Bicycle - Difference in frames for 7 or 8 spd?

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averageguy

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Hi. I have a 96 mtb frame. I think that would call for 7 spd components.
Are there any differences in the frame design that would preclude me from using 8 spd components?
I also have a 1998 complete mtb with 8 spd components. Could I buy a 9 spd group for it?
 
Yes.

You can put all 9 speed, (the current MTB standard, or 8 speed. The only things that are interchangeable are the crank arms. If you switch over, you need 9 speed chainrings, cassette, deraileurs, and shifter pods. Some shifter pods will work on the 8 or 9 speed (Shimano, and a very few SRAM/gripshift).

I learned all of this while having my custom MTB built. Some of the components I got at a very good price wouldn't work on the 9 speed, so I had to spend more money, and sell the other stuff at a loss.

A good place to buy components is pricepoint.com, and performancebike.com. Bike nashbar is also good. be careful of Supergo. They have good prices sometimes, but what you get may not be what you thought you were getting. Supergo's house branded (Access) frames are very good. They are modeled after an upper end TREK frame. I used to ride one of those frames, and it was sweet.

Good luck.
 
averageguy said:
Hi. I have a 96 mtb frame. I think that would call for 7 spd components.
Are there any differences in the frame design that would preclude me from using 8 spd components?
I also have a 1998 complete mtb with 8 spd components. Could I buy a 9 spd group for it?
Click to expand...


The dropout spacing on all mountain bikes is standard, so you can theoretically put any group on any frame.

CODE 3 went over the top, if you want to upgrade from 8 to 9 all you need is a rear derailur, rear shifter, and 9 speed cassette (I'd throw on a new chain too). 8 and 9 speed cassette spacing is the same, if that makes sense. I am currently running a 9 speed rear der. on an 8 speed cassette, because I am too cheap to upgrade my old 105 STI shifters and cassettes!

I would strongly suggest sticking with 8 speed for your older frames (unless they are high dollar unobtanium jobs). 8 speed stuff is cheap and plentiful. 2x9 set ups are pretty hot for racing though.
 
I just switched an older Trek mtb from 7-to-8 speed. I already had a wheel with the 8-speed cogset, so it was simply a matter of switching the axle parts (the axle group was a mess on the 8-speed) and re-adjusting the stops on the rear DR. The gripshift shifter was one of those jobs that would handle either 7 or 8 speeds.

Couple of things to watch: make sure the rear frame is in fact of modern (135mm) spacing, and check to see that the dishing (offset) of your wheel leaves it centered.

I too would go with the 8-speed, unless you just happen to have some nine-speed bits lying around
 
maybe i digress from the answer, but have you just considered saving for a new mtb?

this could be out of the question, but depending on what level of components you are after, a whole drivetrain kit can get fairly expensive.


i thought about building my own custom bike from the frame up, but after many searches on ebay, nashbar, and jensonusa, having a custom built road bike (full 105/ultegra, Al frame w/ carbon fork, plus a few parts i have lying around) would be much more expensive than just getting a complete trek bike or something. apparently, cycle companies get massive deals on shimano and other components because they buy them in such huge quantities. or so i've heard.

good luck
 
Hehe- we had a rather trashed bike in our fleet and the chief wanted to know how much it would cost to return it to service. I told him it would be better just to buy another bike.
Unless you went with bargain components, which don't hold up for police use.

I think most of the guys who build consider it a labor of love. I like to find re-conditionable bikes and take my time cleaning them up and rebuilding the wheels, brakes, and so forth, then re-selling them.
It's not a particularly profitable endeavor.
 
Thank you all for your contributions. The spacing of the rear axle, I think, was my big concern. Ebay seems to be a great source of inexpensive used parts and I just needed to understand what I was looking for.
As usual I am reminded you really don't need another forum besides this one since it seems the combined knowledge here is quite extensive.
 
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