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Garbaruk GRX cage extends Shimano gravel derailleur range, up to 50T cassettes!

Garbaruk extended Shimano GRX 11sp derailleur cage
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Always there to offer alternatives to extend your drivetrain, Garbaruk has added a GRX cage upgrade that expands the capacity of Shimano’s gravel derailleurs up to a 50T cog out back. No need to switch over to SRAM AXS or go 12-speed, Garbaruk’s 11-50T 11-speed cassette and a number of new GRX compatible round & oval 1x chainrings will have you adventuring & bikepacking in no time. Oh, and who can argue with those anodized colors…

Garbaruk extended Shimano GRX 11sp derailleur cage

Garbaruk extended Shimano GRX 11sp derailleur cage
c. Garbaruk

With growing options for wide-ranging 1x gearing, more riders are looking to take advantage. Especially the adventurous gravel & bikepacking crowd looks for easy gearing & simple drivetrain, without sacrificing top-end speed for paved sections. Hacks like Budget Mullet SRAM 1x + Eagle reduce the need to drop a ton of cash on AXS, but for those who prefer Shimano shifting (and more often Shimano braking), Garbaruk’s extended cages are a straightforward solution. All you need to do is unbolt the stock derailleur cage, bolt on the Garbaruk replacement, and your max cog goes from the standard 42T up to a 50T. The derailleur stays 11-speed (which is governed by the shifter, of course), meaning you will simply need a wide-range 11sp cassette, and likely a longer chain (unless you are equally reducing chainring size to compensate.

Garbaruk extended Shimano GRX 11sp derailleur cage

Garbaruk even claims the geometry of their extended GRX cage will improve shift performance of your Shimano derailleur, offering better optimized distance between the pulleys and both the smallest & largest cogs on your cassette. The 47g 7075-T6 aluminum cage is CNC machined in Poland, and is compatible with both mechanical & Di2 versions of the GRX rear derailleur (RX812 & RX817). It does not appear to work with a RX810 derailleur.

Garbaruk extended Shimano GRX 11sp derailleur cage

The extended GRX cage sells for 59€ and is available in eight different anodized colors. For an extra 60€, you can add a set of Garbaruk oversized 11+16T derailleur pulleys to improve drivetrain efficiency.

Garbaruk 11-speed 11-50 Shimano HG cassette

Garbaruk 11-speed 11-50 Shimano HG cassette GRX

Of course you need a new 11-speed cassette to get the full benefit of that GRX derailleur upgrade, and Garbaruk can help there, too. At just 295g, their lightweight 11-speed 11-50 cassette fits on a Shimano HG freehub (XD and smaller versions are also available.) The wide 11sp cassette is machined from a monoblock of hardened steel with a color anodized aluminum largest cog, and sells for 205€.

Garbaruk 11-speed 11-50 Shimano HG cassette GRX

But it appears that if you buy the cassette, you can get a cage for just 34€. It looks like the crossover combo deal was originally just intended for the Shimano MTB extended cage, but could now apply to GRX too if you contact Garbaruk directly.

Garbaruk GRX round & oval chainrings

Garbaruk GRX round & oval chainrings

While you are updating out back, you could probably sort out a new chainring, too. (This is starting to add up, isn’t it?) New Garbaruk GRX 1x chainrings are shaped to work seamlessly on your GRX RX600 or RX810 cranks, letting you pick round or 12% oval rings.

Garbaruk GRX round & oval chainrings

Either option is again CNC-machined in Europe from 7075-T6 alloy, with Garbaruk’s own tall narrow-wide tooth profiling. The rings are available in the full range of 8 anodized colors. The rings sell for 69-76€ depending on the number of teeth, offered from 38-52T.

All of the extended GRX cages, chainrings & wide 11sp cassettes are in tock and shipping within two days.

Garbaruk.com

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Jeff Whitfield
4 years ago

I’d buy this in a heartbeat but, sadly, it doesn’t appear compatible with the RX-810 derailleur. Don’t know why. I can safely run a 40T cassette in the stock cage. Would be nice though to have a little more play for better performance.e

Carlos Xbalanque
Carlos Xbalanque
4 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Whitfield

Another good option for adding range is the roadlink from wolf tooth – should be cheaper too

Gary
4 years ago

If you use a roadlink to clear a 50T cog with a stock GRX Rd, the jockey wheel is going to be miles away from the 11T cog. This keeps the jockey wheel in a better position relative to the cassette through the derailleur’s range of travel, especially at the small end. It should shift much better.

I also don’t know if the stock 1x GRX RD has 39T of chain wrap.

PedalRon
PedalRon
4 years ago

Cool products. I guess this application helps if your RD/available RDs just don’t allow big enough cogs for your riding conditions? But, you’ll have to swap your cassette as well, correct? And likely your chain too? That can add up $ quickly, but I guess if it is your only option, you do it.

I have a 1×10 on my commuter and with my Shimano XD RD can only go up to 36 in the back. Wouldn’t mind some lower gearing, but I was able to track down a smaller chainring.

Have a 2×10 SRAM drivetrain on my CX bike, 28 is as low as I can go in the back, 42/38 up front on a Force road crankset, so smaller rings can be a problem to find. I guess these RD cages would be a solution, but again, I’d need a new cassette and chain, I seem to think, right? Again, just adds up quickly, with possible other fixes.

Just asking, not at all shooting down cool ideas for new riding options/gearing!

pm732
4 years ago

they make really really good stuff. one of the few 1x n/w chainrings that don’t have perceptible drag.

fealakwen
4 years ago

I asked for the discount when buying the cage with the cassette. They said no 🙁

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