MichaelB wrote:OK, here's a Q for you, that I can hopefully word sensibly so that it makes sense.
Problem : (in another thread) - Want a 32 hole C/Lock hub for Road Shimano 11sp. General solutions are horribly expensive or heavy.
Typically want a 11-28 or 11-32 cassette to fit.
Potential solution : Use a Shimano MTB hub (XTR 9010 as example). BUT, 11sp ROAD cassettes do not fit, only 10sp Road or 11sp MTB.
Question : As this wheelset is more of an occasional use wheelset, if I modify a ROAD 11sp cassette by taking a smidgen off the hub carrier (as many people did when 11sp road 1st came out) .
Does this make sense ? The Shimano MTB cassette options seem to be 40T min, so that's not useble (too low). And SRAM options are the XD Driver and stoopid expensive, so that's a no-go.
HELP ?
For anyone else still hanging for an update, the solution arrived parallel to and part of the R8000 Ultegra groupset...... With the growing trend to gravel grinders and wall-climbers with MTB-esque gearing, the new R8000 series allows the capacity for up to a 34T rear sprocket. sitting alongside the "proper" R8000 cassette range is the stand-alone HG800 11-34 cassette. The reason this cassette gets its own model code rather than sitting in the R8000 series is because like the MTB 11-sp. models, the back of the cassette is dished to enable it to fit on a standard 8/9/10-sp. hub. Therefore when fitting to a road 11-sp. hub, it requires a 1.85mm spacer behind it, as when fitting an 8, 9 or 10-sp. cassette to the hub.
So far the only road derailleurs that will fit it, officially at least, are the R8000 Ultegra, and 4700 Tiagra, which although labelled as "10-sp." works on the same cable pull as road 11-sp, therefore is compatible with those shifters. 105 gets its turn for a full update later this year, so it is safe to assume that it too will have capacity for the 34T. R9100 Dura-Ace
will probably fit it, but with only one cage length available in that model, great care must be exercised with gear selection, as the available chain length may not allow the largest sprockets to be used when on the big ring. Similarly, 6800 & 5800 may be coaxed into it, although 32 is officially the largest those derailleurs have the clearance for, and larger may be questionable. Although the short cage of both those models will work completely fine with the 32T, the chain length is taken close to its limit, so if the 34 is to be tried, the longer cage
must be used to ensure sufficient chain length to cover the full gear range.
I had a thought, but it got run over as it crossed my mind.