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Hello all,
This one is for the retro-inclined. For reasons that are lengthy to explain, not that interesting and those who know will know anyway, I run 10 speed Campag Daytona Ergo shifters on my Graventurex bike. They are pulling a 9 speed Shimano XT mech on an 8 speed cassette, and yes, it works brilliantly!
Problem with 8 speed is that the range of cassettes is not great - I'm running 11-32 SRAM and would like a lower gear, so I bought an 11-34 Shimano cassette. Trouble is the jump to 32 is from a 26 sprocket which is a big gap.The SRAM is a jump from 26 to 32 and that is big enough.
What I would like to do is to butcher the Shimano cassette (it is pinned not screwed so will need to drill out the pins), and use the 34 sprocket on the SRAM cassette after the 32. To this I will need to get rid of the 11 and 12 tooth sprockets, and I was hoping to use an old 13T 7 speed locking compatible sprocket instead. The SRAM is screwed but obviously the 34 tooth would not be attached in any way.
So, would this work? I think the 13T will be a high enough gear for the bike so I'm not worried about that, it's just whether this bodge will fall apart or hold together?
Thanks!
If your running a single ring up front, why not just fit a smaller ring?
I think you'll struggle to find a lockring to fit the 13t sprocket, and also the lowest sprocket has serations on it to grip the lockring, most 13t sprockets won't have them.
most 13t sprockets won’t have them
Not a problem at all. Single speed converters to HG freehub body tend to be just plain. Never had any issues with that.
Biggest problem will be size of your lockring, not to fall inside of 13t sprocket, but I guess you can bodge it with some sort of washer/plate.
Cheers!
I.
11-40 8 speed here-
Thanks all.
The 13T comes off a 7 speed and that is the smallest sprocket, so I can use that lock ring.
That 11-40 looks good but there are some BIG jumps there!Might be fun to try though.
I expect it will work fine.
(Fellow Shimergo fan here)
Tempted by the 11-40 but I don't think my 9 speed XT mech (772 I think) will stretch that far.
Can get a 13t lock ring easily enough. Token make one (bought one on eBay last year.)
Yes this will work, no need for the sprockets to be pinned together. I've been using my homemade 12-36 for years.
8 and 9 speed sprockets are the same thickness, but you need to use the spacers from an 8 speed cassette so the indexing works.
I used an 11-30T 8sp (SRAM PG-830 ), removed the 11t and fitted the 36T sprocket off a 12-36 (SHIMANO HG400 9sp), the extra spacer came from a knackered 8 speed cassette in my junk pile.
Also using a 10sp shadow+ clutch mech bodged to work with 8sp SRAM shifters on the same bike.
As regards the 40t 8 speed cassette, your rear mech will work if you use a gear hanger extender tab thingy. Often the cassette supplier on say eBay will supply one.
https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-sora-hg50-8-speed-road-cassette-108930.html have a 13-26 cassette, no idea how easy it will be to butcher it to get say a 30 and 34 sprocket on there.
I've used 11-30 for ~2+ years on the fatbike's 29er wheelset, but then it has a 24/38 chainset, so I can quite happily get up the local ~20% wall in a low gear.
I think it will work, but looking at the gear charts a 34 isn't going to make that much difference to a 34. Think I might have to go triple.