8 speed upgrade???

[Daddy Pig]

Having just dusted down my old mtb, servicing and changing the chain (all for the princely sum of £16!), I hit a few trails over Dartmoor this afternoon. It has been 15 years since I've ridden the bike or indeed headed off road (since I'm now an older piggy I've turned to the dark side - road cycling) but I got back with 'that feeling' and think that I have been bitten by the bug to do some more.
Now, I don't want to spend too much on upgrading the bike but I do need to do change the following:
Rear gear shifter; Cassette; Front derailleur
This is an old bike (c1997) with Shimano throughout, so there is limited components that will fit the existing 8 speed, but still good to ride - my Hope front hub spins just as new! I need it to last until next summer before I decide whether to upgrade.
Now, the question is, can I upgrade on the cheap to 9 or 10 speed without having to change items such as rear mech, freehub, chainset (or anything else)? (As in what is the compatibility?)

Thanks in advance,
Daddy Pig

 

[TheDoctor]

8 speed free hub will take 9 or 10.
8 speed mechs should do 9, but 10 has a different cable pull..
I'd go 9 speed myself, that should just be cassette, rear gear lever and chain. And front mech if you say that needs replacing.

 

[mjr]

Why do you want to? Are you feeling that the gaps between gears are too large? Enough to suffer the fiddlier chains of 9s?

 

[MichaelW2]

There is no reason to upgrade from 8 speed. You can still buy cassettes and chains. With 9/10 speed, everything gets thinner, which is fine for the higher groupsets with superior metallurgy, but pointless for the mass market affordable stamped steel groupsets.

 

[Daddy Pig]

8 speed is more than ok except i'm more worried that I will then find I need to replace the chainrings (which are not available anymore). If I stay 8 speed, would a 9 speed crankset work with an 8 speed setup in case replacements are needed. at a later date?

 

[mjr]

I think 8-speed chainrings are the same thickness as 5/6/7, so they'll be around for the forseeable future. It's only single-speed chainrings that may be thicker, but even a lot of single-speeds use 3/32" chain. 9-speed sprockets are only 0.05mm thinner, so I'd expect 9-speed chainrings are close enough, too.

In short: I'd be amazed if 9-speed cranksets didn't work but I'd be amazed if 8-speed dies out any time soon.

 

[Daddy Pig]

OK, thanks for the help everyone - 8 speed it shall remain... its only for a year or so and then I'll see whether I want to upgrade the bike or not.

 

[ChrisEyles]

I'd second the vote to keep it 8-speed for now... call me shallow but the old 90s running kit looks so much better than "upgrading" to a modern 9/10 speed mech and like you say, 8 on the back is more than enough as long as you've got the low gear you need.

If you can't get chainrings to fit (some cranksets from that era had very odd BCD spacings like my old STX-SE one), there are usually a few nice STX/Deore cranksets on ebay for reasonably sums if you have the tools to fit a new set of cranks. Mind you, the chainrings on my latest acquisition (another '97 MTB) look dreadfully worn but haven't skipped a beat out on the trails... so they may last longer than you think.

Where abouts on Dartmoor were you riding? I was up around Lustleigh cleave (heading along the Bovey valley up towards Moretonhampstead) just the other day, had a cracking ride although ended up walking quite a few sections.

If you've got any pics of the bike, I for one would love to see - late 90s was the golden age for MTB lookers as far as I'm concerned

 

[Daddy Pig]

I'd second the vote to keep it 8-speed for now... call me shallow but the old 90s running kit looks so much better than "upgrading" to a modern 9/10 speed mech and like you say, 8 on the back is more than enough as long as you've got the low gear you need.

If you can't get chainrings to fit (some cranksets from that era had very odd BCD spacings like my old STX-SE one), there are usually a few nice STX/Deore cranksets on ebay for reasonably sums if you have the tools to fit a new set of cranks. Mind you, the chainrings on my latest acquisition (another '97 MTB) look dreadfully worn but haven't skipped a beat out on the trails... so they may last longer than you think.

Where abouts on Dartmoor were you riding? I was up around Lustleigh cleave (heading along the Bovey valley up towards Moretonhampstead) just the other day, had a cracking ride although ended up walking quite a few sections.

If you've got any pics of the bike, I for one would love to see - late 90s was the golden age for MTB lookers as far as I'm concerned

I was up around the army tracks in the north, although I'd like to find some decent single track in the area.

Here you go, some 90's steel!
Ribble r8 frame, rockshox Judy sl forks, mixed shimano lx/xt/slx etc. It was pretty light for its age but now feels ridiculous compared to the road bike!

 

[ChrisEyles]

Sweet, that definitely does it for me! Loving the amount of seatpost showing in those pics - that bum up head down posture is much more fun than the modern dutch bike style geometry IMO (though I'll admit it *is* a lot better at stopping you going over the handlebars!)

I love the army tracks around the camp on North Dartmoor. Nothing too techy but the countryside is amazing and you can really get some speed up and have some seat-of-the-pants fun on the downhills. I don't know of any good singletrack as such around Okehampton, although there are some cracking little bits heading out to Belstone from the camp roads. Best I know of around that way is if you head south to Princetown there is a great loop out to Burrator reservoir and back (I think it's up on the DNPA website if you google dartmoor mountain bike or similar).

Have fun on the old steed

 

[Daddy Pig]

I have seen a review of the south Princetown ride down to the reservoir and looks pretty good, and there is also the longer route that includes the tram way via kings tor. Are there any other areas in Devon that are good to ride on away from the moor?
I was fortunate enough to grow up in the Mendip hills with loads of good riding - I managed 96 miles in one ride without going over the same bit of track, it just makes Devon feel like its lacking.
One thing I have remembered from yesterdays ride is the 'seat of your pants' adrenaline when heading downhill due to the high saddle.

 

[ChrisEyles]

One thing I have remembered from yesterdays ride is the 'seat of your pants' adrenaline when heading downhill due to the high saddle.

Yep

Other areas in Devon... well, there's Haldon trail centre outside Exeter, which I really enjoy, well worth a visit if you haven't been already. Woodbury common has some great bits of singletrack, although it can be easy to get lost and spend a long ride on fire roads without many fun bits. Take an OS map if you go, as well as being a bit of a maze it can get very misty up there. Stoke woods just outside Exeter is the closest place to me and has some home-made DH trails, but they are a bit too full-on for me TBH (very steep with big jumps and drop-offs - and I ride a rigid 90s MTB) - maybe worth a go if you enjoy that sort of thing (might have to lower that seatpost though!), and can be made into a good longer ride by looping around bridleways. There's also supposed to be some good stuff near Sidmouth around Mutters moor, though I've not tried out the trails there myself.

If you're on the West side of the county, Cardinham woods in Cornwall is also supposed to be well worth a visit, but again I haven't been myself (it's on the list though).

Lastly this is the best route I've ridden for scenery and enjoyment. Some bits are bloody difficuly to ride (I had to walk a fair bit) but still a great day out. I also found it pretty tough going, but if you can manage 96 miles on a MTB (which seems pretty epic to me) you'll be laughing.

http://www.ibikeride.com/index.php/gps-routes/viewtrack/157-dartmoor-devon-killer-loop

 

[Daddy Pig]

I remember stoke woods from my uni days. Last time I rode there I ended up in A&E!

 

[Daddy Pig]

Thanks for the ideas, time to get some new os maps of the area! That killer loop looks great, quite a bit of height gain though and sadly 96 miles was 17 years ago and about 4 stone!

 

[Nigeyy]

I think it all depends on what you want..... just my opinion:

• If you think 9 speeds will be better than 8, then yes, but in reality unless you are a pro, you'll not see enough difference.
• If you have loads of money to use, then yes, but then again you may as well upgrade to 10 or even buy a new bike......
• If finances are a bit tight, then no... unless you really need new components and you find all the 9 speed components cheaper than the 8 speed ones you need to replace

Like .TheDoctors post, minimally you'd need a 9 speed cassette (if you have a freewheel you're out of luck on that one) assuming your cassette freehub can take a 9 speed cassette, chain and a rear gear shifter. Unless you plump for a chear GripShift 9 speed shifter, I'm guessing the rear gear shifter will have the potential to be the most expensive component. If all your 8 speed components are in good shape or you only need a new chain and/or cassette, I'd say stick with them!