Sorry if this has been covered before or if it’s just daft, but has anyone tried a Zee rear mech (10 speed of course), with a 9 speed cassette and shifter? It’s obviously not ideal, but I want to run a short cage with a 30t chainring. The other option is XT medium cage which is what I’ll go for if there’s no chance of it working. I’m basing my theory that it will work (so long as I choose the FR Zee) on the principle that the shifter will pull the right amount of cable and the mech has the range to cover 11-34. Anyone tried?

Works perfectly with a SRAM front shifter and a wee spacer. Doesn’t work with a Shimano shifter though.

It’ll work if you use a 9sp Sram shifter with a 6mm spacer under the cable where it clamps to the mech. Otherwise – no

Only with a Sram shifter and a spacer

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/9-speed-sram-shifter-with-a-shimano-10-speed-clutch-rear-mech-will-it-work

You can bodge a 10spd shimano mech with a spacer at the pinch bolt to run with a 9spd SRAM shifter. It won’t work with shimano shifters

Snap!

Did anyone mention that it works with a Sram shifter and spacer?

😀

Thank you all very much for that! I’d heard about the spacer solution but didn’t know where it fitted, so the picture is great. CRC here I come.

so the picture is great.

woohoo! That means I win – suckers! 8)

You all took part, so in 2013 Britain you’re all winners….;-)

10 speed shadow plus mechs will work with a shimano 9 speed shifter. You just need to move the pull point nearer to the pivots. I wound up drilling a 1.5mm hole through the litle recessed flat 6.5mm from the edge nearest the pivots. Thread the cable through and around and secure with the original screw.

It’s worth noting that his is a fudge and perfect results aren’t guaranteed. I’ve just done this and the shifting isn’t as good as I’d like. I’ll probably live with I though as it’s on my downhill bike and I have minimal gear changes and don’t race so I’m not too worried about hitting every gear with pinpoint accuracy. I may end up going back to a Sram 9 speed mech though.

From my investigations online some people have got a sport on set up whilst others are also happy to have a slight compromise.

FWIW I put a small jubilee clip around the cable (upstream of its original mounting) and played around with the position until I was happy with the shifting, before drilling the hole. It’s an XT shadow plus mech, but the concept would be the same.

st-

From my investigations online some people have got a sport on set up

Could you please clarify?