I built a cable pull measuring fixture that includes a 2-inch travel dial indicator with .001-inch graduations. The shift cable is unclamped from the RD and connected directly to a spring tensioned slide on the fixture. A cable tension adjuster is included, to be sure that there is no slack in the cable and any movement of the finger lever starts the dial indicator moving. This device allows very small differences in each cable pull to be measured. One thing that it proved is that the cable pulls do not increase with each shift, as the RD travels from smaller to larger cogs. Both the original model and the new model include a large first cable pull and both have a significant amount of overtravel on the first shift, that returns after the finger lever is released. Both have some excess travel available on the last cable pull that shifts to the largest cog. That excess pull returns, as soon as the finger lever is released.

I made at least five runs through all 10 shifts on both models, to determine repeatability and get the best average value for each shift. Most shifts repeated with a total deviation of no more than .004 inch or .1mm. For reference, a piece of notebook paper measures about .003 inch thick.

Total travel was 27.3mm for the 2009 shifters and 29.8mm for the 2015+ shifters. That’s a difference of 2.5mm. If measurements are taken from the exposed cable on a bike, using a machinist’s rule, the first shift pull is likely to be less, since the limit screw affects the total pull and so does the initial cable tension. My measurements all began from a zero point, with the slide resting on a fixed stop. Below are the cable pulls, in millimeters.

2009 ultrashift 2015+ ultrashift
3.35 -------------- 4.0
2.5 ---------------- 2.8
2.5 ---------------- 2.5
2.2 ---------------- 2.7
2.2 ---------------- 2.7
2.6 ---------------- 2.7
2.6 ---------------- 2.7
2.9 ---------------- 3.0
2.9 ---------------- 3.4
3.5 ---------------- 3.4