Posted at: Feb 4, 2021
Shimano's 10-speed sprockets are lined up from older models of higher grades to the current road, MTB and gravel models. The following is a summary of the differences in product types, materials, finishes, and tooth count configurations.
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This is a 10-speed sprocket of DURA-ACE, Shimano’s top-of-the-line component for road bikes. The finish is nickel plated and titanium silver. Because it is designed for road bikes, it has a cross-ratio gear configuration.
Sprockets from the current M820 series of Shimano’s SAINT MTB components and the 10-speed era of Shimano’s ULTEGRA road bike components. The finish is nickel plated. This is the old ULTEGRA grade, but it is current as it is shared with the current SAINT.
Sprocket from the 10-speed era of Shimano’s ULTEGRA components for road bikes. The finish is nickel plated. This sprocket has a wide range of tooth configurations and is widely available in the used market.
This is a sprocket from the 10-speed era of Shimano’s 105 components for road bikes. The finish is nickel plated, and the tooth count configuration is similar to the CS-6700.
Current sprockets from Shimano’s TIAGRA components for road bikes, GRX for gravel, and DEORE for MTB. The finish is nickel-plated, with a tooth count configuration similar to the CS-6700, but with a wider ratio of 11-34T.
This is a highly available sprocket for current road, gravel road and MTB applications.
Shimano’s current DEORE sprocket for MTB. Finish is shot nickel.
DEORE components are also available in CS-HG500-10, but this CS-HG50-10 is only available in one tooth count configuration with a wide ratio of 11-36T.
This is a sprocket from the 10-speed era of Shimano’s SLX MTB components. The finish is shot chrome/nickel, and the sprocket has a wide ratio configuration typical of MTB.
This is a sprocket from the current M820 series of Shimano’s SAINT components for MTB. The finish is shot chrome. It has a wider ratio than the CS-6700 sprocket, which is also a current SAINT sprocket.
A sprocket from the 10-speed era of Shimano’s XTR components for MTB. Some of the gears are made of lightweight and rigid titanium, which is expensive because it is made of titanium.
There are many types of Shimano 10-speed sprockets, both current models and older, higher-end models. Let’s take a look at the differences between them.
Shimano’s 10-speed sprockets are made of titanium in the higher models, CS-7900 and CS-M980.
There are also two types of finishes: shot chrome and nickel plated (dark silver).
The only difference between the finishes is the appearance, but if you choose the higher-end titanium sprocket, the price will be higher for the advantage of lightness and rigidity.
Shimano’s sprockets for 10-speed are divided into the following categories.
The CS-HG500-10 and CS-6700, which are for shared use, are available in both cross-ratio and wide-ratio lineups, but if you want a wide-ratio sprocket of 34T or higher, you may want to choose a sprocket for MTB, such as the CS-M771-10 or CS-HG81-10.
Both the CS-7900 and the CS-M980 use titanium teeth, and both are top-grade, so they are probably equal in quality.
The difference between the two is the tooth configuration, with the CS-7900 for road use having a cross ratio and the CS-M980 for MTB use having a wide ratio, so it’s best to choose according to which tooth configuration you want. Also, the CS-M980 is the one that is easy to get new.
The main differences are the tooth count configuration and the finish & material. CS-7900 has some titanium teeth, which makes it lighter and more rigid, while CS-6700 is made of steel as usual. The CS-6700 is made of the same steel as usual, and both are basically the same cross ratio in terms of tooth configuration.
Both are older products, so new ones are not readily available. Basically, you will have to look for a used one.
Both sprockets are designed for road bikes, but the ULTEGRA grade CS-6700 sprocket is of higher quality than the 105 grade CS-5700 sprocket. In terms of tooth configuration, the lineup is exactly the same, so the choice will come down to quality and price.
Since both are older products, new ones are not readily available. Basically, you will have to look for used ones.
Both sprockets are designed for road bikes, but the 105 grade CS-5700 is of higher quality than the TIAGRA grade CS-HG500. The CS-HG500 has a slightly wider ratio than the CS-5700 in terms of gear configuration.
The CS-HG500 is the current model, so if you want to buy a new one, you should choose the CS-HG500.
Both are DEORE grade for MTB, and the only difference is the tooth count configuration.
The CS-HG500-10 is highly available since it is shared with the current TIAGRA grade, but the older model CS-HG50-10 is still available in a surprising number of new models.
You can choose which one to use depending on the gear configuration.
We’ve looked at the different types of Shimano 10-speed sprockets and the differences between them.
Shimano’s 10-speed sprockets range from higher grade older model sprockets to current road, MTB, and gravel sprockets, so the choices are quite wide, but basically the main differences are in the materials and tooth count configuration.
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