I’m thinking of converting my 10 speed SLX Inbred to dropped bars. I’ve looked around (probably not enough!), but can’t find out the compatibility of the 10 speed SLX rear/front mech and Shimano STI gear levers.

Anyone know where I can find the information, or if this is possible?

Ta!

Not possible http://www.ctc.org.uk/desktopdefault.aspx?tabid=4068

The Inbred here http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/on-one-inbred-with-700c-wheels-can-it-be-done looks like it’s running an MTB chain set and STI levers…

Any one else?

I toured on my kaffenback this summer with a XT 9 speed (M770 I think) chainset shifted with a 9 speed 105 (2-3 models old) front mech and 105 STI shifter (same generation as the front mech).

Out of interest it was also running an XT rear casette and xt long cage rear mech (easy gear tastic as I was towing 20kg not so mini mugsy, and all the kit for camp touring for the 4 of us: Me, Mrs Mugsy, Not so mini mugsy, and micro mugsy…..)

SO whilst your SLX may not all work, you’ll be able to find other bits that will.

shimano 9sp.
or look at the jtek.maybe they have(or will have) something.

use bar end shift if you want to save some money.

Thanks for the info everyone. (The tour with the family sounds excellent Mugsy…)

So it’s basically suck it and see? Is there any information giving the pull ratios of the Shimano components anywhere?

I guess that would give the definitive answer… Or maybe I should just sack it and by a disc compatible ‘cross bike! 😉

You’d have to get 10 speed road shifters AND a road rear mech. And you’d have to limit the cassette size to 28 max IIRC.

9 speed again here – not sure on 10spd issues

run ultrega sti’s with xt front and rear on 700c wheels and a 32 on rear – – rear is fine, triple om front needs regular adjustment and is’nt as smooth as most would like

giving the pull ratios of the Shimano components anywhere?

thought shimano pull ratios all the same ? or are they different at 10speed ? is that the issue ?

10 speed Shimano STIs work with a 10-speed Shimano cassette if you use a 10-speed road front mech and a 9-speed MTB rear mech. 11-34 MTB cassette on mine. That’s with 10-speed road cranks.

Honest – I’ve done it and it works fine!

So it’s basically suck it and see?

On the mechs no – you need a road front mech not your slx one.

On whether a road front mech works with your chainset then yes it’s suck it and see (but it should be fine).

I once tried to run a 105 cassette with XT mech & shifter (all 9spd), never did get the shifting to work properly. It always skipped around the 5/6th sprockets

And yes I was using new components, including the chain.

Great, thanks muchly for all the responses…

Just one more question about the rear mech, will a 10 speed STI lever not work with 10 speed Shimano MTB mech?

10 speed Shimano STIs work with a 10-speed Shimano cassette if you use a 10-speed road front mech and a 9-speed MTB rear mech.

Why a 10 speed cassette and a 9 speed MTB rear mech and not a 10 speed one?

a quick ps – i use cane creek barrel adjusters where cable comes out of STI – some newer STI’s have the cable hidden next to brake cable running under the handle bar tape so may need to be inventive unless frame has suitable braze on’s for regular adjusters or mech has an adjuster

I’ve just been through all this faff with setting my fargo up. Using 9speed 105 STIs, the rear mech (XT 9 speed MTB) works fine as 9 speed rear is fully compatible, the front road sti pulls less cable than mtb front shifters but the newer XT 9speed have 2 positions where the cable can go (on bottom pull low pivot mechs and the smaller diameter one works fine. As said above though, you really need the in line adjusters to allow for slight cable adjustment if the frame doesn’t have the braze on ones.

if you use bar end shifters you can use any front mech.
a road rear mech will handle up to a 32 cog,longer b screw and/or change the pulley to a 9t one.
or get some campy shifters and a jtek.
that way you have non indexed front.

Thanks for all the advice… ultimately it sounds like it will be easier If I get a compact road groupset for the bike.

Buying the road shifters and front mech isn’t so much cheaper that getting a whole groupset! The STI levers are expensive, but are a ‘want’ for this bike!

Cheers.

Druid’s spot on. The newest 10 speed road STIs have a unique front mech cable pull, but the same rear as 9 speed MTB.

Confusingly the older 10 speed STI’s (with the external gear cables) don’t have the unique front mech pull.

10 speed MTB shifters and mechs are different and aren’t compatible.