9 or 10 speed?

[chengher87]

I'm currently making plans to purchase a 2nd bike and was wondering whether it was worth it to finally upgrade to 10-speed (yes I know, I am a few generations behind, but as a poor grad student I haven't the finances to upgrade only the group-set when I could get a good used bike). 9 speed stuff is cheap, but I was wondering if anyone knows the quality of the current 9 speed stuff. I'm under the assumption that Shimano, SRAM, Campy and even microshift pour more time and effort to the 10, 11 speed stuff, but the trickle down technology should make these new 9 speed group-sets just as good as the previous generation right?

I have a 6500 Ultegra groupset and I have a hard time believing that the current Sora (3500) and even the 4500 Tiagra generation is just as good. I had the 3400 Sora and switched it out because the derailleurs needed constant adjusting and I never could develop confidence with then (although I had no issues with the shifters, I hardly ride in the drops anyway). My 6500 groupset is getting up there in age (although still chugging along) and I'd like to replace it, either with a new 9 or 10 speed group.

Granted, with everyone moving to 11 speeds, the 10 speed stuff should be cheaper going forward anyway right? Or maybe I just like being a relic in a peloton of shiny new toys.

[rice rocket]

I was tooling around in the LBS and felt the Tiagra 4600 stuff, it's pretty decent. It's gone to 10 speed, and it has the better feel of the 5700/6700/7900, but without the internal shift cable routing.

The biggest advance that Shimano made in their 10 speed groups is not the extra gear, but the shifter ratcheting mechanism and the braking stiffness. 4500/6500/7700 is vague and mushy in comparison.

I'd still get 5700 if you can swing it, but I was reasonably impressed by the 4600 equipped bike.

[chengher87]

Thanks for the info! I was wondering that because I've ridden the 4600, 5600, 5700 and 6600 at my local LBS, but only on their designated short loop (which is flat), so I didn't really get a great feel for the shifting je nais se quoi of each groupset. I have a ton of hills I ride so I would have loved to see how the group-sets feel shifting before a climb, during a climb and shifting back up under pressure for a descent.

[Ralph]

I like the extra cog of the 10 speed groups....usually toward the middle of the cassette. I ride Campy, have a bunch of different cassettes, but usually ride a 13-26. The 10 speed gives me the 18 cog. Not much interested in 11 speed , becaue it mostly just sticks a 11 or 12 on the end of the cassette. Wouldn't think 10 speed costs much more than 9 speed.

[texbike]

I have bikes with 8, 9, and 10 speed STI drivetrains and I'm not any faster on the 10 speed stuff than I am on the 8 or 9 speed gear. I do like the smoothness of the Shimano 10 speed shifters over the 8 and 9 speed though...

As you point out, Shimano 9 speed parts (except for STI shifters) are dirt cheap. Chains and cassettes are especially inexpensive compared to the 10 speed stuff.

If I only had 8 or 9 speed stuff to ride, I would be perfectly fine with it and wouldn't feel that I was missing out.

Texbike

[eddief]

I resisted 10 speed for a long time. Was one of the big mouth naysayers about "who needs one more cog?!" I recently had the occasion to switch one bike to 10. I truly love that spot where the extra cog is on a 34 tooth cassette. Really fills a gearing gap that I never knew I would not miss. And boy did I have a butt load of Ultergra 6510 shifters in hoarding bins.

[palincss]

I like the extra cog of the 10 speed groups....usually toward the middle of the cassette. I ride Campy, have a bunch of different cassettes, but usually ride a 13-26. The 10 speed gives me the 18 cog. Not much interested in 11 speed , becaue it mostly just sticks a 11 or 12 on the end of the cassette. Wouldn't think 10 speed costs much more than 9 speed.

You can customize a Shimano 9 speed 12-27 cassette and remove the 1st position 12 so it starts with a 13 and slip a 30T sprocket behind it to give you a 13-30. You can't customize the 10 speed, but they've released a 12-30 that has all the same sprockets as the 9 plus a 12T 1st position. Personally, the only way a 12T would be useful to me with a 700C wheel would be with a 44T chain ring, so from my perspective the 9 is superior. In addition, chains are cheaper, cassettes are cheaper and I'm convinced the 9 speed chains and cassettes last longer.

[Llewellyn]

I find 6500 Ultegra perfectly fine for my requirements and it just keeps going and going without missing a beat. If you're happy with your current setup, I'd leave it as it is. Still plenty of parts available and most of them are cheap (except the shifters as someone else pointed out).

[Erik_A]

I am 6'4" and 220 lbs, so if I want to break a chain, all I need to do is shift under load going uphill (or just go mountain-biking it seems).

So 9 speed, it is for me, mainly because the chains are stronger. That being said, I ride with some "vintage" guys who say the same thing about 7 speed.

Shimano just released (out this Sept), 11 speed in the new Ultegra - so the 10 speed stuff will start coming down in price. I have actually heard good things about the new 9 speed Sora group - shifting is good and their short cage rear derailleur can shift a 32t rear cog.

I have never missed the one middle cog, but that is probably just me being an amateur.

[ultrafi]

I'd probably opt for the 10 speed as later is lighter even if a lesser group. Plus, if everything is 10 speed wheel exchanges are a bit easier from bike to bike. Always a nice option.

Convert.

[chengher87]

On a pair of microshift shifters in an auction. One 9-speed (NIB) and one moderately (their words) used 10-speed pair of shifters for $50. So I get the best of both worlds and test out microshift. All the Shimano and SRAM stuff were going for ridiculous prices (close to retail). I was tempted to buy a 9 Speed Campy chorus and upgrade that to 10 speeds, but wasn't sure I'd have the time or the want to undertake that process. Someone got it for $95.

I don't need them right away, so they'll be resting in my parts bin for a bit.

[bfd]

You can customize a Shimano 9 speed 12-27 cassette and remove the 1st position 12 so it starts with a 13 and slip a 30T sprocket behind it to give you a 13-30. You can't customize the 10 speed, but they've released a 12-30 that has all the same sprockets as the 9 plus a 12T 1st position. Personally, the only way a 12T would be useful to me with a 700C wheel would be with a 44T chain ring, so from my perspective the 9 is superior. In addition, chains are cheaper, cassettes are cheaper and I'm convinced the 9 speed chains and cassettes last longer.

I know Sheldon Brown/Harris sell a 13-30 9 speed "century special" for $127, but if I wanted to DIY, where does one find a 30t? Also, if you eliminate the 1st position 12t cog, do you need to find a 1st position 13t cog or just move up the 13t? if you do need a 1st position 13t cog, where do you get it? Thanks!:confused::butt::bike:

[palincss]

I know Sheldon Brown/Harris sell a 13-30 9 speed "century special" for $127, but if I wanted to DIY, where does one find a 30t? Also, if you eliminate the 1st position 12t cog, do you need to find a 1st position 13t cog or just move up the 13t? if you do need a 1st position 13t cog, where do you get it? Thanks!:confused::butt::bike:

I started by purchasing a few Century Special cassettes from Harris back 10 years ago, and have been re-using the 1st position 13s and the 9th position 30s ever since. Those sprockets don't wear at all, and I'm sure can be re-used indefinitely.

You take off the 1st position 12 and the 2nd position 13 and replace with a 1st position 13. Then you slip the 30 and a spacer behind the 27.

If you wanted to start from scratch Harris sells the 1st position 13s and the 30s as individual sprockets. I believe they're listed in the QBP catalog.

[staggerwing]

If you wanted to start from scratch Harris sells the 1st position 13s and the 30s as individual sprockets. I believe they're listed in the QBP catalog.

I like this idea a lot, especially on my commuter with standard crank.

Thanks for the info.

[fourflys]

I have 9 speed on my Black Mountain Cycles Cross and don't miss the extra gear my other bikes have... if what you have works, I say use it!