swapping cranks - good time to change to 10?

[roadhog]

I'm currently running a full Ultegra group, 9-speed, conventional crank (53/39) with 12-25 cassette.

For various reasons, I'm about to take the leap to a compact crankset (50/34) with 11-23 cassette. While nothing bothers me about running an "old school" 9-speed setup - I'm wondering if I might as well just convert to 10 while I'm at this. Besides the chain, cassette, and crank is there anything else that would need to change? Shifters? Derailleur (front or rear)?

If so, I guess I'll probably stick to the 9 since I'm not made of money . That would also leave me the option of throwing my 12-25 (9) or a 12-27 (9) I also have back on when needed anyway (I'm doing a couple of the big NE hill climbs this year).

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[hd reynolds]

You'll also need a 10 STI shifter and a 10s rear der.

 

[531Aussie]

For various reasons,....

eh, just get the cranks

I have 10sp Shimano cranks on 3 bikes with 9sp shifters and I can still hang out with the cool kids

 

[rayhuang]

Related question, for the narrow 10 speed chains, what thickness of chainrings are required? I am looking at upgrading an old bike of mine to 10 speed and it has an early 90's vintage Mavic 631 crank on it with original rings (6-8 speed compatible). Would I now need to buy modern chainrings for the Mavic crank and now be 10 speed compatible?

also-can an old 8-seed Dura-ace front derailleur work on ths crank and 10 speed chains and shifters?

Ray

 

[roadhog]

Ok, thanks for the responses. I'm not interested in replacing my perfectly good 9-speed STI shifter.

And I like being able to swap in and out my collection of 9 speed cassettes too. So, I'll just go with the compact 9-speed set-up. I'll still be cool.

 

[John M]

Related question, for the narrow 10 speed chains, what thickness of chainrings are required? I am looking at upgrading an old bike of mine to 10 speed and it has an early 90's vintage Mavic 631 crank on it with original rings (6-8 speed compatible). Would I now need to buy modern chainrings for the Mavic crank and now be 10 speed compatible?

also-can an old 8-seed Dura-ace front derailleur work on ths crank and 10 speed chains and shifters?

Ray

The tooth thickness on all of the chainrings is the same (3/32"), it is the outer dimension of the chains that is narrower on 10s. On 10s Campy, the chainrings are 0.4mm closer together and on Shimano, I think that they are the same distance apart as 8s/9s but ramped slightly differently.

I use a Shimano 105 7s front derailleur in an otherwise Campy 10s drivetrain and it works acceptably--not as snappy on the shift to the large chainring as a 10s FD, but acceptable. Now that is with Campy Ergo front shifter which is not "indexed" per se like the shimano STI system, but rather uses a ratchet. I just have to give it a bit of manual overshift to make a fast shift to the large ring.

if I were you, i would just try the crankset as it is and if it doesn't shift to the large ring well, get a new large chainring. Then inner doesn't really matter.

 

[capwater]

No such thing as 10-speed cranks. "9 speed cranks" work with 10 speed chains and vice versa.

 

[Albert 50]

No such thing as 10-speed cranks.

It is generally considered [indeed referred to as 10 speed by Shimano]that Shimano Hollowtech 11 cranks in Dura-ace, Ultegra & 105 are 10 speed even if they may? work with a 9 speed chain.
2007 Tiagra is still 9 speed.

 

[capwater]

It is generally considered [indeed referred to as 10 speed by Shimano]that Shimano Hollowtech 11 cranks in Dura-ace, Ultegra & 105 are 10 speed even if they may? work with a 9 speed chain.
2007 Tiagra is still 9 speed.

10's and 9's are interchangeable, been there, done that, still doing it on a couple of bikes. I've moved my FSA Carbon Team Issue between several bikes 9 and 10. Now if you're talking about those super cool external bearing bottom bracket real sleek looking cranks that are just too sweet to believe asthetically, uh yeah go for it but it's nothing more than "newer is better" marketing by Shimano. Just be sure to use 10 speed bar tape.

My point is that there ain't no such thing technically as a 10 speed crank, just marketing wise. Heck think about it, the crank has nothing to do with the chain, it's the chainring. Any 130 BCD chainring (FSA, Truvativ, Simano, etc) will fit the crank.

Those 2007 Tiagra cranks do look pretty nice by the way.

 

[Albert 50]

uh yeah go for it but it's nothing more than "newer is better" marketing by Shimano. Just be sure to use 10 speed bar tape.

Marketing......were can I get me some of that there bar tape

 

[alfeng]

... can an old 8-seed Dura-ace front derailleur work on ths crank and 10 speed chains and shifters?

The cage plates on the 8-speed front derailleur are incrementally wider apart than on a 9-speed (and, presumably, 10-speed) front derailleur -- more significantly, the 8-speed chain is wider than 9-and-10-speed chains. So, it all depends on whether your front shifter is double or triple capable ...

IF your front shifter is only double-capable, then the answer is PROBABLY "no" unless, as noted you are using a Campagnolo shifter.

IF your front shifter is capable of handling a triple crankest, then the answer is PROBABLY (no guarantees!) "yes" -- that observation is based on mating an 8-speed XT front derailleur with a 9-speed chain & triple-capable/9-speed STI shifter(s) & unramped/unpinned 8-speed chainrings, but using THREE index-clicks to move to move the cage sufficiently between the double-chainrings rather than just two.

 

[capwater]

also-can an old 8-seed Dura-ace front derailleur work on ths crank and 10 speed chains and shifters?

Quick answer ... try it and see if it works. If you're dropping the big coin for the 10 speed brifters then why not kick in a few extra bucks for the proper FD? It's only a $45 part.

 

[rayhuang]

Quick answer ... try it and see if it works. If you're dropping the big coin for the 10 speed brifters then why not kick in a few extra bucks for the proper FD? It's only a $45 part.

Thanks everyone. I wont be dropping any major coin on this project. Its 100% used and looking for e-bay screaming deals or its not getting done, but I understand your point.

 

[capwater]

Thanks everyone. I wont be dropping any major coin on this project. Its 100% used and looking for e-bay screaming deals or its not getting done, but I understand your point.

I hear ya, love to build up parts bikes myself on the cheap. A used or NOS 9 speedwill work, just make sure you get a triple specific FD if you are have 3 rings up front. The 9 cage is way closer to the 10 speed than the 8. Still with some tweaking you could get away with it most likely.