3

My commute bike has been in daily use for 15 years. It was built with XTR components but it seems that they don't make chainrings for this crank anymore. It has come time to replace the rings (3rd set) again but Im guessing that I need new cranks.

The rear derailleur is 9 speed and it doesn't seem like there are so many of these anymore so I'll probably end up replacing everything to get modern equipment.

With that in mind - can I put a 10/11 speed cassette on my existing (15 yr old Chris King) rear hub? Or does this need to be replaced also?

Improve this question

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
4

With that in mind - can I put a 10/11 speed cassette on my existing (15 yr old Chris King) rear hub?

9, 10 and 11 speed Shimano MTB cassettes all use the same freehub body, you can keep the old hubs.

It has come time to replace the rings (3rd set) again but Im guessing that I need new cranks.

Given a 15 years mark, you run FC-M950 or FC-M952. If that's true, try looking for an aftermarket directmount spider that accepts more readily available chainrings. Personally, I find it quite cool to own one of a kind crank like that.

Improve this answer
3
  • FC-M952 indeed. Ive looked for those adapters. They are hard to come by (from my searches). There was a company in England but they seem to have disappeared.
    – ethrbunny
    Commented Dec 8, 2016 at 17:12
  • How about this? The interface looks compatible. Still, for for the price of a spider and chainrings you might as well buy a new XT level crankset or a used XTR, if that's your goal.
    – Klaster_1 Нет войне
    Commented Dec 9, 2016 at 5:49
  • You can put a 10/11 speed on your 9 speed hub but you should note that your indexing won't work anymore unless you change out your shifters and perhaps rear derailer. You can still shift fine if you just have friction shifters (your rear derailer may need some adjusting).
    – RoboKaren
    Commented Dec 10, 2016 at 18:21
1

My experience is that starting with a 7, 8 or 9 speed hub you can usually put a 10 speed cassette on it. Sometimes, especially if you are starting with a 7 speed freewheel, you will need to use a spacer. This is because the sprockets are all significantly more narrow and you need to "extend" the cassette just past the end of the freewheel so that the lockring will properly engage.

I've not done a conversion to an 11-speed cassette but my guess would be that it would work the same way.

So, you really have two options:

  1. 1f you really want to convert, I would start with just buying the cassette and seeing if it will work with or without a spacer. If not, then you can buy a new hub or wheel. Realize that if you convert you are also going to be buying at least new shifters, and possibly derraileurs as well. You are getting into the realm of my favorite saying: "A new bike fixes everything."

  2. Every shop I have worked with, and the three places I order from online all have multiple 9-speed cassette options. Staying 9 speed will save you a bunch of money and give you years of commuting work. If you are worried about the future, buy two and throw one in your parts bin or toolbox.

Note: The question is tagged Shimano, and for Shimano the compatibility over the years is very high. If someone is trying to do the same thing with a Campagnolo hub I would say the odds of being able to convert are much lower. Campy rolled out several different 7, 8 and 9 speed standards over the years

Improve this answer
1
  • Well, 7 speed freehub body is narrower than the others. Campagnolo has the same freehub body for 9, 10 and 11 speeds which covers about last 15 years.
    – ojs
    Commented Dec 8, 2016 at 18:47

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.