swapping wheelsets

spinerguy said:

How difficult would be to adapt a bike with a 7 speed wheel for a much better 8 speed set that I have laying around?
Common sense tells me that I might need a new shifters and maybe a new chain but not sure, this is definitely not my area of expertise 🙁 . Is there any other way to make it work?

The better set (racing quality) has a cassette, could I just use a spacer to bring down the gears?
Any ideas/thoughts from the pros would be greatly appreciated.

I'm assuming the new and old wheelsets are both 700c.If the old one is 27", the problems can be even bigger. Rear dropout spacing for 8,9 and 10 speed is 130mm. Your frame is probably 126,but maybe 128 spacing. If the stays are steel you can just spread drop in the wider hub,same if aluminum or CF and 128 spacing.You shouldn't use the 130 hub with aluminum or CF stays. Then you need 8 speed shifters, and the casette and chain. Or, if the wheel 8 speed wheel uses a Shimano Hyperglide casette, just use a 4.5 mm spacer on the hub and then stick on your 7 speed casette. If the 8 speed wheel uses a freewheel, you could just switch it for a 7 speed freewheel.