RSX 9-speed brifter?

could it be that my RSX brifters are made for 3x9 instead of 2x8?

I have a Trek X01 ('99 or '00).

I notice that

a) I do seem to have one more 'click' after highest gear on the rear. Obviously with nothing happens
having only 8 cogs, but would this mean that my shifter is ready for 9-speed?

b) the front shifter seems to have 3 positions:
c) small chainring
d) large chainring

after shifting to the large chainring, I can further upshift the FD to the right, because on higher
gears it does have friction on the right side. There is no click for that position. But when going
back to the 3rd largest cog, I have to 'downshift' the FD to the left (still on the large
chainring), where it does click in to avoid friction on the right. Could this really be a shifter/FD
made for a triple chainring with smaller distances between the rings? (I vaguely remember the tech
at the shop saying something when I bought the bike, though I did not pay any attention).

My FD is a FD-T401S and the RD a Rd-416A-SS

Last question: how do I determine the range of chainring and cog-sizes my derailleurs will take?
current I have 50/39 and a ´V-type' cassette (13,14,15,17,19,21,23,26).

I often find myself runningout of high gears (at 50/13), so I would like to increase the range on
the high end, butnoit to sacrifice the low end for the hills.

Thus I'd love to either go triple (52/xx/3x), or go 9-speed (to add an 11-tooth) or both..

 

"Mathias Koerber" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> could it be that my RSX brifters are made for 3x9 instead of 2x8?
>
> I have a Trek X01 ('99 or '00).
>
> I notice that
>
> a) I do seem to have one more 'click' after highest gear on the rear. Obviously with nothing
> happens having only 8 cogs, but would this mean that my shifter is ready for 9-speed?
>
> b) the front shifter seems to have 3 positions:
> a) small chainring
> b) large chainring
>
> after shifting to the large chainring, I can further upshift the FD to the right, because on
> higher gears it does have friction on the right side. There is no click for that position. But
> when going back to the 3rd largest cog, I have to 'downshift' the FD to the left (still on the
> large chainring), where it does click in to avoid friction on the right. Could this really be a
> shifter/FD made for a triple chainring with smaller distances between the rings? (I vaguely
> remember the tech at the shop saying something when I bought the bike, though I did not pay any
> attention).
>
> My FD is a FD-T401S and the RD a Rd-416A-SS
>
> Last question: how do I determine the range of chainring and cog-sizes my derailleurs will take?
> current I have 50/39 and a ´V-type' cassette (13,14,15,17,19,21,23,26).
>
> I often find myself runningout of high gears (at 50/13), so I would like to increase the range on
> the high end, butnoit to sacrifice the low end for the hills.
>
> Thus I'd love to either go triple (52/xx/3x), or go 9-speed (to add an 11-tooth) or both..

...............RSX was made in two versions : 7 speed with a front that would shift either a double
or triple, and a later 8 speed that had a double or triple specific front shifter,altho the triple
version wuld also shift a double.The 'extra' positions in your front shifter are 'trim'. Your 8
speed version FD will handle a 53 ring and the RD was probably speced for a 28 large cog,but usually
handles a few more teeth. For a triple,you will need a new front shifter, and for 9 speed you will
need a 9 speed rear shifter,cassette and chain.