I currently have SRAM rival on my road bike and am suffering on hills. Am thinking of going to a mtb rear mech which has the some level of lever pull. However I don’t really understand all the differences between the X0 etc, what does a more expensive rear mech buy me? I want to have the capacity for 36 teeth in the rear.

I also have a 9 speed xt mech and am wondering if I can use that instead – is it the same throw as 10 speed SRAM ?

Thanks

I had Rival short cage rear mech on my Dirty Disco, but switched to a medium cage Apex and upped the cassette to 11-32 (compact on front). Now, some years later the Wifli has “trickled up” and I now have a Force medium cage rear mech.

Gets me up most things…

cheers but does shimano xt have the same cable pull ?

Nope. SRAM 10 speed only.

As above , you can mix & match chains & sprockets , but Shimano & SRAM mechs must be set up with their own levers.

I would be interested to know if the 9sp XT mech would work on a 10sp cassette with a suitable 10sp lever though ?

9spd Shimano MTB mechs will work with 10spd Shimano road shifters iirc.

Cheers, I will stick to the SRAM levers and mechs

9spd Shimano MTB mechs will work with 10spd Shimano road shifters iirc.

Correct!

9spd Shimano MTB mechs will work with 10spd Shimano road shifters iirc.

Now that is a very good news indeed .