This article is awesome for derailleur compatibility stuff.
As it was said before it won't work because of the pull ratio difference, but the Apex brifters are 11spd anyways so you're missing a click for 12spd.
If it's in your budget I would recommend a 10-42. That extra 1 tooth difference is big compared to the 11-42. You get more range overall, so for example you can fit a smaller chainring compared to an 11-42, still maintain the same top speed, but you get an easier gear on the top.
This article is awesome for derailleur compatibility stuff.
As it was said before it won't work because of the pull ratio difference, but the Apex brifters are 11spd anyways so you're missing a click for 12spd.
If it's in your budget I would recommend a 10-42. That extra 1 tooth difference is big compared to the 11-42. You get more range overall, so for example you can fit a smaller chainring compared to an 11-42, still maintain the same top speed, but you get an easier gear on the top.
Hi, thanks for the link, I'll read up!
My budget is "as cheap as possible but I don't want it to suck". I've done more reading and am now looking at a sunrace csmx8 11-46. With the extra teeth on the big end I can go a little smaller on the chainring so I won't spin out the 11 so easily.
This is assuming the csmx8 will work with brifters** ... I'm still not sure how to easily determine that for any given cassette.
** /edit: since one of the factory Fargo builds used a sunrace 11-42 11-speed cassette (CSMS8) I don't see why the CSMX8 11-speed would be any different).
Assuming you have a working 11 speed shifter and matching derailleur with sufficient capacity, you can use any SRAM or Shimano or Sunrace 11 speed cassette.
The only gotcha is that your cassette has to work with your hub, which could be SRAM XD, Shimano 11 Road, or Shimano Everything Else (Road 8-10, Mountain 8-11). SRAM XD has the 10 tooth cog and only works on XD hubs. Shimano 11 Road only works on an 11 road cassette. The other Shimano (which includes Sunrace and SRAM non-XD) works on the Shimano 11 Road hub with a spacer, and anything else 8 speed and newer.
For an 11-46 on the gravel I'd recommend the XT 8000 cassette, it has better gear jumps in the cruising speed range. Unless you live somewhere really hilly where you spend a lot of time climbing, then try the Sunrace.
My budget is "as cheap as possible but I don't want it to suck". I've done more reading and am now looking at a sunrace csmx8 11-46. With the extra teeth on the big end I can go a little smaller on the chainring so I won't spin out the 11 so easily.
In that case i'm not sure about XD stuff. The cassettes costs more and you need an XD compatible hub. Personally I like the "smaller small cog" instead of a "bigger big cog" but that might be just me.
![[smile]](https://cdn.websitetoolbox.com/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif)