Converting 7 Speed to 8 speed

[HobbesOnTour]

What shifter are you using @HobbesOnTour ?

Ooh! I've just gone online to provide a link...... And I can't find one!
The bike is 22/23 years old and the shifters are original.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Have you got any spare 13T - I don't bother with the 12's on 7/8 speeds ? What's your range of teeth you plan to use ?

My preferred cassette was 14/34 (or maybe it was 13/34) on a 7 Speed.
I'm not too concerned with the range, focused mainly on the size of the largest sprocket, ideally 32 or 34.
I've got no spare parts other than the 12/28 currently on it.

Thanks

 

[fossyant]

Ooh! I've just gone online to provide a link...... And I can't find one!
The bike is 22/23 years old and the shifters are original.

View attachment 577892

They are newer than mine. Around 30 years old on my Deore LX ! 😄

 

[Ajax Bay]

#Lotofitabout

 

[mickle]

Ooh! I've just gone online to provide a link...... And I can't find one!
The bike is 22/23 years old and the shifters are original.

View attachment 577892

Ah. Shame. Because if you had a 7spd thumbshifter you'd have been able to convert to 8spd without any more adaptations than fitting an 8spd cassette. It was a common 'hack' back 'in the day'. The space beyond the seventh click was enough to push the chain onto the extra cog.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Sometimes it's better to be lucky than smart!

After checking various online oprions on and off since Christmas (and finding nothing), then hitting the "bike quarter" in the centre on Monday (avoiding the riots - never a dull moment here) and finding less than nada - the people in a dedicated Shimano shop explained that the "factory" was not prioritising 7 speed components - I went online again last for one last look.

Lo and behold I found a genuine Shimano 32/12 tooth 7 speed cassette! (Ironically, after doing all my searches in Spanish, an English language search threw this one up!)

Now, this is México and I won't know if the description is accurate until it arrives, but it looks like my dilemma is solved, for now at least. If (and it's a pretty big "If") I get rolling again, this will be an issue again. At least I've a bit more knowledge in my back pocket.

Many thanks for the helpful pointers.

 

[fvkklvv]

Sometimes it's better to be lucky than smart!

After checking various online oprions on and off since Christmas (and finding nothing), then hitting the "bike quarter" in the centre on Monday (avoiding the riots - never a dull moment here) and finding less than nada - the people in a dedicated Shimano shop explained that the "factory" was not prioritising 7 speed components - I went online again last for one last look.

Lo and behold I found a genuine Shimano 32/12 tooth 7 speed cassette! (Ironically, after doing all my searches in Spanish, an English language search threw this one up!)

Now, this is México and I won't know if the description is accurate until it arrives, but it looks like my dilemma is solved, for now at least. If (and it's a pretty big "If") I get rolling again, this will be an issue again. At least I've a bit more knowledge in my back pocket.

Many thanks for the helpful pointers.

Are you staying currently in Mexico City? There are also some specialised shops located all over the country selling their products online. Have you checked them out? you could give Amazon and/or Mercado Libre a go too!

Cheers.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Are you staying currently in Mexico City? There are also some specialised shops located all over the country selling their products online. Have you checked them out? you could give Amazon and/or Mercado Libre a go too!

Cheers.

Yep! I'm in the big city!

This arrived yesterday!

I wish a vaccine was as easy to track down!

 

[fvkklvv]

Yep! I'm in the big city!

This arrived yesterday!
View attachment 578338

I wish a vaccine was as easy to track down!

Sweet!

Happy riding!