# SRAM Road Shifter with SRAM Mountain RD



## beerdles (Aug 22, 2016)

I've got a cx bike with a Force road shifter and I want to see if anyone knows if it's compatible with a mountain rear derailleur. I'm going 1x and I want to prevent chain drop so I want something with a clutch derailleur.

Looking for a SRAM 10spd RD with Exact Actuation and the Roller Bearing Clutch. Can anyone steer me in the right direction?


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## DETarch (Feb 26, 2011)

SRAM makes clutched road derailleurs as well. They have Rival 1 and Force 1 10-speed rear derailleurs designed for 1x CX setups. I run a Rival 1 RD on my CX bike and it works really well.


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## talabardio (Oct 6, 2009)

Yes the road 1X Force and Rival derailleurs will work perfectly - they even come in a long cage version should you choose a big cassette. The only difference between them and the mountain versions is a clip-on part that attaches the rear cable with a barrel adjuster and changes the pull to exact actuation. If you can find it, you could even take that part and attach it to a XX, XO etc 1X derailleur and make them work. Also, obviously enough any of the SRAM 2X mountain 10 speed derailleurs will work fine as well so you could use a 2X version XO with a clutch for instance, and that will also work.


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## beerdles (Aug 22, 2016)

what about using an x7 or x9 rd to save on cost? would that require anymore modifications?


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## talabardio (Oct 6, 2009)

beerdles said:


> what about using an x7 or x9 rd to save on cost? would that require anymore modifications?


Any 'Exact Actuation' derailleur will work perfectly. If you need a clutch feature you'll have to make sure the one you're looking at has it.

I forgot to mention that the mountain rear derailleurs don't have a barrel adjuster so you'll have to put an inline adjuster on somewhere, either up by the handlebar or by the derailleur.


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## watts888 (Oct 2, 2012)

I think the rear derailleurs for both SRAM and Shimano use the same pull for road vs. mountain, so you should be good (SRAM road with SRAM mountain, not a SRAM/Shimano mix). Front derailleurs don't, but since you're going 1x, not a problem. This was on older road shifters from a couple years back, and I'm not familiar enough with recent road groupsets to know what changes have been made.


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## talabardio (Oct 6, 2009)

watts888 said:


> I think the rear derailleurs for both SRAM and Shimano use the same pull for road vs. mountain, so you should be good (SRAM road with SRAM mountain, not a SRAM/Shimano mix).


Current Shimano road and mountain are definitely not compatible, although Lindarets/Wolftooth makes the 'tanpan' to make them work together. Tanpan ? wolftoothcomponents.com


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## eness215 (Jul 22, 2010)

I have SRAM road shifters with an X.9 short cage clutch rear derailleur. Works perfectly fine. I'm running a 10spd mountain cassette on there so I get a nice wide range with the 1x 10spd drivetrain


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## wpccrunner (Feb 17, 2016)

talabardio said:


> Yes the road 1X Force and Rival derailleurs will work perfectly - they even come in a long cage version should you choose a big cassette. The only difference between them and the mountain versions is a clip-on part that attaches the rear cable with a barrel adjuster and changes the pull to exact actuation. If you can find it, you could even take that part and attach it to a XX, XO etc 1X derailleur and make them work. Also, obviously enough any of the SRAM 2X mountain 10 speed derailleurs will work fine as well so you could use a 2X version XO with a clutch for instance, and that will also work.


Not intending to thread jack here but your comment on RD mod with spare parts has caught my attention.

I currently have a 10 speed SRAM Mountain Rear Shifter (Exact Actuation) and an 11 speed GX-1X rear derailleur (X-Actuation).

Would I be able to remove the roller cable guide on the GX rear derailleur and install the Force CX1 "barrel adjuster and holder" (P/N: 1.7518.040.000) to change the rear derailleur from X-Actuation to Exact-Actuation? I know there will be a redundant barrel adjuster but I am looking to make these two different parts work together.


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## comfycoaster (Jan 14, 2016)

It works great like others indicated. I have Rival shifters and an X.9 clutch (medium cage) derailleur. Clutch derailleur's are amazing, I can;t beleive I waited so long to get them.


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## talabardio (Oct 6, 2009)

wpccrunner said:


> Not intending to thread jack here but your comment on RD mod with spare parts has caught my attention.
> 
> I currently have a 10 speed SRAM Mountain Rear Shifter (Exact Actuation) and an 11 speed GX-1X rear derailleur (X-Actuation).
> 
> Would I be able to remove the roller cable guide on the GX rear derailleur and install the Force CX1 "barrel adjuster and holder" (P/N: 1.7518.040.000) to change the rear derailleur from X-Actuation to Exact-Actuation? I know there will be a redundant barrel adjuster but I am looking to make these two different parts work together.


I don't know. I imagine it will only work on 1X rear derailleurs. If you look at the road 1X rear derailleurs you can see that they still have the port where the mountain rear cable would go - it's the same basic body.


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## strat819 (Jul 29, 2007)

I have used Force shifters with X9 RD and Force shifters with Rival CX1 (both using a Red 11-28). The Force X9 was "good". Shifting wasn't ever "superb", but no chain drops and raced fine. It got the job done but was never perfect by my hand or a pro wrench hand. Went to the Rival CX1 RD and it was superior from cog to cog and over time right from the start. Set up was on a Focus Mares. Perhaps the frame and spacing plays a role. I will say it was worth the 80 bucks to go to the Rival CX1 RD (from the X9 clutch 10 speed).


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## phil_rad (Dec 28, 2007)

Found this thread while searching the web for answers. 

Question: 
Are Sram road shifters like the Rival compatible with their MTB derailleurs? I'm in the process of spec'ing
a Ti framed dropbar mtb and I'd like to have the wide range of the eagle, 10-50. 

Phil


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## tofudog415 (Feb 20, 2018)

My sense is that for SRAM's mechanical groupsets, absent some device like the Jtek Shiftmate, only 10-speed MTB derailleurs will work with road shifters. SRAM's 1x road derailleurs go up to 11-speed 10-42T. To use 12-speed Eagle, I believe the only solution is to go with the new electronic AXS components.


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## phil_rad (Dec 28, 2007)

Thanks for the reply, I read that too after I posted this.  

So I have a couple of options, Wolftooth also makes a thing call the Roadlink but I think its for shimano. 
The Rival or Force 1x11 might be enough range for me to with a 10-42 cassette and a 36T up front.


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## tofudog415 (Feb 20, 2018)

Roadlink is a derailleur extension that makes it possible for your stock derailleur to reach a larger cog on your cassette -- typically to give something like a short or medium cage derailleur the capacity of a long cage one. It's not SRAM or Shimano specific. If you use a 2x setup, you could probably get the low-end range of an Eagle drivetrain using a 46/30 crankset and a 11-42T or 10-42T cassette, with a much better high end.


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## mark in redwood city (Aug 10, 2012)

We converted my son's bike from 2x10 to 1x11. Local mechanic told me that 1x10 w/clutch was not possible (or too pricey). Ended up with an XTR derailleur and it shifts like a dream. Price wasnt bad - $250 for derailleur (used, from a Yeti that got hit by a car), cassette (11-42), chain and shifter.
Cheers! Mark


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