- This topic has 12 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 5 years ago by moorsey72.
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105 11spd shifters and XT 11spd mech/cassette?
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airtragicFree MemberPosted 5 years ago
Hi all. My tandem has 105 11spd drop bar shifters and, at the shop’s suggestion to get the extra range, an XT 11spd rear mech and 11-42 (I think, it’s a bit cold to go out to the garage!) cassette. There’s a JTek shiftmate on there to sort the cable pull. The bike’s a Co-Motion so it has S+S couplings, we split it down to get it in the car etc and this also involves splitting the cables, it has those little threaded splitter things.
Reason for the thread is that the indexing is always drifting out – all the usual stuff like no shift then a double shift, jumping, running noisy etc. I know how to set up indexing, but on every other bike it’s fit and forget. This one works fine after a set-up but then goes off on a ride – very annoying! It’s weird too, like it’ll index fine at one end of the cassette but not the other. The Jtek shiftmate has good reviews but I wonder if it’s something to do with splitting the cables that’s throwing it out of whack? I know to ensure the cable hasn’t derailed from the pulley and that the flat spot on the pulley is outermost in the smallest sprocket, it’s the right shiftmate too!
Any suggestions? The shop have been great but they’re a little way away and I don’t fancy multiple round trips to get it sorted. I’m hoping for (in ascending cost order):
1. A fix for the existing kit.
2. 105 derailleur and Wolf Tooth roadlink (binning the shiftmate)?
3. 105 derailleur and cassette; guaranteed to work but with a much reduced gear range, 30T instead of 42!Grateful for any help STW can provide!
scotroutesFull MemberPosted 5 years agoit’ll index fine at one end of the cassette but not the other
This is a classic symptom of a bent mech hanger. Certainly worth excluding it from your deliberations.
airtragicFree MemberPosted 5 years agoThis is a classic symptom of a bent mech hanger. Certainly worth excluding it from your deliberations.
Should have said, not that either!
slackboyFull MemberPosted 5 years agoIs it definitely the right model of shiftmate? I seem to recall there’s about 10 different ones.
PeterPoddyFree MemberPosted 5 years agoAfter checking the obvious (Properly, not by eye….) stuff like hanger, cable condition, jockey wheel wear, general chain/cassette wear, and any slop in the mech itself* you’ve got to point the finger at the bodgetasic nature of all these components being forced to work together.
*Oh, plus general cable routing too. Is the cable under the right part of the pinch bolt? is there a part of the routing that’s flexing or dragging? Are the adjusters so far out they’re past the end of the threads and not doing anything? Are any internally routed cables crossed too much (Tangled) and affecting each other inside somewhere (I’ve seen that on a brand new bikes) That sort of stuff.
ampthillFull MemberPosted 5 years agoAccording to this the latest 105 mechs will shift cogs much larger than the old one. Maybe upto 42 certainly 40
https://road.cc/content/feature/246424-how-get-ultra-low-gearing-gravel-bike-adventures
mick_rFull MemberPosted 5 years agoIf you go the new 11spd (Road) mech route, get an Ultegra rather than 105 so you can have clutch mech option. Think Shimano say it is OK up to 32t (so good for 36 in reality) and it might manage the 42 with a goatlink / longer hanger.
PeterPoddyFree MemberPosted 5 years agoIf you go the new 11spd (Road) mech route, get an Ultegra rather than 105 so you can have clutch mech option. Think Shimano say it is OK up to 32t (so good for 36 in reality) and it might manage the 42 with a goatlink / longer hanger.
Standard 105 will go to a 36, Specialized spec the Sequoia with it. I reckon there’s a chance the new Ultegra will go to 40t all on it’s own, it’s rated for 34t I think
airtragicFree MemberPosted 5 years agoThanks all. Peter, all the bits are brand new, external cables and I wind the adjusters back in every time I re-fettle it (they’re those ones that sit in the middle of a section of outer; one peculiarity with the road shifters/mtb derailleur is that there’s no barrel adjuster!). Ampthill, reading that article I’m inclined to give a new 105 mech a bash and see what happens, with the roadlink extension thingy in reserve if it’s no good. I figure 105 shifter direct to 105 mech can’t be too bad. Mick, don’t think I need a clutch as it’s used for road/gentle gravel; if it got rough, Mrs AT would have kidney-punched me long before the chain was likely to bounce off!
sarawakFree MemberPosted 5 years agoWe built a tandem as a one off “folly”. Begged the frame and a lot of the parts from anyone and everyone. That had 105 shifters and rear mech. Just a single cable connected the two. All old bits of gear from the bottom of various friends’ spares boxes. Worked perfectly. Worked so well we did a 2up time trial on it and came 2nd, behind a couple of guys with a custom built tandem. We took it apart after that!
spoonmeisterFull MemberPosted 5 years agoI can vouch for the Roadlink working with 105 – I run a medium cage mech with an 11-40t cassette and it shifts fine, no worse than the 10 speed XT stuff on my hardtail.
If you’re running multiple chainrings I would definitely get the Ultegra clutch mech as you’ll have loads of chain slack (even when sized correctly). If you’re running 1x then definitely look at the Ultegra clutch mech and/or a Narrow-wide chainring. I run 1x and would drop my chain over bigger bumps (on the road) before getting a narrow-wide ‘ring.
moorsey72Free MemberPosted 5 years agoI run a 11 spd 105 groupset with xt rear mech and a shiftmate 8. Runs perfectly with a 40t cassette. Previously used a roadlink with the 105 rear mesh which was fine but suffered a lot of chain slap hence upgrading to xt with a clutch. Much smoother
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