Cassette speed clarification

[SlowWave]

Hopefully a really simple one for anyone with a drop of experience.

I've been looking at the cassette standards and my understanding is this.

Speaking for shimano only and 135 spacing to simplify the question a tad.

MTB 8-11 speed cassette and free hubs are compatible as the sizing is the same.

7 speed is a different standard, as is the newest of the new 12 speed microspline standard

Corresponding chain and shifters required although 8-10 use the same width chain but different spacing between gears.

All in all an 8 speed wheel (or up) could take an 11 speed casette but a 7 speed cannot.

Could someone please confirm my understanding is correct? I think some road sizing information is confusing me a little.

 

[malt]

Tell us what exactly it is you’re looking to do, that would be the better starting point.

 

[dandy1]

Re:

Have a look here:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/k7.html

 

[simdagger]

Just ask sheldon

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/k7.html

 

[legrandefromage]

Some rambling stuff to add all based on Shimano Only

9spd chains work well with 7 and 8spd cassettes. 10spd chains are narrower than 9spd.

Shimano 7spd hubs can have an 8spd freehub body fitted (the wheel will need redishing) - this then allows for the use of 8/9/10 and possibly 11spd on 'classic' hubs/ wheelsets

Older 9/10 spd hubs may not necessarily be able to have 11spd cassettes - there is a little spacer supplied with new wheels that goes on before the 8/9/10 speed cassette but not for an 11.

Road rear mechs are pretty much all backward compatible from 10spd aaaallll the way back to the 1st generation indexed Dura Ace (7400), 105 and 600 along with MTB mechs from around 1987 until 10spd MTB - just as long as the dropouts are not too thick, this can draw the mech too far out from the cassette for it to reach the largest sprocket

Front mechs get narrower as you get newer so if you decide for some reason to use a 10spd front mech with an older 7/9spd width chain, you will get chain rub in top and bottom sprockets no matter what.

Front shifting is very groupset model specific as the reach and cable pull changed for the later 10spd era, older mechs will either under shift or over shift depending on what you are using

7spd isnt a different 'standard' it is just a narrower freehub body, everything is/ was interchangeable with a bit of imagination and faffing.

Hope this helps.

 

[My_Teenage_Self]

Hopefully a really simple one for anyone with a drop of experience.

I've been looking at the cassette standards and my understanding is this.

Speaking for shimano only and 135 spacing to simplify the question a tad.

MTB 8-11 speed cassette and free hubs are compatible as the sizing is the same.

Basically, yes

7 speed is a different standard, as is the newest of the new 12 speed microspline standard

Again, correct (there is also Sram XD freehub standard for *some* 11 & 12 speed sram cassettes)

Corresponding chain and shifters required although 8-10 use the same width chain but different spacing between gears.

Not really, an 8 speed chain won't work on a 10 speed cassette (although a 10 speed chain will work on an 8 speed cassette)

All in all an 8 speed wheel (or up) could take an 11 speed casette but a 7 speed cannot.

Could someone please confirm my understanding is correct? I think some road sizing information is confusing me a little.

And if you ignore road groupsets for a second...

You can use shimano 7, 8 & 9 speed derailleurs with 7, 8 or 9 speed shifter.

10, 11 and 12 speed derailleurs & shifters are all compatible with each other, but are not compatible with 7, 8 or 9 speed.


clear as mud?

 

[legrandefromage]

Hopefully a really simple one for anyone with a drop of experience.

I've been looking at the cassette standards and my understanding is this.

Speaking for shimano only and 135 spacing to simplify the question a tad.

MTB 8-11 speed cassette and free hubs are compatible as the sizing is the same.

Basically, yes

7 speed is a different standard, as is the newest of the new 12 speed microspline standard

Again, correct (there is also Sram XD freehub standard for *some* 11 & 12 speed sram cassettes)

Corresponding chain and shifters required although 8-10 use the same width chain but different spacing between gears.

Not really, an 8 speed chain won't work on a 10 speed cassette (although a 10 speed chain will work on an 8 speed cassette)

All in all an 8 speed wheel (or up) could take an 11 speed casette but a 7 speed cannot.

Could someone please confirm my understanding is correct? I think some road sizing information is confusing me a little.

And if you ignore road groupsets for a second...

You can use shimano 7, 8 & 9 speed derailleurs with 7, 8 or 9 speed shifter.

10, 11 and 12 speed derailleurs & shifters are all compatible with each other, but are not compatible with 7, 8 or 9 speed.


clear as mud?

Oh dear

it begins!

11spd road mechs dont work with 10spd shifters

You can use '6spd' road/ MTB derailleurs too, all the way up to 10 with road and 9 with MTB

*theres a thread i made somewhere with some nice pictures, I'll go looky for it

 

[legrandefromage]

Here we go

I included the road stuff as some of you reading will like to run 10spd 'thumbies' these are usually down tube or bar end shifters relocated to handlebar mounts

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=394205&hilit=compatibility

 

[FluffyChicken]

Re:

That's clear.

So what works with my 10speed SRAM XO gripshift?

 

[legrandefromage]

Re: Re:

That's clear.

So what works with my 10speed SRAM XO gripshift?

more 10speed SRAM XO gripshift?