New Sram Red shifters with older derailleurs?

[Vinci]

Has anyone here upgraded their shifters to the new 10-speed 2012/2013 Red shifters, but kept your old red/force/rival derailleurs?

I am interested in trying out the new ergodynamics of those levers, but I'm not ready to plunk down the coin on a full group yet (unless I can find one used).

[deluxerider]

there should be no problem on the rear. the front will work but not quite as well. the new front shifter does not have the micro adjust of the old shifters, so you have to be a little more diligent in your set up.

[Vinci]

The rear is my big concern. I shift the front on about 1 ride per year around here (Florida).

[deluxerider]

This might be helpful for you.
http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/03/news/it-works-we-test-sram-red-backwards-compatibility_209270

[Vinci]

Yeah, I had gone over that article before. They never covered the rear shifting, oddly.

EDIT: Nevermind, they covered that outside their combination notes. They say that the new rear shifter and either old or new rear derailleur works fine.

[dougefresh]

it works perfectly. i had the newer red 10s shifters on my CX bike last year mated to rival derailleurs.

[tribarbet]

Exactly what deluxerider said. I have the new Red shifters with an old Force RD and a DA 7900 FD and it work perfectly.

[Vinci]

Thanks for the info!

I just ordered a set of shifters from Nashbar. They have a pretty good deal on them right now.

[Vinci]

Just to follow up and close the loop, I received and installed my 2013 Red levers with my otherwise entirely-Rival group.

It works pretty much perfectly. I get just a tiny bit more front derailleur rub in the small/small combination than I did before, but otherwise works perfectly across the whole cassette, even without trim on the front derailleur.