Originally Posted by
ArgoMan
Yes, thank you. I have a bar end that can use both index and friction. As I understand it, if I use the shifter in index mode, it must correlate to the numver of cogs in my RD. So, if my shifter is designated as a "10 speed shifter", than I can only use an RD with 10 cogs. That my understanding.
My inquiry is whether I can I use that same "10 speed" shifter in friction mode only for 9 and 11 cog RD's? Thanks!
In friction mode you can use any # of sprockets and any RD. The RD just moves based on the amount of cable pull it receives. The issue is that with higher # of speeds, the sprockets are closer together so you'll need more 'feel' to get it right (assuming you use a common pre-11 speed ratio RD). A Shimano 11 speed RD moves less per mm of cable pull so less "feel' is needed, but the total 'throw' to cover the whole cassette width is larger.