Tak555

Hi all – I’m a newb here, but I assure you - I read all the stickies and did a ton of searches! Nothing I found quite addressed my specific questions. Also, I wasn’t sure if I should post this here or in the mechanics forum, but thought I’d start here. So here we go...

I’m building up a steel ~1995 Bianchi Alfana bike... nothing special, this is just a fun build for me. Bought the frame, but most of the parts I had laying around.

But I have questions about the age-old topic - CROSS GENERATIONAL COMPATIBILITY!

Initially, I was going with a mix of Shimano 9 speed components, including downtube shifters:

- Shimano BL-R400 brake levers

- Dura Ace SL-7700 down-tube shifters

- Ultegra derailleurs (FD-6500 / RD-6500)

- Ultegra FC-6500 crankset 53/39 and BB-6500 bottom bracket

- Ultegra BR-6500 brakes front and rear

- Sora/Tiagra CS HG50 cassette

However, as much as I like the idea of downtube shifters... I am leaning towards STI-style dual control levers now. I know that I can find some shifters on ebay that are generationally compatible with the stuff I listed above, but most of them are beat-up and expensive. However, the newer Sora ST-3500’s and Sora ST-R3000’s look really good.


From my research, I believe that the Sora ST-3500’s will work with both the RD-6500 and the FD-6500, as the rear pull ratios are the same (1.7 per the internet), and the FD-3500 appears to use a traditionally sized arm, so theoretically the FD-6500 should work.


However, for the ST-R3000’s, Shimano went with a longer pull FD, so I don’t think the ST-R3000’s will work with the old Ultegra FD-6500. Do you think my above mix of components will work with ST-R3000’s + FD-R3000? So it would look like this:

- Sora ST-R3000 brifters

- Ultegra rear derailleur (RD-6500)

- Sora front derailleur (FD-R3000)

- Ultegra FC-6500 crankset 53/39 and BB-6500 bottom bracket

- Ultegra BR-6500 brakes front and rear

- Sora/Tiagra CS HG50 cassette


Again, this is a fun build... I have a modern road bike as my primary (although it also uses older Ultegra 10spd stuff... so maybe it's not that modern ha), so the bianchi is just to wrench on, ride a bit, and maybe sell. I’m not trying to strictly keep to a specific generation, I just want all the components to work together.

Thank you in advance!

Ogsarg

If you post this in the bike mechanics section, I think you'll get a better response.

Tak555

thanks for the reply... any demerits for double postings?

shelbyfv

Either of your proposed configurations should work. There are also brifters from Microshift in 9 speed. You cannot double/ cross post but you can ask a mod to move your thread if you feel the need.

Tak555

Thanks for the responses...

i'll do some research on the microshift 9's, especially since the sora stuff isn't that cheap... any experience with microshift shelbyfv?

shelbyfv

Not personally but I've heard they are legit.

Iride01 

I stick to all shimano stuff for your first build. And don't think you'll save money on eBay or amazon. Google every part you are going to purchase and check the various online vendors that come up. Many times you'll find a better deal with them on brand new stuff than you will older used stuff on eBay. Rarely do I find a good deal on new bike stuff on Amazon. They seem to be looking for those that don't care to look elsewhere.

JensonUSA
UniversalCycles
BikeNashbar

are some of the places I've bought from in the past. If you watch them over time, they have times when they have a super good deal on something for a day or weekend.


And no, you don't want down tube shifters if you can have STI's. Not unless you are strictly a retro or C&V idealist.

mstateglfr 

R3000 shifters will work with any shimano road rear derailleur that is indexed 7, 8, 9, or 10 speed(besides tiagra 4700). Any RD from a 600 tricolor that's 30+ years old to a 105 10 speed from 15 years ago to a current Sora RD.
The front derailleur must be a long arm style, or simpler said, it needs to be a modern r3000 FD.


I've used a lot of microshift STIs. I've bought a couple sets of 2x7 and a couple sets of 2x9.
I like microshift shifters. They are simple, consistent, and cheap.
I've bought them under a few names on ebay- microshift, micronew, and wake. I think they are sold under other names too.
I haven't bought a set in a year and I'm sure they are more expensive right now, but the shifter sets have all cost under $50.

The only major difference is how they shift. Microshift uses a paddle to shift up, a paddle to shift down, and a brake lever. Its very easy to adapt to and not think about. Shifts are more deliberate too when compared to Shimano

Tak555

thanks everyone for the input... i wrench on my mtb and built up my road bike from frameset, so although i'm still relatively new at this, i think i'm getting the hang of it. it's definitely a ton of fun.

anyhow, i think my decision will come down to $$$... i feel pretty good giving the micro___ a try, but i would prefer the sora stuff... the sora would require a new FD though, so i'm thinking about $200 for the shifters and derailleur vs. $60 for the micronew shifters on aliexpress. hmmmm decisions decisions.

Tak555

hi all... i actually went with the r3000 shifters and FD + RD-6500 + FC-6500:




very old thread, but thank you for all the input! since this picture... i've swapped out all the parts and installed 105 5600 groupset onto it... but the frankenstein sora/ultegra/105 9-speed group lives on another bike!

shelbyfv

Looks good- nice shade of blue!