Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
  • Shimano road mech compatibility
  • qtip
    Full Member

    I used to know where I stood when it came to Shimano 9/10-speed rear mech compatibility between road and mountain bikes (or at least I thought I did), but I’m not so sure with the latest incarnations.

    I want to use a 9-speed road cassette on my DH bike and I need to get a compatible rear mech. I know that the actuation ration has changed for XTR 10-speed (lower ranges too?) but has the same thing happened with road mechs? For example, could I use an Ultegra 6700 rear mech, or do I need to hunt around for an older model?

    njee20
    Free Member

    10 speed MTB shifters work with 10 speed MTB mechs only. 9 speed MTB shifters work with 9 or 10 speed road mechs.

    You need a 10 speed MTB mech.

    qtip
    Full Member

    Thanks for the reply, but I think you’ve missed the point, but you may have answered my question anyway. I have 9-speed shifters and cassette. The cassette is a road close-ratio cassette so I don’t want to use an MTB mech.

    From what you’ve said, it would imply that I can use any current 10sp road mech. However, I seem to remember hearing somewhere that Dura Ace 10sp was no longer compatible with other 10sp shifters due to a change in the actuation ration (and hence would also no longer be compatible with 9sp shifters) – perhaps I’m getting this confused with XTR. Can anyone verify this? Does this apply to any other 10sp mechs in the Shimano road range?

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    thomthumb
    Free Member

    any road mech will work with a 9sp mtb shifter.

    qtip
    Full Member

    Nice one, that clears things up. A bit of internet searching suggest that my confusion over incompatibilities between Dura Ace and other road groupsets is difference in the brake/shifter units, with Dura Ace units pulling more brake cable rather than any difference in the gear actuation ratio.

    njee20
    Free Member

    Newer style STIs with the hidden cables (7900, 6700 and 5700) have different front mech and brake pull ratios to the older groups, however the rear mechs are all the same. So as said above, yes any rear mech will be fine!

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

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