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Clarification about Shimano I-Spec stuff

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Clarification about Shimano I-Spec stuff
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flag Ploutre
Posted: Feb 18, 2015 at 7:39 Quote
So here's the current state of the Shimano I-Spec world.

Back in 2011-2012, when the XTR m985 was released, it had the by-then-new I-Spec A system, allowing to attach the shifter to the brake lever. It was then brought down on the first batch of Shimano XTs m785 and Saints M820.

I-Spec A shifter :
Unsecure image, only https images allowed: http://images.evanscycles.com/product_image/image/70c/9e0/482/88892/shimano-xtr-m980-i-spec-attachment-mount-for-m985-m988-brake-levers.jpg
Then mid-2013, Shimano released the I-Spec B, sadly without any communication on it. I learned the hard way about it, when Shimano sent me back an I-Spec B set of Saints after I sent my I-Spec A set out on warranty. Most if not all brakes now sold are I-Spec B.

As for how the compatibility goes, you can mount an I-Spec B shifter to an I-Spec A lever, but not the other way around.

I-Spec B shifter :
Unsecure image, only https images allowed: http://images.evanscycles.com/product_image/image/4bc/8cb/5b2/105093/large/shimano-xt-m870-10-speed-i-spec-b-mount-pair-shifters.jpg
The difference on the shifter only lies in the small excess of plastic you can see in the first picture and you can't in the 2nd one. The hardware is also different.

Here is a picture to make the difference between the 2 brake levers :
Unsecure image, only https images allowed: http://www.trickstuff.de/bilder/140728_I-SpecAversusB-englisch.jpg

And then, in 2014-2015 with the new XTR m9000 and m9020, Shimano released the I-Spec II, most likely completely not compatible with previous shifters and brake levers.

I-Spec II shifter :
photo



Can't find a picture of the underside of a M9000 or M9020 brake lever, so if someone has one, they could share it and let me know, I will edit the post.
flag got2moto
Posted: Mar 28, 2015 at 22:00 Quote
Ok so to continue the changes of i-spec. I have currently XT I-Spec-B brake levers with an M980 I-Spec-B XTR Right 10 Speed Shifter. I bought new XTR M9020 trail brakes. The I-Spec-B is not compatible to the new I-Spec-II. Is there a part available to mount the M980 I-Spec-B to the new I-Spec-II style brake levers? If so, where can you get the parts to allow you to mount I-Spec-B to the new XTR M9020 I-Spec-II Trail Brakes?
flag cmi85
Posted: Jun 19, 2015 at 16:59 Quote
This is a fantastic amalgamation of info regarding Shimano's PITA pairings.

Does anyone know if the new I-Spec XTR shift levers can work with an XX1 derailleur? I love the XTR stuff at my hands, but have a preference for the XX1 derailleur....
flag slowreezay
Posted: Sep 28, 2015 at 3:31 Quote
Same here, I've been looking at a set of the new ispec 2 brakes but have ispec b shifter I want to use. Looking at the pictures above it should be fairly easy to make a converter mount. Anyone tried this yet?
flag slowreezay
Posted: Oct 2, 2015 at 7:34 Quote
thanks cobba, I might try making something once i have the brakes
flag slugsmasher
Posted: Oct 18, 2015 at 18:39 Quote
Following discussion here, any updates appreciated.

I also have XTR9020 Brakes in the box and XTR 985 b spec shifter pod.
flag cmi85
Posted: Sep 29, 2016 at 10:01 Quote
Could anyone possibly help me out here.

I'd like to pick up a set of M820 Saint brakes, but I can only seem to find them in I-Spec B. I'm going to run them with an XTR M9000 shifter, but I can only find those in I-Spec II.

Are those compatible somehow to get them to work?
flag cmi85
Posted: Sep 29, 2016 at 18:34 Quote
Thanks a lot for responding, my curiosity was correct at least. Do they make an M9000 spec-B shifter? You're right, that's exactly what I need, but I've only seen them everywhere in spec-II or bar mount.
cobba wrote:
chrisingrassia wrote:
Could anyone possibly help me out here.

I'd like to pick up a set of M820 Saint brakes, but I can only seem to find them in I-Spec B. I'm going to run them with an XTR M9000 shifter, but I can only find those in I-Spec II.

Are those compatible somehow to get them to work?

Saint levers currently only come in a I-Spec-B version, they are not compatible with what you want to do.
A bar mount XTR 9000 shifter or the XT 8000 shifter in the I-Spec B version is what you need.
flag cmi85
Posted: Sep 29, 2016 at 22:03 Quote
Beautiful, thank you so much. That's disappointing, was hoping to try out some Saints. Guess I gotta go M9020 trails.

cobba wrote:
chrisingrassia wrote:
Do they make an M9000 spec-B shifter? You're right, that's exactly what I need, but I've only seen them everywhere in spec-II or bar mount.

No, only the M8000 has a I-Spec-B version

8000 comes in I-Spec B, I-Spec II and bar mount.
9000 only comes in I-Spec II and bar mount.

http://productinfo.shimano.com/#/spec/2.2/MTB/Shift%20Lever
flag MrDuck
O+
Posted: Oct 16, 2016 at 17:39 Quote
Might be late to the party, but you could always keep current levers and just use the Saint hoses/calipers. That should give you about the same result as complete Saint set anyway.
flag cmi85
Posted: Oct 16, 2016 at 21:15 Quote
MrDuck wrote:
Might be late to the party, but you could always keep current levers and just use the Saint hoses/calipers. That should give you about the same result as complete Saint set anyway.
No worries, online records are never late, someone in the future may find it useful.

I got lucky and found I-Spec B Saints and an XT shifter. I'm good to go.
flag MrDuck
O+
Posted: Oct 17, 2016 at 0:41 Quote
chrisingrassia wrote:
MrDuck wrote:
Might be late to the party, but you could always keep current levers and just use the Saint hoses/calipers. That should give you about the same result as complete Saint set anyway.
No worries, online records are never late, someone in the future may find it useful.

I got lucky and found I-Spec B Saints and an XT shifter. I'm good to go.
Yup that's what I'm running now, except with I-Spec A levers, and I love it. Though I've heard complaints about the XT shifter performance and it being inferior to XTR..I have no complaints though, and wouldn't sacrifice Saint brakes for a different shifter.
flag SimonDP
Posted: Oct 23, 2016 at 23:37 Quote
cobba wrote:
slowreezay wrote:
Looking at the pictures above it should be fairly easy to make a converter mount. Anyone tried this yet?

Not that I've heard of.

You might be able to modify a Mismatch 1.2 adapter that's made for a SRAM shifter.

http://problemsolversbike.com/products/mismatch_adapters

http://problemsolversbike.com/files/prod_grp/BR0393.png
http://problemsolversbike.com/files/prod_grp/BR0392-04_figure-4.jpg

* You won't have the same up/down/sideways adjustment that you would have with a I-Spec II shifter attached to the I-Spec II brake lever.


* You might be able to modify a I-Spec II bracket too but you mightn't be able to get full adjustment either.

XTR shifter: https://www.paul-lange.de/support/shimano/explosionszeichnungen_archiv/SL//SL-M9000I-3778.pdf
XT shifter: https://www.paul-lange.de/support/shimano/explosionszeichnungen_archiv/BL//BL-M8000-3853A.pdf

XTR I-Spec II brackets.
Part # Y01V81000 (left): http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/shimano-xtr-i-spec-ii-sl-m9000-i-bracket-left-y01v81000-prod37248/?
Part # Y01U31000 (right): http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/shimano-xtr-i-spec-ii-sl-m9000-i-bracket-right-y01u31000-prod37243/?

I-Spec II Integration Bolt Unit.
Part # Y01U98060: http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/shimano-xtr-i-spec-ii-sl-m9000-i-integration-bolt-unit-m5-x-12mm-y01u98060-prod37246/?

XT I-Spec II brackets.
Part # Y03K31000 (right): http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/shimano-xtr-i-spec-ii-sl-m9000-i-bracket-right-y01u31000-prod37243/?
Part # Y03L81000 (left): http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/shimano-xtr-i-spec-ii-sl-m9000-i-bracket-left-y01v81000-prod37248/?

Has there been any development yet in making it possible to combine i-spec B (10 speed) shifters with M9020 brakes? It seems ridiculous that to upgrade my M785 brakes to XTR I have to either get the old model or use an additional clamp to mount the new M9020s. The first option saves little weight. The second option offsets the lightness with the weight and clutter of an additional clamp.

Surely by now there is an adapter for combining new Shimano brakes and old Shimano shifters with a single clamp (??)
flag ollieball
Posted: Oct 31, 2016 at 23:56 Quote
Do you any of you guys know if you an i spec A shifter is compatable with an i spec B brake lever? I am needing a replacement XT brake lever, my current one is i spec A as are my shifters however I can only find an i spec B replacement for sale.
Cheers
flag cmi85
Posted: Nov 1, 2016 at 6:49 Quote
What does the very first post say?
mtbnz118 wrote:
Do you any of you guys know if you an i spec A shifter is compatable with an i spec B brake lever? I am needing a replacement XT brake lever, my current one is i spec A as are my shifters however I can only find an i spec B replacement for sale.
Cheers
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