Is this a 1x or 2x setup ? Also, you said you cannot remove 5 links because the chain cannot be put back together. A link as I understand it is just the outers. 5 links = 5 outers+5 inner plates.

It's a 1x setup. When referring to 5 links, it's based on what's described in the egr instruction manual (attached).

Search for  11-46T 12S cassette in the document to see the chain install recommendation from Ltwoo.

2 things I noticed:

1) I'm confused as to why 5 links isn't possible for you. Is there something preventing you from using 5?

2) I watched your video. I noticed that the derailleur didn't seem to rotate back at all. I'm not in front of my bike right now, so I can't comment definitively on how mine works, but I'm pretty sure the derailleur rotates slightly on its first mounting arm when torqued properly. Mine happens to not rotate very well, so I have to manually pull it back a little to make enough room and if I overtorque it even a tiny bit it will stay in that position. Which, I believe, is how I leave it because it actually doesn't matter if it stays there. But, if it rotates forward too much or is torqued down and stuck in the forward position, it might not clear.

Hey regarding point 2 on this guidance. I'm not experienced or capable enough to understand this issue and can't see the possible problem you described. I can say that I understand the high and low limiting screws which prevent overshifting outside the available space on the cassette, and I understand the b screw that acts to flatten out and open up the derailleur. The high and low limit screws aren't causing a problem as the setup shifts to the highest and lowest gears, and not beyond. The b screw has been set in various positions, and I can't get smooth shifting past gear 3 onward to 2 and 1 and back again. It's just terrible no matter how I adjust the b screw and per-gear in-app adjustments. The derailleur is mounted securely on the derailleur hanger. Nothing that I'm aware of is bent or damaged. So, I don't know what else I can do.

Here's where I'm at with this phase of the project. It doesn't seem to be viable for someone who isn't Trace Velo or one of you guys to be attempting an implementation outside of the manufacturer's specs, so I'm giving up on that.

Maybe someday I can try again to get this particularly nice 10-50t cassette to work, but for now I'm going to try the VG sports 10-46t item which I ordered from Amazon. I didn't go with the sunrace product mentioned above because it was said that the black one loses its coating, and I don't want an all silver cassette if I can avoid it. So I went with the VG sports product at a much higher price because there's one good review on Amazon for it by a guy who sounds like he knows what he's talking about. Still, I'm probably overpaying at $175.99

Anyway, I'll say this to anyone reading this thread. Don't go with an XD freehub. There's something like 1% availability on cassettes compared with HG.

Lastly, all of this said, I have to admit that I have never in my life been able to get a derailleur to shift well. I've always had to take them to a bike shop. It annoys me, and I always felt powerless about it, and this is a big reason why I wanted e-shifting, so I could dial in the shifting using the per-gear fine adjustment capabilities.

As much as I did NOT plan on doing this, I'm thinking now that it's worth a trip to the local local shop to see if I can persuade them to work on my local shop subverting build and see if they can get this damned gear 2 to shift right.

Yep, I'm thinking I'm going to do that.

2 things I noticed:

1) I'm confused as to why 5 links isn't possible for you. Is there something preventing you from using 5?

2) I watched your video. I noticed that the derailleur didn't seem to rotate back at all. I'm not in front of my bike right now, so I can't comment definitively on how mine works, but I'm pretty sure the derailleur rotates slightly on its first mounting arm when torqued properly. Mine happens to not rotate very well, so I have to manually pull it back a little to make enough room and if I overtorque it even a tiny bit it will stay in that position. Which, I believe, is how I leave it because it actually doesn't matter if it stays there. But, if it rotates forward too much or is torqued down and stuck in the forward position, it might not clear.

Hey really appreciate this feedback. I'll look into it and reply asap.

Bro you should do your research. ZTTO does sell 9-46/9-50t/10-50t cassettes in 11 and 12 speed. Though as I mentioned their big alloy cogs are not very durable. Also many wheelsets use swappable freehubs. I easily switch back-n-forth with HG/XD freehubs on the same rear wheel. They sell both DT style and 6 pawl freehubs that can be swapped out. Lastly if you had a 15x100 boost front wheel, they sell 12x100mm adapters for like $5 USD. Unless your wheel is 15x110mm, then you'll have an issue! 

I'll look into this front wheel issue more but already ordered a new wheel that's been in production for 3 weeks. Probably can't cancel it. It's this wheelset:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807145194026.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.5.34221802lfVWiR&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

When I couldn't fit the front wheel into my fork, I researched endlessly until concluding that I had made a purchase in error and would simply have to have the wheel rebuilt with a new hub or buy a new wheel. Multiple posts online along with an ai response say you can't change a boost hub to non-boost without rebuilding the wheel due to differences in the lacing length of the spokes from boost to non-boost.

I took the wheel to a local bike shop and asked them for a price on rebuilding the wheel and I provided them with a Goldix non-boost hub to do so. Rebuilding the wheel was going to cost more than a new wheel, and the shop expressed strongly they didn't want to do it and would even make me sign a waiver for riding the wheel because it's not a trusted brand.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestion but I don't understand how implementing an adapter would be viable. Can't find anything like that or any instructions/videos on this kind of swapout. Would be good to know if it is possible though.

This might very well be your problem. I used the exact method specified in the eGR manual (5 links) and it works fine. I can also understand your confusion, because it is VERY confusing why a chain that is too long might prevent you from shifting into the largest gear (though obvious why a chain too short might not shift well). But, from my own experience, I can easily see, now, why a chain too long wouldn't work.

It's the same issue I described when I said that you have to shift slowly (last 2 gears one-at-a-time) for the 50t cog to work. The derailleur needs to be made to expand and create more clearance. If the chain is too long, the derailleur isn't forced to expand as much and the extra clearance doesn't happen. You can see this with the chain off. If you try to force the derailleur open, you can watch extra clearance be created between the cassette and the derailleur wheel.

Honestly, now that I am forced to think about it, I recall experiencing this when I first installed the groupset and was wondering if I had set something wrong on the b-screw or the end points. However, having followed the 5 link instruction my issue quickly disappeared for reasons I don't think I fully understood until just now, and I never really thought about it again.

Check this out. Here's where I've managed to get it. Working, but not well. And as I mention in the video, I've got it at 6 links past reference including the quicklink. I can either go 4, or 6. 5 isn't possible.

https://youtu.be/Ofv9SVh4hVI?si=xJLL98TLOPlDOwdf&t=15

What do you think? Maybe I'll try the 4 link option.

I have just now figured out that posting a youtube video on chinertown requires (at least requires me) to post it with a timestamp rather than posting the normal link to the video. So, I can finally post videos providing context to my questions here. You have to click share and then "start at 00:01" or some seconds. Finally, here is my video for context on this issue.

https://youtu.be/9bXcczg1hOg?si=wJVUxJ0aW6uemAC6&t=6

Skip all the AliEx XD 11 speed cassettes. They use flimsy alloy big cogs. Get a Sunrace 11 speed 10-46t cassette and call it day. It's a bit heavier, but if you're climbing, the alloy big cog is more durable than any of the AliEx cassettes. I constantly use my 46t cog on the Sunrace cassette and there's barely any wear.

Can you link me on that? I'd like to make the buy and get it into shipping asap.

Are you talking about this?

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807933293659.html?src=google&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%21111.00%21111.00%21%21%21%21%21%40%2112000043870032081%21ppc%21%21%21&src=google&albch=shopping&acnt=708-803-3821&isdl=y&slnk=&plac=&mtctp=&albbt=Google_7_shopping&aff_platform=google&aff_short_key=UneMJZVf&albagn=888888&ds_e_adid=&ds_e_matchtype=&ds_e_device=c&ds_e_network=x&ds_e_product_group_id=&ds_e_product_id=en3256807933293659&ds_e_product_merchant_id=108892434&ds_e_product_country=US&ds_e_product_language=en&ds_e_product_channel=online&ds_e_product_store_id=&ds_url_v=2&albcp=19623912707&albag=&isSmbAutoCall=false&needSmbHouyi=false&gad_source=1&gatewayAdapt=glo2us