nicer Shimano 10spd or compatible~ish offering). No issues with chain growth on a 150mm four-bar either. That said, I'd also first try to get the non-clutch derailleur to work on a wider-range cassette.

Oh really, that’s sweet. My ol’ XT is pretty haggard and that could be an excellent option.

Looks like the GS is rated for a 42, and the SGS is rated for a 36 so 46 for the GS makes sense.

I assume that model has a clutch?

Know where to get one?

The M6000 GS has a clutch (servicable as usual with shimano), but sourcing I can't help you with given I am a few thousand miles and an ocean over ;)