Ultegra Triple Conversion

[danpants]

I am considering converting my present bike to a triple crank. I have been told that both the Ultegra Shifter and the Ultegra front derailer will accommodate both a double and a triple crank. Performance magazine lists the 10 speed double and triple shifter as separate items, but there is only one listing for the 9 speed front shifter, which leads me to believe the 9 speed can accommodated both the double and triple crank.

Has anyone done this conversion and how did it work? Are both the shifter and the front derailer compatible with both cranks?

[Bradford]

I did it on one of my bikes a few years ago. The shifter will work on the triple. I didn't think it would either, but it worked just fine. I don't remember about the derailer.

[Dave]

When in doubt, go to the shimano website and look at the instructions. http://cycle.shimano-eu.com/catalog/cycle/products/group.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302029771&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441762888&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395181175&bmUID=1119962705959

The front and rear derailleurs are different. The triple specific FD is a necessary part of a triple conversion, as is a new rear derailleur, to increase the wrap capacity. The long cage triple rear derailleur will work on a double, it just has excess wrap capacity.

[Spinsistah]

Shifters are fine, you need a different front and rear derailleur. I think you might need a different bottom bracket as well.

[Ray]

You don't need a new front shifter. You may or may not need a front derailure. They certainly make a triple front derailure, but the double can work pretty well, depending on the chainring combinations. I got the double derailure working not too badly, but far from perfectly. I had a triple der laying around and put it on - works much better in my situation. I'm using a compact triple, though, with 22-36-48 chainrings, so I'm asking a lot of the front derailure. Ideally, you should go with a longer cage rear derailure, but if you know what you're doing and you're careful to stay away from the larger cogs when you're in the big ring (and the smaller cogs when you're in the granny), you can get away with the short cage rear der.

-Ray