I managed to pick up a cheap GT Grade CX frame on Facebook and want to build up for weekend gravel riding and the occasional CX race.
I know a lot of the SRAM stuff is 1x ready, but ideally I'd like to stick to a Shimano drivetrain.
Can anyone recommend a suitable 1x Shimano setup? I'm looking for rear mech/shifter, cassette and chainring recommendations if I can. Happy to combine road and MTB parts if necessary, but I'm not sure what's compatible with what!
Personally I'd go for a mtb rear derailleur, and cassette, with regular road leavers and a lindrets (sp?) conversation....
The latest 105/Ultegra 11 speed rear mechs are only supposed to handle up to a 34-tooth sprocket.. but the ultegra ones handle 40 no problem!
I converted my CX bike to be a bit more gravel by keeping the 105 shifters (hydraulic brakes so wasn't going to mess around) and fitting an 11-40 SLX cassette and an Ultegra RX clutch mech (RD-RX800-GS). Works perfectly - I did need to add a 1.75mm spacer for the cassette, which I didn't realise at first. 11 speed mtb cassettes are that much smaller than road cassettes, but most freehubs are about that short anyway, so it's possible to fit the mtb cassette without realising. But shifting is better with the correct spacer.
can't really help with chainring - I'm still on the double at the front. I can manage most roads using the 46-tooth CX big ring and 11-40, but I've put on a 34-tooth small ring, for the steepest offroad climbs (my personal definition of "gravel" is quite close to "definitely the wrong bike for here")
Just specced Shimano R7020 shifters with 11 speed 11-42 XT cassette and XT long cage rear mech. The guy helping me build it had to fit a shiftmate to get round the cable pull, but it works a treat. I run a 42t on the front.
I don't understand why Shimano don't offer a gravel group set.
I'm running 1x10 with an SLX rear mech, 11-36 cassette, 38t chainring, and a Gevenalle GX shifter. I previously had a longer cage XT mech on there but didn't need the range for the 36.
This setup has done me for CX, 'gravel', and bike packing too.