So, I’ve got an XT 11-36 cassette with a Superstar 40T expander ring installed. I’m currently running it with a Zee 11-36 rear mech. It works (sort of) but it seems like it’s really pushing the mech as the whole thing sits at an angle on the 40T ring and the indexing is mince towards the top of the cassette.

A mate is going 1×10 on his DH bike and has mentioned about buying the Zee off me for what I paid for it on CRC as we talked about the possibility of a medium cage SLX performing much better with the 40T. My setup is 1×10 on a fatbike so no chain growth to worry about etc.

So, although it sort of works, is there any advantage for going for an SLX rear mech now? I understand the weight / build quality etc, but will it actually function better with the big range or am I just doomed as long as I’m fat and lazy?

Cheers,
Oli.

my Zee felt stretched to its limit even with just the 36T on a 1X system..

swapped to a medium XT which immediately felt loads better..

i’ve also experimented with chainline at the front too..

first moving the BB spacers to the non drive side.. which helped loads with the indexing in the lower gears

and i’ve now moved them back and got some 3.2mm chainring bolt spacers which moved the chainline inboard and put the crank back in the right place.

(the 30t chainring im running also needed some extra little crank hole spacers making to remove the play from the chainring bolts in the crank arm)

now got pretty much perfect indexing..

after that i have added a one up 42t, shimano 16t and a rad cage..

which all went on with no further issues. 🙂

use a longer B-screw and it works fine

I have already got the longer B-screw installed. Not sure I’m going to be bothered to do all of that ^^^^. Perhaps I should just shut up and make do. I might be able to improve the indexing with some screwdrivering….

Just done this exact setup on my GF’s new bike (11-36T 10spd cassette, with a 40T Hope T-Rex & 16T cog replacing 15 & 17 cogs, with a Zee rear mech) and intitially found it a PITA too.

BUT… After some messing around, I put an additional link back in the chain (had shortened the chain to as short as it would go) and then discovered it actually shifted a whole lot better, and there was still some tension on the chain in the 11T cog too. Happy Days!

One thing I would state is that Shimano/Madison will not honour any warranty running a Shimano mech with anything bigger than a 36T cog if it wasn’t designed for it. Also, there is NO WAY, warranty issues or not, I would run a Zee mech with an 11-40 or 11-42 setup on a full sus bike, the chain growth would cause far too many issues for such a short cage to deal with the huge ratio difference.

I have set up 1*10 with Hope 40t expander and Zee mech on a Cotic BFe. I run it with either a 30 or 32T chain ring. Needed the longer B bolt to get it working well if a little noisy in the 36 and 40T. Solved the chattering by putting the chain ring on the inside of the spider. That was in December last year and it has been fine since.