Stupid question but can you put a new 10 speed cassette on an old 9 speed hub? Thinking it's probably time to go 1 X 10 as I've been toughing it out 1 X 9 with crappy old stuff and the chain drop and lack of reach is hurting...
Yes
You might need a wee spacer as the 10 speed cassette is narrower than a 9 speed.
Neil that only applies to Road. 9 and 10sp are identical and shimano 11 will also fit on that type of freehub
I went from 8 to 10 speed with no need for spacers or anything else. Go for it 🙂
So I can also put an 11 speed on?
Shimano 11sp, SRAM uses a different freehub body (check if you can get one) to give you the bigger range. 10-42 vs 11-42 for Shimano (I like the extra range)
Not strict true about Shimano 11 speed. 11 speed MTB yes, road no. If he doesn't want silly low gears he would be using a road cassette possibly. Won't fit.
Anyway the free hub is 8/9/10. I haven't found the thin spacer behind the cassette necessary.
If he doesn't want silly low gears he would be using a road cassette possibly
I do tend to make the assumption that on the mountain bike forum you would say Road if that's what you were after...
Yes, I am talking mtb. So...I can use 10spd but not 11spd?
You can use 9 10 and shimano 11sp, you would need a different freehub body for sram 11sp known as xd. Most hubs have an xd available.