Another compatibility question

[SteveV0983]

A little while ago I asked about a 6700 rear derailleur with all other 6600 components and everyone seemed to say that it would be no problem. So as I am trying to find a few more drivetrain pieces, I'm still finding 6600 difficult to find or more expensive than 6700. So my question is, does anyone see any problem at all with this combo:

ST6600 brifters and brakes
FC6600 cranks
CN 7801 chain (DA, but same years as 6600 stuff)
RD6700 rear derailleur
FD6700 front derailleur
CS6700 cassette

I'm looking for it to be as good as all 6600 and not simply "almost as good".

What do you think? Shimano says no problem. They say the only things you absolutely want to match are the brifters with the brakes and the cranks with the chain. As long as those match (which they do above), everything else is 100% cross compatible. I know many of you have done many builds and some even run shops, so I value your opinions. Thanks.

[stusf]

A little while ago I asked about a 6700 rear derailleur with all other 6600 components and everyone seemed to say that it would be no problem. So as I am trying to find a few more drivetrain pieces, I'm still finding 6600 difficult to find or more expensive than 6700. So my question is, does anyone see any problem at all with this combo:

ST6600 brifters and brakes
FC6600 cranks
CN 7801 chain (DA, but same years as 6600 stuff)
RD6700 rear derailleur
FD6700 front derailleur
CS6700 cassette

I'm looking for it to be as good as all 6600 and not simply "almost as good".

What do you think? Shimano says no problem. They say the only things you absolutely want to match are the brifters with the brakes and the cranks with the chain. As long as those match (which they do above), everything else is 100% cross compatible. I know many of you have done many builds and some even run shops, so I value your opinions. Thanks.

Cassette and Rear Derailleur will work just as good with the 6600 Brifters, the Front Derailleur may need some tweaking as it's got a slightly different pull ratio. Advice I have seen for using with SRAM is to clamp the cable on the other side of the bolt, you could try that?
Any other FD should work flawlessly though, including SRAM.

[SteveV0983]

That's interesting because Shimano assured me that the pull ratio is decided by the shifters and not the FD. They said that the FD will go wherever the shifters park them. I hope that they are right...

[oldpotatoe]

A little while ago I asked about a 6700 rear derailleur with all other 6600 components and everyone seemed to say that it would be no problem. So as I am trying to find a few more drivetrain pieces, I'm still finding 6600 difficult to find or more expensive than 6700. So my question is, does anyone see any problem at all with this combo:

ST6600 brifters and brakes
FC6600 cranks
CN 7801 chain (DA, but same years as 6600 stuff)
RD6700 rear derailleur
FD6700 front derailleur
CS6700 cassette

I'm looking for it to be as good as all 6600 and not simply "almost as good".

What do you think? Shimano says no problem. They say the only things you absolutely want to match are the brifters with the brakes and the cranks with the chain. As long as those match (which they do above), everything else is 100% cross compatible. I know many of you have done many builds and some even run shops, so I value your opinions. Thanks.

Even chains and brakes(except for 7900). In other words, use a 6700(or 5700 or KMC or...any 10s chain) chain on 6600 cranks and any brakes with those levers.

[oldpotatoe]

Cassette and Rear Derailleur will work just as good with the 6600 Brifters, the Front Derailleur may need some tweaking as it's got a slightly different pull ratio. Advice I have seen for using with SRAM is to clamp the cable on the other side of the bolt, you could try that?
Any other FD should work flawlessly though, including SRAM.

Not required, 6700 FD completely compatible with 6600 levers(and 5600, 5700, etc).

'Upgrade' with a sram FD? That's interesting...........maybe the other way around but i wouldn't 'upgrade' to a sram FD.

[dave thompson]

Cassette and Rear Derailleur will work just as good with the 6600 Brifters, the Front Derailleur may need some tweaking as it's got a slightly different pull ratio. Advice I have seen for using with SRAM is to clamp the cable on the other side of the bolt, you could try that?
Any other FD should work flawlessly though, including SRAM.

I think you're thinking of the 7900 front derailleur, which has a different pull ratio than other Shimano front derailleurs and must be used with the 7900 front shifter. The 6700 front der is fully compatible with all other Shimano 10-speed road front shifters. I run the 6700 derailleurs with 6600 and 7800 shifters on several bikes, works perfectly.

[SteveV0983]

Dave,

So you sound pretty close to what I'm looking at. Are you using BOTH 6700 F&R derailleurs with 6600 shifters? And it's all good?

Steve

[dave thompson]

Dave,

So you sound pretty close to what I'm looking at. Are you using BOTH 6700 F&R derailleurs with 6600 shifters? And it's all good?

Steve

Absolutely! Zero issues, great shifting.

[SteveV0983]

Thanks Dave, that's exactly what I was hoping to hear.

Now if the frame would just show up.......

[Fivethumbs]

I did not use the 6700 front derailleur with 6600 shifters but did have the 6700 shifters with the 6600 front derailleur. It shifted poorly until I matched the 6700 shifters with 6700 front derailleur. The rear 6600 and 6700 rear derailleurs appear to operate exactly the same as I have swapped them both in and out with the 6700 shifters and found no difference.

[54ny77]

as they say, everyone's mileage will vary. i run 6700 shifters on an all-6600 sl (the "ice grey" stuff) drivetrain, which has a compact 6600 crank, and it works terrific. honestly just as good as an all-6700 setup on another bike.

when you say it ran poorly, what was it doing? could it have been a bad chain or something out of adjustment with a specific part?

I did not use the 6700 front derailleur with 6600 shifters but did have the 6700 shifters with the 6600 front derailleur. It shifted poorly until I matched the 6700 shifters with 6700 front derailleur. The rear 6600 and 6700 rear derailleurs appear to operate exactly the same as I have swapped them both in and out with the 6700 shifters and found no difference.

[oldpotatoe]

as they say, everyone's mileage will vary. i run 6700 shifters on an all-6600 sl (the "ice grey" stuff) drivetrain, which has a compact 6600 crank, and it works terrific. honestly just as good as an all-6700 setup on another bike.

when you say it ran poorly, what was it doing? could it have been a bad chain or something out of adjustment with a specific part?

whadayawant, the guy has 5 thumbs....