How to get a wide range Bikepacking 5 or 6 speed cassette?
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Deacon Patrick
May 17, 2020, 3:43:54 PM5/17/20
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On my Proto-Gus I've been riding the 1x11 that Riv built up and it works well for what it is. However, part of what it is is fussy, and this plays poorly with my own fussiness. Sardonic grin. High torque mountain riding and waffer-thin mint cogs require fine calibration and my ogre riding and it are starting to have disagreements. In general, I shift 2-3 gears at a time. However, I LOVE the wide range it offers, and I love the 1x simplicity. Oh, and I'd love to shift back to friction shifting and the new Silver Surfer Shifter. Grin.
Range: 30 (front) x 11/46 yields 18" x 80", a range I'd love to keep.
Ideas for how such wide-range (18"-80") 5-6 gear (but 8 or 9 if needed would work) friction shifting beastie might be had?
Options I see:
- Could my current wheel lose it's cassette, gain Surly cassette cogs for the 22-13 range, and then ??? for the bigger cogs?
- Sun Race offers an 8 speed 11-40t that might work. (They have a lot of options for others building up the Gus/Suzie as well).
- BoxComponents.com has a 9 speed 11-50 (pricy), all steel I'd read somewhere about a wide range steel 8 or 9 speed cassette start-up, but can't find it now.
masmojo
May 17, 2020, 4:06:57 PM5/17/20
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I honestly don't think dropping below 7 speeds will gain you any durability and if you are running 1X you'll surely miss the additional intermediate gears.
7 spead Shimano Deore was pretty much bullit proof with the advantage of having an awesome indexing thumb shifter ( switchable to friction) the downside is those systems were meant to be run 2X so the old stuff likely won't work anywayz the rear derailleur probably has a max capacity of 36(?)
Now Shimano makes some modern 7/8/9 speed stuff that the sell for lower level bikes, similar to what Rivendell puts on Clems.
I am running Altus 9 Speed rear on my Clementine. But did you need freewheel or Cassette?
7 spead Shimano Deore was pretty much bullit proof with the advantage of having an awesome indexing thumb shifter ( switchable to friction) the downside is those systems were meant to be run 2X so the old stuff likely won't work anywayz the rear derailleur probably has a max capacity of 36(?)
Now Shimano makes some modern 7/8/9 speed stuff that the sell for lower level bikes, similar to what Rivendell puts on Clems.
I am running Altus 9 Speed rear on my Clementine. But did you need freewheel or Cassette?
Clayton Scott
May 17, 2020, 4:19:52 PM5/17/20
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It can gain you at least theoretical durability if you manage to increase the flange to flange distance for greater spoke bracing angle.
Pairing a Single Speed Cassette hub with 5-6 cogs will get you there. Almost "old school" at this point, but certainly a viable option.
Further reading here: https://forums.mtbr.com/29er-bikes/6-speed-cassette-ss-hub-please-post-your-setup-573783.html
And here: https://blog.jonesbikes.com/6-speed-cassettes/
Enjoy the trip down the rabbit hole.
Clayton Scott
HBG, CA
Kurt Manley
May 17, 2020, 4:45:17 PM5/17/20
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Did you see this Box cassette? $69 9 speed cassette in 11-46 or 11-50
One thing I'd wonder about would be friction shifting with a clutch derailleur. The tension is pretty high, would the shifter be able to hold? I have no experience but maybe someone here has tried.
Deacon Patrick
May 17, 2020, 4:50:41 PM5/17/20
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Would I miss intermediate gears? Nah. I'd be delighted with a manual shift three speed that was 80", 50", 20", so long as it was hearty and solid. Remember, my other bikes are fixe gear. Grin.
Yeah, Clayton, I've no desire to go down a rabbit hole on this, and great desire to avoid doing so. Grin.
However, I'm guessing I'll end up with a Box Three Prime 9 cassette, which works on 11-speed hubs. Hoping it is compatable with my derailure, and I can shift to a friction Silver Shifter.
With abandon,
Patrick
Clayton Scott
May 17, 2020, 4:50:53 PM5/17/20
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Friction shifting with clutch derailer works just as well as with clutchless derailer. At least for Shimano when paired with microshift.
Clayton Scott
HBG, CA
Clayton Scott
May 17, 2020, 4:53:06 PM5/17/20
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are you bending 11speed cogs? For me 11speed has been problem free for years.
Clayton Scott
HbG, CA
Deacon Patrick
May 17, 2020, 5:07:42 PM5/17/20
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I've bent 9-speed cogs, and broken a tooth or two off the big cog on the 11-speed.
With abandon,
Patrick
masmojo
May 17, 2020, 5:10:02 PM5/17/20
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You will likely need a new derailleur if you are currently using an 11 speed derailleur, especially if you go to 9 or lower, because the chain is wider. But you can try it first with the one you've got and then change it if it doesn't work.
Deacon Patrick
May 17, 2020, 6:14:32 PM5/17/20
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On order: Box Three Prime 9 cassette; Silver thumb shifters; Altus derailure. Thanks lads, for helping me think this through. I'll see how all parts play together. Grin.
With abandon,
With abandon,
Patrick
Deacon Patrick
May 17, 2020, 8:39:26 PM5/17/20
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Looking the specs over, I've shifted to getting the Box two x-wide group set and the Silver Shifters. This will give me a known working setup of the beefiest version, albeit annoyingly indexed, and allow me to test out Silver Shifter compatibility. The Altus doesn't go wide enough for cogs larger than 36t.
With abandon,
Patrick
Ed Fausto
May 18, 2020, 7:08:02 AM5/18/20
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Hi Patrick,
Let us know how your gearing turned out.
By the way, IRD (Interlock Racing Design) is offering a 12-40 IRD Cassette 9 speed Shimano Elite Wide Range
and a 13-40 IRD Cassette 8 speed Elite Shimano
Like you, I would prefer to have my lowest gearing at 18"
Edgar
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Nick Payne
May 18, 2020, 8:01:38 AM5/18/20
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ZTTO make 8-speed cassettes in 11-40, 11-42, and 11-46; 9-speed in 11-40, 11-42, 11-46, and 11-50:
I have a couple of ZTTO 10- and 11-speed cassettes cassettes purchased through Aliexpress, and they seem pretty well made.
Nick
masmojo
May 18, 2020, 8:25:10 AM5/18/20
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You'll need a chain as well.
Jason Fuller
May 18, 2020, 1:43:23 PM5/18/20
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I have to think those ZTTO 8 spd wide range cassettes (paired with a Shimano 8spd derailleur and chain, drop link if necessary to get the derailleur up onto that big cog, and friction shifter) is the ideal scenario - and cheap, to boot! I think that's the route I'll go when I eventually wear out my SRAM NX 1x11 setup.
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