SL-R440 Shifter as a double?

Hi All

Here's my setup
Shifters - Shimano SL-R440 (3x9)
Front Derailleur - SL-R443
Crankset - Sora Triple (50-x-y)
BB - Octalink

Looking on the shimano website, its states that the SL-R440 Shifter does double front shifting as well

http://www.shimano.com.au/publish/co...d,sl_road.html

My question is, can I upgrade the crankset to a 105 double and keep the front shifter and derailleur?

Front shifter, yes. All road shimano LH shifters are double IF triple. The front probably will work also.

Okay so what would be the steps involved prior to fitting the double crankset? (I'm planning on keeping the same octalink BB and fitting a 105 53/39 octalink

I can't get around what happens to the extra shift, do I need to open the unit and tweak it to operate as a double (ie. disengage the 3rd shift)

Need a 109.5mm BB, not the triple 118mm BB. The triple BB will work but your chainline will be poor.

When in biggest cog and small ring, adjust limit screw so that chain is VERY close to inner cage of FD. Attach cable. Shift rear to smallest cog, shift gently to big ring, adjust FD limit screw so that outer portion of cage is about .5mm from chain. You never use the 'click' that puts chain onto the big ring of a triple.

WAIT!

Why are you changing cranks?

If you must get an Octalink double, then choose the ULTEGRA 6500 ... the difference in the cost (new-or-used) will be offset by the higher quality chainrings which will shift better & last longer + the ULTEGRA (and, DA) crankset will come with self-extracting bolts. A Dura Ace 7700/7701 crank would be marginally better (i.e., bragging rights?) than the Ultegra 6500 crankset ... some people have said that the Ultegra 6500 crankset is actually better (i.e., stiffer) than the DA crankset.

As far as Peter's suggestion of changing to a 109.5mm BB, he is correct; but, before you pony up for the new BB, you should try to decide just how good-or-bad the shifting between the middle-and-outer chainrings has been with your current setup.

IMO, if you must spend money, you are better off simply getting the 109.5mm BB and re-mounting your existing crankset sans the granny if you really want to switch to a double BEFORE actually buying either the 105 crankset you are thinking about OR an Ultegra crankset that I have suggested.

BTW. As far as what happens to the "extra" shift, it just doesn't occur because the Hi-Lo stops which limit the swing of the derailleur's cage will prevent you from moving the derailleur too far. The "extra click" click that a triple-capable front shifter has allows you to theoretically use ANY front derailleur with a double crankset which would normally not shift far enough with a double-specific SHIMANO (or, SRAM) shifter -- for example, I was able to use a 9-speed Shimano 105 "triple" shifter with an incompatible 8-speed XT front derailleur because the "extra click" allowed me to pull the cable a sufficient amount to move the derailleur cage from the inner-to-outer chainrings on a double crankset.

The reason for swapping cranksets is because I'm looking to upgrade to a 53T
I just bought a 105 double (5502)
Once I sort out the chain line issue by getting the right BB length, will I then be able to switch from a long cage (sora) to a short cage 105? This way I can get a few links back in the chain that I'll be losing to the extra 3T

Well, back to part of your original question, you do not need to change your derailleurs other than for cosmetic reasons, for the most part ...

And, you have it backwards as far as "get(ting) a few links back" because you will ultimately shorten your chain if you switch to a short cage rear derailleur.

Personally, I would ALWAYS rather have a medium-or-long cage rear derailleur because you can shorten a chain on the road more easily than you can add links (which won't exist).

N.B. As great a value as 105 components are, the cost differential between the Octalink 105 & Ultegra is so minimal as to make it worth the small amount of difference to opt for the Ultegra.

In addition to being a few grams lighter & having a marginally better finish than the 105 rear deralleur, the Ultegra rear derilleur has much better pulleys; and, the pulleys are worth more than the difference in the price of the two derailleurs.

So, it's too bad you already got your 105 crank for the fore mentioned reason ...

The bottom line is that you do NOT need to change the derailleurs unless you want to for cosmetic reasons ... if you are racing and/or logging 100+ miles per day, then there is a benefit to NOT dragging around a few extra links of chain.

BTW. You could have simply bought a 53t chainring, separately.

I paid $40AUD for a brand new 105 double
Show me a link for a Ultegra which is marginally more and I will buy a few (and sell them here for a nice profit).

By getting a few links back, I meant that if I go from a 50 to 53T, then obviously I can't shift up into the larger cogs (or largest) on the cassette because I've effectively shortened the chain, I didn't mean physically removing rings from the chain

Part of the reason for the upgrade is also the perceived quality, and the cosmetic look of the bike. Its nice to add some polished metal bling, but as far as getting new chain rings, the 105 has the same BCD so it would still work out cheaper to swap the chainrings then to buy after market ones (trust me I looked)