8 Spd Cassette Options

[trj977]

I hope somebody can help on this.

Due to old age and not being a specimen in peak physical form I am contemplating changing the gearing on my bike.

I presently have 53/39 and a 12 - 23 rear mech, Campag ATHENA . All from around 1994. The frame is an original Pinarello Treviso

I guess to go compact or fit a triple I would need to ditch the chainset and change the chainset, bottom bracket and front/rear mech?

My favoured option (due to price) is to change the rear cassette, so a couple of questions:

Are old 8 spd cassettes still available?
If they are what ranges can I get?
Would I need to change anything else?

Many thanks

 

[02GF74]

going triple would mean new chainset, new front and rear derailuer ; BB is unchanged. and new LH shifter !!

You cna buy old cassettes but you are better off buing a new one

Planty of Shimano 8 speed, and even 7 - not seen anything less than 9 speed campag (chain reaction) .

 

[mickle]

A triple chainset installation will also need a new LH Ergo shifter and a long cage mech. Fitting a compact chainset is your best bet (if you can find one to fit your current square taper BB all the better). You might need to install a narrower chain to cope with narrower modern rings but that's it aside from dropping the front mech down a bit.

I run a 10spd chain SRAM chain on an 8spd Campag cassette with no probs.

 

[trj977]

Many thanks for the advice guys.

Of course ideal solution would be a nice new bike! Not sure senior managment would agree though.

 

[Proto]

Ribble are still selling Campag Record 8 speed cassettes at silly low prices (~£20 I think).

And Miche still make Campag comatible 8 sp cassettes, available from Ribble and Dotbike, probably elsewhere too.

 

[Globalti]

For what it's worth I have just fitted a Shimano compact double Hollowtech crankset to my old Peugeot racer. This comes with a hollow axle permanently attached to the RH crank and the LH crank then bolts to it. I had to have a new BB fitted with external bearings, the whole lot cost me £60. The rings are something like 39 and 50 but how much time does an amateur like me spend in the big ring anyway? With this combination I will spread the wear more evenly over both rings.

The biggest revelation is the stiffness of the cranks. I hadn't realised until now how flexy my standard square taper cranks are; these are qute noticeably stiffer and more efficient, hill climbing is a point and pedal affair and my standard road climb has become almost a pleasure. I would strongly recommend a Hollowtech crankset to anybody. Quite amazing how good new technology is.

 

[Rob S]

A triple chainset installation will also need a new LH Ergo shifter

Not sure why you'd say that...Ergos have been both double and triple compatible from the day they were invented.

The cheapest option is to buy an 8 speed cassette, there are still places that sell them as already noted.

If you ever knacker your current hub and buy a current Campag one you can still run 8 speed by buying a 9 speed Veloce or Mirage cassette, dropping the largest sprocket and use Campag's cassette Spacer Kit 03.

 

[mickle]

Not sure why you'd say that...Ergos have been both double and triple compatible from the day they were invented.

Coz I'm a neejit. I stand corrected.