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STI (road) shifters + Mtb Crankset?

Dethklok

Monkey
Jul 4, 2008
149
0
Rochester, NY
Ok so I have not really found an actual answer for this set up. Im considering creating a monstercross kinda bike but leaning way more towards mountain (XC, and general trail riding nothing crazy aggressive or DHish) than cross. I wanna run gears, a 2x10 SRAM Mountain set up but with SRAM roadie shifters.

Now some have mentioned the issue of indexing difference, ie: SRAM road levers will have too little or too much pull if I hook it up to a mountain front derailler?

I have also seen there are issues with the roadies running much larger chainrings up front than mountain, so that may cause front derailler issues? biggest SRAM offers for mtb is 28-42, well the XX can come in a 30-45, but thats still a substantial tooth difference then the smallest road rings.

Now I think I may be a little screwed since Im basing this off a newer specialized and it has the whole new S3 Direct Mount for the front derailler, I was kinda thinking if it was a clamp-on I could just kinda slide it up or down once I figured out the indexing but Im SOL

Anyone have any insight or experiance with this? Im gonna keep it all SRAM btw if that makes a difference, maybe it will all work fine or indexing will be the same? Could I just run a Cross Crankset + FD and choose a rear cassette based on that for mountain? (and will cross cranks hold up to trail riding) Im am so lost as to figuring this out and I really dont want to start this project and then end up either buying a few groupsets or having it forced to be just another mountain bike.
 
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HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,580
2,005
Seattle
Using Sram makes this harder, since their road shifters don't play nice with their mountain derailleurs IIRC. Going with Shimano would be way easier. Just use Shimano STIs, a Shimano 9 speed mountain derailleur, whatever cassette you want, and a road front derailleur. Job done.
 

Dethklok

Monkey
Jul 4, 2008
149
0
Rochester, NY
damn it I was waiting for that, I personally prefer SRAM way over Shimano, it has just impressed me a lot more.

Is there anyway to get this to work? I remember seeing some people running a pulley system to correct the difference in throws to run smoothly? I cant remember who made them though, but would an Force or Rival lever work with a XO or X9 front derailleur?
 

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,580
2,005
Seattle
damn it I was waiting for that, I personally prefer SRAM way over Shimano, it has just impressed me a lot more.

Is there anyway to get this to work? I remember seeing some people running a pulley system to correct the difference in throws to run smoothly? I cant remember who made them though, but would an Force or Rival lever work with a XO or X9 front derailleur?
Don't know about the front derailleur, but I don't see any reason you need a mountain one. Just use a road derailleur.


Still think you're hosed on making the rear derailleur work unless you go Shimano. I know you've said you like Sram better, but Shimano's road offerings are dialed. Really great stuff, I think you'll be happy with it.
 

Dethklok

Monkey
Jul 4, 2008
149
0
Rochester, NY
Well for the rear as far as I understand theyre all indexed the same, so I can run the Rival/Force lever straight back to a X9 or X0 shifter.

Its the front where differ and where most people have issues, given I have also heard a double (like what I want) is much easier to get working than a triple which is nearly impossible.
 

shiggy

Monkey
Oct 3, 2006
155
0
PDX
Ok so I have not really found an actual answer for this set up. Im considering creating a monstercross kinda bike but leaning way more towards mountain (XC, and general trail riding nothing crazy aggressive or DHish) than cross. I wanna run gears, a 2x10 SRAM Mountain set up but with SRAM roadie shifters.

Now some have mentioned the issue of indexing difference, ie: SRAM road levers will have too little or too much pull if I hook it up to a mountain front derailler?

I have also seen there are issues with the roadies running much larger chainrings up front than mountain, so that may cause front derailler issues? biggest SRAM offers for mtb is 28-42, well the XX can come in a 30-45, but thats still a substantial tooth difference then the smallest road rings.

Now I think I may be a little screwed since Im basing this off a newer specialized and it has the whole new S3 Direct Mount for the front derailler, I was kinda thinking if it was a clamp-on I could just kinda slide it up or down once I figured out the indexing but Im SOL

Anyone have any insight or experiance with this? Im gonna keep it all SRAM btw if that makes a difference, maybe it will all work fine or indexing will be the same? Could I just run a Cross Crankset + FD and choose a rear cassette based on that for mountain? (and will cross cranks hold up to trail riding) Im am so lost as to figuring this out and I really dont want to start this project and then end up either buying a few groupsets or having it forced to be just another mountain bike.
STI is Shimano.

SRAM DoubleTap road levers work just fine with all SRAM 10-speed RDs.
The FD should work, too, though may be best to use a road model if you can.

I am using Shimano Ultegra levers with a 9-speed XT FD on a mtb double.
 
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shiggy

Monkey
Oct 3, 2006
155
0
PDX
Still think you're hosed on making the rear derailleur work unless you go Shimano. I know you've said you like Sram better, but Shimano's road offerings are dialed. Really great stuff, I think you'll be happy with it.
All SRAM 10-speed shifters and rear derailleurs road and mt are compatible.

All Shimano 9-speed RDs are compatible with Shimano 10-speed road shifters (except for the latest Dura-Ace).

Shimano 10-speed mtb RDs work only with Shimano 10-speed mtb shifters.
 

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,580
2,005
Seattle
All SRAM 10-speed shifters and rear derailleurs road and mt are compatible.

All Shimano 9-speed RDs are compatible with Shimano 10-speed road shifters (except for the latest Dura-Ace).

Shimano 10-speed mtb RDs work only with Shimano 10-speed mtb shifters.
Thanks. I stand corrected then.
 

Dethklok

Monkey
Jul 4, 2008
149
0
Rochester, NY
Ok very cool my ideal set up is...

Rival or Force Shifter
X9 or X0 double crankset
10speed Casette
X9 Rear Derailleur
Lastly either a X9 Front Derailleur or Apex if I have to go roadie.

its a double so I figure with travel adjustments and such it should run fine? Wouldnt it be better to run the mountain derailleur?

Bear with my guys I appreciate the info so far Im just trying to wrap my mind around all this, I understand the basics but now that we are getting into very specific set ups I need to catch up
 

Dethklok

Monkey
Jul 4, 2008
149
0
Rochester, NY
the pulley device I was talking about is the Jtek shiftmate's, simple design but seems to do what is needed and correct the indexing issues there might be.

Is a sram road double really that much less spaced than a mountain one?
 

shiggy

Monkey
Oct 3, 2006
155
0
PDX
Ok very cool my ideal set up is...

Rival or Force Shifter
X9 or X0 double crankset
10speed Casette
X9 Rear Derailleur
Lastly either a X9 Front Derailleur or Apex if I have to go roadie.

its a double so I figure with travel adjustments and such it should run fine? Wouldnt it be better to run the mountain derailleur?

Bear with my guys I appreciate the info so far Im just trying to wrap my mind around all this, I understand the basics but now that we are getting into very specific set ups I need to catch up
For some reason road FDs have a slightly different cable pull than mtb. But for a double crank mixing road/mtb usually works OK.

I do not like any of the travel adaptors. Tend to be more fussy than just careful setup.

I always try the parts I have on hand before buying anything I may not really need.
 

Dethklok

Monkey
Jul 4, 2008
149
0
Rochester, NY
ok back from the dead this project had to be put on hold for many reasons but Im looking to get started again.

Now If i remember correctly shimano front der. has the same indexing both mountain and road? so I can just run an STI shifter to the mountain front derailleur? again im still a SRAM leg humper but im more open to shimano than before

And with SRAM, instead of running a road der on mountain cranks, could I run road cranks and a mountain der and hav this issue solved with the roadie levers indexing? or would that just be pooping in my right hand and then holding it in my left?
 
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