asmac

I have a disc frame (Salsa Vaya) that I'd like to build up with drop bars.


I was hoping to use existing Shimano 9 sp XT mtn derailleurs and an SLX triple chainset with new brifters and bb7 brakes.


Is this a reasonable proposition? If so, what brifters should I be looking for? 9 sp gear seems to be hard to find.

kevrider

you'll need a Wolftooth Tanpan to make a road shifter work with a mtn rear mech; the other option is their road link and road rear mech. i think you'll have to use Sora parts if you want to stick with 9-sp. not sure which mtn mechs are 9-sp, maybe deore.

sora brifter + sora mech + road link //or// sora brifter + deore mech + tanpan

kevrider

just noticed that you have the XT RD, obviously disregard the deore bit. unsure of availability of sora brifters for mechanical discs, but that's what you're looking for... unless you can find used 9-sp tiagra disc brifters. the triple may be an issue. can't say i've ever seen a dropbar bike with mechanical discs and a triple. good luck.

ScottyC

All 9 and 10 speed (except 4700) Shimano brifters are compatible with 9 speed mountain rear derailleurs, unsure about a triple front though.

There are good charts floating around with the relevant pull ratios, can't access at the moment otherwise I would link.

cpach

You will need 9 or 10 speed (except 4700) road shifters with a triple left shifter, and you will have to use a road front derailleur. Most indexed triple front derailleurs are intended to be used with relatively specific sets of chainrings--if you get a FD intended for a 50t big ring, you can probably get it to shift well with a crankset with a 48t big ring, but a crank with a 44t or smaller big ring may work poorly. If you do have a smaller front ring, your best bet is probably the IRD Alpina D front derailleur which intended for such applications. You will need to use appropriate spacers on the hollowtech ii BB to make the chainline correct.

The BB7s you use will have to be the road specific ones.

With the parts you have already, I'd probably try to find either 4603, 5703, or 6703 shifters, the Alpina FD, a 10 speed cassette and chain that matches your appropriate gearing and does not result in you exceeding the capacity of the RD.

csport

I have a similar setup on the hybrid. Rear derailleur will work with 9s or 10s road brifters and the relevant cassette. (I have Sora 3503 brifters and a 9s cassette).

Chainset is 9s Deore FC-M590 (48/36/22), for the derailleur I have a FD-5504 triple, works well. You will need a "road" front derailleur. I was able to make the derailleur work with the 50mm chainline by setting the limit screws appropriately.

Brakes need to be road specific (for the short cable pull), as it was said. TRP Spyre are also good road (cable) disc brakes.

Bike Gremlin

It should work fine even with a MTB front derailleur.

Agree with the rest.

I made a list of compatibility pages on my site, sorted by equipment type (derailleurs, shifters, chains etc.) here:
Compatibility Archives - Cycle Gremlin

cpach

This is not true. Road and mountain Shimano front derailleurs have different cable pull ratios and getting the indexing correct will not be possible. At best, you may be able to get the position of the outer rings correct with a compromised middle ring position. Obviously this is all chill if you use a friction front derailleur.

fietsbob

9 speed was where they began to diverge... but the benefit of friction shifting front derailleurs are many ,
... including you can use Mountain or Road cranksets..

Brifter for the right-rear, bar end shifter the left-front? (it's been done before)






....

asmac

Thanks for all the information. It's a winter project and there's much to chew on.

Bike Gremlin

You are correct - Shimano does say they have different cable pull ratio. However, it works in practise. I've done it with 8 speed (Shimano Claris) STIs. It won't be as good, especially if shifting under load (105 triple with a 105 FD is more forgiving and you can get away even when shifting under - not very high - load), but it works OK.

Set the middle to be where you want it, and limit the extremes with the limit screws. After all, if you already hava a MTB FD at hand, it costs nothing to try - if you're not happy, you can always buy a road FD (if going the STI route).

One more thing - the new Shimano Road FDs: Tiagra 4700 10 speed, as well as all the 11 speed STIs do have a vastly different cable pull and they won't work with a MTB FD.