NEED A BIGGER CASETTE? HERE'S HOW

[@AKG77]

Doing bikepacking in northern Spain next month. Instead of going bigger cassette, I decide to go smaller chainring because speed does not matter much. Got this brand Senicx from aliexpress with 46-30t to go with my 11-34t. Going to install and try it out soon. It should make climbing alot easier, I hope.

[@ChrisHallRides]

Awesome I hope it works out ok!

[@owenelsworth9863]

Jimmy, what a bloke. Great local bike mechanic, always been great when I was over in Lincoln. Will be good to see him on the channel

[@ChrisHallRides]

He’s a good egg for sure!

[@alexarmstrong5611]

This is why I just go SRAM mullet setup - 520% gearing 10-52 rear and between a 32 and a 48 at the front 1 x

[@michaelfasher]

I have Deore crank on my wife's bike with a 36/22 chainring pair using a Wickworks Fitlink to enable the front derailleur to be dropped and an 11-42 on the back with a roadlink and a short cage derailleur and it works sweet

[@ChrisHallRides]

Amazing! Not thought about doing that for the front mech too

[@aaronedgeart]

...by the way: thanx to this vid and recommendation, I purchased-and had installed-a Wolf Tooth RoadLink which gave me more gears. THANK YOU!!!

[@ChrisHallRides]

Amazing! Glad I could help!

[@jimpeyton1459]

Oooh. I want to go 11 x 40 on my mechanical GRX 2x....can I add the Wolftooth and do manual indexing? I'll have to install a larger chain, but that's fairly easy.... Nice one Chris. Support your local bike shop...

[@ChrisHallRides]

Yep it will still work with a cable groupset too.

[@markjthomson]

Yes it works, I used on on my 2 x 10 ultegra shifters, deore medium cage mechanical (it just had enough to take up the slack of the longer chain) running a 11-42 cassette. I used a different product (the Woolftooth goat link?) but it does the same job. Worked pretty well.

[@marcusguentermann]

Hey I did the same change with my 11speed 2 by Grx. Top change for bikepacking and touring in the mountains. Cheers Marcus

[@ChrisHallRides]

Good stuff! Yeah it just helps to broaden the range a little

[@martinhudobivnik5895]

I love Wolf Tooth too - because of their bottle cage extender.

[@ChrisHallRides]

Yeah it’s a fantastic little bit of kit that. They make some great tools too

[@s3b_Leney]

nice vid, thinking of doing this myself. also your bike sure dose make some fun noises😆

[@ChrisHallRides]

🤖 certainly does haha

[@atmphotog]

Two top notch blokes and an awesome Argon 18 💫✨

[@ChrisHallRides]

🙌🤘

[@PumpkinVillage]

Nice video. Learned a lot. Thanks and take care, Al

[@ChrisHallRides]

Thanks for watching!

[@OpticDevice]

Great vid Chris, I’ve been running an ultegra 11s RD with 11-40 SLX cassette with the b-tension screw wound right out. It’s not ideal and when I go back to 11-34 cassette for flatter routes, the RD doesn’t seem very happy (obviously have changed the limit screws etc). Interestingly, wolf tooth states the road link is only suitable for 1x setups, but doesn’t seem to be an issue running it with 2x. Will get one order I think 😉

[@ChrisHallRides]

Yeah I’ve heard that before. I think it’s something to do with the screw not having enough contact when fully wound back to accommodate the larger casette and the wild tooth eliminates that by also providing it a bigger platform to sit on if that makes sense? I’ve used it 2x loads and had absolutely no issues at all. Not sure why they only say 1x as it seems to be perfect 2x too

[@jamesworley2674]

I run GRX 11 speed 2x Di2 with the 1x rear mech. Works a treat and no goat link required.

[@ChrisHallRides]

I’ve done that before too and yes it works well

[@BetterShifting]

Woo! I also prefer to set up front derailleurs using the app. It's neat, since it shifts to the correct gears for you and tells you how to set up the limits exactly... what to look for :). Still do it 'offline' for the rear derailleur though!

[@ChrisHallRides]

Yeah the app is really good isn’t it?

[@ashleyfrancis2903]

Will be checking out VB and Jimmy for this exact setup! Great stuff

[@ChrisHallRides]

Awesome!!

[@Miles_on_bikes]

Just bought the same thing for Traka! 😊

[@ChrisHallRides]

Heck yeah!

[@MrAlexshellard]

Managed to strip some spokes on my road bike with this, have to be extra careful if you have anything off centre with your hanger as it just makes it worse and you end up with your chain between spokes and gears. Used the same to stick a 11-46 on my mtb/gravel bike that's behaving though.

[@ChrisHallRides]

Ouch that’s not fun! Luckily I’ve never had that issue in the years I’ve used them

[@MrAlexshellard]

@@ChrisHallRides haha well I do like to be different! 🤣

[@grahambell9831]

Top tip Chris 👌 nice one!

[@ChrisHallRides]

Glad you enjoyed it mate

[@grahambell9831]

Evening Chris, really interesting Tech vlog.......never knew you could do this to a chainset. It's really good to see a new but very competent bike mechanic. A top athlete too, so he " gets it". Good stuff! Have a great week ahead Chris 👍

[@kevinlyon9501]

Hmm interesting, I'm running on the Gravel mtb, 10spd with GRX400 rear mech and a 11-36 cassette it works but this could help.

[@ChrisHallRides]

Yeah it would allow for a bigger cassette if needed

[@ohmps01]

Seems like I need to tweak mine again XD. Yours shifts way better out of the largest cog (down). Otoh, I am running the 42 tooth a biggest and mechanical. And everything else is great. Shall see

[@ChrisHallRides]

I’ve got a 40t on the back. I think it shifts really well

[@ohmps01]

@@ChrisHallRides obviously! I mean we all saw. I do really like having a better than 4/3 ratio at the back. Not that the 2 teeth make much of a difference XD. But currently, with the stuff I am doing (distance, amount of weight I need to have strapped to the bike), and my current (I am training rn to get better, but still) level of fitness, I do appreciate having the lowest possible granny gear to get up a hill. Spinning up 13ish% is amazing, grinding up 17% with stuff on the bike etc is even greater.

[@andrewcullen883]

Great video! Thanks, what wolftooth link are you using to allow the 11-40 cassette? Seems to be a few but non specifically state they are compatible with 2x GRX?

[@ChrisHallRides]

The wolf tooth road link. Works absolutely fine 2x

[@andrewcullen883]

@@ChrisHallRides amazing thank you!

[@CyclingwithRuss]

You may have just saved my legs on the Fred whitton. Going to look at this upgrade. Would it work on Shimano 105 11 speed non di2 ?

[@ChrisHallRides]

Yes the wolf tooth road link should work. Depends exactly what type of 11 speed 105 is. If it’s r7000 it’ll work

[@martin_emrich]

Finally installed that 11-40 XT cassette today on my GRX600 drivetrain (RX810). It shifts ok, B-Screw contact angle also looks still fine. so might get away without a wolftooth… But of course the jockey wheel is now very far from the smallest sprocket. Will the Roadlink/goatlink re-equalize the jockey wheel offset between largest and smallest sprocket, too? Or does it just act like an „extended B-screw“? If yes: which of the four models listed by Wolftooth ist right for 2x11 GRX? You mention both Roadlink and Goatlink in the video… Thanks!

[@ChrisHallRides]

It’s an extension of that link part on the mech so it effectively lowers the position of the mech as well as providing a larger contact point for the B-Screw. I found that the 40t would work but it didn’t contact too well on that contact point. I’m using the road link on mine.

[@martin_emrich]

Got back from the 1000m elevation "maiden voyage" with the new cassette today. It worked flawlessly. No misshifts, no dropped chain. Clear thumbs up! As it also was a bonk fest (despite sunshine, it was still very muddy, churning through my food like crazy), the 40t already saved my bacon! I noticed a bit more delayed shifts compared to the 11-34, but that's ok. So I guess I got lucky, I don't think I need the Wolftooth link. I ordered the cassette already last week, and after watching the video I was worried. Before ordering, I pulled down the derailleur and "imagined" the bigger cassette, and thought it would work. It probably depends on the bike (Trek Checkpoint SL here), the original derailleur hanger and it's length, angle and B-screw contact point. I got lucky. So my advice for anyone interested would be: Lower the derailleur by about 1-1.5cm and check if the B-screw still makes good contact. If not, order the Wolftooth. Also shift to "big-big", and pinch the chain by _4_ link pairs (it still has to jump during shifting!) and check the cage position still looks sane. If in doubt, also order a longer chain.

[@a1yallop]

May I put a question to you and your mechanic friend please. I'm old school road, I run a campy record 10 speed 53/39 with a 13/26 rear cassette plus a medium rear mech. Here's the thing, I'm 63 and live in the hills between Benissa and Calp southern Spain. Can I keep the rear cassette and 53 chain ring but change the 39 for say a 34 as I'm beginning to struggle. I've asked all the local bike shops and they say I need to change the whole thing basically. Hope your toe is healing Chris.

[@ChrisHallRides]

I’ve never used campy so I can’t really speak for it but I have a feeling that may be a bit too big of a jump for the mech to handle so you may need to change both chainrings

[@fruissy]

@a1yallop For your information, if you want to put a 34t small chainring, you have to change your crankset because the diameter of the bolt that the chainrings are attached to the crankset is to big to accommodate the installation of a 34t chainring. And the other thing is that you cannot put a 34 and a 53t chainrings. The front and rear derailleurs can't accommodate that gap between chainring. The gap between two chainring has to be a maximum of 16t. Usually a crankset with a 34t Small chainring will have a 50t big chainring. Cheers 🥂

[@englishdecorator]

52 x36 chainring

[@BikepackingAdventures]

About to start GranGuanche 42t on rear 40t on front, probably need lower gears. Prefer to spend the money on a new bike 😅

[@ChrisHallRides]

See what your knees think in a weeks time mate. I hope you enjoy it!

[@BikepackingAdventures]

@ChrisHallRides just riding around La Graciaso after taking a choppy ferry. Proper washboard trail annoying but epic views

[@stephangeissler7491]

Haven't you "praising" 1x setup in one of your older videos!? ;) However, I just replaced in the last months my 1x11 GRX setup with a big MTB cassette+MTB Di2 rear mech ... AND replaced the standard GRX 40T with a Woolftooth 36t. The switch to MTB components in the rear required some "discussion" with my LBS, but works fine (as expected). Only thing on my to-do list: Convince LBS to make the left shifter making workable on the rear mech too. You did that too, no!? Any tips!?

[@ChrisHallRides]

Depends what you’re using the bike for. 1x is fantastic but sometimes I found I was over or under geared just based on where I live in the Peak District. It’s very hilly. Most situations I think 1x is fantastic and I’m building up another gravel bike with 1x GRX 12 speed soon. With getting the di2 shifter to work on both left and right shifter for the rear mech you can do it all in the E-TUBE app

[@DerekIreland0]

Is there any data on having a goat link and bending hangers more often?

[@ChrisHallRides]

Nothing I’ve seen or experienced. I’ve actually used them on and off for about 6 years and they’ve been great

[@cneubert28]

Do I jump up to 12 speed 501. This does tempt me

[@ChrisHallRides]

Do it

[@lahyessam9725]

Jimmy has more hair than Jimi 《Francis's friend 》

[@ChrisHallRides]

Also my best mate

[@Grant-bu4nj]

Chris can ask jimmy if you can use one on sram 11spd

[@ChrisHallRides]

The road link DM is specific to Shimano. They do other options.

[@Grant-bu4nj]

@@ChrisHallRides thanks and the content is really helpful Thank you

[@simonlynch4204]

Watched it twice. You never mention which bigger cassette you fitted! I'm guessing you went with a 11-42? Really wished you tried it before without a wolftooth to see how much the wolftooth helps..

[@ChrisHallRides]

11-40 casette. It will work with an 11-42. Without the wolf tooth you’d be putting too much stress through the mech and it wouldn’t work

[@JosephNieto-o8r]

Great vid but wish you would’ve said how big the new cassette was I was wondering the whole time lol

[@ChrisHallRides]

Oops! 11-34 to 11-40t. Could probably get away with a 11-42 as well

[@ohmps01]

The 11-42 sadly is not available in XTR though. But I am using deore xt on mechanical grx 2by11

[@VishnuRajendranAmboo]

😮Sometimes the bike industry is a big con job as a whole, knowing that the reason of a two chain setup is to confuse you further on how and what to change your gears accordingly. As a post stroke survivor, having trouble to shift the FD esp bringing up to big chain ring was annoying. So am not a semi pro or pro just the average rider of a 25kmh to 29kmh in most rides find myself why so many gear combos??? So decided that my current setup 50/34 with a 32 cassette made no sense as I'll never be riding above 50kmh on a flat!! So using a bike calculator and averaging out my realistic average have gone for a single chain ring setup of 38t Oval 40t SLX cassette and have to say am no longer grinding up the hill and my average have jump 1-2kmh more. Of course downhill you're like a puppy just trending water when someone is holding you, who cares as you slow down you'll spin up back to speed! The point is to enjoy your ride and really glad that even pro is doing it as one most point is INJURY!! You don't want to be screwed and can't ride after that :)

[@Ashbridg3s]

The front derailleur sounds almost like a pets squeaky toy. Never heard it before, threw me off for a bit.

[@ChrisHallRides]

😂

[@VendetaBrown]

1X or die

[@ChrisHallRides]

☠️

[@malcontent_1]

VB seems like a quality bike shop. Yet another thing you have in common with @amy.cycling.adventures. You two really need to meet up for a ride & a chat!