[Closed] Going 10 speed and XTR m985 "clutch" rear mech questions..

The RD-M985 XTR Shadow Plus mech is 10 speed only.

You can use your existing rings, 9/10 speed are esentially cross compatible. Rear mechs are 9/10 speed specific, as Mister P says, so the M985 is 10 speed only.

Btw the m985 rear mech is fantastic

Does the clutch thing actually work well?

Just that I bought a dual ring chainguide and have since realised that no dual ring systems fit the Intense Tracer ... Hence looking at the mech as an option to keep the chain on (bike gets used for occasional DH and rough trail riding).

Ta

njee20 are you sure about that statement? I'd be happy to run a 9 speed chain on a 10 speed chainset but the otherway? Surely 10 speed chains are narrower. Maybe if everything was nice and new/clean but as soon as dirty lube smeg builds up I can see BIG chainsuck happening.

Surely 10 speed chains are narrower

Yes overall but the gap between the plates is the same so no difference at the teeth. Thinner plates y'see.

Clubber is correct, internally a 9 and 10 speed chain are the same width. It is externally that they change. I have heard one or two people complain when using a 9 speed chain on a 10 speed chainset they get the chain rubbing on the outer ring when in the middle ring and smaller cassette sprockets. But this may be set up rather than incompatibility.

Just doing this myself, with an xtr chainset, I got some advise re. chainwheels from a mechanic friend who said that 9 speed rings don't shift as well as the specific 10 speed, but you can get Blackspire 9/10 rings that work well with 10 speed kit, Xtr fit, but guess will do xt ones too that would be cheaper than shimano ones

Yes the clutch does work; my drive train is sooooooooooooo quiet 🙂 and it hasn't dropped yet.

At first the shift requires a bit more thumb pressure but after a few rides you don't notice it.