9 Speed barcon indexing issues with XT/XTR rear derailleurs?

[tombrogan]

I've read a few reports on other sites of issues with index shifting on 9 speed barcons and Shimano XT/XTR rear derailleurs. Any of you experience this?

[whittierider]

The pull ratio is the same, so there should not be any problem.  One of our bikes has 9-speed D/A bar-end shifters and a DeOre LX rear derailleur, and it works perfectly in indexed mode.

[cara2u]

If you contact Shimano Tech Support they will tell you that Durace barcon index shifters are only compatible with
road derailleurs such as Ultegra and Durace.  They advise converting to non-indexing. I have successfully dialed in Durace barcons on XT derailleurs, i guess I was lucky!
James

[paddleboy17]

I have installed 9 speed barcons twice.  Once with an LX rear derailleur, and it never gave me any problems.
My current touring bike has 9 speed XT, and when the shifting gunked up on a trip last summer, I switched from indexed to friction shifting and never got around to switching it back.

The barcons should work with your mountain bike derraileur, but if it does not, go to friction shifting.

You have not said if this ever worked, or does not work with new components or whatever.  The detents in the barcon shifters could wear over time and not be crisp enough.  Friction shifting is how we used to do things, and it is not that hard to get used to.

[lonerider]

Oddly enough, I have had issues with getting the indexing to work. What I found was cable housing length, especially at the rear derailuer, seemed to affect the accuracy of the indexing. After playing with it for some time it ended up working well, but went to friction shifting anyway.

[DaveB]

Nearly all Shimano shifters and rear derailleurs work together whether called "road" or "MTB".  The number of speeds is in the shifters, not the derailleurs, and the derailleur just does what it's told so a Dura Ace shifter will shift a MTB rear derailleur with no problems.  There are some important exceptions:

-Pre 9-speed Dura Ace doesn't shift properly with any but pre 9-speed Dura Ace derailleurs. 

-The newest 10-speed MTB (XT, XTR) rear derailleurs will not index properly with road shifters or pre 10-speed MTB shifters.  Their geometry is different.  If you want to use road shifters, you must use a 9-speed era or earlier MTB rear derailleur. 

-Front derailleurs are type-specific.  A road fd won't index properly with a MTB front shifter and vise-versa. 

[tsteven4]

I have one bike with 8 speed barcons and lx RD-M567.  no issues, high miles.
My wifes bike has 9 speed barcons and lx RD-M570.   This worked for many years fine, then it got sluggish on shifts from larger to smaller cogs, especially to the smallest cog from its neighbor, when the spring couldn't get the job done.  It would get to the point that it took a very long time to make the shift to the smallest cog.  The cable would be slack, the limit screw was properly set and not limiting the real derailleur.  Many minutes after attempting this shift it would sometimes drop in.  Cleaning and lubing the derailleur pivots helped for a while, but eventually this did not restore satisfactory performance.  Note that I wouldn't expect the friction shifting mode to help this situation at all.  Friction shifting would not strengthen the spring or reduce the friction it needs to overcome.  Replaced with xt shadow rd-m772.  no issues, but the cable routing goes a bit wide leaving the derailleur and may touch your panniers.  moderate miles on the 772.
I have another bike with 9 speed barcons and xt RD-M750.  no issues, but I haven't had this bike long and it has low miles.

[whittierider]

-Front derailleurs are type-specific.  A road fd won't index properly with a MTB front shifter and vise-versa.

Bar-end shifters are not indexed for the front anyway, so it's not an issue.  They are indexed for the rear.

[DaveB]

-Front derailleurs are type-specific.  A road fd won't index properly with a MTB front shifter and vise-versa.

Bar-end shifters are not indexed for the front anyway, so it's not an issue.  They are indexed for the rear.

Absolutely true and I missed that point.