[Closed] Shimano Zee rear mech

Nope, doesn't have the capacity. From reports on here it barely has the capacity for 1x10

Yes, but in the granny you cant use all the cassette (i.e. smaller ones) as it dosnt have capacity to take up the extra slack. If you want the granny as a bail out gear, it'll work fine.

Don't do it. It's a perfectly good SHORT cage 1x10 mech.

Just to jump on this thread...

Is there any reason not to get a Zee rather than an XT? the weight difference (12g) is negligible and the reviews all sound like it's a pretty good bit of kit (for a 1x10 XC setup)

Yes, but in the granny you cant use all the cassette (i.e. smaller ones) as it dosnt have capacity to take up the extra slack. If you want the granny as a bail out gear, it'll work fine.

Exactly this. On an 11-36 rear cassette, I can use the top half of the cassette only when I drop it onto the granny ring (22/32 up front). I'm waiting for a non-ramped Works front chainring to arrive and I'll complete the 1x10 setup. It works fine but it doesn't really make sense to buy Zee for 2x10, better to get an SLX medium cage and it'll all work fine.

I'd imagine that the clutch is more powerful on a zee compared with XT (since there's less leverage from a shorter cage) so I went for Zee rather than SLX / XT.

I'd imagine that the clutch is more powerful on a zee compared with XT (since there's less leverage from a shorter cage) so I went for Zee rather than SLX / XT.

I believe all the clutches are the same, it's just a simple band device. Even if they were setup differently in the factory you can adjust it yourself to suit

So no (real world) reason to get an XT if you're on 1x10?

Nope- Zee here to replace XT and I appreciate the smaller cage more than the Shadow design. Can't say I've noticed the clutch much.

So, where's cheapest for the FR/Shortcage? It's available for £45 medium cage but short cage seems to be £55 cheapest.

I'm not sure if the Zee mech is the same length as the Saint, but I've got a Saint supershort 10sp on the dh bike and an 11-34 cassette (yeah, I know) and the cage isn't long enough- it can shift through all the gears, mechanically it's fine, but it can't cope with the range of chain lengths, so it's either really loose in the highest gears, or too tight in the lowest gears.

Would be fine on a hardtail or a bike without as much chain growth but it's something to watch.

Hmm, that's a good point. I've only tried the Zee on my hardtail - 11:36 cassette and it's fine. Depends how much chain growth you've got I suppose - most XC bikes presumably have significantly less than on a DH bike.

Zee here to replace XT and I appreciate the smaller cage more than the Shadow design.

Shirley Zee counts as shadow as well?

I don't think he was saying that it wasn't...

It is Shadow, but I find that if my mech dies it's because the cage gets ripped off rather than the body hitting something.

I'm running the shortest Zee with an 11-36 on a Five with loads of chain growth. I bought mine from Tweeks Cycles who were cheapest a couple of months ago.

I've got a Saint supershort 10sp on the dh bike and an 11-34 cassette (yeah, I know) and the cage isn't long enough- it can shift through all the gears, mechanically it's fine, but it can't cope with the range of chain lengths, so it's either really loose in the highest gears, or too tight in the lowest gears.

I had a similar issue with the Zee on an 11-36 on my 150mm frame. If the B-tension is set up as you normally would then the range is only suitable for 11-32 at a push. Tighten it more so that the top jockey wheel sits a little further away from the big cog and it's all good. No issues with mine, love it.

The shifter is pretty nasty though (chunky design and feels cheap), definitely worth spending a little extra on XT or Saint if you've got the cash. Still, it works fine.

I just started using a Zee mech with Saint shifter. Performed faultlessly at the weekend. The mech is brilliant value, I picked it up for about £50 from bike-discount.de. Didn't have any issues with the range of the mech (running 32t with 11/36). Clutch mechs are the future of biking, I rode Nevis Range on Saturday and didn't hear a peep out of my bike, which is impressive for a hardtail on a rough and fast track.

The Saint shifter is a great piece of kit, well worth the extra over Zee/SLX imo.

[i]I'm running the shortest Zee[/i]

There is only one cage length on Zee. It is the top link part that bolt to the mech hanger that changes between the DH and FR models, not the cage length.

I don't think he was saying that it wasn't...

Oh I see. I misread it.

Derailleurs are way better than they used to be, aren't they? Clutch / Shadow / super-short cage. None of that was available on an XC bike with a sensible gear range 5-6 year ago. Hurrah for better derailleurs!

seems to come up a lot re mechs, but cage length is not the defining factor for a mech to deal with diner plate sprockets - cage length is all about taking up chain slack... 3x10 lost of slack to take up so long cage 1x10 less so shorter cage.

Zee comes in two styles, both for 1x10 but 1 for 11-36 cassette and 1 for 11-27 cassette.. cage is same, top part different

Saint supershort 10sp on the dh bike and an 11-34 cassette (yeah, I know) and the cage isn't long enough- it can shift through all the gears, mechanically it's fine, but it can't cope with the range of chain lengths, so it's either really loose in the highest gears, or too tight in the lowest gears.

Saint is switchable to deal with narrow and wide range cassettes..

see installation section re mode convertor

Beg your pardon, thought there was a medium cage too. OK, normal Zee cage with the wide range set up.

rootes1 - Member

Saint is switchable to deal with narrow and wide range cassettes..

It is, and mine is switched- it wouldn't shift correctly otherwise. But that only allows the mech to shift around the big cassette, it doesn't help the chain slack issue.

^ you must have a lot of chain growth then... better with a med cage.

suppose the rationale for the short cages on zee and saint is that for more downhilly bikes you would not have a wide range cassette so it can cope with the possible longer chain growth

Yup, it wouldn't be an issue for most folks- combination of fairly chaingrowthy 224, and bigger than average block. But I reckon it's something that could affect other bikes especially with an 11-36.

i'm running 2 x 10 with a Zee, I wanted the short cage as recently killed two mechs by clipping the cage

running a 11-36 and it works fine, but then i don't cross chain in the granny (regardless of mech), so not tried it in anything other than the top 2-3 cogs