Sram Exact-actuation mix and match

Mixing and matching with Sram Exact-actuation

If you are a constant tinkerer and insist on doing inapproriate things with the SRAM Exact-actuation shifters and derailleurs that appear in your parts bin, then this may be of interest to you.

If you are a luddite and eschew modern advancements like batteries and brake fluids then you can also have a lot of fun with the older SRAM parts utilizing very cool stuff from Ratiotechnology and Growtac .

SRAM has some confusing nomenclature. 

Eg. Exact-actuation and X-actuation for example. Don't mix them up...

Derailleurs are largely agnostic and can be used with both 10 speed and 11 speed shifters if both shifter and derailleur are speaking the same language: Exact-actuation in my examples.

With some of the more expensive SRAM derailleurs it's possible to swap the cable guide to change it from one "actuation" to another. But that is another story, and well documented here.

These SRAM Exact-actuation derailleurs should all work with the shifters below.

These SRAM Exact-actuation shifters below should all work with the derailleurs above.

So in case you missed it, an 11 speed shifter will work with a derailleur which was sold as a 10 speed derailleur, and vice versa. A 10 speed grip-shift will work on a Sram Red 11 speed road derailleur or a Force 1x gravel derailleur, as long as it's all Exact-actuation.

2x derailleurs

2x derailleurs tend to be very easy to set up with minimal faffing with B-tension. A GX 2x 10 speed derailler is a great 2x clutched derailleur for 10 or 11 speed gravel bikes as long as the bike you are putting it on has the appropriately located "rear derailleur cable exit port location", assuming it is routed through the chainstay.  Ditto for the X0 and X9 2x10 MTB derailleurs.

These derailleurs should all work with the 11 and 10 speed Sram road shifters designed for Red, Force and Rival groupsets, also the hydro equivalents.

A few clutched 2x MTB derailleurs. Typically they can shift into a 40 tooth cassette in my experience. The non-clutched 10 speed versions of these derailleurs are also compatible. If you have a front derailleur do you actually need a clutch?

Cable exit ports

Many modern gravel bikes don't have appropriately located cable exit ports. This limits the choice of derailers you can use with them. Those bikes will only work with the road based Sram derailleurs like the Red, Force and Rival, or the Force/Rival 1x - the only clutched option. Not everyone is in love with 1x. 

As you can see, the top three positions will NOT work with a SRAM MTB styled derailleur, while the bottom three will.

Happy tinkering!

 

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