In another thread I experessed some confusion about whether the FSA Compact Crank will work with Shimano 10 speed. The description for the Shimano version of the crank specifically says 9 speed.
I sent an email to FSA and they replied with a one liner saying the crank was compatible with both 9 and 10 speed.
Can someone help me understand this? I thought the 9 and 10 speed Shimano cranks were incompatible because of the narrower chain and tighter chain ring spacing. Anyone out there play with these toys yet?
Flumoxed in Florida,
I just received this detailed response to my questions about FSA compact and Shimano 10 speed. Makes sense for me.
Art-
Rest assured, the cranks are 9 and 10 speed compatible. The difference in thickness between the rings on 9 and 10 speed cranks is .2 mm, this is essentially the thickness of a sheet of paper. Your chain is not going to tell the difference. We have also done extensive testing in the lab and on the road. If you look photos from the 03 Giro you can see Steffano Garzelli using our cranks with a 10 speed Shimano grouppo. This mismatch did not seem to slow him down.
Cheers,
Erik
Thanks for this. I was thinking about upgrading to 10 speed Dura Ace, but I don’t want to shell out for the entire group. Currently I have 9 speed Dura Ace and FSA cranks. To upgrade I figure I’ll need:
Shifters, chain, cassette.
As I understand it, the geometry of the derailleurs has not changed, so I can use my old ones.
Thanks, Art. I had the same concern, since I’m planning on a DA 10-speed setup on my road bike, but with the FSA compact crankset.