Road mechs on MTBs

[rogerzilla]

A popular mod in the 90s: better ground clearance, so less likely to get twigs caught in it, lighter weight, better shifting. The downside was that you were generally limited to 28T, maybe 30T, and you must never use big-big, or the transmission would lock solid. But only a numpty would do that.

Who else had a 105 or Ultegra mech on the back of their 90s ride?

 

[Magpiegifts]

Had a Dura ace 7400 it was already on the bike when I bought it at a police auction
It was a Trek can't quite remember the exact model

 

[Ackers]

I've run rear road mechs on several builds with close ratio road cassettes and they rode really nicely, especially with thumbies in friction mode.

 

[novocaine]

Downhill bike, normally with only 3 to 6 cogs on it, because I wasnt riding it back up.

Trials bike, often as a chain tensioner.

Everything else got an lx long cage, which at the was the best I could afford.

 

[TreaderSteve]

I've got an apparently legit short cage XT rear mech (8 speed group) that I think has 28T on the cage indicating the max teeth of course. Not something I've seen before and hopefully it will work great. Not all 'MTB' rear mechs it seems were long cage...
My favourite $exy little rear mech in the shed is a Tricolour/ 600 mech. Lovely quality and shifted great with thumbies on a flat-bar racer.

 

[legrandefromage]

I just fitted road cages to my MTB mechs!

 

[boy"O"boy]

A popular mod in the 90s: better ground clearance, so less likely to get twigs caught in it, lighter weight, better shifting. The downside was that you were generally limited to 28T, maybe 30T, and you must never use big-big, or the transmission would lock solid. But only a numpty would do that.

Who else had a 105 or Ultegra mech on the back of their 90s ride?

Mavic 840 with 12-28 Shimano HG70
I Run it with Suntour XC pro Microdrive
Built a 2nd recently with the same format but issues with spring tension needs some tweaking.

Original #1 Aluminium "O" (Gen 2)with Mavic 840

#2 Aluminium 'O' (Gen 1) with Mavic 840

MAVIC 840 Road rear mech


Cheers.
boy"O"boy

 

[hookooekoo]

Shimano Deore XT
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115316185276
Shimano Deore DX
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/125226389033

 

[hookooekoo]

Nelo's lists quite a few short cage Deore XT rear dérailleurs.

https://neloscycles.com/Derailleurs-Rear-Shimano-Deore-Xt-Rd-M735/
It seems that the part number is the same, RD-M735, whether they are short cage or long cage. Same for Deore DX, they are all RD-M650 whether they are short cage or long cage.

 

[rigidftw]

Nelo's lists quite a few short cage Deore XT rear dérailleurs.

https://neloscycles.com/Derailleurs-Rear-Shimano-Deore-Xt-Rd-M735/
It seems that the part number is the same, RD-M735, whether they are short cage or long cage. Same for Deore DX, they are all RD-M650 whether they are short cage or long cage.

Long cage derailleurs are called RD-M735 SGS, short cage derailleurs RD-M735 SS. See here.

I've got a Dura Ace rear derailleur on my Catalyst, combined with a 12-28 cassette and 34t/46t chainrings.