Hi everyone, I live in a very hilly part of Switzerland. Many climbs are high gradient yesterday 14% avg for like 20 min as an example so I would like to try a bigger cassette 40T i read that this is possible with a Wolf Tooth link.
Now my first question is will i need the Wolf Tooth DM? I have a Ultegra 8050 DI2 and i think what is called a mid-range hanger (also a picture here). The Wolf Tooth DM lists Ultegra, DuraAce and also 105. But i see there is another Roadlink with a diffrent shape available, there they say nothing from what i saw for what Version it actually is.
So I am unsure, anyone with experience may can help me out?
Also i know I need to add links to my chain? How do I buy them? Will you just buy a new chain and make it shorter? I guess they come longer than you need them and you adjust them to your drivetrain?
BR and Thanks for the help
Promise i clean my Cassette asap just realized how ugly it looks… sorry
Your mech looks really close to my mechanical GRX in design. I used a goat link 11 to up the number of teeth I can use (well I have fitted the link but cassette isn’t worn enough to swap yet).
I think the road links are for mechs that don’t have the removable link, old 105 for example.
I have done this before with 6800 ultegra Di2, I have used the (V1 )road link and was able to fit a SRAM 11-42 with room to spare and to answer your question.
you need option 1: the Direct Mount (DM) version, you can replace the existing link on your rear derailleur with this, this will drop it by a few cm. adjust the b screw.
you will need a new chain to account for the bigger 40 tooth cog, allow some fudge factor if you happen to cross chain (big, Big), unless you have set up synchro shift.
Thanks a lot for the help and taking the Fotos. The Goat Link and the Wolf Tooth DM look very similar to me.
I would not be surprised if both of them work? But maybe the save bet is to get the Ultegra one (Wolf ToothDM) since it explicitly lists Ultegra? They are not that expensive, maybe i get one more and give it to a frend for his Gravel bike. Is the GRX Group not able to fit a 11-40T cassette without a Link? I would have thought that. Just out of curiosity whats the max you normally can do on a GRX?
I see when i buy a Chain, i can select 138 Links or 116 Links for the same price. So i guess i go with the longer one? I buy the tool also " Kettennieter" in German Chainpuncher i would translate it i guess
GRX can do 42 stock, which I have, but with a goat link it is able to push up to 50t (see here). I hindsight I wish I’d gone XT 46 from the build since I plan to load up and adventure.
When this one is worn I’ll change it but for now, just have to get stronger for hills!
It may take some playing around to get the right chain length. You want the chain long enough to be able to just about shift into big-big. Not that you’d ride cross chained like this, but in the event you inadvertently shift into big-big, you don’t want to rip the chain/derailleur off the bike.
In small-small, you want the chain to be short enough to have some tension left in it so it won’t easily drop.
There’s probably only one chain length that will allow you to do both.
I have 50-34, and 11-40 set up this way with a roadlink and medium cage ultegra derailleur. I did this to convert my road bike into a gravel bike. Worked great.
Awesome, i also have a 50-34 on the big ring, how many links we are talking about? I guess about 1 to 3 additional links too what i have now? But thanks a lot for explaining it, that helps a lot to understand the problems behind.
Right now i have a 50-34 and a 11-34 Cassette. I know i can remove links with the tool i get, i guess reinserting links is also possible? Would you recommend to also get a chain lock link or what it is called while i am add it?
Thanks for all the Feedback.
If i get this to work, i will be to a large part because of you guys on the forum here.
Look at this range that would be killer cool i keep the max speed but go from 1 to 0.85 crazy
I hope @Ridill you don’t mind if I’ve a quick thread hijack, sorry .
Would anyone know if you could you use a Wolftooth to expand the max capacity on an Ultegra r8000 ss (short cage) derailleur?
I’m running a 52/36 with 11/30 - would I get away with running a 32 or 34 using the Wolftooth (without compromising shifting)? Or should I just bite the bullet and buy a gs (medium cage) derailleur?
Double chainrings are only supported with GS (medium cage) rear derailleurs. You may need to change the front gearing so the rear derailleurs capacity is not exceeded.
Looks like it is unsupported in any way with the SS (short cage) RD, assuming you keep the double setup.
I think GS is the smarter choice, then you can consider adding the link if you head into the wider ranges.
Thanks for the input Chad, it probably makes sense to just pick up the GS anyway and remove any doubt. They seem to be a decent price at the moment. I’d the Marmotte on the calendar for this year but I’ve bumped it to next year due to Covid - I’ll need those gears eventually .
I don’t have experience specifically with the R8000 mechanical derailleur, but I have used a bunch of Shimano SS/short cage derailleurs with 32t cassettes without issue.
I’ve also used a variety of Shimano GS cage derailleurs with 36t cassettes, and most have worked ok by maxing out the b screw. The one that didn’t was a 105 5800 GS on a Specialized Crux. For whatever reason, that combo just didn’t want to play nice.
I’d see if you have any friends with 32t cassettes and ask to borrow their rear wheel for a trial fit. Just see if you can tighten the B screw enough to get it to shift smoothly into the 32 while you’re in the small ring. Once you confirm that, it’s just a matter of ensuring your chain isn’t too short to go big/big.
I wouldn’t add links to a chain, it can make it weaker. There are different methods of measuring how long the chain needs to be, parktool have a good summary on their website. SRAM’s “big-big+2” always worked for me, but I have a sram drivetrain. Wind the chain around the big chainring and the biggest sprocket, but not through the rear derailleur. See where it overlaps, then count two full links (inner and outer is one) more. If you use a quick link to put it together (I’d recommend that), this counts as an outer.
I don’t know if that method works with the wolf tooth, or if you have to do something special - they might have something on their website?
If you don’t use a quick link, you need to use pins to press into the chain. Sometimes, the original pin can be pushed back in with the chaintool (your Kettennietbrecher), but it doesn’t always work. You can buy new pins designed for this, but its easier to use a quickling and it helps you if you have to take the chain off at any point.
Great suggestion, thanks Rick. I’ll give it a go. A friend has told me he uses that combo regularly, but he’s riding a Giant TCR - I understand they’ve a longer hanger. I’ll steal his wheel for a day and see how I get on.
.
.