I need to change a few bits on my XT/SLX drive chain and think its time to move to 10 speed.
I think that all I need is: shifter, cassette, derailleur and chain and that I can retain the crank set and front derailleur – does this sound right? 10 speed cassette is a straight swop for a 9?

Yes.

Shifter and rear Mech need to be same brand (pull ratios)
Chain and cassette can be any brand as long as 10spd

You can keep your 9 speed rear mech, it’ll work fine.

You can keep your 9 speed rear mech, it’ll work fine.

No, it won’t.

Tried that before and it does not work, pull ratio is different 🙂

Ah, sorry.
It doesn’t with MTB shifters does it?
Works fine with road shifters.

Apologies!

Trading up to 11 speed would mean replacing the same parts (shimano), marginally more cost but more “future proof”?…

I’m about to do the same thing as the op. I can’t understand why a 9 speed mech wouldn’t work on a 10 speed cassette. Can someone explain please?

Trading up to 11 speed would mean replacing the same parts (shimano), marginally more cost but more “future proof”?…

+1

this should help explain it..

http://blog.artscyclery.com/science-behind-the-magic/science-behind-the-magic-drivetrain-compatibility/

the bit most people don’t seem to get is the rear mech ratio..

which is different between 6-7-8-9 speed shimano mountain and 10 speed shimano mountain..
(though the ratio is the same with 9 speed mountain and 10 speed road which is why mtb mechs are often used on 10 speed touring / road bikes)

with 6-7-8-9 speed, 1mm of cable pull moves the top jockey wheel across between cogs the same amount..

but with 10 speed they changed the leverage of the mech.. so 1mm of cable pull moves the mech a different amount to 6-7-8-9

the shifter doesn’t effect the above ratio.

explained better in the article though..

If you really want cheap, keep the rear mech & buy a cassette & chain plus flat bar road shifter

11 speed would be nice, BUT the cassette will not fit on my 2004 Hope XC hub, so new wheel to add into the equation 🙁

I’ve been thinking along similar lines but am coming around to the idea that 10 speed doesn’t really offer me anything over 9 speed and whilst 9 speed kit is still available I might keep it really cheap and stick with that. I’m not sure when the next big thing in drivetrains will come along but perhaps I’ll upgrade then.

I see your logic, for me enough of the bits needed changing to make it relatively cheap

I don’t know much about 11 speed kit, but are you sure that you can’t fit an 11 speed cassette to your Hope XC hub if that’s the way you want to go. I thought that 9, 10 and 11 speed cassettes were the same width and effectively interchangeable.

There’s an 11 speed compatibility page on the Hope website; it’s a couple of years old but seems to suggest that it’s 11 speed road cassettes that are incompatible with pre-Pro 2 hubs. It might be worth double checking with them (unless you already have and they’ve told you “no”).

I went straight to 11 from 9. Narrow wide on my old triple slx chainset xt 11 42 on pro2 hub, rear mech and shifter

It’s only the Sram 11 speed cassettes that won’t fit.

11 speed would be nice, BUT the cassette will not fit on my 2004 Hope XC hub, so new wheel to add into the equation

11 speed shimano MTB cassette will, they offset the big sprocket so it mounts on the same 8/9/10 speed FH body, 11 speed road cassettes are longer…

if you shop carefully you can get a full 10sp upgrade for less than £100
zee shifters can be had for around £20…less second hand, a decent 10sp chain for around £15, cassette for around £25 and a rear mech for around £30