Adapting Shimano WH-R500 for 7sp

Just chuck on an 8 speed cassete and only use seven of the rings. Same spacing 7 and 8. 7 speed cassetes will be hard to find, but not impossible, and will need spacers.

8, 9 and 10 speed cassetes will all fit on your wheel.

You can use the limit screw on your rear der to lock out one of the rings.

Most 7 speed bikes use screw on clusters.

amrgardner said:

Hi

I own a Dawes Discovery 201 (dawescycles.comdiscovery201.htmOpen ↗). I'm considering a rear wheel upgrade to a Shimano WH-R500 that I managed to get hold of.

I've been worned that the wheel is built for a 9 speed cassette (I'm must say that for the most part I'm regurgutating terminology as I don't really know what various terms refer to exactly yet - just getting into the whole biking thing , love it.) and that my rear gear system (which is apparently a ? maybe some one can explain please) is only 7 speed and I would need a spacer to adapt.

Can any one give me a detailed enough description of this spacer, or perhaps a link for where I can get one. I would really appreciate a list of things to worry about when fitting somethings like that too. I'm going in blind - I don't know anything.

Kind regards and thanks is advance.

Andre.

amrgardner said:

Hi

I own a Dawes Discovery 201 (http://www.dawescycles.com/dawes/discovery201.htm). I'm considering a rear wheel upgrade to a Shimano WH-R500 that I managed to get hold of.

I've been worned that the wheel is built for a 9 speed cassette (I'm must say that for the most part I'm regurgutating terminology as I don't really know what various terms refer to exactly yet - just getting into the whole biking thing , love it.) and that my rear gear system (which is apparently a ? maybe some one can explain please) is only 7 speed and I would need a spacer to adapt.

Can any one give me a detailed enough description of this spacer, or perhaps a link for where I can get one. I would really appreciate a list of things to worry about when fitting somethings like that too. I'm going in blind - I don't know anything.

Kind regards and thanks is advance.

Andre.

Hi Andre,

Read these reviews and think twice about doing the swap. They might look cool but they will most probably be worse than what you have in the reliabilty stakes.

Cheers

Geoff

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

You see, I've already got a 7 speed which is relatively new and wanted to upgrade the back wheel only. I've already got a front WH-R500.

What is this about "screw on clusters"? If this is the case for the sprokets I have, then does that rule them out for use with the WH-500 rear rub?

How easy is it fit these spacers everyone talks about and where can I get them?

Sorry, I'm still learning about components and what's available.

Regards,

Andre.

11ring said:

Just chuck on an 8 speed cassete and only use seven of the rings. Same spacing 7 and 8. 7 speed cassetes will be hard to find, but not impossible, and will need spacers. 8, 9 and 10 speed cassetes will all fit on your wheel. You can use the limit screw on your rear der to lock out one of the rings. Most 7 speed bikes use screw on clusters.

I agree.

However, first check the rear drop-out width, this bike may have a 135mm MTB hub. If so the Road wheel at 130mm will not fit.

You can get 11-28 tooth 7 speed spin-on(MF) and cassettes(CS) from Shimano. Check which your bike has, the web page does not specify, however it looks like a 11 or 14-34 Megarange, it will be written on the largest sprocket.

I have used an 8 speed cassette/wheel in a 7 speed MTB. I chose the "high7", it worked fine. Why not go for 8 speed all the way, Shifters (EF-50-8) are cheap and the derailleurs and cranks will work ok. 🙂

gclark8 said:

I agree.

However, first check the rear drop-out width, this bike may have a 135mm MTB hub. If so the Road wheel at 130mm will not fit.

You can get 11-28 tooth 7 speed spin-on(MF) and cassettes(CS) from Shimano. Check which your bike has, the web page does not specify, however it looks like a 11 or 14-34 Megarange, it will be written on the largest sprocket.

I have used an 8 speed cassette/wheel in a 7 speed MTB. I chose the "high7", it worked fine. Why not go for 8 speed all the way, Shifters (EF-50-8) are cheap and the derailleurs and cranks will work ok. 🙂

Have a look at these links .... will this work with 7 speed Tourney derailer? Some things tells me it will be unlikely but I though I should check.

8 Speed Cassete:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/Default.aspx?Main=ProductDetail.aspx&W=0&Manufacturer=Kona&UberCatName=&Cat=cycle&CategoryName=&ProdID=5360020167&UberCat=0
http://cycle.shimano-eu.com/catalog/cycle/products/component.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441762504&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302040662&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395181426&bmUID=1154184786568

Alternative: - this the same actually
8-speed HG Cassette Sprockets CS-HG40-8I
http://cycle.shimano-eu.com/catalog/cycle/products/component.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441762504&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302040673&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395181426&bmUID=1154185898717

Shimano wheels:
WH-R500
http://www.bikefilth.com/productdetails/mcs/referrer/froogle/productid/1647/GroupID/12/CategoryID/93
http://cycle.shimano-eu.com/catalog/cycle/products/component.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441770716&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302040863&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395181426&bmUID=1154185351158

Shifter - 8-Speed EZ FIRE Plus Shift/Brake Lever Set (V-BRAKE)ST-EF29-8-LL:
http://cycle.shimano-eu.com/catalog/cycle/products/component.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441763156&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302040661&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395181426&bmUID=1154184997269
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Shimano-Schalt-Bremseinheit-ST-EF29-V-Brakes-3-x-8_W0QQitemZ160011423914QQihZ006QQcategoryZ77610QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

If it was my bike I'd get a 4.5mm spacer and use a real 7-speed cassette.

7 and 8 speed spacing is close but it is not exactly the same. Over the years I've tried various combinations of 7 & 8 speed road and mountain shifters matched to 7 & 8 speed cassettes. I can get them to work well enough to ride with, but I can't get them to index well enough to satisfy my standards.

Quoted post said:

However, first check the rear drop-out width, this bike may have a 135mm MTB hub. If so the Road wheel at 130mm will not fit.

Have you measured the drop out to see if the WH-R500 wil fit?