rufvelo

Is the 9/10 speed cassette the same width as an 8 speed - just closer spaced?

...or is a wheel for 9/10 speed built differently - wider hub and dished more to accomodate it?

( I have several sets of 8 speed wheels/cassettes, just want to use newer Ultegra shifters)

Thanks.

Al1943

There is a difference but the 8-speed hubs will work with 10-speed cassettes. Use the spacer behind the cassette provided with the new cassette(s). Of course you will need 10-speed shifters, and chain also.

Al

rmac

Is this true with Campy hubs too? I thought they were not compatable.

Al1943

Can't say for sure, the original poster said he was using new Ultegra shifters.

rufvelo

Yes I'm using Shimano for everything - shifters 9 speed, cassette 9 speed, 9 speed chain, old hubs/wheel...

Sheldon Brown

No, it is not true with Campagnolo. 8-speed Campagnolo hubs ony take 8-speed cassettes.

9-/10-speed hubs will accept 8-speed cassettes if for some bizarre reason you wanted to do that.

Theoretically you can upgrade an 8-speed hub by replacing the body, but in practice you can't get the parts.

Sheldon "Shimano Hubs, Campagnolo Shifters" Brown

rmac

Actually, I was thinking of upgrading from an 8-speed system to 10 gradually. Just buying the wheels first would be a good start.

Michel Gagnon

Look at https://sheldonbrown.com/k7.html.

With a Shimano system, your 8-speed wheels have the same hub that will work with 9 or 10 gears. There are two catches:
1. (See the link above). Your present freehub may or may not accept an 11-teeth first cog. If it doesn't, I don't know if a 10-speed cassette would fit; however, you could replace the freehub core with a compact core for about 20 $.
2. Even though the freehub is the same,
a 08-speed cassette is 35,4 mm wide
a 09-speed cassette is 36,5 mm wide
a 10-speed cassette is 37,15 mm wide.
Sometimes, the right seatstay may be a wee bit too close to the small cog.

On the other hand, if you decide to buy new wheels, the new Dura Ace 10-speed wheels have a freehub design which is not compatible with 8 or 9 speed cassettes.

operator

Well since you're here will those 8 spd campy cassettes on your store work with all campy 8 speed wheels?

rufvelo

Thanks all!

As I've said, I'm going to be using Shimano 9 speed stuff for everything - shifters , cassette, chain - just wanted to be able to use my old wheels. Cassette is probably going to be 12-21/23, so from the responses I don't think I'll need to struggle with an 11 cog.

Thanks again.

Al1943

My previous response assumed you were going to 10-speed. With 9 I don't think you'll need the spacer behind the cassette. But if you are buying new shifters it may make more sense to go on up to 10-speed. The shifters are the most expensive part of the upgrade and 10-speeds will be around longer and parts will be easier to get. And that extra cog in the middle, usually the 16, is nice to have. In either case you will need new cassette, shifters, and chain. Your 8-speed derailleurs will work fine unless they are D-A.

Al

Al1943

The problem with "gradually" is that you have to change the shifters, cassette, and chain at the same time. And basically that's all you need anyway.

Al

rmac

I have the 10 FD on the bike. I'll need the wheels, then RD, shifters, chain and cassette, then perhaps BB and crank.

Michel Gagnon

The front derailleur is already 8, 9 and 10-speed compatible. In other words, Shimano called it an 8-speed FD when they offered 8-speed gearing; they called it a 9-speed FD when they offered 9-speed gearing and they now call it 10-speed FD nowadays. But it's the same.

rmac

That's fine with Shimano but I think Campy Record 10 FDs are narrower.

'nother

I'm not sure that's universally true. In an emergency I put a FD from an Ultegra 10-speed kit on my otherwise Sora-equipped (8-speed) bike. The Ultegra FD was noticeably narrower, translating into fewer combinations that could be used without the chain rubbing the FD (and less margin of error in adjustment). That is to say: with my original "8-speed" FD, I could use the inner 5 or 6 cogs when in the inner chainring with no noise at all, but it was only after considerable microadjustments that I was able to get the 10-speed FD working on the inner 4 cogs without noise; similar for the outer chainring/outer 4 cogs.

jbrians

The Ultegra FD is designed to be used with the Ultegra brifter which has a superior trim function built into it. If you used the Sora brifter you wouldn't have had that option, hence the rubbing.

'nother

I suppose you are right that trim might have alleviated the rubbing; however, by sheer coincidence I am looking at an Ultegra ("600") 8-speed setup right now, and I do note that the cage on that is wider than the newer Ultegra 6600 cage by a couple of mm at least. So even within the Ultegra line, an 8-speed FD is certainly not "the same" as 10-speed, as Michel claims.