New MTB frameset on the way. I have a pile of bits, but those bits—along with my knowledge of MTB bits—dates from 10-25 years ago. Basically I kept up to the point of 9 speed, when pretty much everything worked with everything else, and then swapped to road riding instead.

I can build this thing singlespeed, 1x, 2x or 3x. Probably singlespeed first to try to reclaim the good old days, and then if my dodgy back can’t cope with that then I’ll have to go 1x or 2x unless I find a cheap Alfine hub 🙂

I have a pair of M511 shifters, some singlespeed rings, and a new 9sp chain and 11-32 cassette kicking about, and I want to buy as little new stuff as possible.

Main thing here is whether Shimano have been fiddling with cable pull ratios since I last bought anything.

So, the 1x (yes, I know an 11-32 isn’t an ideal 1x cassette) questions:

– I guess a Shadow mech is required; will any/all of those work with my M511 shifters?
– With a clutch I’m guessing a narrow-wide ring is still necessary? Or can I wing it with a singlespeed (ie unramped) ring?

And the 2x questions:

– The full build of the same frameset comes with an M617 front mech, which has a front pull via the down tube and is designed for a “proper” double (rather than what I’ll be using, which will something like a 22-32-bash on an old triple). Will it play ball with the 22-32 on a presumably narrower chainline and, again, will it work with my M511 shifters? (The frame has routing for a top-pull as well, so I can always fall back to an old triple.)

Muchos gracias

No need for a clutch mech the n/w keeps the chain on. Have used non-Shadow 9sp XT like this for many years.

you can’t get a clutch mech for 9 speed.

Shadow just changes how the cable enters the mech and tucks it out the way a bit if you ride somewhere rocky so not really needed ‘down south’.

I used a 10 speed narrow wide with a non-clutch 9speed setup and it was mostly fine although I added a top chain guide after a few too many dropped chains on rooty singletrack but you could use a standard SS chainring with a top guide too.

No need for a clutch mech the n/w keeps the chain on. Have used non-Shadow 9sp XT like this for many years.

Ah. If the N/W ring makes that much difference then that would be most acceptable.

Shadow just changes how the cable enters the mech

Ah, I see. Thought it was Shimano’s clutch branding. Clearly haven’t done enough research 🙂

you can’t get a clutch mech for 9 speed.

Can I not just use a 10 speed one, though? Or does that then introduce the cable pull issue?

If it comes to the point of needing a top guide then I tend to think I might as well have a top guide that moves left and right a bit and stick a granny ring on.

there’s a cable pull issue – 9 and 10 speed cassettes are the same width with a slightly narrower chain on the latter so you can’t mix and match.

CRC do 9 speed deore mechs for about £30 – they’re as good as anything else.

Funnily enough 9 speed prices are going up now it’s ‘legacy’ so numbers sold go down and also you can’t get the higher groupset stuff as easily.

[edit]

Shadow came in on 9 speed, clutch mechs on 10. All clutch mechs are shadow but not all shadow mechs are clutch…

Do a search it’s perfectly possible to get 9 speed to work with a clutch mech if you’ve got SRAM shifters (don’t know about Shimano) all you need is about 4-5mm of spacer under the cable clamp and a longer bolt. X-9 shifters are very nice and readily available cheap 2nd hand.

A Zee mech would work well with the 11-32 cassette.

IIRC There’s a bodge involving a SRAM 9speed shifter, a small spacer and a 10 speed Shimano clutch mech if you want the extra chain security without the expense of going all in with a new drivetrain.

CRC do 9 speed deore mechs for about £30 – they’re as good as anything else.

Ah, I’ve got a couple of old XT 9 speed mechs kicking about 🙂

there’s a cable pull issue – 9 and 10 speed cassettes are the same width with a slightly narrower chain on the latter so you can’t mix and match.

Right. Thanks. (Different spacing doesn’t necessarily mean a different pull ratio, just different indexing positions, but if there’s a different pull ratio anyway then so be it.)

Looks like 2x is probably easier, which is what I suspected. In which case, is the M617 (or something else) an option, or do I pick up an old top-pull?

Thought it was Shimano’s clutch branding

The ‘plus’ bit is the clutch branding.