Well, Shimano XT has a 22-30-40 3x11 DT, so 3x11 works in some form: DEORE XT M8000

The FD for that groupset claims a max teeth of 40. That is probably going to be where you run into issues--the compatibility of the FD with that 44 tooth chainring you want. Deore 3x10 FD has a max of 42T so closer, but I'm not sure if that FD being 3x10 instead of 3x11 would cause other issues (I'm a 1x guy so I'm no FD expert haha).

Maybe go with the eThirteen 9-44 cassette (expensive though) if you want that extra top speed, with the Shimano XT 3x11 group?

You must really like pedaling down hills though man. I barely ever use my 10-32 gear I feel like haha

 

Nah, I don't LOVE.... pedaling down hill. It's just a nice to have options and I'm only floating an idea before I go all in on 12 speed. It's potentialy good enough even though I already know I will loose some speed and some torque no matter what what the know it all front derailleur nazzzies at sram think they know. Math trumps big marketing buzz words. And I think all my gears on my 27 speed with 26 to 44 by 11 to 42

 

The answer is always "it depends".

There are a few problems which will bite you.

First of all - there are no 10-44 cassettes to my knowledge. There are 10-42.
Second - even if there were such cassettes, you are grossly over rear derailleur chain takeup capacity. Largest capacity I know of is 47 teeth. Your idea calls for 56 teeth capacity.

Assuming you could overcome these problems with a custom job - like a custom derailleur cage and rear cog for the cassette.

There is an issue of usability of all that range - it comes up at 880%. That is way above what 99% of people can still use.

Such gear range would be useful on a recumbent trike - where you can go arbitrarily slow and due to great aerodynamics, can go really, really fast when downhilling.

Lastly - the extra long cage for the derailleur makes your idea hardly workable, as such cage would provide very little chain tension and would stick out and plow the trail too often to call it comfortable.

But if that is your wish - it is certainly possible to make it work. I mean, 50t cogs on cassettes were an outworldly concept 5 years ago.

 

Thanks! You kind of said intelligently what I was starting to conclude from picking at the juicy bits of knowledge hidden away in dark corners. I'm probably pulling the triger on that impossible 50T cog you mentioned in a week or two with the Eagle 12 speed. It's been a journey the past couple months and it's almost over. I've learned a ton just about buying a bike. I'm actually glad I couldn't afford to just go out any throw down a pile of money at the LBS. It's given me the opportunity to stumble into research I didn't know I should be doing to get the best bike for my money. I'm a little sad to see drive trains losing so much at the top an bottom end but I guess I just have to challenge myself to get in better shape so I don't need the extra range on each end

 

Shimano lists the maximum capacities and ranges for each cage length here. You can do a max of 40T(3x11-speed). Thus no the 11-42t or higher cassette, only option would be the 11-40t cassette. Then again, Shimano is somewhat conservative with their limits. PPL have been able to push it a few teeth over without issue, something to think about.

2017-2018 SHIMANO Product Information Web

 

...only option would be the 11-40t cassette.

Plus it gets dicey being able to ride as slowly as you would with 22T x 40T anyway, so going lower wouldn't be so useful...