The Ideal Tour Divide Drivetrain? Ultra-Wide Range Shimano GRX 2X11

In this video you will find out how to achieve a 585%, ultra-wide range 2x11 using an 11-42 cassette with a Shimano GRX 815 or 810 derailleur. We tested three different cassette ranges and the limits of the GRX derailleurs in this how-to video.

-------------
Hosted by Neil Beltchenko

[AndrewBushnell]

You could also remove the B-screw completely and reinstall it from the other side, so the screw head is contacting the hanger instead of the screw tip. Harder to adjust but gives more surface area contacting the frame.

[bradsanders]

I did this on my Gravel bike, 2X GRX 810 with the 11/40 XT cassette. I didnt even have to put a longer chain on. It works great on the steepest hills Ive found. I even tried the 11/40 cassette on my Di2 roadbike, it works! Just needs a longer chain.

[paddlingfan]

I have nearly 5, 000 miles in my 11-42 x 30-46 GRX810 with the Wolf's Tooth. I have some very punchy hills here on the Wabash river. I'm 64 years old. This system works great. I ride a 2022 Trek Checkpoint SL5. I would recommend this combination if you need more gears for the hills.

[adski]

I was only just commenting on the website the other day about this subject.
I've got just shy of 5000km's on my Warbird running mechanical Ultegra with 48-32 Praxis Zayante 4iiii crankset, 11-40 XT cassette and Ultegra RX800 clutch mech.
I haven't needed to modify the mech with either another B-screw or an extender.
One thing I have noticed is that I think the mech is probably more sensitive to knocks and you have to do minor adjustments a bit more often.
With the mechanical set-up I also think having the best quality cables is important for getting the best results with this configuration. For me that's the relatively expensive Shimano Polymer coated ones, and I give them an extra coating of Shimano SP41 cable grease too.

[cryonish]

Best video on Youtube. Did this today, GRX 810 46/30 front, went from 11-34 to 11-40 in the back. I did have to switch to a longer chain as big-big was blocking with the chain my bike came with. Went with the default length and big-big/small-small won't kill my bike now.

The only issue I have now is that in one or two in-between gears the chain jumps. Hope to get that right with some B-screw adjustments...

[alexpoole]

Great video, I'm running GRX810 with 11-40 XT cassette switched to the goatlink10 found this has improved the shifting making it flawless. I think the better contact patch for the B screw has made the difference, the machining of the goatlink is far better than the stock bracket axle unit.

[Globaltravelers]

I want to thank you for this modification. Just bought my wife a new pricey gravel bike with Grx di2. Gearing wasn’t easy enough for her. Was wish I bought a frameset and did a Mullet build. BUT bought a XT 11-40 cassette and a 10sp goat 🐐 link. Went together nicely. Actually had to dial the B screw almost all the way in as it was pushing the DR too far out. So YMMV based on the frameset’s dropout setup. Thanks much. Will certainly help with backpacking. Now to mess around with my setup. Thanks much for this vlog perfect timing for us!!!!

[HTB]

Thanks to your video, I tested every combination you mentioned: the ideal setup for the 11-42 casette in combination with 31/48 cranks is to buy the RX-812 derailleur for large translations and use the derailleur cage of RX810 (or something similar long). Shimano describes the exchange in their instruction manual pretty perfectly. Furthermore then you do NOT need a custom goatlink! The original screw fits perfectly!

[cake_carbon_and_some_cardi]

Awesome, thx for the inspiration! I went with an 11-42 XT
casette in addition with a roadlink DM on Easton 47-32 chainrings. Even with the stock 11-34 chain big/big isn't critical. Cervelo Aspero GRX mechanical.

[worth]

Neil, you answered some questions I didn't even know I had. Thanks for the great video buddy.

[tinshield]

Just put on an 11-40 and still have plenty of b-tension. Added a 1.85mm spacer behind the XT cassette. Glad I had one handy. Should have done this a while ago. 558% range!

[daveebert]

Thank you for the excellent video, this was exactly what I was looking for. I want a Kona Rove LTD but the stock 11x34 wasn’t gonna cut it for me. Based on your results I ordered the bike, a 11x40 cassette and the 10sp Goatlink. Now we wait 7 months until the bike is delivered in August, arghhhh. Thank you again I love the channel, the website and I recently signed up for the Bike Collective membership

[NDURcycling]

I have mounted a 11-46 XT cassette to my 1x GRX. I used the long cage and the Goat Link from Wolftooth. Works perfekt.

[CEMIII]

This is a great video. I have reworked a build I'm doing on my Domane SLR frame. I ordered the GRX 48/31 paired with a Leonardi General Lee CX 9/36 cassette with a goat link 11 on a Sram XD hub.
This allows me to run on high better than 54-11 and as low as 42-50 with a close gear ratio

[gregsullivan]

Thanks. I've tweeted this to Shimano - hopefully they'll address the situation and extend the low gearing, so we don't have to faff around.

[brandonpierce]

Did this one with a GX 11-42 cassette/r derailleur with a 24/38 front tied to Genevalle levers. Works great, I really like being able to dump a whole cog at once.

[bqueezy]

Cool video, I recently set up a mullet 1x12 drivetrain on my surly straggler. 38t chainring with 9-48t leonardi general lee cassette. 533% range with about 20.7 gear inches (650b wheels).

[jhartman]

This was awesome. Thanks for geeking out on whether different things would fit and even mentioning gear inches. Way to go.

[alexathegreat]

Currently using GRX RD 812, 10speed Deore cogs 11-42, Tiagra 4700 sti, and GRX RX 600 46-30 and GRX RX 800 FD. Works perfectly fine 👌

[jonbettcher]

Great video - literally just switched to an 11-40t cassette on my GRX Di2 Cutthroat two weeks ago and it works great. One bonus about running Di2 in this setup is that you can program synchro shift so that it avoids the slightly out of spec big-big or small-small combos. In practice that 560% gear range is absolutely amazing for a do-anything bike like this.