INSANE 2x Gear Range!

[@kymcopyriot9776]

Pro tip, Russ - if you’re chewing up Phillips screws it’s often not just that the screws are made of cheese, it’s that they are actually JIS (Japan Industry Standard) screws. They look like Phillips but they’re not. Get yourself a set of ‘Vessel’ brand JIS screwdrivers and voila, no more chewed screws! What’s more, the JIS drivers work perfectly well on standard Phillips fasteners. Once you’ve experienced the miracle you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it earlier! (PS, feel free to slap me if you’re already all over JIS) hope Laura is doing well!

[@manueldeubler1127]

Pretty sure this is not a JIS, because s-ride is from China. Newer Shimano products don't use JIS screws either. They all use screws which can be fastened with ISO 8764 screwdrivers. If it is a JIS screw, the screw should have a mark (point or a little x, source Wikipedia: List of screw drivers) on its head. However, worn tools on the other site are one of the most common causes of stripped screws.

[@kymcopyriot9776]

@@manueldeubler1127 good call, China origin is unlikely to be JIS. My judgement might be clouded by my First Tier Hobby, motorcycles, where JIS tends to rule the waves. Good pick up, my mistake.

[@sdschen]

@@kymcopyriot9776 Looking at the frame at 6:29 it does indeed look like a JIS-head screw.

[@99EMERSONIC99]

Good call

[@alonzopedrin5545]

I surely needed this video 2 years ago and will likely need it again in the near future. 2 years ago everyone told me what you just demonstrated was not possible. Desperately searched for an alternative to allow my 190 lb-63 year old body to pull long hills (strangely, I love the grind). Ultimately, I rigged my Salsa TI Fargo with a SRAM GX Eagle MTB drive train (30T front & 10-50T rear) for bikepacking adventures. You just proved a 46-30T front and 10-42T rear with brifters will provide me the low-end range needed to haul my carcass over major ranges in the future. I love you man!

[@Likelybiking]

I had an idea today. A reverse mullet. Single speed in the back and a 2 or 3x in the front!

[@Lars3]

I've seen a few of those, although not in at least a decade. They were all set up on mountain bikes with a singlespeed hub in the back attached to a chain tensioner and then a double ring in the front without a derailleur (the rider would manually move the chain), although I'm sure it would work just as well with a FD.

[@Alex_564]

Look up dingle speed bikes.

[@Fauz11ukman]

Thats called internal gear 3 speed in different world

[@TheKenkohater]

That’s the standard set up for bicycles in Africa, although they are used as mobile shops! There not really for leisure riding, they are associated with impoverished people as they are cheap but for cruising they looked ok

[@Lars3]

@@Alex_564 Thank you, thats the name I couldn't remember!

[@patrikpfeuti6944]

I have a nickname for you: king of low gear! Btw, i run 9 speed shimano sora on my gravelbike with 46/30 crank and 11-40 sunrace cassette with a alivio mtb rear derailleur (with no link to extend). Runs flawless for 2 years now👌

[@guillemxanxo2683]

is it a trek520?

[@patrikpfeuti6944]

@@guillemxanxo2683 No, it's a jamis renegade explore, assembled with standard setup 50/34 in front and 11-32 in the back. So i changed crankset, cassette and rear derailleur.

[@rapmeister5242]

is it an fsa 46/30 crankset? i read it's only compatible to 10 and 11 speeds. can it be used with 9 speed?

[@patrikpfeuti6944]

@@rapmeister5242 yes it's a fsa omega crankset, and like i wrote in my previous comment...flawless!

[@rapmeister5242]

How’s the jump between gears? And from big to small chainring?

[@bennorland8727]

Been running 44/34 in front with 9-46 in the back for over a year with no problems. Love it. Sram Force 11 speed shifters with a GX 11 sp + goatlink in back. Can go fast and pull a loaded for camping trail a bike with a kid in it up hills.

[@Emolokz]

I feel like this is the route I may potentially try to go but with Shimano Di2 eventually, except with a 31-48 crankset, if possible. How are you liking it to this day (a year plus later)?

[@diegoleiva7242]

Triples are still the king for crazy range IMO. Something like a 44-32-22 with a 11-34 cassette and you have all the range in the world without resorting to exotic parts and wild experiments.

[@MountainVisions]

And better cadence. Remember when they told us we needed more gears and tighter ratios... Now they are like, nah, just kidding, you want simplicity. I kind of agree with both. Triples are a pita, but 1x is to widely spaced. Solution, wide range compact double.

[@liquidwombat]

I am running this exact setup on my old Cannondale M400 625% range is wild. Literally cost $60, $40 for the square taper crankset and $20 for the 7 speed cassette every thing else on the bike is original from 1996

[@lemizle]

@@MountainVisions I comment everywhere telling everyone to get a 42/26t double crankset and a 9 speed cassette: 11-40t. Big ring is 1x for the road. LIttle ring is 1x for off road.

[@michaelmagee6428]

I'm using 11-42 with triple 9 speed. Shimano shifters, Shimano derailleurs, Sun Race cassette. Needed a Wolf Tooth derailleur extender. Works great. This single up front with a dinner plate in the rear is just trendy nonsense. If you can't adjust a front derailleur, maybe you should be in some other sport.... Learn how to use your gears so you don't cross chain, and shifing becomes a joy. Having the ability to shift up front is like quickly shifing up or down 2-3 gears in the cassette. Quick and simple snappy shifts. Hopefully these parts will be available for a long time.....

[@bradeneliseo5497]

i know it's pretty randomly asking but does anyone know of a good site to stream newly released tv shows online ?

[@sometimerving6849]

"Cave of bad ideas" that needs to be a sticker or at least a sign in your Cave of Bad Ideas area.

[@Quevallyn]

This was brilliant. Thank you Russ for scratching those ‘what if’ itches we all have.

[@pleepers2124]

HUGE thank you for this video and many of the comments. This really helped me get through issues with rebuilding my 2011 Surly Troll. Due to my lack of knowledge and parts supply issues with 12 speed cassettes, I ended up buying a SunRace 11-50t cassette to mate up with a M8120-SGS and a 2x XT crank. As I was putting it all together, I thought, "no fkkn way this is gonna work." After watching this and doing a bit more research on bike forums, I figured it out! Now this old Troll climbs like a Himalayan mountain goat! Thanks all!

[@philb4493]

Love the Cave of Bad Ideas series. Can't believe you are cranking out so much content here lately with all of your other projects. Well done. Thanks for the hours of entertainment and information.

[@travischapman6763]

As a 2x advocate for anything other mtb, I love the front chainring sarcasm. Also, I’ve been curious of using a 1x Rear derailleur with a front derailleur for crazy range. Bike packing Colorado makes you want that range.

[@MountainVisions]

Same here. I totally get 1x for MTB, not sold on it for gravel, bike packing or road. I was building a mega 2x drive train which I was testing on a project bike before I track down a frame for final build. Unfortunately, I had an issue with the Sunrace M9 derailleur (unrelated to the setup) so didn't get to test the 1x with 2x setup. Currently microshift long cage with moderate 11-28 on a 3x front. Good enough for unloaded class 1/2 gravel and the road stretches. Getting all the gear range out of 2x would be optimal vs 3x But future plan is something like 2x9 with 11-36 or 40 and 50/32 up front.

[@Likelybiking]

I put on a shimano xt rear derailleur with 11-42 cassette and a 46 36 26 triple up front and it works. You just CANNOT cross chain big ring/big ring or else 😅 but the range is ridiculous but useful !

[@davebolger3929]

Gevenalle long pull shifter and older style MTB rear mech. Built specifically for that type of malarkey!

[@kaseycarpenter73]

"See you after the clap" sounds like a bad pickup line...

[@rivnuts7398]

1. The info on the S-Ride derailleur was much appreciated as this old man was looking to expand his gear range with my current 105 setup. 2. I love your taking on and presenting out of the mainstream equipment and setups. 3. The moniker “Cave of Bad Ideas” is priceless!

[@mikeflanigan4896]

Thanks Russ. I love the Cave of bad ideas! Not a combination I am interested in, but I love seeing what is possible.

[@frakafrocka]

I’ve thought about this too. Russ rules for doing this!

[@tag24greg65]

Playing with a bunch of different parts that shouldn’t necessarily go together is what makes cycling fun for me. So I love to see this sort of experimentation and might even give it a go in the future. Thanks for the content 👍🚲

[@sebas90250]

I run on alt bars Shimano xt 11-40 cassette and long cage rear derailleur and shimano GRX 46/30 crank with a downtube friction shifter (all the derailleur trim I need) Runs amazing. I have the clean cockpit of a 1x with the superior range/increments of a 2x. Big ring on flats, small ring on hills. I call it : 1.5X (1 and a half by!!)

[@JeffWagen]

I love those experiments, thanks Russ!

[@moldmanandy]

Great video! I love your attitude, pushing the limits!! By the way, I use 46/30 11-42T with a GRX RD-RX812 combined with a RD-M8000 long cage, and it works on all gears!(kind of :))

[@qcriverrat]

This sounds pretty close to my dream bike drivetrain for touring/gravel.

[@tomcruz3774]

This is awesome. I feel less insane for running 2x with an 11-46 cassette

[@jackmcandle6955]

I may be considered somewhat crazy for running a 26/36 w/ 11-46 on my ‘16 trance adv too but it works for my 63yr old legs so...

[@luisweber960]

11-42 is standard for MTB 2x, so why would it not work for road? I was running a 26-36 front with that cassette, so the step is 10 cogs, admittedly smaller than on the presented front double 32-46, was it?

[@pbandjosh]

For those that did 2x with 11-42 or 11-46, using GRX long cage derailleur or other?

[@MuckingMunt]

Nice presentation Russ. Love your sense of devious alchemy here. I think Sheldon would for sure approve. And here's me still experimenting with a lotta old 9sp era kit cast offs and the 'Australia Tax' shipping of any new and/or obscure parts.

[@BonnieParrishKell]

Love what you did there, MacGyver! LOL - seriously, really enjoy trying out different components to see what will work the best.

[@caseypavek1553]

Chain wrap capacity of the derailleur is measured by (low gear tooth count minus high gear tooth count of cassette) + (high gear tooth count minus low gear tooth count of crankset) Looks like 47t is listed as capacity on their site. Anyone wanna do the math here? Great channel, so inviting and fun!

[@weeringjohnny]

Shimano gear capacities are pretty conservative and the same might be true with the S-Ride derailleur. The only way to really find out is to experiment, which is another reason why Russ's videos are so instructive and entertaining.

[@matt.thomas]

47-16=31, 11+31=42, so with a 46/30 on the front you're within their stated capacity with an 11-42 on the rear. (I saw 49 teeth on Soma's site which would allow 11-44 with 46/30)

[@no_Ray_bang]

Love it! I've been rocking a 48/36/26 with an 11-42 on my touring bike. I could see something like this getting me back into a double.

[@anotheryoutuber_]

try it, i went back to a triple so i can run an 11-32 for smaller steps cause sometimes legs get picky but really liked the double as it allows for better chain-line when crossing gears.

[@thorbreakseverything1836]

I don’t have that gcn money, I just spit my drink out

[@cameronlesley2428]

Thank you for stretching possibilities and expectation of chains and group sets, the double mullet is classic

[@lucasrobinson4577]

Thanks Russ! This is super valuable for trying to figure out how to set up my next build.

[@Spindatt]

such a cool idea! imagine even more chainrings on the crank for like.. more gears

[@kevinford2223]

🤨

[@glidealong1171]

It may make some laugh but a friend just put a triple on his former 1x10 just cause he could. Where he uses it he could run single speed. Just playin....its winter here.

[@joen3992]

Love your channel. Even I ride mountain bikes and commuters. I learn much from you and feel honour to be taken along for your journeys...thank you Brother.

[@lindathrift4805]

Give Laura my get well wishes. I got diagnosed in 2017. Soak up all the love and goodness around and stay positive. Love the ideas on ur channel. I’m 72, retired and biking is a great hobby.

[@MrParacristo]

That is just stunning!!! I am blown away. Then you pulled out the monster monster Cassette....

[@MrWotamonkey]

Another great video! I love your experiments, thanks for sharing.

[@shaunhilliard6895]

This set up makes sense if you live in an area with a lot of hills or are loading your bike up for adventure rides Thanks for the content Russ

[@timjohns3743]

Yessss! Fun and funny and it works! Dialing in a loaded, double front chainring-mullet set up. Nice work!

[@JonathanGreene]

“... as one does in the cave of bad ideas”

[@RamoLasiaf]

Thanks for the video. I enjoy the single speed single brake bicycle and the view. Thanks admin. Thanks all

[@stevekelly6544]

I love the Soma frames, they make good stuff.

[@BenitoAndito]

Double mullet = extra short buzz cut in front + extra long Rapunzel hair in back. Delicious

[@tevemullins8156]

1:46 stay warm my friend. Love your content. Stay up!

[@ajbluefish]

Good stuff! I'm currently running a 46/36 cyclocross crankset with an 11-46 cassette on my CrossCheck and I love it!!

[@cccorlew]

What derailleur are you using?

[@ajbluefish]

@@cccorlew Shimano Deore with a Roadlink

[@jenniferbrien3408]

Back in the Eighties there was a mod called the Mountain Tamer Quad. 20t or less rear sprocket on the inside of a triple chain set. Just sayin’.

[@stephenpoole6015]

20x32 with 26" wheels was good for loaded and off-road riding, even at high altitude in the Himalayas. 15x34 on the other hand was worthless. ;-)

[@cecilecorpuz5735]

B screw problem fix, just relieve some pressure off of the contact point by swinging out the derailleur backwards, then proceed with screwing in the B screw. But then again having a correct tool is also a good thing!

[@juan24242424]

Awesome I always wondered if that set up would work, thanks

[@whichwayiszigzag]

Always fun stuff here, nice work! I was expecting an explosion of springs and links there, NGL!

[@fukawitribe]

That was soooo much fun - and bizarrely useful - cheers !

[@larryblain8829]

Your combination of 46-30 chain ring with 11-50 cone works out (in gear inches) to a range of approximately 16-112. I have a Brompton six-speed with a 54T chain ring, and a Schlumpf Mountain Drive. My range is approximately 14-108. Just what I need for climbing hills in the Pacific NW area.

[@rainbowchamelion1051]

I did a similar thing with Grx components. 600 crank (46-30), 800 shifters and front derailleur. For the rear derailleur I fitted the cage from an RD-8000 XT derailleur to an Rx-812 Grx derailleur (fits on without any mods). The 812 is actually a 1x derailleur but it works fine. Now I have an 11-46 cassette with 46-30 on the front, shifts great. I live in the Alps so a lot of steep and very long climbs plus I’m getting older!. I imagine for someone not living in the mountains that it’s just OTT.

[@Hella-ob8fz]

You’re lowest gear is like a road set up, just backwards.

[@gradywright]

Haha I lost it as as you had to step away before trying the big, big. You’re the best Russ. I loved this episode of PLP.

[@kentquindt7898]

What do you think of the ratio 12 speed upgrade kit? It basically adds a 12speed rachet to a sram road shifter and includes a few pieces to modify a sram gx eagle rear mech for a mullet. I wouldn't say it's budget but it's cheaper than axs.

[@ellaigel1185]

Tremendous job, I usually don't ride off-road,but when riding on rural roads surface can change from good to bad to gravel. This is just what I need for long distance touring!! High speed plus very low gears for steep hills. Cave of bad ideas a MUST!!

[@tonycambio9722]

I’m currently running a SRAM double mullet on a Wolverine with the Defiant crank. Rival brifters and long cage r Der with road link. 11-42 Shimano cassette. 42/30 chainrings in front. I swapped a 10 sp dimension 42t ring for the 46, with no probs.

[@snafu0o0o]

So much fun to watch the Cave of Bad Ideas. Please keep goin with the mad bike scientist fun times.

[@picogram]

Love the mullet content. Thanks for sharing!

[@weeringjohnny]

Just in case someone watching here doesn't know, you need to be able to get into the big-big combination not because you want to use it (you never should as Russ says) but if you do slam it into the big cog in a fit of pique you won't destroy your derailleur and/or gear hanger as a result.

[@weeringjohnny]

@@mattmatthews5414 Hi, Matt. I spoke from experience and for once wasn't either on the ganj or the booze, only thinking about girls. Just sayin'...

[@jasonrodwell5316]

Thank you so much for this video. Planning something very similar with 11-46 and 48/31, except using larger jockey wheels and possibly a goat link to allow a longer chain to get all gears. Your video has just convinced me it's workable! I'm pretty sure with the additio. Of jockey wheels, a goat link and a longer chain you could potentially get all gears with 11-50. So many naysayers postulated my bike will explode and the fires of hell will open up to claim the abomination that will result from such a indulgently geared drive train.

[@C_Haberstoked]

The art of working with what you got!

[@scotterbrains]

Yes! Gotta go anywhere frakenbike in my cave. 10 spd clutch XT rear w/32 middle N/W ring for 95% of rides, but small/big ring "options" on a triple crank. No front der.! Just "manual" front changes when 5% of load/terrain warrants it.

[@stppearson825]

I’ve wondered if such a combination would ever work. Thank you for experimenting to show that it can with some limitations. Though I would not have a problem with a set up where the big ring would not work with the biggest cog in the back. It’s hard on a chain and derailleur to do that anyway. I try to avoid it with my less radical set up now.

[@cecilecorpuz5735]

By not doing so you will create less wear and tear on your drive-train, end game longer life for these parts also means keeping some of your co$n in your pockets.

[@kwengca]

I would totally use this. I'm used to not putting my bike into big/big anyway.

[@jeffreythompson6282]

Yeah I've tried riding with a too short of chain for big-big before. It didn't end well. I don't need to work great in big-big, but it shouldn't explode either. I'd rather a saggy small-small.

[@kwengca]

@@jeffreythompson6282 agreed, the main use for a setup like this is to ensure that small/big and big/small work.

[@ClintOlsen]

I think some people do actually set up their rides where big-big is catastrophic. The issue of course is REMEMBERING that doing so will grenade your drivetrain.

[@lakishaweaks9784]

Hey Russ do U think 2x 48/36 10-42 11sp cassette with sram 12sd gx derailluer mullet style

[@JeffGonzales]

I’m running a 46-30 up front and a 10-45 in rear. Live in the mountains so love those low gears

[@josimarsilva3238]

Great vídeo. I like the bad (good) ideas 😊

[@primarycircle]

A) There has to be a point where gearing is so low, gravity wins. B) Cheers for the backpedal C) We need to get you a space heater man =)

[@chrisbailey1966]

Yep to A, I put a MB 36/22 with 11-32 (19 inch low) on my gravel bike when I got it last year and found I only went down to the 28 (21 inch) on really step hills. Unless you can spin really fast road speed will be too low. Search for Sheldon Brown for gear info.

[@saintless]

Lawd, I was on the edge of my seat as you approached that big big combination. lol TENSE

[@kimkrimson]

Thanks for the video Great content 105 only has short and medium cage versions. Yours should be the medium cage (which supports up to 40t unofficially) Long versions only for MTB or GRX with Shimano I love your humor Russ "Do something weird internetz dude" xD

[@cuzinmike]

Now I want to see this whole setup combined with a Pinion gearbox up front.

[@rearanged]

Just get Rohloff and Schlumpf :)

[@bikeman7982]

That's some serious bend in the rear derailleur cable housing.

[@mattdrange4219]

Thanks for doing this, Russ! Haters gonna hate. I love the 'sub-compact' wide-step double on my Wolverine: 40/24 up front with an 11-40t 10-speed cassette in the rear. The other benefit that I think people don't always realize of a setup like this is you get much tighter spacing between gears than you do with a 1X. For drop bar bikes, 2X is still the bee's knees in my book.

[@gabriel-ec6gi]

Im planning on running 40-24t CS with 11-34t rear cassette. What derailer are you running?

[@sjs1965442]

Interesting video on limits of systems. I enjoyed this one

[@AllanPhillips]

Great video - thanks! Of course the standard 105 R7000 GS rear derailleur will work with an 11-40 at the back and a 50/34 at the front. Just. No Goatlink required.

[@eXaviar]

thx for the video. encourages me to try it too somewhere in the future 😅

[@johnnycab8986]

We need deraileurs that scrape the road

[@armandoaguilera2969]

This was a fun video! Thank you

[@IronKnok]

Can't wait to hear your take on the DTSWISS GR1600.

[@justpedal65]

Master Yoda Calvin from Park Tool always says, when adjusting B " Don't be a hack...pull the derailleur back" 😎

[@dakarimane395]

Reminds me of my old dingle speed set up. Double single speed. One speed for thrashing about town, another for carrying a loaded trailer/ going up and down hills. Had to take the wheel off to manually change gear, which was a bit of a ball-ache! 😂

[@markstookesberry815]

Russ, nifty work! You can pull the derailleur back by hand and then turn the B screw instead of making the screw do the work. For the limit screws, you can shift to the adjacent gear and go a quarter turn at a time and then shift back to test it. It might save your screws heads.

[@MountainVisions]

I just push the derailleur in the detection of the limit screws to assist them. Definitely lift for the B tension. Stripping those screws sucks.

[@paweljasnowski]

Yeah awesome vid. I was looking for that kind video. Why? Setting up my gravel bike. As we know grx812 goes well with 11/46 cassete. So what about crank? Would it go good with 30/46? Seems like that would be ok. I love my2x10 and riding city and that combination suits me well for bikeoacking ... Thx again

[@chrislonsberry1974]

Great demo. Thanks!

[@kevinford2223]

Cool triplets next 🤗 When the triples come back I’ll be back in with the cool kids again...👍🏻

[@joelogjam9163]

Flat bar gravel with triples aren't out until 2022. Unless you buy a time machine and go back and get one from 1992. Problem is, time machines are expensive. Almost as expensive as flat bar gravel with triples in 2022 will be.

[@kevinford2223]

@@joelogjam9163 😂 I actually have a 92 Trek 930 ridged Mtn bike with big fat slicks on it I’ve been using as my do everything I won’t take my roadies on for years I always called it my urban all-terrain assault bike but now I guess that’s considered a “gravel grinder” 46/36/24 triple in front and a 7 speed 13-30 in the back Most comfortable enjoyable bike I own

[@jfspurlin1]

I love my 1998 Rockhopper with flat bars and a triple.

[@MountainVisions]

@@joelogjam9163 truth

[@cccorlew]

I trashed my S Ride derailleur today. In searching online to see if Shimano has made the derailer I need I discovered.... nope. So I'll order another S Ride. I'm running 11-40 and 46-30 with Ultegra shifters. The shifting was OK. Not smooth, but it worked. And there doesn't seem to be an 11 speed double alternative. The Shimano GRX RX400, would work, but its cable pull is wrong for 11 speed. So, S Ride again I guess. Thanks again for this video Russ.

[@jonruble7217]

The Microsoft advent comes in a long cage that can shift up to 46t and advertised on their site as 2x/3x. There's no road sniffed for the left, but a bad end could give you a massive range 2x9. Really thinking about trying it on a Poseidon Redwood. Probably have to go smaller than 46/30.

[@lemizle]

DO IT! I have the Advent 9 speed long cage deraileur with a 11-40 sunrace cassette, and 42/26t touring double cranks (rebadged Sugino XD2 available from Soma or Rivendell) and a Microshift Marvo (3x9S) FD-M43 front deraileur pulled with a Sunrace thumbie. 2x9 with a thumbie for the front deraileur is the best! It gets down to about 17 gear inches in 40t rear x 26t. Which is quite ridable if you are fully loaded.

[@Pehchevski]

Best experiment ever!!!

[@electrocit673]

For anyone doing a 2x or 3x with a rear derailleur that is past it's max capacity it is best to set it up larger ring (opposite of the video). The reason is that you will still have access to to lowest gear but have less rink of over stressing the derailleur by inadvertently shifting beyond it's capacity. I have done this on a commuter/ touring bike [46/38/24 x 11/30] 945 tooth difference) on a Shimano 105 GS (39 tooth capacity). The derailleur held tension on the 24 x 21/30 (last 4 gears on a 9 speed). only used the 24 as a bail out gear on tough hills never had a problem with chain slack and by the time I was gong down hills or on the flats I'd shift up to the 38T front anyway. Did the same for a [38/22x 11/36]. I ride that bike like a 1x + bail out. The 22t in in tension from the 15-39 (7 gears on 10 speed) on my bike.

[@jim4859]

I like it. I have a Jones that I ride on the road quite a bit. Often thought having another chain ring up front would help give some extra steps. Not really big, maybe 6 teeth more than the small ring.

[@SMenkveld]

If you wanna go full "Cave of Bad Ideas" on a wide-range 2x, try pairing that 11-50 with a 42x39 road double crankset and road front derailleur... 24 distinct gears, with even 7-8% spacing across a 20 to 110 inch range, a no-brainer shift pattern, and the only downside (every other shift is a double) is pretty much eliminated by brifters. It's called half-step gearing, because the difference between the chainrings is 1/2 the average difference between cogs. It turns out that a lot of the 11 and 12-speed ultra-wide-range cassettes have very even 13-16% cog-to-cog spacing, and a 42/39 is 7%, so it just works, and with totally common parts. (The only cranksets that can't take a 39t chainring are old 144mm bcd, like classic Campagnolos... and, if you wanted to use one of those, you could go 45/42 and it would work the same way.)

[@donnyo65]

Interesting video - I recently had a conversation with my local bike mechanic asking if I could change my GRX 11 - 42 1x into a 2x. My argument was, like you said, the chain should never go to extremes front to rear and really should only go a couple of places past half way for each chain ring. His answer - Shimano Sram etc don't let them do it because they cannot rely on people knowing how to use their gears properly and they won't guarantee the work if you do. So it came as no surprise to see it worked on your set up. Another point about the GRX system - I was recently cleaning both my bikes thoroughly and noticed that the free hub on both are identical. One is a 12 month old GRX 1 x 11 (Ribble CGR) the other is a Surly Ogre with an 11 year old (But still working fine!) 3 x 9 XT set up. I know the 11 speed XT will fit on the old hub I just wonder if the GRX will operate an 11 speed XT?

[@cypriano8763]

put a 46t cassette on my old steel road bike using a grx long cage derailleur and wolfs tooth. installed a tiagra compact 34,50 on the front. great for all the long steep logging road climbs in my area. gave that bike a second life

[@pbandjosh]

Great vid... I'm looking at reducing 2-3 bikes to one with a fast aluminum 2x gravel bike that can take a rear rack and do a bit of lightweight touring. Totally new to the gravel world and way out of date on MTB stuff, I've been in road and single speed land for the last 10+ years. Anyways, all the 2x GRX gravel bikes have 30-34 or 31-34 granny gears which on 700c leave you in the 25 gear-inch range - ok for riding, a bit high for touring. What I don't (yet) understand, is if there are GRX derailleurs made for up to 42t cassettes, why are there no bikes with drop bars + GRX 2x setups that feature the 812 rear mech and an 11-42t cassette? Aside from the cost (maybe $200-240 for a new cassette, mech, and chain) this looks like a bolt on thing that should work well and be in spec - or am I missing something?

[@2321brendan]

More bad ideas! LOL double mullet madness, Thanks for this info. My daughter but home a letter from school stating ; " haircuts such as mullets are banned as they are considered extreme haircuts"! "Students will be sent home to have the hair rectified"! Private school mullet madness.

[@erikrhendrickson]

Quick tip on the b-screw...un-tension the derailleur from the hanger stop for the b-screw when you tighten it in and you shouldn’t have an issue with stripping the head, unless the threads for it are f’d. Also tip: to get even more massive range from b-tension you can screw in the b-screw from the other side of its hole, meaning from the underside of the derailleur...may require a slight bend in the screw itself to align properly with the derailleur’s b-stop but you will be able to run an even larger rear if desired. My 2¢

[@PathLessPedaledTV]

All the screws are soft. Even the high and low set screws. They used cheap screws.

[@kimkrimson]

You are a mad cycling magician

[@josh33172]

I am trying understand what's the difference here. I'm glad you are experimenting, and trying different things to see if it works! On my Ridley X-Ride gravel/commuter/bikepacking bike, it came with 105 (5700 series) with 50/34 and 11-32 stock 11speed. I swapped the 105 RD (5700 series?) to a 105 GS series RD (R7000 series). The difference being the small extra link (visually). Then I installed 11-40 XT 11sp Cassette. That was it....(besides a longer chain, I believe 116 link, whatever is the regular Shimano mountain chain 11sp) So the difference is that the GS series RDs work with mountain cassettes, and I believe (but don't quote me on this) that GRX is exactly the same. I believe you can run a 11-42 cassette, but I only had a 11-40T on hand. Everything was plug and play, built in barrel adjuster and everything. I also believe the RD was cheaper than this one... So I have 50/34 with 11-40T cassette, everything plug and play will yield both higher gears on the top end, and lower gears on the bottom end. So if you have a GRX 46/30, it should work no problems, and give you slightly lower top end gear inches, but also lower bottom end gear inches as well. For the actual numbers, you can go to Sheldon Brown gear calculator to confirm this (gear-inches): 50-11: 124.2" 34-40: 23.2" 46-11: 114.2" 30-32: 25.6" If you ran a GRX 46/30 with a 11-40 cassette (gear-inches): 46-11: 114.2" 30-40: 20.5"

[@PathLessPedaledTV]

The biggest difference is in 1x drivetrains. This derailleur will do an 11-50 natively. IME 46t is the max a GRX derailleur will do without modification.

[@josh33172]

The fact that it doesn't have a barrel adjust has me leaning towards the idea that this derailleur was actually meant for MTB, and obviously there's a market for it since Sunrace makes a 11-50 11sp cassette. Of course, the retrofit is adding the barrel adjuster. But I understand what you're saying. I believe you're correct about the GRX. .Although there are plenty of videos showing that the XT M8000 SGS long cage 11sp rear derailleurs having no problems clearing the Sunrace 11-50. They're also priced about the same....and in the matte color you want.

[@PathLessPedaledTV]

@@josh33172 i think the lack of a barrel adjuster was a cost saving measure. The IMPORTANT thing is cable pull. It has road cable pull.

[@geeheeber]

so cool, thanks!

[@jbandt]

Cool experiment.

[@yousufkazmi7842]

Mullet - Mullet is so 2022 ! I run a 105-R7000 setup with 50/34 - 11-34, so get a x1 in normal running, more All Road then rough Gravel or Babyheads, still have a 1:1 available when they turn up or I accidently find a 20% climb :( Knowing what works for you from your previous bike and working out the gear inches helps choose your range. (road/trainer setup is 53/39 - 11-28 for comparison) Need another runout for the 80's intro at some point :)

[@richardjaques4452]

Would this rear derailleur work with friction thumies? What would you recommend as a bullet proof friction thumie?

[@RyanStanis]

Love the concept here, I'm always trying to push the limit of what a 2x set up can do. Listed Chain Wrap Capacity for the derailleur is 49T and here you're trying to get it to throw a whopping capacity of 55T! Still, this derailleur has most others' capacity bested by at least 2 teeth. Very sick. Drop that cassette down to a 11-42T and bob's your uncle.

[@nationharris]

A customer of ours at the shop I work at wanted this doing to his Trek Xcal, the bike was running SRAM NX 1x. The NX rear derailleur, which isn't known to be the best, really didn't like the double chain ring up front.

[@hardmtnbiker]

I’ve been going down this rabbit hole with my 2X11 gravel bike. My first crazy combo was a 48/30 with an 11-34 using an old Shimano Ultegra RX der. So then I decided to see if I could get my 11-44 to work. First I tried a Goatlink by Wolftooth but that didn’t work. So this took me further down the rabbit hole to get the new GRX 12 speed derailer. The RD RX820. Per the Shimano website it can go up to a 42t cassette and support a 17t chainring difference. Keep in mind, I’m keeping mine 11spd so this not supported by Shimano. Anyway I will let you know when I have achieved my goal of the “double mullet” 2x11. If I need to get a different 11spd cassette or a different chainring combo I will do that but try not to loose too much of the range.