Brifters On A 9-Speed Deore Triple?

I would like the wisdom of the great minds here to help me with a project.

I'm putting together a 2019 Kona Sutra to use as a touring bike. Originally, it was a Deore triple, 9-speed, with bar end shifters. At the moment, it is in pieces. The goal is to put brifters on it.

Here's a link to the bike as it was originally sold. I have all the components listed, except the wheels.

(I bought it from a fellow who tried to set the bike up with Shimano's GRX components without realizing that the bottom bracket shell is mountain bike-sized -- 73mm. A 28/38 SLX crankset came along with everything else.)

On 12/11/2020 1:46 PM, Mark Hughes wrote:
I would like the wisdom of the great minds here to help me with a project.

I'm putting together a 2019 Kona Sutra to use as a touring bike. Originally, it was a Deore triple, 9-speed, with bar end shifters. At the moment, it is in pieces. The goal is to put brifters on it.

Here's a link to the bike as it was originally sold. I have all the components listed, except the wheels.

(I bought it from a fellow who tried to set the bike up with Shimano's GRX components without realizing that the bottom bracket shell is mountain bike-sized -- 73mm. A 28/38 SLX crankset came along with everything else.)


Shimano 3x9 STi are off but the current model SunRace ST-R91
are very available.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On Friday, December 11, 2020 at 2:09:26 PM UTC-6, AMuzi wrote:
On 12/11/2020 1:46 PM, Mark Hughes wrote:
I would like the wisdom of the great minds here to help me with a project.

I'm putting together a 2019 Kona Sutra to use as a touring bike. Originally, it was a Deore triple, 9-speed, with bar end shifters. At the moment, it is in pieces. The goal is to put brifters on it.

Here's a link to the bike as it was originally sold. I have all the components listed, except the wheels.

(I bought it from a fellow who tried to set the bike up with Shimano's GRX components without realizing that the bottom bracket shell is mountain bike-sized -- 73mm. A 28/38 SLX crankset came along with everything else.)

Shimano 3x9 STi are off but the current model SunRace ST-R91
are very available.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Back in 2008 or so, I built up a 10 speed triple loaded touring bike. I started with parts from a 1991 7 speed triple bar end shifter bike. Trek 520.. I guess really the only parts that carried over were the crank arms, bottom bracket, and wheels. But I'd suggest going to 10 speed STI for your touring bike. STI, chain, cassette may be the only new parts you need. Everything else should work fine. Front derailleur 100% yes. Rear derailleur has some odd thing about it so 9 and 10 road and mountain STI and rear derailleur is compatible one way but not the other. I think its 10 speed STI road shifter is compatible with 9 speed MTB rear derailleur for shifting 10 speeds. But you can't use 10 speed STI road with 10 speed MTB rear derailleur. Its some weird compatibility, not compatible scenario.

On Friday, December 11, 2020 at 11:46:58 AM UTC-8, Mark Hughes wrote:
I would like the wisdom of the great minds here to help me with a project.

I'm putting together a 2019 Kona Sutra to use as a touring bike. Originally, it was a Deore triple, 9-speed, with bar end shifters. At the moment, it is in pieces. The goal is to put brifters on it.

Here's a link to the bike as it was originally sold. I have all the components listed, except the wheels.

(I bought it from a fellow who tried to set the bike up with Shimano's GRX components without realizing that the bottom bracket shell is mountain bike-sized -- 73mm. A 28/38 SLX crankset came along with everything else.)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Shimano-Dur...AOSwzq5f0PP h
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SHIMANO-R60...AOSw0Z1fyae ~

On Friday, December 11, 2020 at 11:46:58 AM UTC-8, Mark Hughes wrote:
I would like the wisdom of the great minds here to help me with a project.

I'm putting together a 2019 Kona Sutra to use as a touring bike. Originally, it was a Deore triple, 9-speed, with bar end shifters. At the moment, it is in pieces. The goal is to put brifters on it.

Here's a link to the bike as it was originally sold. I have all the components listed, except the wheels.

(I bought it from a fellow who tried to set the bike up with Shimano's GRX components without realizing that the bottom bracket shell is mountain bike-sized -- 73mm. A 28/38 SLX crankset came along with everything else.)

Sora 9sp brifters are readily available. https://tinyurl.com/y657zrn2

-- Jay Beattie.

If all I'd need (in addition to the brifters) were a 10-speed chain and cassette, maybe going to 10 speeds would be a good idea. I have a couple 10-speed chains, and it would (sort of) future proof the bike.

BUT the rear derailleur is a Shimano Deore SGS, RD-592, which the specs say is 9-speed. The front is an Shimano Alivio, which Shimano says is also 9-speed.

On Friday, December 11, 2020 at 1:09:26 PM UTC-7, AMuzi wrote:

Shimano 3x9 STi are off but the current model SunRace ST-R91
are very available.

Andrew, Are the SunRace levers compatible with mechanical disks? Probably a dumb question, but disk brakes are new to me. Thanks.

On Friday, December 11, 2020 at 2:12:08 PM UTC-7, jbeattie wrote:

Sora 9sp brifters are readily available. https://tinyurl.com/y657zrn2

I see they no longer have that unusual tab sticking out of the side. Thanks.

On 12/11/2020 5:09 PM, Mark Hughes wrote:
On Friday, December 11, 2020 at 1:09:26 PM UTC-7, AMuzi wrote:

Shimano 3x9 STi are off but the current model SunRace ST-R91
are very available.

Andrew, Are the SunRace levers compatible with mechanical disks? Probably a dumb question, but disk brakes are new to me. Thanks.


Yes. Same as STi, Ergo, SRAM levers in that regard.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On Friday, December 11, 2020 at 4:22:52 PM UTC-6, Mark Hughes wrote:
If all I'd need (in addition to the brifters) were a 10-speed chain and cassette, maybe going to 10 speeds would be a good idea. I have a couple 10-speed chains, and it would (sort of) future proof the bike.

BUT the rear derailleur is a Shimano Deore SGS, RD-592, which the specs say is 9-speed. The front is an Shimano Alivio, which Shimano says is also 9-speed.

I have 10 speed Shimano 105 STI levers with a Shimano Deore 9 speed rear derailleur. I did a Google search on that rear derailleur and it is $43. I think it is the same RD-592 you already have. So your mountain rear derailleur will work perfectly with 10 speed road STI levers. No need for you to buy a new rear derailleur if you go with 10 speed STI. Your rear derailleur works perfectly. This is what I was talking about. With 9 and 10 STI road and rear derailleurs. STI road 10 works with 9 speed mountain rear derailleur. But 10 speed STI road does not work with 10 speed mountain rear derailleurs.

As for front derailleur, it does not matter. 9 or 10 front derailleurs work the same with all STI. Its best to match the front derailleur double or triple with the number of chainrings on the crank. And best to get a matching double or triple STI. But whether the front derailleur is 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 does not matter much at all.

So going to 10 speed is just buying a 10 speed STI and cassette. You said you already own the 10 speed chain. Amazon has a Shimano 10 speed cassette for $43.10 shipped and some SRAM cassettes for low $50s. I only own 9 and 10 speed bikes now. But if I was building/buying a new bike today, I would not go any lower than 10 speed.