Replacing an 8-Speed Cassette with 9-Speed

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chr15b

Über Member
Location
Paisley
I have a Boardman road bike with a 9-Speed Sora setup. I'd been given a new Shimano R500 wheelset but it had an 8-Speed cassette on it. I've removed this and fitted a 9-Speed (12-23) cassette but there is a short gap between the lockring and 12T cog. Do I need to fit a spacer before the first set of cogs, or after the final cog? Photo for information - you can see the gap between the lockring and 12T cog.

Unfortunately I don't have the original 9-Speed cassette and/or the original wheels.

IMG_1465.JPG
 

Cycleops

Legendary Member
Location
Accra, Ghana
Yes, you need a spacer, not sure if it needs to go under the lock ring or at the back of the cassette.
Must be the back, found this on Amazon:


View: https://www.amazon.com/SHIMANO-HG-Gear-Cassette-Spacer-2-56-mm/dp/B001GSKSNY
 
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Ajax Bay

Guru
Location
East Devon
I'd been given a new Shimano R500 wheelset but it had an 8-Speed cassette on it. I've removed this and fitted a 9-Speed (12-23) cassette
A R500 wheel's freehub is specc'ed as 8/9/10sp compatible. Might the freehub not be original? If it had been replaced with an 11sp freehub then when the OP took off the 8sp there'd have been a spacer between the hub flange and the largest sprocket.
If so you'd need the same for the 9sp cassette too (1.8mm). NB this is not the spacer @Cycleops linked to - that's a 'normal' 9sp 2.56mm spacer that goes between sprockets - the image in the OP looks as if all the 'normal' ones are present and correct.
 
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OP
OP
chr15b

chr15b

Über Member
Location
Paisley
Thank you all for your replies. I can't understand why my 9-Speed cassette is shorter than the 8-Speed one when the 8-Speed had no spacer on it.

I went to the LBS and picked up a new 9-Speed 11-28T and that fit perfectly, didn't even need to re-index the gears.

As for the one that doesn't fit... I suspect it's a 10-Speed cassette with a missing sprocket.
 

Ajax Bay

Guru
Location
East Devon
I suspect it's a 10-Speed cassette with a missing sprocket.
Well done sorting it.
Suspect all you like, but a 10sp cassette slid onto the freehub would be one mm narrower than an 8sp or a 9sp cassette. And a 10sp cassette missing a sprocket would be about 5+mm narrower - not what the OP image shows. I guess we'll never know.
 
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