Jockey wheels - how to buy for 11 speed ultegra?

[Machoman121]

THere's a plethora of jockey wheels on ebay for very good prices - i've tried 11t alloy ones on my XT 10 speed and it works really well. Can i also use 11t jockey wheels for my ultegra 6800?

Aren't all 11t jockey wheels the same? The 11 speed ultegra jockeys have 11 teeth too. But i've read on the specifications and also on wiggle website some 11t jockey wheels are only suitable for 8/9/10 speeds and not the 11 speed ultegra. Why is the 11 speed ultegra so different with it's 11 teeth jockey wheels.....?

[Duck!]

11T pulleys are not all the same!! Shimano's more recent derailleurs have asymmetric lower (tension) pulleys, with cage shaping to suit, and some aftermarket pulleys may not work without excess friction from the pulley dragging on the cage plates. Don't trust online sellers' specifcation & compatibility claims; most of them don't seem to have a clue about full compatibility. There are minor techical differences between generations and spec levels, but beyond the asymmetry of the lower pulleys - which also applies to 2nd-gen 10-sp. - there is nothing fundamentally incompatible between 11-sp. & anything else, let alone individual models.

I don't like aluminium pulleys, they're plain bloody noisy. Second black mark is anything with ball bearings (which included some genuine Shimano offerings); the tiny bearings are susceptible to getting jammed with dirt, and life suffers. My personal favourites are the 9 & 10-sp. Ultegra pulleys which have damn-near indestructible ceramic bushings in the top (guide) pulley, and regular steel bushings in the tension pulley. They're quiet, and wear very well.