We broke the news of the UK-made Ratio Mech mechanical derailleur last spring. And got a full detailed breakdown of it just over a month ago. But we’ve known that the North West, England alt drivetrain specialists have been working on their own derailleur for at least 3 years, even before SRAM launched their first ‘full mount’ transmissions.
Now, the final details are in. And the Ratio Mech is actually available to order. We know how many options there are, all the 10-13sp cassette & shifter combinations that it will work with, and how much it costs. So let’s jump right in…
Ratio Mech wide range 1x mechanical alt off-road derailleur
For a tiny bit of backstory, the reason why this exists is that Ratio Technology has been developing affordable alternative solutions to keep your existing drivetrain running for about 7 years now. We’ve been following them closely for more than 5 years. Tons of DIY upgrade kits to convert your old SRAM shifters to run newer 11, 12 & 13-speed cassettes, more modern derailleurs, or just bolt-on cages to use your existing derailleurs with bigger modern 1x cassettes. Plus, chainrings, derailleur pulleys, and even a dropbar dropper post remote. Ratio are all about servicing and upgrading your existing drivetrain instead of throwing it away and buying something new. And especially, they are about breaking down brand barriers with modular interoperability between shifters, cassettes & derailleurs.
So in all that time, DIYing existing mechanical drivetrains, Ratio realized they had plenty of ideas how to make a better mechanical 1x derailleur. And that’s the Ratio Mech.
What’s different?
From the origins of the UDH standard, Ratio were already looking at how a better, simpler, serviceable, and modular rear derailleur could be made.
A completely fresh ground-up design for a clutched mechanical derailleur optimized for modern wide-range 1x cassettes with 11-, 12-, or 13-speeds. One derailleur that can work with almost any current or recent mechanical shifter. And a modular design that can direct mount to UDH-compatible frames or any conventional derailleur hanger. And of course, it had to be durable, easy to set up, and easily user serviceable.
The Ratio Mech is also “the first time a derailleur has been produced in the UK for sixty years”. All the alloy parts are machined in-house in the Lakes district, the nylon parts are 3D-printed in Kent, and then everything is assembled back in-house at Ratio.
Tech details
- modular wide-range 1x mechanical rear derailleur, with all-new geometry based on Ratio drivetrain modelling
- 7075 alloy hanger, outer links, cage & pulley wheels
- 6082 alloy bolts and B-adjuster plates
- alloy parts CNC-machined in-house by Ratio
- Polyamide 12 Nylon polymer knuckles and inner link plates
- Multi Jet Fusion technology PA12 3D-printed in Kent, England
- self-contained & serviceable brass, steel & stainless “wrap spring clutch” made in the Lakes
- sealed stainless steel Enduro bearings at all rotating elements
- max 46T short cage or max 52T long cage options (swappable with one T25 bolt, without any loose spring)
- Cage Stop lock makes wheel removal and servicing easy
- conventional Hanger mount or UDH-style Direct Mount (aka SRAM Full Mount)
- mounts-type can be interchanged with the appropriate Ratio small parts kit
- modular cage fins available for “all modern 1x drivetrains, including road, gravel and MTB, SRAM and Shimano“
- cable routing layout (with barrel adjuster) designed to be “compatible with all road, gravel, and MTB frames“
- easy setup with markings laser-etched onto the cage
- intuitive limit screw configuration
- user serviceable and rebuildable with no special tools
- service parts already available
Ratio Mech derailleur – Pricing, options & availability
The first batch of Ratio Mech mechanical derailleurs are available now for £345 in all-black only. The option for a silver cage will be made available in a later production run. The price is the same, whether you pick hanger or direct mount, short or long cage, or whichever shifter/cassette compatibility you need.
As of now, the Ratio mech shift cable fins are compatible with all SRAM 1x 11-, 12- & 13-speed & Shimano 1x 11- & 12-speed cassettes. And with mechanical SRAM 10/11sp road, Apex 12sp road/gravel, SRAM Eagle 12sp MTB, Shimano GRX 12sp gravel, and Shimano 12sp MTB shifters. Read more here to double-check compatibility. More cross-compatible 11-, 12- & 13-speed options will continue to be developed.
All pricing is fixed only in British pounds. International pricing depends on varying exchange rates, and excludes taxes. As of today, that £345 GBP would equal about $377 USD / €328 EUR / $581 AUD, with international shipping starting from an extra £11.
Get yours now to upgrade your current mechanical drivetrain and disconnect from being locked into single company/component compatibility!
