my 8 speed Shimano 105 STI lever died - SOS

[Paul Nevai]

I have a 1992 Bridgestone RB 1 with an 8 speed Shimano 105
STI lever which died [the right one]. Now what?

Please advise me about the best resolution of the problem.
Money is not a problem if spent prudently.

E.g., can I just buy a new 9 speed Shimano 105 STI lever
and have it adjusted it to work with 8 speed? Or should
I buy a Shimano Sora STI set? I would even be willing
to buy an Ultegra STI set if it can be made to work
with 8 speeds.

Please advise me. Many thanks, Paul

 

[Kyle.B.H]

"Paul Nevai" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have a 1992 Bridgestone RB 1 with an 8 speed Shimano 105
> STI lever which died [the right one]. Now what?
>
> Please advise me about the best resolution of the problem.
> Money is not a problem if spent prudently.
>
> E.g., can I just buy a new 9 speed Shimano 105 STI lever
> and have it
adjusted
> it to work with 8 speed? Or should I buy a Shimano Sora
> STI set? I would even be willing to buy an Ultegra STI set
> if it can be made to work with 8 speeds.
>
> Please advise me. Many thanks, Paul

Paul,

You can stay with 8 speed, but that means buying Sora
(Shimano 9 speed shifters will not work). They're good
levers, a different up-shifting mechansim, but it may not be
worth putting more money into 8 speed components.

For about $50 more, you could upgrade to 9 speed by buying
only the right shifter (Tiagra, 105, Ultegra), and then
replacing your rear cassette and chain, although it may be
difficult to find just a right shifter, and possibly just as
expensive as buying the pair. That's it. Don't let any bike
shop tell you that you have to replace the derailers or
crankset, becuase you don't.

Kyle

 

[Qui Si Parla Ca]

2me-<< I have a 1992 Bridgestone RB 1 with an 8 speed
Shimano 105 STI lever which died [the right one]. Now what?
>><BR><BR>

A set of Veloce 9s levers and rear der, a shimano 9s cogset
and chain-go ride-

2me-<< E.g., can I just buy a new 9 speed Shimano 105 STI
lever and have it adjusted it to work with 8 speed?
>><BR><BR>

Yes if you space the cogset to 9s spacing or just buy a 9s
right lever and cogset and chain.

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 http://www.vecchios.com "Ruote convenzionali
costruite eccezionalmente bene"

 

[Paul Southworth]

In article <[email protected]>,
Paul Nevai <[email protected]> wrote:
>I have a 1992 Bridgestone RB 1 with an 8 speed Shimano 105
>STI lever which died [the right one]. Now what?
>
>Please advise me about the best resolution of the problem.
>Money is not a problem if spent prudently.

If the shifter is just losing stops, ie, you move the lever
to shift and it just swings freely past the point where it
should have clicked, that is very often just sticky grease
in the ratchet and immersing the shifter in solvent and
blowing it out with compressed air will often fix it.
Shimano 7 and 8 speed shifters (both road and mountain)
often have this problem, after a certain age it becomes
quite prevalent.

After cleaning, I lube it with Tri Flow or similar very
light lube and work the action 100 times. If it doesn't work
I soak it overnight and do it again. It's amazing some times
how they will come back after extraordinary efforts to
resuscitate.

If the shifter is really dead, then going to 9-speed is the
best spent money. Replace shifters, chain and cassette.
Buying more 8-speed is just investing in obsolescence unless
you have some strong reason why you need it - nobody should
be nostalgic for 8-speed Shimano

--Paul

 

[Michael Press]

[email protected] (Paul Nevai) wrote:
>I have a 1992 Bridgestone RB 1 with an 8 speed Shimano 105
>STI lever which died [the right one]. Now what?

When my '93 Ultegra 8-speed right shifter died a couple of
years ago, I took the opportunity to upgrade to 9-speed (I
bought the 9-speed upgrade kit from Colorado Cyclist).
Certainly not the cheap option, but a good investment if you
ride often and plan on keeping the bike for a while.

Michael

 

[Paul Nevai]

Michael Press <[email protected]> aszonygya:
:[email protected] (Paul Nevai) wrote:
:>I have a 1992 Bridgestone RB 1 with an 8 speed Shimano 105
:>STI lever which died [the right one]. Now what?
:
:When my '93 Ultegra 8-speed right shifter died a couple of
years ago, :I took the opportunity to upgrade to 9-speed (I
bought the 9-speed :upgrade kit from Colorado Cyclist).
Certainly not the cheap option, :but a good investment if
you ride often and plan on keeping the bike :for a while.

Yes, but would my 8-speed 1992 Bridgestone RB 1 frame accept
9 speeds? Isn't there a difference of a couple of
millimeters which could matter? Best regards, Paul

 

[Paul Southworth]

In article <[email protected]>,
Paul Nevai <[email protected]> wrote:
>Michael Press <[email protected]> aszonygya:
>:[email protected] (Paul Nevai) wrote:
>:>I have a 1992 Bridgestone RB 1 with an 8 speed Shimano
>:>105 STI lever which died [the right one]. Now what?
>:
>:When my '93 Ultegra 8-speed right shifter died a couple of
>years ago, :I took the opportunity to upgrade to 9-speed (I
>bought the 9-speed :upgrade kit from Colorado Cyclist).
>Certainly not the cheap option, :but a good investment if
>you ride often and plan on keeping the bike :for a while.
>
>Yes, but would my 8-speed 1992 Bridgestone RB 1 frame
>accept 9 speeds? Isn't there a difference of a couple of
>millimeters which could matter?

No, they are the same. The only caveat is that many 8-speed
freehubs are not designed to work with 11-tooth cogs
(hyperglide compact) and would require a 1mm spacer under
the cassette. The frame spacing for 8 and 9 speed is 130mm.
In fact 10 speed is 130mm as well.

--Paul