Wolf Tooth RoadLink DM

If you’ve ever wished your Shimano road or GRX bike could run a bigger cassette for steeper climbs or loaded rides, the Wolf Tooth RoadLink DM is the clean, pro-level way to get there.

Instead of replacing your derailleur or rebuilding the whole drivetrain, the RoadLink DM is a small CNC-machined adapter that replaces Shimano’s stock direct-mount link. By shifting the derailleur slightly away from the cassette, it creates the clearance needed to run larger cogs while keeping chain wrap and shift quality close to factory levels. Think of it as smart repositioning, not a hack job.

On the road, that means you can pair your favorite Shimano road or GRX 1x derailleur with wide-range 11-speed cassettes and still enjoy crisp, confident shifting. Whether you’re racing, bikepacking, commuting, or just trying to survive the local wall of a climb, the RoadLink DM lets you unlock the gear range you actually need.

Who It’s For

• Road riders who want lower climbing gears without giving up their Shimano Dura-Ace, Ultegra, or 105 derailleurs
• Gravel and adventure riders building 1x setups with wider-range cassettes
• Commuters and touring riders carrying extra weight who need an easier bailout gear
• GRX 1x riders looking to push Shimano’s intended gear range further, especially with ultra wide-range cassettes

Compatibility Made Simple

Wolf Tooth designed the RoadLink DM specifically for modern Shimano road and GRX rear derailleurs in 1x configurations:

• Compatible rear derailleurs:
  • Shimano Dura-Ace R9100-series
  • Shimano Ultegra R8000-series, RX800 and RX805 (clutch)
  • Shimano 105 R7000-series
  • Shimano GRX 810 (RX810) rear derailleurs in 1x setups
• Optimized for 11-speed cassettes:
  • 11–36T
  • 11–40T
  • 11–42T

It will improve performance with 10–42T 11-speed cassettes, but shifting will not be quite as perfect as Shimano’s original design intent.

Important notes:

• The RoadLink DM does not increase derailleur capacity. It only repositions the derailleur to clear larger cassette cogs, so you must still confirm your derailleur’s total capacity for your chosen chainring and cassette.
• Designed for standard derailleur hangers only.
• Not compatible with direct-mount derailleur hangers.
• Not for 2x GRX drivetrains – this is intended for 1x setups.

Tech Highlights

• Weight: 20 g (about 8 g more than the stock link it replaces)
• Material: CNC-machined 6061-T6 aluminum with stainless steel bolt
• Made in the USA

It’s a small part, but it unlocks a big upgrade path: wider-range gearing, smoother climbs, and more control over how your road, gravel, or adventure bike rides – all while keeping the Shimano feel you’re used to.