MTB and Road shifters ?

mr_eddy

Note sure if this is the right place to post but CX seems to be more appropriate for 1x questions.

I recently converted my steel road bike to run 1x9 - The front mech (band on type) was stopping me running anything bigger than 28c but with the front mech removed I can run 35c tyres which I find so much better for the dodgy country lanes around my house.

I have Shimano Sora R3000 (latest version) with a 11-32 casette

Anyway all is good however I only have the choice of 2 chain rings either a 50t or a 34t and due to the 110BCD 4 bolt crank I have limited choices for other options (unless I spend around £70 for a wolf tooth ring which I don't really want to do).

The 50t is fine for most of my rides but there are a few nice rides that I want to do that take on some uphil gravel sections and I simply do not have the legs to get up them on 50x32 and walking would take too long! The 34x32 setup obviously works fine but I then find I spin out on descents or some of the longer flat sections.

Anyway one thought I had was to use some 2nd hand MTB bits I have namely a 9 speed Deore rear mech and then swap out the 32t sprocket with a 36t sprocket - my cassette has individual sprockets so this is easy to do and a 36t sproket from Miche is only £6, The whole job including a new cable should cost me less than a tenner.

My question is would a 9 speed Shimano Deore rear mech (either medium or long cage) work with a Shimano R3000 9 speed STI lever ?

Ta.

mr_eddy

Just to clarify the 36t would replace the 32t as a bail out gear the rest of the cassette would be the normal ratios so it would be 11,12,14,15,18,21,24,28,36 (instead of 32)

trek_dan

Yes it should work as most Shimano 9 speed stuff is cross compatible (10 and 11 MTB/road isn't).
Could also go for say a 40t ring on the front and sticking with 11-32 rear.

veronese68

trek_dan wrote:

Could also go for say a 40t ring on the front and sticking with 11-32 rear.

I was thinking this, not sure if you can get one to fit but a narrow/wide chain ring makes a dropped chain less likely.

mr_eddy

Problem is I don't want to spend lots of cash on a Wolf Tooth 40t chainring. The only chain rings that come in 110BCD 4 Bolt are £££, Lots of cheap 5 bolt or 4 bolt 104 but that is no good for me. Bigger chain ring ideally narrow / wide would be ideal but again just so friggin expensive!!

I don't want to spend more than about £20

trek_dan

mr_eddy wrote:

Problem is I don't want to spend lots of cash on a Wolf Tooth 40t chainring. The only chain rings that come in 110BCD 4 Bolt are £££, Lots of cheap 5 bolt or 4 bolt 104 but that is no good for me. Bigger chain ring ideally narrow / wide would be ideal but again just so friggin expensive!!

I don't want to spend more than about £20

Superstar Components Raptor 110BCD is £30 8)

figbat

trek_dan wrote:

Superstar Components Raptor 110BCD is £30 8)

So 50% over budget then.

mr_eddy

Thanks for the input - Just hit gold tho with SJS cyles - They have a few middle rings from the Sora triple chainsets. These come in the required 110BCD 4 bolt pattern and have 39t , Not then 40t or 42t I was after but way better than 34t and with shipping came in at £17.50!!

Shame I could not get a cheap narrow/wide - The superstar stuff looks decent but out of stock in 40t. Only had 1 dropped chain on the current 34t setup and that was take from a standard chainset so the 39t should be fine.

According the the gear inc calc website a 39x11 would give me a 97" gear or around 25mph at a cadence of around 85rpm so this would be ideal - Still possible to spin out on long descents but I reckon I would reach for the brakes and chicken out before my legs spin out too much!

Thanks for the advice

antonyfromoz

I am running a similar system with Sora 9 speed and have a 12 - 32 cassette on the back with a 38 narrow wide chainring from superstar on which I find gives a good range of gears.I have never lost the chain with this set up so can heartily recommend it!