You don’t have a lot to lose if you already have the cassette and will be getting the bike with the R8000 derailleur. Let us know how it works.

The new Ultegra RD8000 already has a built-in component that looks a bit like the RoadLink, and so the RoadLink people are saying you can’t use the Roadlink with this new Derailleur. However, so far I’ve seen people on You Tube using the 11-40T cassette with the the 8000 Derailleur with no problem. I already have an XT 11-42T cassette and want to use it on the new bike I’m waiting to buy but I don’t know if it will work. If anyone has tried it, please let us know…. I have a suspicion that it may work… [I’m attaching a couple of images showing the RD8000 and RD6800 so you can visualize the difference.

https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/49de0f15beb3793bffa94f9cef82436bebf25133b1fe749415718efc35ef2f70.jpg

https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/062629b60ac4a655295ed6dbbca1ffe13700c4b2a49073691ee02e4221fa1cfa.jpg

The capacity is normally 37t. Yep, compact rings.

I hadn’t heard that! But they have changed the design of the derailleur so that’s it’s more inboard – so that makes sense.

Alee, what’s the capacity of the derailleur, and was your setup with a 50/34T Chainrings?

Alee, i am getting ready to purchase a brand new road bike with the latest Shimano Ultegra R8000 groupset…. I’ve already ordered my 10-42T XT Cassette and was about ready to order the RoadLink, but then I just saw on their website that its says the Roadlink in not compatible with the new 8000 series derailleur! Do you agree? And what could be a workaround??? Thanks

It works with 105 too.

is it works with 105 too? or only ultegra 6800 or 6800 di?

Haha LOL. Thankfully, the 40% gradient is not too long… the entire distance is about 500-700m and the average climb over that distance is about 9%… But still… hard enough for my age and built. As I said, my 22T Chain and 36T cog in the back are doing the job for now. The problem is if/when I go to an expensive carbon road bike with a 11-speed Ultegra groupset… I don’t want to ditch the nice shifters and hydraulic brake levers… so I hope relying on a 11-42T cassette and the lower weight of the new bike will do the job. In the meantime, I am trying to lose weight and build up my strength… I follow guys on Strava that kill the same climb in speeds 3x faster than me…. but they are young and fit athletes… The record is under 2 minutes… It used to take me 15 minutes… lately, I’m doing it in around 5:15 to 6 minutes… Thanks for your help.

With that kind of gradient, you may want to consider a motorbike! But on a more serious note, you may want to check out this crankset resource: https://www.cyclingabout.com/low-climbing-gears-road-bike-crankset/