Need help from mechanic/component expert

I have a old (25 years old or so) cannondale that is in mint shape for its age. Now I have recently aquired a set of wheels with a shimano 10 speed gearset/cassette/cogs?(the rear wheel has 10 sprockets on it). Now my old bike has 6 sprockets on it and all the components are shimano. Can I just swap the wheels and everything will work?? Or do I need to change things like the derailer? This is an old bike with the shifting levers on the downtube- I realy like the bike but dont want to put a ton of money in it - realy want to keep the shifters where they are, Can anybody help??
Thanks!!

The 6 speed is probably a screw-on freewheel, not a free hub. The 10 speed system would need different chain, maybe derailleurs and depending on whether it is friction shifting, new shifters. The cassettes are completely uninterchangeable.

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No.
You need to change things. The rear der should be OK, but the chain MUST go, it's too wide. The front der will probably work, but maybe not at peak performance. Crank is probably OK as well.
The shifters should be OK if they are/have a non-indexing setting. Otherwise you're in trouble.
As long as they're non-indexing that particular item isn't a problem.

The rear wheel drop-out? Is the old wheel 126mm? The new should be 130mm.

If you can mount the new wheel succesfully (without a cassete), it may have a 9 speed hub. If so, try fitting an 8 speed cassette and see if the down tube shifters will shift 6 of the 8. Leave the old chain and RD for the experiment.

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Cheers,
George.

Scour your local thrift stores. You'll find plenty of stuff you can use. Personally, I think you should keep looking for a better suited wheel set or take both wheels to your L.B.S. and see if they can swap the gears. While you're there pick up some new bar tape, cables tubes, tires and brake shoes. If they can't try Ebay and while you're at it get some bar end shifters.

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Here's a link that should answer some of your questions.

http://www.cyclingforums.com/showthr...86#post2954086