8-speed shifter with 9-speed rear derailleur?

[Patrick Shea]

Is it possible to use 8-speed Ultegra STI levers with a 9-speed Ultegra rear derailluer?

 

[Tom Kunich]

"Patrick Shea" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Is it possible to use 8-speed Ultegra STI levers with a 9-speed Ultegra rear derailluer?

No. The throw of the lever is different than that of the rear derailleur.

 

[Di]

I've used the 8-speed bar end shifters with a LX 9-speed derailleur which worked just fine.

"Patrick Shea" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Is it possible to use 8-speed Ultegra STI levers with a 9-speed Ultegra rear derailluer?

 

[Mike Jacoubowsk]

> Is it possible to use 8-speed Ultegra STI levers with a 9-speed Ultegra rear derailluer?

Absolutely. Everything but older DuraAce (8-speed and prior) is cross-compatible. It's possible you
could run into trouble using a current 9-speed derailleur with a really wide chain, but there's
certainly no problem using a 9-speed Ultegra derailleur with any 8-speed Shimano STI system (with
the exception, as mentioned, of DuraAce).

Just to confuse things a bit, new DuraAce is compatible with the non-DuraAce equipment. The only
orphan out there is the 6, 7 & 8-speed DuraAce equipment.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

 

[Dan Daniel]

On Wed, 31 Dec 2003 21:47:43 GMT, "Tom Kunich" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>"Patrick Shea" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> Is it possible to use 8-speed Ultegra STI levers with a 9-speed Ultegra rear derailluer?
>
>No. The throw of the lever is different than that of the rear derailleur.
>
>

?? Is the original question about using an 8-speed cluster, an 8-speed STI lever, and a 9-speed
derailleur? If so, then the so-called 9-speed derailleur will work fine, won't it? I thought that
all Shimano rear derailleurs were now basically interchangeable when it comes to indexing.

 

[Rocketman]

"Tom Kunich" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Patrick Shea" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Is it possible to use 8-speed Ultegra STI levers with a 9-speed Ultegra rear derailluer?
>
> No. The throw of the lever is different than that of the rear derailleur.

BZZZT! Wrong. It works fine. The ratio is the same as always, just different cog spacing.

I've been using Shimano 8-speed shifters with Shimano "Mega 9" rear derailleurs for years on many
different bikes. I've had zero compatibility problems. Even 7-speed shifters work fine with Mega 9
derailleurs.

Now, Mega 9 *front* derailleurs may have some issues with the slightly wider
7/8 speed chains; but the chromed steel derailleur cages can be bent slightly to compensate. It's
no big deal.

Rocketman

 

[Tom Kunich]

"Dan Daniel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Wed, 31 Dec 2003 21:47:43 GMT, "Tom Kunich"
<[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> >"Patrick Shea" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >news:[email protected]...
> >> Is it possible to use 8-speed Ultegra STI levers with a 9-speed Ultegra rear derailluer?
> >
> >No. The throw of the lever is different than that of the rear derailleur.
>
> ?? Is the original question about using an 8-speed cluster, an
8-speed
> STI lever, and a 9-speed derailleur? If so, then the so-called
9-speed
> derailleur will work fine, won't it? I thought that all Shimano rear derailleurs were now
> basically interchangeable when it comes to indexing.

If I understand it correctly (and I'm pretty certain I do since I have all of this sort of mix) the
9-speed levers are designed to work with an 8-speed DuraAce rear derailleur throw. I've used 9-speed
levers and a DuraAce 8-speed rear derailleur and it works fine. But it doesn't work with any other
Shimano because the throw used to be unique to DuraAce.

Now all of the 9-speed Shimano is compatable.

Remember that the 9-speed cog spacing and the 8-speed cog spacing is different.

Now after all of this is said and done, I've seen people here write that some combination works fine
together that I have tried and didn't even get close to working.

As far as I know, using standard spacing the only thing that will work with a standard 8-speed
cogset and an Ultegra rar derailleur is any Shimano 8-speed levers EXCEPT DuraAce.

If you have a 9-speed cogset and 9-speed levers and an old Ultegra derailleur it MAY work but will
probaby not shift properly over several cogs.

 

[Tom Kunich]

Whoops, after re-reading it I see that he has a standard 8-speed setup and wants to use a 9-speed
rear derailleur. I don't think this works. I understand that you can replace the cog spacers and get
it to work.

"Dan Daniel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Wed, 31 Dec 2003 21:47:43 GMT, "Tom Kunich"
<[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> >"Patrick Shea" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >news:[email protected]...
> >> Is it possible to use 8-speed Ultegra STI levers with a 9-speed Ultegra rear derailluer?
> >
> >No. The throw of the lever is different than that of the rear derailleur.
> >
> >
>
> ?? Is the original question about using an 8-speed cluster, an
8-speed
> STI lever, and a 9-speed derailleur? If so, then the so-called
9-speed
> derailleur will work fine, won't it? I thought that all Shimano rear derailleurs were now
> basically interchangeable when it comes to indexing.

 

[Dan Daniel]

On Thu, 01 Jan 2004 00:39:06 GMT, "Tom Kunich" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>"Dan Daniel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> On Wed, 31 Dec 2003 21:47:43 GMT, "Tom Kunich"
><[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>>
>> >"Patrick Shea" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> >news:[email protected]...
>> >> Is it possible to use 8-speed Ultegra STI levers with a 9-speed Ultegra rear derailluer?
>> >
>> >No. The throw of the lever is different than that of the rear derailleur.
>>
>> ?? Is the original question about using an 8-speed cluster, an
>8-speed
>> STI lever, and a 9-speed derailleur? If so, then the so-called
>9-speed
>> derailleur will work fine, won't it? I thought that all Shimano rear derailleurs were now
>> basically interchangeable when it comes to indexing.
>
>If I understand it correctly (and I'm pretty certain I do since I have all of this sort of mix) the
>9-speed levers are designed to work with an 8-speed DuraAce rear derailleur throw. I've used 9-
>speed levers and a DuraAce 8-speed rear derailleur and it works fine. But it doesn't work with any
>other Shimano because the throw used to be unique to DuraAce.
>
>Now all of the 9-speed Shimano is compatable.
>
>Remember that the 9-speed cog spacing and the 8-speed cog spacing is different.
>
>Now after all of this is said and done, I've seen people here write that some combination works
>fine together that I have tried and didn't even get close to working.
>
>As far as I know, using standard spacing the only thing that will work with a standard 8-speed
>cogset and an Ultegra rar derailleur is any Shimano 8-speed levers EXCEPT DuraAce.
>
>If you have a 9-speed cogset and 9-speed levers and an old Ultegra derailleur it MAY work but will
>probaby not shift properly over several cogs.
>
>

From your reading, it follows basically.

But.... the OP mentions *Ultegra* STI levers, not Dura-Ace. And a '9-speed' Ultegra derailleur. They
don't mention if they want to shift over 8 or 9 cogs. Without that information, either one of us
could be right.

If they want to shift a 9-speed cassette, then they should read what you wrote.

If they want to shift an 8-speed cassette (not Dura-Ace cassette? I'm not certain), then the levers
and derailleurs will work fine.

 

[Tom Kunich]

I just looked at Sheldon Brown at http://www.sheldonbrown.org/dura-ace.html and it has a chart
showing that you are correct. However, you have to use "Alternate Cable Routing" which is
illustrated.

Should have just referred him there in the first place.