After my 19 year old 105 shifter stopped working as a shifter (braking works fine) and the WD-40 trick flood didn't help, I decided to give 1x a shot. Using the Sheldon Brown gear calculator, I figured a 44t chainring and an 11-36 cassette would work for my terrain, but my RD-5701-GS couldn't handle that cassette range. The RoadLink has worked out very nicely for adapting my setup for the 11-36 cassette and I'm happily riding 1x on the road.
In the past I sometimes bought aftermarket cassettes, and when I'd bring the bike in to get help smoothing out some janky shifting, the first thing that I would hear from the mechanic is do you have a Shimano cassette you can install? The advantage of shedding a few grams for a uniblock cassette don't seem so great when you can't get a clean, reliable gear change.
When I was racing, I would spring for the DA cassette for my race wheels, and if money were no object, I'd probably spring for that, but nowadays. Ultegra is the go-to.
If Beyonc' were a bicycle, she'd wear the SRAM Red D1 12-Speed Chain to the Grammys.
This thing is gold-plated bike jewelry, and it lets everyone knows you're not here to casually pedal to brunch ' you're here to win, or at least look like you do. The moment I installed it, I swear my bike gained at least 10 watts of smugness. Birds flew alongside me. Strangers nodded in approval. A barista gave me a free espresso. Coincidence? I think not.
The shifting? Smoother than a jazz saxophone on satin sheets. You could sneeze and accidentally shift three gears ' perfectly. No clunks, no hesitation, just buttery transitions like your derailleur suddenly got a master's degree in finesse.
Durability? Let's just say it laughs in the face of dirt. I rode through mud, sand, and what might've been a cursed swamp. It came out cleaner than my conscience after blaming my slow pace on a 'headwind' (there wasn't one).
Downsides? Sure. It's not cheap, ' but then again, neither is style, performance, or an ego boost that makes you feel like the Tour de France just started at your driveway.
Final Verdict:
5/5 stars.
Gold, fast, reliable, and slightly bougie.
Just don't let it catch you wearing socks with sandals.
I bought this chain before purchasing the Silca Wax System. I didn't install it for several weeks while I waited on some other parts to completely overhaul my drivetrain. The chain was easy to install and the wax held up for several hundred miles before I topped it off with Secret Blend Lube. I could have waited another hundred or so miles before using the Secret Blend Lube as the chain was still clean and had plenty of wax still on it. This is a great chain to try out if you're considering trying out waxing, on standby as a spare or in your Mech./SAG bag or toolbox on multi-day rides or triples.
