Bicycle Mechanics - xtr rear derailleur with Ultegra shifter?

Yes, I know this has been asked before - I tried a search for "xtr" and "ultegra" and got no matches...

I've an XTR rear derailleur and I'd like to index shift it with Shimano road shifters (not the brifters - just the downtube levers). Will this work?

If not, does Shimano make a medium or long cage rear derailleur for 8-speed that WILL index-shift with road levers?

Thanks.

Totally fine. All Shimano indexed-shifting rear deraillers (excluding 8-speed and prior Dura Ace) have the same cable pull ratio, so they're compatible. Which means shifters designed for 8 speeds will work with a 10 speed cassette, as long as you have 10-speed shifters.

If your down-tube shifters are Dura-Ace 8-speed, this wouldn't work since they had a diff cable pull ratio. But Ultegra and everything else is on the same compatibility standard (as are Dura Ace 9- and 10-speed, thankfully).

Yes. The cable pull on any Shimano RD is the same with very few exceptions like some older DuraAce. The only other glitch is with the new XT and XTR low normal RDs which will still work but shift backwards with any shifter but the one made for them.

SB

Yes. The cable pull on any Shimano RD is the same with very few exceptions like some older DuraAce. The only other glitch is with the new XT and XTR low normal RDs which will still work but shift backwards with any shifter but the one made for them.

SB

When you refer to the shifters that are made for the new low normal RD's, you're talking about the new integrated mtb brake lever/shifters, correct?.......There were XTR "Rapid Rise" RD's (low normal) introduced several years ago that, of course, worked just the opposite (and not terribly well, I might add) of the standard high normal RD's, with the Rapidfire shifters. It made sense, in theory at least, because it had you downshifting (to larger cogs) with the index finger "trigger," using the spring action of the RD to make the often stressful downshifts common in mountain biking, and upshifting with the thumb lever, just like you do on the Rapidfire front shifter. The problem was with those early low normal RD's, IMHO, compared to standard RD's it was simply too hard to keep them dialed in for smooth shifting. My brother-in-law had one, and was constantly having to make adjustments. I later read in an article where one of the top Shimano USA guys admitted the best you could hope for with those early Rapid Rise XTR RD's was to make it through a race without having to readjust it. The new low normal RD's are much improved, I've heard-

[snipped] Which means shifters designed for 8 speeds will work with a 10 speed cassette, as long as you have 10-speed shifters.

I think you meant "derailleurs" where you said "shifters".