10 speed vs 11 speed rear wheel compatibility question

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04-14-15 | 12:52 PM

mjenkins65

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10 speed vs 11 speed rear wheel compatibility question

If I have a 10 speed cassette on my Shimano RS20 rear wheel, can I use the same wheel with an 11 speed cassette? I am thinking of buying a new bike that comes as 11 speed. Based on another thread, I've decided I'd like to keep my RS20's rather than use the Bontrager Race wheels on the new bike. Will the new cassette just fit on the Shimano hub or do I need to do something further to make them compatible?

04-14-15 | 01:19 PM

rpenmanparker

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04-14-15 | 01:24 PM

dtrain

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I don't think the rs20 takes an 11 speed cassette. They make an rs21 now which does. How many spacers are behind your current 10 speed cassette on the rs20? Just a very thin (1mm) one...or that plus a thicker one (~1.85mm). If two spacers currently, the 11 might work. If just a thin one, probably not.

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Last edited by dtrain; 04-14-15 at 01:43 PM.

04-14-15 | 01:37 PM

Lazyass

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From: Minas Ithil

If you have an 11 speed hub you need this.

Problem Solvers 11SPD To 10 Spacer > Components > Maintenance and Service Parts > Misc. Small Parts | Jenson USA

04-14-15 | 01:39 PM

dr_lha

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Quote:

Originally Posted by mjenkins65

If I have a 10 speed cassette on my Shimano RS20 rear wheel, can I use the same wheel with an 11 speed cassette?

Nope.

04-14-15 | 01:45 PM

CliffordK

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The Shimano 10s and 11s freehubs are different, and it appears as if that holds true with the RS20/RS21, so it is unlikely that you can simply bolt a 11s freehub onto your existing hub.

You might be able to replace the hub if you were ambitious enough.

There have been reports of people grinding down the back spacing on the cassettes to get an 11s cassette mounted on a 10s hub.

04-14-15 | 01:45 PM

FLvector

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Looks like the Shimano RS20's have a 10 speed hub, so the answer is no. You wanted to buy another set of wheel anyway, right?

04-14-15 | 01:48 PM

rms13

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Am I missing something? RS20 are nothing special. The stock wheels on your new bike are likely as good if not better.

04-14-15 | 04:35 PM

mjenkins65

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Quote:

Originally Posted by rms13

Am I missing something? RS20 are nothing special. The stock wheels on your new bike are likely as good if not better.

I am comfortable with the RS-20s. If it would just work out of the box, I could sell the Bontragers as like-new and get a few bucks to offset the cost of the new bike. I was asking to find out if it was easy. Since it isn't, I'll just stick with the Bontragers and sell the RS20s. I'm buying a bike that is a bit over my budget and so I am looking for any way I can offset my cost.

Thank you all for the answers! Much appreciated.