Can you run an 11 speed cassette as a 10?

janwal
janwal Posts: 489
edited August 2014 in Workshop
Going away for 4 days on Sunday with 4 mates.Have just changed to 11 speed Ultegra on my bike,all mates are on 10 speed. I'm going to take a spare set of wheels (10 speed prolite Braccianos) incase anyone has a major problem.They won't take an 11 speed cassette.So if I'm the one with the problem ,as I run an 11 speed chain which is slighlty narrower
could I put my 11 speed cassette on them but leave off the large 32 tooth rear cog.Would it tighten up correctly? I'm sure things won't be that simple but you never know!! Advice greatly accepted,thanks

Comments

  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    You will find that the large cog is part of a cluster and cannot be separated. You can remove the smallest if the second smallest has splines for the lockring to grip. However, I am not 100% sure you will be able to fit 10 sprockets of an 11 cassette on a 10 speed freehub without some form of spacer... you can try... and of course your gears will need re-indexing...

    Moral... it's a lot of hassle!
    left the forum March 2023
  • mamba80
    mamba80 Posts: 5,032
    i have seen 10sp wheels/ cassettes used in an 11sp setup, because the 11sp chain is the same internal width(same with the 11sp sprockets) as an 10sp chain, it works, you d just need to re set the limit screws - if your electronic then i don't know how that would work :roll: but im not going to go there :lol:

    All you would need is 10sp cassette to fit to your prolites.
  • janwal
    janwal Posts: 489
    Thanks guys,the prolites already have a 10 speed cassette on.I thought the 11 speed chains speed cassettes were a completely different size and wouldn't fit which is why I asked the question.So it won't be a massive problem and adjusting the rear derailleur should do it.Hopefully I won't need to be doing it!!
  • rafletcher
    rafletcher Posts: 1,235
    The spacing between the sprockets is smaller with 11sp than 10, so the indexing will be off at some point of the shifting I think. ie a 10sp mech will move too far between sprockets, and eventually maybe jump a gear.
  • mamba80
    mamba80 Posts: 5,032
    rafletcher wrote:
    The spacing between the sprockets is smaller with 11sp than 10, so the indexing will be off at some point of the shifting I think. ie a 10sp mech will move too far between sprockets, and eventually maybe jump a gear.

    Seen it on a juniors race bike, as shimano don't make 11 sp junior cassettes, read 1st Q&A

    http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/07/ ... now_228686

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