8 speed to 9 speed

[brady37]

hi please help i ask this yesterday and got an ok but speaking to other people they say i cant my friend is giving me a 9speed ultrega longcage rear mech to replace my 8 speed longcage rear mech will it be ok please help as i think my mate is going to take a heart attack shouting at me to say it is ok

 

[andy_wrx]

Yes, it'll be OK.

The shifters and cassette must match (i.e. both be 8sp, and both be Shimano), but the derailleur doesn't care (as long as it's Shimano too)
- the shifters pull an amount of cable, the mech moves sideways a distance based on the amount of cable pulled
- i.e. the mech doesn't 'know' anything about 8sp or 9sp, it just moves sideways as far as the amount of cable being pulled 'tells it to'
- 8sp cogs are a little wider apart than 9sp, 8sp shifters pull a little bit more cable than 9sp shifters, so the mech moves sideways that little bit more

 

[PatrickPending]

yep as above, quite a few road bikes came with 9 speed mechs, the rest of the drivetrain being 8 speed (2004 specialized allez - entry level for example)

 

[Jonathan M]

Yes, it works, a 9speed mech can be used on an 8 drivetrain with no problems, obviosuly doesn't mean you've suddenly got a 9 speed drivetrain though!!

 

[nuovo_record]

i run a 9 speed mirage with 8 speed record cassette but with the levers on friction....won't work as well if i turn the levers to indexed though

 

[andy_wrx]

That's Campag - didn't they change their system when going from 8sp to 9sp ?

For Shimano however it's fine
(and the OP talks about Ultegra : I do hope he means replacing a Shimano 8sp mech with the Ultegra 9sp mech...if he means replacing Campag 8sp wit hUltegra it certainly won't)

 

[redjedi]

I have a 9sp Shimano mech with an 8 sp Shimano cassette and 10 sp Campag shifters which all works.

But that doesn't help with your question, so ignore me

But OT. If your replacing an 8 sp Shim mech with a 9 spd Shim mech then it will work fine.

And stop talking to these "other people", we're all you need

 

[Landslide]

http://www.cyclechat.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=759366&postcount=9

 

[jayce]

As said i ran a 7 cassette ,8 speed chain and 10 speed mech all worked fine for me

 

[fossyant]

The only 8 speed Shimano Mech that won't do 9 speed Shimano shifters in Dura Ace 7400 series..... ah well..... likes the 9 speed chain though !

Redjedi...Shimagnolo....nooooo....

 

[brady37]

once again folks ta very much i will now keep all my questions for cc cheers

 

[redjedi]

Redjedi...Shimagnolo....nooooo....

I know, I know but I WAS slowly changing all the parts over from Shimano to Campag as I could afford it. The last bit to do was the rear mech and freehub

But that won't be an issue anymore

 

[TheDoctor]

Anyway, the setup redjedi had was an arrangement that is bang-on exact. It works perfectly.

 

[andrew_s]

It's a widely publicised lucky coincidence that 8-speed shimano with 10-speed Ergo levers works so well.
It allows the non-competitive cyclist to use cheaper 8-speed cassettes, MTB cassettes for low gears, not have cables that get in the way of a bar bag, and to have trim on the front mech.

 

[TheDoctor]

Well, shimano have used so many arrangements that something was bound to work with something else!