So i have a Singular Swift Mk2 and have an urge to make it in to a drop bar adventure bike as my Rooster takes care of the proper off roading stuff and I’d use the Swift for a short off road commute and playing around on. I’ve got the bars (Salsa Woodchippers) and some 9 speed STI’s (old Tiagra) plus some cable disc brakes but I’m stuck with the mechs and cassette.

Ideally I’d like a double upfront and a wide range cassette out back but I’m unsure how big I can go with a short cage rear mech or what medium cage rear mechs are around in 9spd. Also what crank and front mech could i use? I know SRAM do compatable stuff but the whole new set up is about £350 which is out of my budget!

Sorry for all the questions and i know some will say “don’t bother as it’s a fad” but for the riding i find myself doing i can see it being my main bike.

Bit stuck so any help or advice anyone could offer on set up etc would be great cheers.

I had 11/36 out back on my Gryphon and a 30 or 32t single front ring on mine or sometimes a duo which were both Middleburn set ups but mine was 10speed with 105 brifters and xt 9 speed rear mech.

So a set of 10 spd shifters would work with a 9spd mtb block and 9spd rear mech?

I’ve got a Tiagra or Sora 9 speed on one of my MTBs, it can do at least 32T – edit I think this is medium cage.

Any 9 speed MTB rear mech can be fitted though, 9s pull ratios are identical between road and MTB. I imagine the fronts are the same too – I certainly hope so as I’m about to do the same with my oldest hardtail when time/funds allow.

Your 9 speed shifters work with old 7/8/9 speed MTB mechs, so you could run a 9 speed mtb cassette.

10 speed road shifters will work with a 9 speed mountain rear mech on a 10 speed mountain cassette.

Front mechs are a minefield. Basically you are stuck with road ones if you have road shifters, and you typically need to match 2 speed shifters with 2 speed mechs, and 3 speed the same.

Front mechs are a minefield. Basically you are stuck with road ones if you have road shifters, and you typically need to match 2 speed shifters with 2 speed mechs, and 3 speed the same.

Oh bugger, although I’ve got the front to go with the shifters now I think of it. Might need a shim. Will see how the old one gets on with my brifters.

I ran an XT double front mech on a 105 double brifter no problem – worked vey well in fact.

Singular Gryphon with old ultegra 10 speed shifters, old 9 speed xtr mech and 11-40 10 speed cassette. Works very well. Wondering whether there will be an 11 speed 11 – 42 option when this lot fails? Unless there already is?

Your 9speed Tiagra shifters will run happily with any 7/8/9 speed MTB mech, and 7/8/9/10 speed road mechs. A later 9speed MTB mech will give you the best clearance for bigger cassettes.

If you want to run a wide range cassette then you’re stuck with 11-34 MTB cassettes really, there are some cheap 11-36 9speed ones about but they weigh as much as a small ship (I have one in the loft you’re welcome to for cost of postage)

Front mech wise you really need to use a road one, MTB fronts don’t normally play nicely with road STIs, in some cases they can work but it’s very kit dependant. A road mech should be bodgable to work with a sensible front ratios though.

If you use a 110/74 triple crank and only use the granny and middle positions you can run something like a 30/46 or 28/44 or 26/42 at the front and will give you usable gears for on and offroad, just adjust to suit the bias and try to keep no more than 16t difference, it can worth with more but shifts can be clunky and variable.

That would be my advice if you want to use the existing STIs ^

If not then you can get much more creative, including using bar end or other shifters and use whatever the hell you want really 🙂

If the OP is interested I have a 10speed set up I might need to clear out (105 brifters 10 speed, xt 9 speed rear mech and xt front mech and a used but serviceable 11/36 rear cassette all well used but servicable). PM if any use. Im building an 11 speed set up at the moment which will be fully hydro so these are a bit surplus.