jrbee7

My current road bike setup is a shimano 105 rear derailleur with a 10 speed 12-28 cassette and bar end shifters. I'm going to do a brevet in the mountains and I want to use the xt derailleur and 9 speed 11-34 cassette from my touring bike. Here's my question. Can I use my 10 speed bar end shifters (no friction mode) with my 9 speed cassette? I'm fine if there is a dead shift at one end or the other but I am a little concerned that there will be spacing issues and I'll have skips in the middle.

HillRider

A Jtek Shiftmate #2 will let you use a 10-speed Shimano shifter with a 9-speed Shimano cassette. I've used Shiftmates to match various Campy and Shimano components and they work extremely well

DiabloScott

1. No, you can't pair 10-speed shifters with 9-speed cassettes- the RD is probably fine though.
2. Yes, Shiftmate might work fine - you'd likely need new cables and stuff but if you're swapping derailleurs you probably would do that anyway.
3. You could also get a new 10-speed cassette instead of using your existing 9-speed - that'd probably be a better option if you're going to leave the Alpine gearing on after your Brevet (chappeau btw)

cycle_maven

Yes, you can. I've done it on a couple of bikes. It works fine. Here's how:

https://sheldonbrown.com/dura-ace.html

I'd use the 9-speed chain, although the 10-speed chain will work, but it will likely be too short. You'll have to adjust the high and low limits on the RD. I adjust the limit and the cable so that the tightest cable position is locked out by cable tension, but other folks like to make the unused click in the slackest position.

dsbrantjr

"I adjust the limit and the cable so that the tightest cable position is locked out by cable tension, but other folks like to make the unused click in the slackest position."
I am in the slack/unused school since trying to shift against a taut cable can jam the ratchet in a brifter; this is likely not a risk with bar end shifters.

jrbee7

Thanks for the replies and good information, especially the link to Sheldon Brown's site. His solution seemed a little strange to me. I read it to say that I could use the 10 speed shifter with a 9 speed cassette if I do the alternate routing. I haven't done this yet so maybe it will all be clear once I actually do the switch, but I don't see why the alternate routing is necessary. It doesn't seem like it would make any difference since the index shifts would still move the rd the same distance each time. What am I missing?

shelbyfv

The shifts don't move the same distance with the alternate routing. The leverage changes.