Still got standard gearing on my cdf was wondering if a 10 speed mtb mech will work on 9 speed sora shifters swapping out the rear cassette for a 12_36, fitting a 38/24 deore crankset with a mtb front mech or do I have to go the expensive route of bar end shifters and complete drive train (yes I know the chain rings are small but I'm pathetically weak )

9 speed MTB mech should work just fine with that cassette and those shifters. Front is more of an issue as spacing is different. In general though, it should be possible to get any 2x front system to work.


FWIW, my Amazon still has 3x10 (52/39/30) at the front AND a 34T cassette. I'll be taking it all off soon as I'm going 2x11 because I want the hydraulic brakes. I'm led to believe that I can have 50/34 and a 40T cassette using a standard Ultegra rear mech.

ScotRoutes wrote: ↑Sat Oct 19, 2019 5:48 pm


FWIW, my Amazon still has 3x10 (52/39/30) at the front AND a 34T cassette. I'll be taking it all off soon as I'm going 2x11 because I want the hydraulic brakes. I'm led to believe that I can have 50/34 and a 40T cassette using a standard Ultegra rear mech.

That's interesting as the front is 50/34 at the moment, so maybe some bar end shifters and 10 speed 11/40 will work out the same cost wise (already got a old 10 speed deore mech sat in garage)
Cheers colin

middleagedmadness wrote: ↑Sat Oct 19, 2019 5:45 pm Still got standard gearing on my cdf was wondering if a 10 speed mtb mech will work on 9 speed sora shifters swapping out the rear cassette for a 12_36, fitting a 38/24 deore crankset with a mtb front mech or do I have to go the expensive route of bar end shifters and complete drive train (yes I know the chain rings are small but I'm pathetically weak )

Pretty sure I was doing this the other way round on yhe road bike with mtb (of old) gearing. Had a 9 speed xtr rear mech on a 32 big sprocket and it was shifted by a 10 speed road (ultegra I believe) shifter...

I could be totally wrong (and I'm sure you'll give feedback at some point) but your 9 speed shifters are only gonna move the rear mech by too much of a ratio on each push. Hence its gonna be out of sync. On other hand a 10 speed shifter with the smaller increments works

Erm... shoot me (with a really powerful water gun) if I'm wrong. Do a search on tinterweb and pretty sure Sir Google would agree

Colin... just read your pist up above bout the rear ultegra mech on a 40t... who led you to believe such a big range would work. Even the long range rear mech on an 11 speed (so that would be a 6800 and above but the newer r8000 is better at handling bigger sprockets/chain differentials- whatever its called), say an r8000 is only rated to a 32 or 34 biggest sprocket. Shimano are very tight with their limiys and the 30t rated 6800 ulyegra mech would work nicely with a 32 rear sprocket... anything higher and youre starting to get into PITA territory.

I've managed to go 2 and 4 sprockets up than what shimano suggested previosuly and the bad shifting meant I've settled with only pushing it by 2.... one other thing. If you're using non shimano cassette, then its an additional component to contribute to poor shifting. I was on yhe SRAM red for some time and even one of the gold kmc chain - for weight savings off course - but just coming back to shimano which I brought back alternately - made such a huge difference to shify quality that now I'm just 105 cassette and chain with DA or Ultegra mechs n shifters

You may be right shaf think I got it the wrong way round, 10 speed shifters work with 9 speed mtb rear mech, doh, oh by the way that's a fine beard you were sporting in the pics last week , it's one I like to call "a 1980s Belfast beard"

middleagedmadness wrote: ↑Sat Oct 19, 2019 8:20 pm You may be right shaf think I got it the wrong way round, 10 speed shifters work with 9 speed mtb rear mech, doh, oh by the way that's a fine beard you were sporting in the pics last week , it's one I like to call "a 1980s Belfast beard"

Thanks MAM I've cut it down just this am by a couple cm. The 1980s Belfast look was to scare my knees into submitting to the climbs... they didn't

ScotRoutes wrote: ↑Sat Oct 19, 2019 8:09 pm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roUXWvAN-9k

Ooooh. Wow... and guess what I've got as a rear mech which was meant to be built into a superlight climbing back... that exact rear mech waiting and shining judt to be let out. Thanks v much Colin

I use a deore 11-42 cassette with a £2 chinese wolflink.

Some photo's here: viewtopic.php?t=14923

yeha wrote: ↑Sun Oct 20, 2019 5:52 pm I use a deore 11-42 cassette with a £2 chinese wolflink.

Some photo's here: viewtopic.php?t=14923

Yep! I use the same setup on mine. Works well giving that spinny gear when fully loaded

Thanks for the replies, just ordered a 12 _40 cassette, chain and road link, hopefully will have time to fit it before I have to lug my fat arse up the Clee on Saturday

I read about the 40 tooth max here: https://road.cc/content/feature/213519- ... es-how-get
and here: https://road.cc/content/feature/246424- ... adventures

I have a new bike on the way with a 105 setup and considering getting a 11-40 cassette to switch in and out for very hilly long audaxs (The Brain Chapman, LEJOG1400 etc.) or loaded gravel duties.

As a by the way, on my Kite I have 9 speed Sora shifters, 50-34 sora chainset with a 9 speed XT rear mech and a 11-34 cassette. Been running that setup for many years.