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How to Upgrade a 9-Speed Wheel
Modified at: Jul 11, 2023
Posted at: Mar 30, 2021
The 9-speed wheel is used on mid-low range road bikes and hybrid bikes. We've put together a guide on how to upgrade your current 9-speed wheels to 10 or 11 speeds.
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Check Your Hub Type
For bikes with multiple gears, there are two types of rear wheel hubs:
- Cassette freehub
- Thread-on (freewheel) hub
Most 9-speed bikes use a cassette freehub, but some still use thread-on hubs. It’s important to check beforehand. You can identify which type your bike uses by checking whether there’s a lockring on the high gear side of the sprocket.
In this guide, we’ll proceed assuming your bike uses a cassette freehub.
Is Your Wheel an 11-Speed or 10-Speed Hub?
If your current road bike, cross bike, or MTB is equipped with a 9-speed drivetrain, your wheel falls into one of the following two categories:
- 11-speed hub
- 10-speed (compatible with 8/9/10-speed) hub
You can tell which type you have by checking if there’s a spacer on the low gear side of the cassette.
- If there’s a gray spacer on the low gear side → 11-speed hub
- If there’s no spacer on the low gear side → 10-speed hub
This method is generally reliable.
Converting a 9-Speed Hub to 10-Speed
A 10-speed cassette is 1.0 mm thinner than a 9-speed one. If you try to install it directly on a 9-speed hub, the lockring won’t tighten properly.
To resolve this, insert a 1.0 mm low spacer (available from Shimano) on the low gear side. This adjustment allows you to use a 10-speed cassette on a 9-speed hub.
SHIMANO Low spacer 1.0mm Y1Z807000
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| Manufacturer | Shimano |
|---|---|
| Size (Height) | 1.0mm |
If your wheel is originally an 11-speed hub, it likely already has a 1.85 mm spacer. In this case, you’ll need to stack both a 1.85 mm and a 1.0 mm spacer on the low gear side before installing the cassette.
Converting a 9-Speed Hub to 11-Speed
An 11-speed cassette is 1.85 mm wider than a 9-speed one, so it typically cannot be installed on a hub meant for 8/9/10-speed cassettes.
However, there are exceptions. Some 11-speed cassettes (e.g., Shimano CS-HG800-11 for road bikes or current MTB 11-speed cassettes) are designed with a dished shape so the large cog sits closer to the spokes. These can be mounted on 8/9/10-speed freehubs—making 11-speed conversion possible without changing the wheel.
If your current wheel is an 11-speed hub, simply remove the low gear spacer (used for 9-speed cassettes), and install the 11-speed cassette. You’re now good to go.
How to convert to 11-speed with a 10-speed wheel
This article explains how to convert your compo to 11-speed while keeping your existing 10-speed wheels, and how to tell the difference between 10-speed wheels and 11-speed wheels. Using this method, you can convert your wheels to 11-speed while making the most of the wheels you already have.
Summary: Upgrading a 9-Speed Wheel
Here’s a complete summary of all upgrade scenarios:
| Cassette Speed | 8–10-Speed Wheel | 11-Speed Wheel |
|---|---|---|
| Upgrade to 10-Speed | Add 1 mm spacer and install | Add 1 mm + 1.85 mm spacers and install |
| Upgrade to 11-Speed | Not compatible | Install without spacers |
As shown above, the required low-gear spacer depends on the cassette you’re planning to use.
If you’re thinking about upgrading your 9-speed wheel to 10-speed or 11-speed, this should serve as a helpful reference.
Items mentioned in this article
-
Low spacer 1.0mm Y1Z807000
Manufacturer Shimano Size (Height) 1.0mm