Bicycle Mechanics - Upgrading to 10speed, where to start?

I've decided to take on doing the job myself. I've got all of the components and tools(I hope). I'm changing out the shifters, cassette, front and rear derailleur, bottom bracket and crank for the new Shimano compact crank. I've also decided to change the brake cables while I'm at it. Is there a certain order these tasks should be done to make the job easier? Any other words of wisdom before diving in?

What do you have currently?

What are you converting from? What frame and is it a 9spd system?

This is what I have done:

1. If you don't have a hub with a cassette body that will accept a 10 speed cassette you will be in trouble. Make sure the new 10 spd cassette fits on the cassette body.

2. Test fit the rear wheel w/ the 10spd cassette in place to make sure it will fit and that the chain is not too close to the rear stays.

3. Install the crank and bb to make sure they fit.

4. Test the crank, cassette, r. der, f. der and chain to make sure the chain line is good and everything clears like it should. Manually move the chain to the big ring in front to see if the chainline is good when its in the smallest ring on the cassette. Move the chain back down to the small ring in front and the big ring in back and check that chainline.

5. Install the shifters and run the lines. Run through everything, brakes, all the gears and get it adjusted.

6. Tape the bars.

The critical parts are always, rear wheel/cassette fit, chain line and the way the BB fits. Chainline and rear wheel can put the brakes on a conversion real quick.

I'm converting from Ultegra 6500 9speed. I have Ksyrium SL wheels that I got used so I don't know what year they are. I would be surprised if they don't accept a 10sp cassette but it's something to watch out for. The BB is the right size so I don't expect any problems there. I've considered the chain line being a problem since I'm putting a compact crank on. Is there anyway of knowing without putting it together?

I don't think the compact will make a difference in chainline. It really depends how the crank sits in relation to the BB area and frame. I assume you will be using a 2 piece crankset - with a fixed spindle attached to the drive side of the crank, a non drive crank arm that bolts onto the spindle. The BB is has no spindle so like the old 3 piece systems. In the old 3 piece systems you had a bunch of different length BB spindles to choose from to try and get the chainline just right. This made switching from double to triple and 7 - 8 - 9 spd conversions easier but the new 2 piece systems have that fixed spindle length so there isn't a whole lot you can do if the chainline is wrong. However most mfg's make 2.5 mm BB cup spacers to shim things around a little.

Is you're Ultegra 9spd group a double or triple?

What frame do you have, Year, Make and Model?

My current 9sp group is a double and I have 2004 Specialized Allez frame. Thanks for the help.

I'm converting from Ultegra 6500 9speed. I have Ksyrium SL wheels that I got used so I don't know what year they are. I would be surprised if they don't accept a 10sp cassette but it's something to watch out for. The BB is the right size so I don't expect any problems there. I've considered the chain line being a problem since I'm putting a compact crank on. Is there anyway of knowing without putting it together?

OK, here's what you need to convert to 10-speed:

Brfters
Cassette
Chain
Handlebar tape


(make sure to get 10-speed compatible handlebar tape...)

You mentioned the cables...the brifters come with a complete set of cables.

Any hub that will work with a Shimano 9-speed cassette will also work with a 10-speed.

Converting the crankset is a totally different issue, unrelated (except in the eyes of the marketeers) to the 9- to 10-speed change. There will be no chainline issue with the crank-there is no way to get it wrong with Shimano's new Hollowtech II system.

I'm not convinced the extra sprocket is all that important, but I like Shimano's 10-speed brifters a LOT better than the 9-speed ones, and would use them even if I were to go with a 9-speed cassette for wider gear range.

Sheldon "Decimal" Brown

+---------------------------------+
| Is ambivalence a bad thing? |
| Well, yes and no. |
| -- Garrison Keillor |
+---------------------------------+

OK, here's what you need to convert to 10-speed:

Brfters
Cassette
Chain
Handlebar tape


(make sure to get 10-speed compatible handlebar tape...)

You mentioned the cables...the brifters come with a complete set of cables.



Don't I need a new 10speed Rear Derailleur? Your kidding about the handlebar tape. Great I just bought new cables. I wish they would have included that piece of information on the product description.

The derailleur doesn't care about the number of speeds. The cassette and the shifters decide that.

you might want to really think if it would be worth the extra money, ultegra 9-speed is very good... and your ratios would only be marginally closer with a larger cassette.

you should buy some blingy cranks or something like that instead


or an entire new fixed-gear bicycle

The best time to upgrade from 9 to 10 is when the 9-speed shifters need replacing.

Al