Bicycle Mechanics - Upgrading 8 speed Sora to 10 speed Ultegra question

Considering upgrading my Sora-equipped Specialized to Ultegra. Most of it is straight forward: brifters, new cassette and derailleur, chain, etc. (I really like the frame, and its got less than 500 miles on it, but the Sora brifters are killing me - so I'll just ignore any sell it and get a new bike advice ;) )

What I can't find a definitive answer to is whether my 8 speed compatible hub will work with a 10 speed cassette. Obviously I've never done this before so I don't know if I need a new wheel/hub or not.

Thanks in advance.

Don't know what wheelset that you have, but most wheelset these days are 8, 9, and 10 speed compatible.

I know you can turn the 8 speed sora into a 9 speed in the straight forward fashion you mention, but I am not sure about the 10. From my personal research on this, the cost of going from 8-9 is much lower than going from 8-10 because of the need for the new rear derailleur for the latter. My guess is you will be buying an almost complete new component group to do so, sans FD and crankset.

I think I read somewhere that hub and wheel would work with a spacer, but I am not even 50% sure.

Note: Shimano 8- and 9- and 10-speed cassettes/hubs are fully interchangeable for wheels with steel Freehub bodies.

The only parts that are different in any important way between the 8- and 9- and 10-speed systems are the shift control levers.
The 2004 Dura-Ace hub has an aluminum Freehub body, so it only works with 10 speed cassettes.

This is not true of the Ultegra 10 hub.

The Ultegra 10 will take any standard Shimano cassette.

Dura-Ace 10 cassettes have titanium sprockets from 18 teeth and larger.

10-speed cassettes have a recess built into the back of the big spider module, allowing them to fit farther onto the Freehub body than older cassettes. This limits the possiblities of customizing the ratios, because you can't install a flat sprocket behind the spider module...you run out of clearance at the other end if you try.

The above is from the referenced link below:

http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/k7.html#10

You will need a different chain as the 10 speed is slightly narrower.

As to derailleurs, you may not need to change any of them. If you have a triple up front I'd try to get it to shift as is. The rear DR is probably going to work. The front may be a different matter and you may need a narrow cage DR.

Thanks. I'd read that on Mr. Brown's site but didn't catch that last paragraph. I've presently got a double up front, and planning on staying that way.

Shimano hubs are 8,9,10 speed compatible. Campy is either 9, 10, now 11. Campy 8 won't work on 9,10,11 hub.

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/sizecharts/howtoupgradeshimano.cfm

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/sizecharts/howtoupgradeshimano.cfm (http://www.performancebike.com/shop/sizecharts/howtoupgradeshimano.cfm)
While the link is informative, I'll take issue with needing new ders and cranks. I would get the cassette, chain and brifters first. Because Shimano uses an indexed ft der, you might need a new crank IF the chainring spacing is different. If it's the same for 8 as 10 then you wouldn't need it. Good luck

BTW, Why don't you like Sora?

I have a Felt Z90 which is mostly Sora equipped and I won't be changing it for years. The thing is thumb shifters are a bit annoying but if you ask me it's not worth the effort and money to upgrade to 9 or 10 speed, especially considering you dont really need the extra gears.

If you want to upgrade I'd suggest you do it in a couple of years. I say this cos atm everyone will be dumping there 8 speed components. If you wait a couple of years, 8 speed components will be becoming more scarse and that way they'll fetch more money ;)

I have a Felt Z90 which is mostly Sora equipped and I won't be changing it for years. The thing is thumb shifters are a bit annoying but if you ask me it's not worth the effort and money to upgrade to 9 or 10 speed

I've heard the thumb shifter thing a lot. Being a Campy road rider I just can't see the problem with a thumb shifter. IMO, they are more intuitive than the Shimano brake lever/paddle system.

BTW, Why don't you like Sora?

I've had it adjusted a lot but the front still doesn't shift very well at all. The rear sometimes has issues too. My biggest issue is that after about 10 miles I get pain in the right thumb which I'm putting to the ergonomics of the hood (where I usually ride). With the thumb button, I'm not comfortable riding on the drops - I shift too often. Maybe shimming the brifters to get them in a better position to ride on the drops would work for my hand pain, but I'd still have the shifting issues.

I've thought of going campy, but not having seen them in person, I'm not sold on the thumb button there either ;)

Try rotating the bar back a couple of degrees to bring the hoods slightly more upright. This will do wonders for that pain on the inside of the thumb.

Sora shifting can be almost bullet proof in the hands of a good mechanic. If there is any weakness in SORA equipped bikes it is usually cheap cables that stretch too often and too much.

My old bike had Campag Xenon shifters, which again use thumb buttons, but these were a lot more pleasant to use because the buttons were a lot bigger and they were in a better position when riding in the drops

My old bike had Campag Xenon shifters, which again use thumb buttons, but these were a lot more pleasant to use because the buttons were a lot bigger and they were in a better position when riding in the drops

I'll agree with that. My Daytona brifters are super easy to shift while in the drops. And have some of the smallest hands known to man.

I have a similar but simpler problem (i think). I want to put a 10 speed cassette on a spare wheel i have, to use specifically on my trainer i have ordered. The wheel is off my Giant SCR 3 2007 model. It has a 'Formula' hub, whixh was originally an 8 speed. My question is, can i put a 10 speed cassette on this wheel? I will be using my Madone that already is equipped with a 10 speed double.

I have a similar but simpler problem (i think). I want to put a 10 speed cassette on a spare wheel i have, to use specifically on my trainer i have ordered. The wheel is off my Giant SCR 3 2007 model. It has a 'Formula' hub, whixh was originally an 8 speed. My question is, can i put a 10 speed cassette on this wheel? I will be using my Madone that already is equipped with a 10 speed double.

Yes, but you'll need to slide on a very thin (1mm I think) spacer on the freehub before installing the cassette. The Shimano 10-speed cassette I have came with the spacer.