Condensed Answer: 10-speed Shimano and SRAM MTB derailleurs have a different rear shift ratio than 9-speed derailleurs and cannot be effectively combined with a 9-speed shifter and cassette. A 10-speed…
Condensed Answer: An 11-speed chain is narrower than a 10-speed chain and can therefore be combined with a 10-speed cassette. Sprocket and Chain Width With each gear increase, the sprocket…
Road bike shifters a.k.a. brake-shifters are among the most expensive parts of a road bike. In some cases, entry-level road bikes do not even come with brake-shifters because the bike…
This post compares the advantages and disadvantages of bar-end shifters and brifters (e.g., STI) in relation to one another. Definitions: Bar-end shifters – lever shifters attaching to the ends of…
This post compares the pros and cons of downtube and bar-end shifters in regards to one another. The Advantages of Downtube Shifters 1. Simplistic Cable and Housing Routing Downtube shifters…
Condensed Nugget: For optimal performance, it's best to use components part of the same groupset. Nonetheless, people have been mixing SRAM eTap derailleurs with Shimano chains, cassettes, and chainsets successfully.…
Description of the Situation You're wondering whether STI brake-shifters can be combined with flat bars. It's possible to install STI brake-shifters on flat bars if you use a shim to…
Description of the Concern A clutch derailleur comes with a mechanism (clutch) that prevents the cage of the derailleur from moving excessively during extreme riding. The objective of the clutch…
Condensed answer: Some mountain bike cassettes can be installed on road bikes. However, a few variables have to be taken into consideration for the set-up to work. How Does A…
It's possible to convert a bike with downtube shifters to STI brake-shifters, but the needed parts could make the conversion too expensive. The Components Needed For The Conversion A conversion…