Will an 11-speed cassette fit my 9- or 10-speed freehub?
By Crankworthy · Published · Updated
An 11-speed mountain cassette fits a standard 8/9/10-speed mountain HG freehub — the cassette itself is not the problem. But the shifter, rear derailleur and chain must all move to 11-speed with it, so it is a drivetrain upgrade rather than a cassette swap.
The numbers
| Mountain 11-speed cassette on an 8/9/10-speed HG body | Fits |
|---|---|
| Road 11-speed cassette on an 8/9/10-speed body | Usually not |
| Road 11-speed body, longer by | 1.85 mm |
| Parts that must all be 11-speed | 4 |
Where on your bikeFreehub body and cassette, at the rear hub
Why
Mountain 11-speed cassettes fit the same HG freehub body as 8, 9 and 10-speed cassettes [2], which is why the wheel usually does not need to change.
Road hubs follow different rules. A road 11-speed cassette needs a road 11-speed body, which is longer; a 10-speed cassette goes on that longer body with a 1.85mm spacer [1], but not the other way round. If your bike has road-style wheels, check the hub before buying.
The real constraint is the speed count. An 11-speed cassette has its cogs closer together, so your current chain, shifter and derailleur — all built for 9 or 10 cogs — will not index across it. All four parts move to 11-speed together.
One exception to watch for: Shimano CUES 11-speed cassettes (LinkGlide) mount on the same freehub, but are designed to shift only with CUES shifters and derailleurs. Treat CUES as its own system rather than mixing it with other 11-speed parts.
Skip
- Don’t buy: an 11-speed cassette on its own
- Instead: budget for the shifter, rear derailleur and chain at the same time — or stay at your speed with a wider cassette.
- Don’t buy: a road 11-speed cassette without checking the freehub
- Instead: check the wheel has a road 11-speed body, or that the cassette’s maker lists it for 10-speed bodies.
Bikes this applies to
From our research, these bikes come with a 9- or 10-speed cassette. Going to 11-speed on any of them means a new shifter, rear derailleur and chain as well.
- 2024 Cannondale CAAD Optimo 3 — 9-speed cassette maker’s spec page
- 2024 Cannondale Synapse 2 — 10-speed cassette maker’s spec page
- 2024 Cannondale Synapse 3 — 9-speed cassette maker’s spec page
- 2024 Cannondale Synapse Carbon 4 — 10-speed cassette maker’s spec page
- 2024 Cannondale Trail 5 — 10-speed cassette maker’s spec page
- 2024 Cannondale Treadwell 2 — 9-speed cassette maker’s spec page
- 2024 Diamondback Haanjo 3 — 10-speed cassette maker’s spec page
- 2024 Marin Bobcat Trail 3 — 9-speed cassette maker’s spec page
Two ways to get what you are after
- Upgrade the drivetrain to 11-speed
- Shifter, rear derailleur, chain and cassette together. More gears and usually a wider range — check the new derailleur's maximum cog against the cassette you choose.
- Stay at your current speed with a wider cassette
- If you only want easier climbing gears, a wider-range cassette at your existing speed count keeps your shifter and chain — as long as your derailleur can handle the bigger cog.
11-speed cassettes that fit an HG freehub
Recorded in our catalog as 11-speed and HG-compatible. Remember the rest of the drivetrain has to be 11-speed too.
- Shimano Deore CS-M5100-11 (11-42T)11-speed 11-42T rhythm step, HG spline, for 2x11 or tighter 1x$89.95Amazon
- Shimano Deore CS-M5100-11 (11-51T)11-speed 11-51T wide range, HG spline, for 1x$89.95Amazon
- SunRace CSMS8 (11-46T)11-speed 11-46T, HG spline, Shimano-compatible
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