This may or may not make any sense….

My beik has a Direct Mount hanger and I currently run a Shimano XT Shadow Plus rear derailleur without the upper link which is the correct way to set up such a derailleur with this hanger.

But….I want to run a Sunrace 10sp cassette with a 42t large sprocket. It seems pretty well documented that Shimano derailleurs don’t like 42t sprockets, even with One-Up Rad cages, Goat Links etc. But (again…..) it has occurred to me that if I put the upper link back on my derailleur and use it with the Direct Mount hanger, that will push the derailleur back maybe 2cm, and as such may by coincidence be ideal for the 42t sprocket? I don’t currently have the cassette to try though.

Anyone done this?! Plan B would be to buy an 11sp derailleur which is designed for a 42t sprocket, but I’m tight.

Won’t work, as the derailleur will be pushed outboard by .5cm or whatever the width of the B knuckle is.

I know what you mean, but the guy who built my frame also has a DM hanger on his and didn’t realize that one is meant to remove the upper link from the S+ derailleur and his shifting was fine (on a normal 36t sprocket though IIRC).

I hadn’t thought to check teh google. This is what I was thinking (Robs second frame. I see he is running an expander cog and hadn’t removed the upper link at this point. I seemed to remember him saying he could never get a 42t sprocket to work though, and went down to a 40. Not sure at what point he removed the upper link though).

Blah blah blah 😀