Downsides of 11 speed wheels?

k-dog

I snapped a spoke on my hand built 105/Open Pro wheels last weekend (long story but was riding stage 1 of the Tour De Yorkshire for charity with a group. Broke a spoke 10 seconds into the ride which pushed the wheel into my RD and tore it off. Managed to get the wheel moderately straight - but vertically oval! - and cobble up a single speed and then rode 174k on my own. Long day, clearly would have abandoned if I hadn't been sponsored for a good cause).

Anyway, my Ultegra 6600 is getting hard to get spares for so I'm thinking of upgrading the groupset but that would mean a new rear hub.

I'll need to rebuild the wheel anyway (I don't think I'd trust it after what I did to it last weekend) and the free hub has a little play so it feels the obvious time to change the hub to 11 speed. Obviously that moves the spokes over a little on the drive side but does that make a significant difference?

I'm not especially hard on wheels - first broken spoke on these and I've ridden them for 3 years with no issues. I'm suspicious someone put something on top of the wheel in the car.

I'd probably just run it as 10 speed with a spacer for now but it would allow me to upgrade once I've saved up.

Any opinions gratefully received whether it's a good idea or should I just stick with 10 speed for now.

keezx

I'm still riding 9 speed (Campagnolo) and have absolutely no problems with spares, so hard to imagine that's a problem.
Besides that , IF you buy a new hub , buy 11 speed because you allready THINK of "upgrading"..
An 11 speed hub will build a wheel with a little more dish, but still not a real problem, let alone a downside.

ugo.santalucia

As above... 9 speed cassettes are very common and 9 speed will also take 10 speed chains if you don't find 9 speed ones (which you should anyway)... 9 and 10 speed RD are interchangeable, no other speed specific spares... is it just an upgrade rash?

ElectronShepherd

I think that the Ultegra 6700 groupset is compatible with the 6600 groupset, in terms of cable pull for levers and derailleurs, so you could consider an upgrade to 6700 as 6600 bits fail. 6700 bits should be easier to get hold of.

There's something in the back of my mind that some of the 6600 chains aren't quite compatible with some of the 6700 chainrings and cassettes, but I think that's for the triples.

k-dog

Thanks, it's a mix of 5600 and 6600. I've been looking at the compatibility charts and wasn't clear about the newer stuff. If 5700/6700 is compatible that would make next time easier.

Cassettes is easy and last year I replaced both dérailleurs but when I looked this time they weren't there. I managed to get a 6600 RD on eBay yesterday though so that will keep me going a while.

I took it apart tonight and a lot of the spokes are gouged so the wheel definitely needs a rebuild. I was going to change the free hub anyway as it has a a bit of play so it looks like a new hub makes sense if there's no downside then next year I have the option of upgrading.

Thanks.

Giraffoto

Swap everything for Ultegra 6800. You know it's the only answer.

philbar72

in terms of usability and shifting the 6800 stuff is very much better than the 66/6700 stuff. front shifting is way better for example.

svetty

You are asking whether to replace the wheel with an 11spd compatible free-hub - yes?

This would provide the greatest range of compatibility with no obvious downside so why not?