How interchangable are parts?

[Peter10]

I was wondering, if you were to own a bike with "lower end" Shimano parts and wanted to upgrade to "higher end" Shimano parts, how easily done is this? Can you change one part at a time or do more parts need changing? For instance, if you wanted to upgrade the shifters, would you have to upgrade the derailleur etc also?

Also, if you had a 9 speed cassette, is it possible to change to a 10 speed? From reading around using Google, people say that there are various spacers which can be removed/added if this was the case, but I wondered how true this was.


Thanks.

 

[TheDoctor]

It's pretty easily done, as most parts work happily together. A 9 speed chainset is fine with 7,8, 9 or 10 speed chain, the mechs just do as they're told so a 9 speed mech will work with any number of gears, so that's all good.
The only proviso is that the STI levers have to be the same speed as the cassette.
9 speed STIs = 9 speed cassette. Anything else won't work.
If the shifters work, I'd leave them as-is and upgrade other things, starting with wheels and tyres.
What components are on there now?

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Just off the top of my head, for Shimano equipment if you have 5/6/7 speed e.g. then the answer might not be straightforward. The answer does depend on which component and the vintage.

Also if you are mixing mountain / road components (e.g. brakes/chainset) then the answer is also dependent on what you have and what you want to upgrade to. For example, some Shimano brake levers have settings to work with both v and caliper brakes but many don't.

 

[Hilldodger]

Just off the top of my head, for Shimano equipment if you have 5/6/7 speed e.g. then the answer might not be straightforward. The answer does depend on which component and the vintage.

Also if you are mixing mountain / road components (e.g. brakes/chainset) then the answer is also dependent on what you have and what you want to upgrade to. For example, some Shimano brake levers have settings to work with both v and caliper brakes but many don't.

In theory yes but in practice you might end up baking your head against the wall because you can't ever seem to get them working quite right.

 

[Peter10]

Thanks for the replies. Currently I have Sora parts (Bianchi Nirone). I can't fault them but plan to make upgrades as I go along pay-check to pay-check.

I've had a look at wheels. Apart from weight I'm not too sure what I am looking for.

Pete

 

[Globalti]

What wheels has it got? You can tell a lot about the quality of the wheels by looking at the hubs and spokes. A decent upgrade is to buy some Mavic Aksium wheels or even, if you can afford it some Mavic Ksyriums.