9 speed vs 10 speed

[Belhammel]

Hi

 

I am a mountainbiker and want to get myself a road bike for training to get a bit more speed.

 

I am not at all educated in road bikes, their groupsets and even the way roadies opperate.

 

So the question is. Should I go for a 9 speed, or would 10 speed be better. I intend doing the odd race on the road bike. As far as I understand the only difference would be keeping up with 10 speed on the flat parts.

 

Please help.

[bikemonster]

Ten speed is the current "standard" for roadbikes. So go for 10. There's no point in starting out behind the curve, when 10 speed is so well entrenched. Campagnolo have already gon 11, so SRAM and Shim will prolly follow.

 

The advantage of more gears is not in keeping up, it's in having closely spaced gear ratios, so that when you change your cadence is optimal for you.

 

Ask me, I know! My 10 speed road bike is in storage, and I am on a borrowed 7 speed. Yes, you read that right. Nothing wrong with the way the bike goes, but the cadence changes when I change gear are huge. It's like there are seven gears there, but none is ever right for whatever road speed I am doing.

 

Go 10.

[Thor Buttox]

Hi

 

I am a mountainbiker and want to get myself a road bike for training to get a bit more speed.

 

I am not at all educated in road bikes, their groupsets and even the way roadies opperate.

 

So the question is. Should I go for a 9 speed, or would 10 speed be better. I intend doing the odd race on the road bike. As far as I understand the only difference would be keeping up with 10 speed on the flat parts.

 

Please help.

I went from an 8 to a 10 and it really does make a difference. But pay attention to your chain ring sizes too... not sure what the "standards" are but went from a 52:42 on the front to a 53:39. And it definitely makes a big difference on the climbs which is where I battle.

[Belhammel]

Thanks for the explanation makes sense.

 

That is what I thought