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Wheels Manufacturing adds Dropout-E to extend any hanger to fit bigger gears

Written by Zach Overholt
21 Comments
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While this isn’t a new concept, it is a new product for Wheels Manufacturing. Much like the Wolf Tooth Components RoadLink, the Wheels Manufacturing Dropout-E is here to make your pedaling a bit easier – or at least allow you to run a larger cassette.

Wheels Manufacturing adds Dropout-E to extend any hanger to fit bigger gears

The idea is pretty simple. The Dropout-E extends the derailleur position by 21mm to allow for more clearance to run a larger rear cog. Designed to work with every standard derailleur hanger and rear derailleur, the adapter bolts to the derailleur hanger, and then the derailleur bolts to the adapter.

When used in a 1x set up, Dropout-E will allow for up to a 42t max rear cog. For double or triple cranksets, the adapter will allow for up to a 40t max cog. And if you’re the Campagnolo type, the adapter will allow for a 36t max cog with any Campagnolo crankset.

Wheels Manufacturing adds Dropout-E to extend any hanger to fit bigger gears Wheels Manufacturing adds Dropout-E to extend any hanger to fit bigger gears Wheels Manufacturing adds Dropout-E to extend any hanger to fit bigger gears

Machined from 6061 aluminum, the adapter includes a steel fixing bolt and comes in an anodized black finish for $18.

wheelsmfg.com
Zach Overholt
5,722 articles

Zach Overholt is the Editor in Chief of Bikerumor. He has been writing about what’s new in the bicycle world for 12+ years. Prior to that, Zach spent many years in the back of a bicycle shop building and repairing nearly every type of bike, while figuring out how to (occasionally) ride them.

Based in Ohio, Zach is now slowly introducing a new generation to cycling and still trying to figure out how to fit the most rides into a busy schedule as a new dad.

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21 Comments
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D-con
D-con
6 years ago

Wonder if they licensed it from Wolf Tooth? I think that the Roadlink has had a patent on it.

If not licensed that’s a pretty blatant knockoff- I’d have expected better from Wheels.

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Aaron
Aaron
6 years ago
Reply to  D-con

Sorry to say but I couldn’t expect anything better from Wheels. Haha.

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Chader
Chader
6 years ago

I wonder about the patent-pending status for the Wolf Tooth Components RoadLink?

Is this sidestepping a possible infraction, legitimately licensed from WTC, or destined for a legal issue?

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Chader
Chader
6 years ago
Reply to  Chader

LOL, well done D-con. Great minds…

For reference, here is the WTC patent:
https://patents.google.com/patent/USD798197S1/en

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mike
mike
6 years ago
Reply to  Chader

You’d have think they would have skipped the bolt on and just offered commonly “wide ranged” bikes to have a longer hanger option!

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Dinger
Dinger
6 years ago
Reply to  Chader

Does patent-pending mean that approval is imminent? Either way, That may be a pretty thin patent and Wolf Tooth may not be able to spend the necessary $$ to attempt to protect it in court.

Better do your math carefully. It’ll be really easy to get too far outside of Shimano/SRAM/Campy’s tooth capacities and ruin your frame with chain-suck..

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Chader
Chader
6 years ago
Reply to  Dinger

It is no guarantee that they will receive a patent. It is fair warning to any and all competitors that they have filed for protection. It’s a “copy at your own risk” sort of affair, AFAIK.

At the point a patent is officially issued, WTC would be within their rights to pursue legal action against any who may have infringed on their design and/or continue to do so.

If no patent is issued, anyone can make it with no consequences or considerations for WTC.

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D-con
D-con
6 years ago
Reply to  Chader

Looks like it’s been granted: https://patents.google.com/patent/USD798197S1/

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John
John
6 years ago
Reply to  D-con

IANAL, but that Wolf Tooth “patent” is actually an ornamental design patent. It’s a claim on how it looks, not how it works.

Well funded companies used to use these patents to scare away competition from small startups, back before the internet made information easier to find. (Now get off my lawn!)

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John
John
6 years ago
Reply to  John

More interesting is that Wolf Tooth went to the trouble of filing for an ornamental design patent in the first place.

Why not file for a proper patent on the design itself? Unless they couldn’t because of what the lawyers call “prior art”?

After all, derailleurs shifted by a cable have been around for 80 years, and bicyclists are notorious tinkerers. It’s entirely possible that someone could have created and documented a similiar design in that time.

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Marc L
Marc L
6 years ago
Reply to  John

John,
An ornamental patent keeps companies from knocking off the appearance of an object. It’s sometimes done for the reason you cite- but also to reduce the potential for confusion in the marketplace (ie: Wheels’ dangler looks just like the RoadLink so must work/be the same). It also prevents someone from simply taking an existing product and copying it without putting in any product development work (something we see out of China pretty regularly).

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ChknBreast
ChknBreast
6 years ago

If I put 2 together could I use a 51 tooth?

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Andy
Andy
6 years ago

Why would anybody dish out 18 bucks when you can get the exact item for 4$ online?…with shipping 😀

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Marc L
Marc L
6 years ago
Reply to  Andy

Because if you only buy knockoffs we’ll all find other work and there won’t be any new product development going forward.

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Andy
Andy
6 years ago
Reply to  Marc L

BS,my friend BS. 😉

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Greg
Greg
6 years ago

Wheels should have flexed their machining muscle and come out with direct fit hangers that were a bit longer. 21mm is too much, and it moves the upper pulley too far from the smaller cogs.
In the end, though, it’s a very poor band aid anyway. People would be better off with a mountain bike derailleur and TanPan. Works so much better.

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John
John
6 years ago
Reply to  Greg

The TanPan is a bit of a bandaid, too. It can make shifting sluggish.

My 2x road bike fit an 11-36 cassette with an Ultegra GS derailleur using the existing b-screw and shifts as crisply as an 11-32, and my 1x gravel bike runs a 10-42 cassette with an XT/MTB Di2 derailleur and road shifters (and could easily fit a 10-46).

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thesteve4761
thesteve4761
6 years ago

me too me too me too me too me too me too me too

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Trolllololololooooooo
Trolllololololooooooo
6 years ago

Been down this road. It’s really just better spending the ~40-50 bucks extra and buy a long cage derailleur that can handle a 40 (at least for Shimano) considering you’re going to need to change chain length anyways this isn’t something you’re going to want to pop on and off every two weeks for trips to the mountains and the R8000 long cage shifts beautifully the only downside is an almost non existent aero loss and a few grams of weight.

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Dinger
Dinger
6 years ago
Reply to  Trolllololololooooooo

What 11 speed road or man derailleur that can run a 40 costs only $40-50?

The R8000 you cite is rated for 34t max (though it reportedly can handle more) costs $75+

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