Deeeee

Hi all,
I currently have a SRAM 2x10 speed set up on my Ridley X-Fire, with a SRAM red short cage RD and Force Shifters.
Since the short cage Red RD only takes a max 28 cassette, I am planning on upgrading the RD and Cassette (I have a 11-36).

I had sourced an X9 RD which has 1:1 Ratio on it, however the bike shop just couldn't get the pull ratios to work.

The Red RD has Exact Actuation on it, so was wondering if I need to source a RD that has "exact actuation" instead?
If this is the case, will I need to find a 10 speed GX RD instead?

Keen to navigate my way through this 10 speed SRAM minefield!

theblackbullet

The X9 rear derailleur is exact actuation and thus should work with your shifters. https://www.sram.com/en/service/models/rd-x9-a1

I have used SRAM GX 10 (exact actuation) speed rear derailleurs with RIVAL 22 (exact actuation) shifters to shift an 11 speed drivetrain of a similar nature with no issues whatsoever.

tFUnK

You're gonna need an Exact Actuation RD. The X9 10 speed RD will work, but not the 9 speed.
Exact Actuation is not the same as X-Actuation, ESP, or 1:1.

Pantah

I have a 10 speed long cage Force rear derailleur with maybe 60 miles on it. I bought it brand new a couple of years ago but wound up not really digging the double tap shifters, guess I'm too much of a Shimano guy, so I switched everything over to Shimano. It work perfectly with the exact setup you're going for. Gearing was 2x10 with a 52/36 compact crank and 11-32 rear cassette. Also had the same Force shifters. Yours for 60 bucks.

Deeeee

Thanks for the replies all.

just to reiterate that the bike shop did try the x9 RD but could not get this to work with the pull ratios. They along with I, are perplexed why this ain’t working

I am trying to gauge if the GX 10 speed RD would be any different to the X9

Pantah

Deeeee I take it you don't want my 10 speed long cage Force derailleur then?

tFUnK

​​​​​​This is why your current X9 RD isn't working - it's a 9sp 1:1 and you need 10sp Exact Actuation.

Deeeee

So the X9 that I had sourced was a 10 speed and from what I read online it was the “exact actuation” as well

However with this in mind now, am I better off perhaps getting a GX mid/long cage

tFUnK

Ok then that's puzzling why the X9 didn't work. I ran a X9 Exact Actuation with my SRAM road brifters just fine 🤷 Good luck.

fliplap

Far as I can tell, that page is simply wrong.

Unless there’s some alternate cable routing for the rd-x9-a1 it seems to be only 1:1 and not “exact actuation”. I’ve fiddled with one at the shop and can’t deduce any way to alter the pull.

It doesn’t help that none of the tech docs that SRAM links to on that page have contain any mention of that derailleur.

Deeeee

it is such a minefield! I cannot post links yet as a newbie, but it seems like the 10 speed GX RD has “exact actuation” and can take a 36 cassette as a medium cage.