Upgrading From 9 gears to 11

[Racing roadkill]

Personally I regard 8 speed as the apogee of transmission technology. Any more and you compromise the chain and rings in a way that requires high end metallurgy of high end groupsets to fix.

Yes and no. For bullet proof reliability and performance combined with the least possible engineering strain on the components I’d agree. But the increasing lightness of the components as you increase the number of sprockets ( of action, as well as in weight ) and the fact that with an increased number of sprockets, as you tend towards 11 speed ( and above ) you reduce the ‘saw tooth-ness’ ( for want of a better term) in your power output, as you readjust your cadence and power across the gears, trying to keep them optimal. It’s far easier to maintain a flatter profile, with more, smaller steps, in gearing. The longer the ride, the more that counts.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

You have to ask yourself what you are going to achieve by doing these sort of changes. People do not need to ride at exactly one specific cadence all the time. There is a range within which you can pedal in an efficient and comfortable manner, and for normal non-competitive riders, a couple of RPM one way or the other is going to make bugger all difference to anything. If having 11 speeds is that great, why are there so many riders who seem to manage OK with just a single gear?? OK, that's the other extreme, but it proves that it isn't essential to have loads of ratios to get around by bike, and SS riders don't need to aim for a constant cadence.
I started riding on 5 speed freewheels, and whilst I'll admit a 6 speed gives nicer ratio gaps in 4th, 5th, & 6th compared to a 5, speed, I've never felt that going beyond 6 speed was worth doing, especially as chains and cogs are only a fraction of the price of 11 speed stuff, and the fewer ratios you have and the larger the spacings between the sprockets, the more maladjustment or misalignment the system will tolerate before it gets nasty or doesn't even change gear properly. I'd be far more concerned about giving my rear mech a whack and possibly slightly bending it on an 11 speed rear end, compare to a five or six.

 

[Racing roadkill]

You have to ask yourself what you are going to achieve by doing these sort of changes. People do not need to ride at exactly one specific cadence all the time. There is a range within which you can pedal in an efficient and comfortable manner, and for normal non-competitive riders, a couple of RPM one way or the other is going to make bugger all difference to anything.

You’re missing the point. It’s not as much about what cadence you can manage to sustain, as it is having less ‘jumps’ to which you have to adjust, as you up shift, which is a big cause of increased rider fatigue ( not to mention stress on the drivetrain).

If having 11 speeds is that great, why are there so many riders who seem to manage OK with just a single gear??

One of the biggest advantages of riding SS, (particularly fixed wheel ) is that you don’t have as big spiked acceleration graphs, you’re graphs will be more sinusoidal, because your using your legs at least as much as your brake (s ) to slow down, and that’s far less tiring, particularly in urban riding, and that’s why a lot of courier type riders favour fixed. The more ratios you have in a differentially geared bike, the closer you can get to replicating this, whilst giving you choice of ratios if things get a bit steep.

I started riding on 5 speed freewheels, and whilst I'll admit a 6 speed gives nicer ratio gaps in 4th, 5th, & 6th compared to a 5, speed, I've never felt that going beyond 6 speed was worth doing, especially as chains and cogs are only a fraction of the price of 11 speed stuff, and the fewer ratios you have and the larger the spacings between the sprockets, the more maladjustment or misalignment the system will tolerate before it gets nasty or doesn't even change gear properly.

Right on some of that.

I'd be far more concerned about giving my rear mech a whack and possibly slightly bending it on an 11 speed rear end, compare to a five or six.

Yes, the 11 speed ( and above ) is less sturdy, that’s because it’s higher tolerance, and made of lighter smaller components, I don’t mind that pay off myself.

 

[Nigelnightmare]

You will be changing the chain more often as the wear limit is 0.5 on 11 speed compared to 0.75 on 8/9/10 speed.
Also they're a lot more expensive.
Normally it is recommended that you change the cassette every 2nd or 3rd chain and the 11 speed cassette's are also V/expensive.
JMTPW

 

[Blue Hills]

Re OP, don't do it!

Off to read thread but can't imagine my opinion changing.

 

[cyberknight]

n+1
i use 8 speed for commuting and its fine , jumping on 10 speed i notice fark all difference tbh apart from a little smaller jumps in gear ratios

 

[Blue Hills]

You will be changing the chain more often as the wear limit is 0.5 on 11 speed compared to 0.75 on 8/9/10 speed.
Also they're a lot more expensive.
Normally it is recommended that you change the cassette every 2nd or 3rd chain and the 11 speed cassette's are also V/expensive.
JMTPW

Yes - this came up on a recent thread when there was confusion over chain checkers recommending changing at 0.5 or 0.75 - confusion resolved when it emerged, to my horror, that 11 speed needs changing at 0.5.

 

[Blue Hills]

Well have now read the full thread.

Can I ask @antnee about something you never addressed in your original post.

Why are you thinking of changing?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

All you need to know about 11 speed.

View: https://youtu.be/4xgx4k83zzc

 

[Fab Foodie]

Complete waste of money and effort....

 

[si_c]

I'm just about to go do this upgrade today on my commuter bike - 9 speed Sora R3000 to R7000 105, I don't think there will be much of a difference in the main part, but I'll feed back when I've done it.

 

[Blue Hills]

I'm just about to go do this upgrade today on my commuter bike - 9 speed Sora R3000 to R7000 105, I don't think there will be much of a difference in the main part, but I'll feed back when I've done it.

can't help but ask why you are doing it in view of your last sentence. And how will it be an "upgrade"?

 

[Blue Hills]

by the by the OP hasn't been back to this thread for ages and hasn't answered some key questions from folk seeking to help.

 

[si_c]

can't help but ask why you are doing it in view of your last sentence. And how will it be an "upgrade"?

Because it's not much more to do it and I wanted to. No other reason

 

[Dogtrousers]

I'm just about to go do this upgrade today on my commuter bike - 9 speed Sora R3000 to R7000 105, I don't think there will be much of a difference in the main part, but I'll feed back when I've done it.

I can highly recommend R7000. It's excellent kit. Better than the SRAM Apex it replaced. (Well anything would have been better than that as the right shifter workings had snapped in two )