Setting up 12-36 cassette with Sora Shifters and 9 spd shadow derailleur

Dmort

Hi all,

I'm trying to setup my nashbar cx1 with the stock Sora shifters. I purchased and installed a 12-36 cassette, 9 speed deore rear mech, and a nine speed chain. From what I had read, the sora levers have the right pull ratio and the mech has the clearance for the cassette.

I've got it all setup and it seems to work well enough (at least on the workstand) in the smaller cogs on the rear cassette but I can't get the jockey wheels on the rear mech to line up underneath the larger cogs, specifically the 7th, 8th, and 9th.

Do I need to buy a longer b-screw? I've read about other products (goatlink and RADr) but I'm not sure what those other products do.

I'm fairly competent with the tools but I haven't done this type of upgrade before so I'm looking for guidance. I'm not against going to a shop to get help but I'd like to do it myself if I can (save the money - build the experience).

Thanks!

The Rookie

That should all work just fine.

A nine speed Deore won't need any mods to work with a 36T sprocket such as you list, it should work fine out of the box.

Its either a basic setup issue or there is something else in there (such as, for example its a 10 speed mech), can also be caused by a bent mech hanger.

The larger cogs are of course 1,2,3 not 7,8,9 which are the smallest.

3wheeler

I haven't tried this combo so can't say if it should or shouldn't work, but the b screw and goatlink will only be affecting the vertical distance from the jockey wheels to the cogs, so if you have enough clearance they're not touching you should be fine.

If it's just indexing then it's odd its ok in some gears but not others, have you checked the hanger alignment and are using new gear cables?

Dmort

Naturally - last night I woke up and said "limit screws!" I'm an idiot. Basic setup issue. Largely resolved. (The screw was so far in that the limit setting was essentially the 6th ring - it didn't occur to me when setting up that it could be that far off).

Still considering the longer b-screw since the normal length screw is all the way in. I figure for about four bucks it is worth having/trying and seeing if I prefer it.

My other question - the 9 speed deore shadow derailleur doesn't seem to have a barrel adjuster and it doesn't seem to be designed to accept one in the same way that a road derailleur would.

Can I add one inline to help fine tune the shifting or is this just a matter of being patient with the cable?

timothyw

Yeah, you'll need to get an inline barrel adjuster to get the gears dialled in properly.

Some mountain bike derailleurs have them, plenty don't because most mountain bike shifters have barrel adjusters on them.

Dmort

Thanks - I'll investigate - this is the first time in a really long time that I have looked at mtb components and it is the first time that I've ever installed mtb components on a road bike.

ugo.santalucia

Sounds like an indexing problem... it should work flawlessly

laurentian

For what it's worth, I did a very similar modification last summer (putting 34 or 36 - can't remember - on to an Allez). I had to put a longer B screw in as full adjustment on the supplied one didn't quite work when trying to get on to the biggest cog (although putting the screw in the other way round gives you a few more mm that is a quick fix and may tell you if the longer one is needed).