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Please explain why 9-speed cassettes were invented

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richj8990

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Maybe this is a noob question but I don't understand the advantage of 9-speeds over 8-speeds, and they seem clearly inferior to 10-speeds. The largest cassette range for an 8-speed is 11-34t and for a 9-speed is...drum roll...11-36t. Both speeds offer an 11-40t one with a derailleur extender, but still, same range, no difference there.

Now let's go to the front. From what I've read, 1x9 or 2x9 is the lowest amount of cassette speeds you can go down to for a single or double chainring; 1x8 and 2x8 don't exist at least for standard cranksets. I can understand 2x9 but 1x9 seems horrible for gear range. At least with 1x10 you can get a 10-42t cassette and have a 28% wider range than a 1x9, and maybe get some speed on straight flat areas. I also understand the concept of simplifying the front to one chainring but 11-36t in the back just seems like it sucks.

Some numbers: let's say 8-9 years ago you wanted to go from an older 3x8 to a new 1x9, for the simplicity, weight savings, less gears = stronger rider, etc. Let's do the gear inches (for a 26" at that time).

3x8, 11-34t with 22, 32, 42 = lowest gear 16.8, highest gear 99.3, a range factor of 5.9, really good. Yes heavier, yes a tad more cumbersome, but a great gear range.

1x9, 11-36t with a 24t front chainring for climbing: lowest gear 17.3, highest gear 56.7, range factor of 3.3, only 56% of the range of a 3x8, top speed cut in half. Unless your car/truck is right next to the trails you want to ride, that's going to be a long, slow ride back on the fire/gravel roads.

1x10, 1x11, 1x12 speeds have better top speeds than 1x9. Why didn't they make a wider cassette than 11-36t for a 9-speed? Are they afraid of large jumps between gears? Big deal, this isn't road biking... As they say on here What's the Point?

It kind of reminds me of the movie This is Spinal Tap, where the reporter asks the rock star guitarist why they have a volume dial that goes to 11 instead of 10. The guitarist paid someone to put a knob with 11 numbers on a 1-10 volume dial. "Because it goes to 11, man, 11 is better than 10, jeez you guys are dumb".
 
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#3 ·
Historically, drivetrains add a gear every few generations. So there was 5, then 6, 7, 8, 9... 10 speed draintrains are better than 9s because the newest tech went into 10 speed stuff.

Before 10 speed, there was no ready-made 1x options. If you wanted 1x9 or 1x10, you had to accept a limited gear range and use a chain guide on your front chainring.
 
#4 ·
richj8990 said:
Maybe this is a noob question but I don't understand the advantage of 9-speeds over 8-speeds, and they seem clearly inferior to 10-speeds. The largest cassette range for an 8-speed is 11-34t and for a 9-speed is...drum roll...11-36t. Both speeds offer an 11-40t one with a derailleur extender, but still, same range, no difference there...
Click to expand...
9 speeds were an improvement over 8 speeds. Back in the day my 3x8 had an 11-28 cassette. I upgraded to a 3x9 drivetrain (Shimano Mega 9) and it had 11-34. More low end for steep climbs. Then a few years later they came out with 10speed systems and 2 chain rings. Those often come with 11-36 which is nice because those extra 2 teeth help counter the 29er wheel diameter increase from 26.

If you want to look at this closely consider the ratio steps between 9spd 11-34 and 11 sped 10-42. The gear steps are very close to the same, but with 2 lower gears to lessen impact of having one chain ring. And yes steps are important. I currently don't like the shimano 1x11 system with the their 11-46 cassette. It not the 46t that is the issue, but the gap between the 37t and 46t is just too big and you really feel it. Now You can do 1x8 pretty easy, but unless you salvaging old parts to do it why?

Then again maybe we just should have stopped at 5 speeds and 2 chainrings. You know the old 10speed.
 
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#5 ·
9spd was invented to have people move away from 8spd and buy the latest and greatest.
Then 10spd came along and did the same thing. 11spd and 12 spd...same.

9spd wasn't invented as an alternative to 10spd, it was a precursor to it.
 
#7 ·
I've owned 1x1, 2x5, 2x6, 3x7, 3x9 and 2x11. Have I missed much with 3x8 and 2x10?

My old beater bike still has its original 3x7 setup and though the components are crappy and the rear derailleur is now mostly made of floppiness the shifting is still rock solid. Better than my much nicer slightly-worn 3x9, which is better again than my nice and almost-new 2x11. If there's a lesson there, then we ain't gonna learn it.

I still have fond memories of the 2x6 on my old road bike. Downtube-mounted levers with no indexing, and yet I could easily shift both derailleurs simultaneously with one hand. The gap between cassette (or "block") sprockets was one tooth. We tied onions to our belts, which was the style at the time. Happy days.
 
#8 ·
while the 11-36 9spd cassette exists now, it's a very recent development. 9spd maxed at 11-34 for many years (basically all of the 15yrs or so that I used it, at least), and stronger riders often used the 11-32 version for the tighter gaps between gears. 8spd was similar...the 11-34 8spd cassette is a recent development. Pretty sure those maxed at 11-32 or 11-28 or so bitd.

So yeah, a big part of adding 1 gear here and there is to get people to buy new gear. Then maybe later lower end stuff gets some trickle down from the newer, fancier stuff.
 
#9 ·
the-one1 said:
....

9spd wasn't invented as an alternative to 10spd, it was a precursor to it.
Click to expand...
^^^I'm going with this.
I am pretty sure the masses were used as guinea pigs to test narrower chains and closer cog spacing before the mfr's went whole hog on 10+ speeds. I currently have 22-36 x 11-36 2x8 on my fatbike (stock 2x10). It could stand having a couple cogs replaced to equalize the shift jumps (from the cadence standpoint not the mechanical standpoint; it shifts just fine), but it's tolerable. I can't stand all the clickclickclick every time I crest a hill so 8 speed is working well for me. I don't need to match cadence when I'm MTBing.

In that same vain, I switched the other bike from 3x9 to 22-36 x 11-36 2x9. I gained a tiny bit of bash ring clearance, but I think I'm going to regret it. 36-11 for a top gear is a little low. 38-11 would be OK, but then I'd need a 38T cog on the low gear. I saved all the 3x9 stuff...

It always seemed so logical to keep 8-speed, widen the hub flanges, and build sturdier wheels. :???:

-F

PS - my first bike was 26-36-46 x 13-30 7-speed. I distinctly remember learning how to pedal anywhere from 50rpm up to about 110rpm on rough terrain. That might be good to revisit that.
 
#14 ·
It was evolution. I started MTB'ing in 1988. There was a time that 8 speed was only 11-28. Than I think they made it to 30??? My memory isn't that good. When I finally gave up on 8 speed and finally built up a 9 speed drivetrain, Shimano killed 9 speed and went to 10 speed. I remember kicking myself in the ass not waiting just a few more months. Oh well. Two of my bikes are 10 speed one is 11. I am considering converting my other FS to 11 speed because I am now older, I have a new child, I rarely get to ride and when I do I am too out of shape. Sigh.........

Anyway it's just technology improving to create newer stuff and improving the older stuff for lower end spec bikes. If you get a new bike with 9 speed it is a budget bike.
 
#15 ·
Fleas said:
PS - my first bike was 26-36-46 x 13-30 7-speed. I distinctly remember learning how to pedal anywhere from 50rpm up to about 110rpm on rough terrain. That might be good to revisit that.
Click to expand...
My first mountain bike came with that gearing. I remember severe knee pain from trying to climb our mountains in 26×30. Got so bad I thought I'd have to give up riding. Changed to a 24 in front and the 30 to 34 in back and my knees could handle that.

Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk
 
#18 ·
How are people coming up with 8spd being only 11-28 originally? Even with the '89 XT 7spd they offered the 14-32 cassette as an option.

9spd is fine, but for me it's the quietness of 10spd chains that really got me. I had no idea that making the chain that much slimmer would take away so much noise, wow. try an ORIGINAL Shimano 6spd chain, those things can almost wake up the neighborhood. been awhile since I have had one of those.

As for the SS guys, they don't count! Pretty sure they're either from another planet and don't need any oxygen or extra muscle power. I had one pass me two years ago racing the Red2Red and he was on a 10 or 11 speed chain. Followed him for a few miles before he dropped me, then two miles later his chain got all bound up and I passed him back. I'll stick with regular BMX/SS chains IF I ever go that route.
 
#19 ·
unicrown junkie said:
9spd is fine, but for me it's the quietness of 10spd chains that really got me. I had no idea that making the chain that much slimmer would take away so much noise, wow. try an ORIGINAL Shimano 6spd chain, those things can almost wake up the neighborhood. been awhile since I have had one of those.
Click to expand...
The key change that made 10spd quiet was adding a clutch to the rear derailleur, which is the main reason I switched. (If your 7/8/9spd stuff is noisy on flat terrain, you're doing something wrong. It's not the chain width.)
 
#20 ·
noapathy said:
The key change that made 10spd quiet was adding a clutch to the rear derailleur, which is the main reason I switched. (If your 7/8/9spd stuff is noisy on flat terrain, you're doing something wrong. It's not the chain width.)
Click to expand...
I agree, I'm still running 7-speed on one of my road bikes and it's super smooth and quiet.
 
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