DB4 said:Hi
I've been upgrading various components on my old 21 speed Orange C16 and
found it virtually impossible to source drive train equipment for a 7 speed
cog. The 8 and 9 cog shimano XT rear mechs work OK but the front mechs just
don't set up very well with the old wider IG chains. I'm coming to the
conclusion that with the money I've invested so far, I may as well change
the gear shifts, etc, to an 8 speed rig. My question is this|:
Is there any reason why you can't run a narrower chain with your
existing chainrings and cassettes? That would allow you to upgrade your
derailers while sticking with 7 speed.
Quoted message said:Given the thinner cogs used in 8 and 9 speed cassetes, is it possible to fit
an 8 speed cassette on a 7 speed cassette hub? My rear wheel hub is an
Alivio 7 speed casette model. Thanks,
Other than by using the 8-of-9 trick mentioned by another poster, no.
If you do decide to replace your freehub body or your entire rear wheel,
I'd suggest going to 9 speed instead of 8. 9 speed drivetrains have been
mainstream for a while now, and the available 8 speed shifters are
mostly low-end. It looks like 8 speed XT shifters are still available
for the moment, but current production is Alivio and below.
If you're on a tight budget or just dont want to mess with your rear
wheel, the 8-of-9 trick sounds like a good bet. You'll be able to
switch to full 9 speed later without throwing any of your new parts
away.
