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Time for some gears I think, but how many?

By ChopStiR - Posted on 14 December 2012

NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.

Well building and riding my SS over the last year was fun but now I'm wanting some gears back on the bike and thinking a rear cassette is the way to go. The old bike once ran a 9 speed cassette. While I do still have the old cassette I want to put some new parts on the bike and change the gear ratio around. Would my old hub be compatible with a 10 speed cassette? or should I stick with a 9 speed?

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Your hub will take a 10 speed

Submitted by stephen on Sat, 15/12/2012 - 07:41.

Your hub will take a 10 speed cassette. Are you thinking 1x10? If so get a 11- 36t 29er cassette for a good spread of gears. And one of the new shadow plus rear derailleurs with the one way to clutch help with chain tension.

I was looking at the shimano

Submitted by ChopStiR on Sat, 15/12/2012 - 08:00.

I was looking at the shimano ZEE Shadow+ 10 speed derailleur. It Is a short cage but made to suit the 1x10. I was thinking 11-36 with 32 up front.
Possibly the ZEE shifters to suit.

12-36 if I was getting a 9 speed. But I would have to get a different derailleur.

As for the derailleur, do I need to worry about the dropout?

Tim the drop out will be

Submitted by Muninjitsu on Sat, 15/12/2012 - 11:42.

Tim the drop out will be standard to the frame, doesn't matter what derailleur you bolt to it. If you choose a 2x10, which has a great spread of gears, the short cage rear D will not work.

I think what you need to

Submitted by moggio on Sat, 15/12/2012 - 17:16.

I think what you need to think is whether you want to ride it like a single speed with some ratio options or whether you want a fully geared bike but just want to have it simpler and take on some compromises for this.

I went to 1x9 after 3 years only single speeding. I had to recently change my cassette becuase I wore out one ring on the back... the rest were fine. Its ridden as a single speed and really the 9 gears rarely get used, just the few around the 16T area. Long rides the granny does get used, but only for short bit at the end of the day and the smallest gear on boring fire trails (so rarely). In truth 7 speed would be perfect, but basically it means getting out of your seat.

The 1x9 also allows the short cage deuralleur which means many less broken hangers and much faster smoother shifting. I use an SRAM X9 for this and its a few years on and going strong on its second set of jockey wheels.

I can't really comment on the multiple rings up front because I don't experience that or see the use from my perspective. The new SRAM XX1 set however that was discussed in Revo and looks awesome when that finally trickles down to the affordable level in a few years.