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KMC REACT Cassettes join their 10/11-Speed Chains

KMC REACT 11-speed chain
13 Comments
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Long-time bicycle chain brand KMC has just introduced their new React cassettes in 10-speed and 11-speed versions. First spotted at Eurobike 2023, they’re designed for wide-range 1x and 2x applications, with tooth counts good for road, gravel, and mountain bikes.

At just $65, they’re affordable replacement, option for your trainer, or way to try a different tooth count on the cheap. Perfect for upgrading your kids’ bikes, too. And from the looks of it, you won’t be giving up shift quality to save some coin.

The cogs have dual shifting ramps called Flow Control, smoothing upshift and downshifts. These ramped tooth profiles & thicknesses use varied shapes to guide the chain from cog to cog.

Both KMC REACT versions have two gear range options:

  • 10-speed: 11-36T, 11-42T
  • 11-speed: 11-42T, 11-50T

They’re optimized for KMC chains, but are compatible with other 10- and 11-speed chains. They fit Shimano HG freehub bodies. Fitting it to a bike built around a smaller cassette? They recommend adding the Wolf Tooth Components Goatlink to increase your derailleur’s capacity for larger cogs.

KMCchain.us

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13 Comments
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nooner
nooner
9 months ago

Any idea of the materials, and weights? Shimano Deore is heavy but hard to beat at this price point.

carbonfodder
carbonfodder
9 months ago
Reply to  nooner

the manufacturer claimed weight on the 10s units are: 36T-659g, 42T-761g. I don’t think these units have anything on the Deore 10s (at least in the 42T size, which was what I was looking at). Darn, I say.

Marc
Marc
9 months ago
Reply to  carbonfodder

And the hg is available for under $60

blue
blue
9 months ago
Reply to  nooner

Full steel and 975 g for 11-50T. Deore wins every time.

Marc
Marc
9 months ago

761g for the 10 speed 11-42 is excessive. Its more than most 12speed 10-50/52 steel cassettes. The Simano HG 500 11-42 is 424g.

10 is my friend
10 is my friend
9 months ago

no wide range 10 speed options? both shimano and microshift now have 11-48 at a similar price

Trifo
Trifo
9 months ago

Sunrace has some options. They even have 9 speed wide range (10-46) casette, which I used happily.

CallSignGucci
CallSignGucci
9 months ago

Wolf Tooth derailleur links do not increase capacity. Capacity is a function of the derailleur’s cage, and not the disstance between the derailleur body and cassette.
This is pulled from their website: “Derailleur Links reposition your derailleur to provide clearance for larger cassette cogs but they do not increase derailleur capacity. It is critical to find and understand your derailleur’s capacity before attempting to expand its gear range.”

Tim
Tim
9 months ago

If you want an affordable, reasonably light 10 speed cassette for HG, it’s hard to beat Microshift’s Advent. 65 bucks, lighter than XT.

nooner
nooner
9 months ago
Reply to  Tim

11T cog on Microshift wears out super quick IME.

Tim
Tim
9 months ago
Reply to  nooner

Can it be replaced with someone else’s 11t cog?

nooner
nooner
9 months ago
Reply to  Tim

Yes, I tossed it in the bin and replaced it with 11-42T Deore. This heavy steel cassette shifts great, is durable, and is awesome for slogging around in the rain with fenders like today.

Tim
Tim
9 months ago
Reply to  nooner

I meant if the 11t alone can be replaced with someone else’s 11t, not the whole cassette.

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