Touring - upgrading to ultra-gearing?

Hello, all.

Three years ago I did some intensive solo touring in the Karakoram and Himalayan regions. Lots of mountains. Fully loaded. I vowed then that, when I go back, I'd bring lower gearing. Much lower, if possible. I rode a 1999 Trek 930 with an eight speed cassette. I love the bike and still ride it to work daily on all its original components (7000+ miles?). I'd like to take it back to Nepal with me this fall. However, many of the bike shops are telling me that putting a 9-speed, 34 tooth cassette on it will require replacing lots of other components making it more cost effective to replace the entire bike. Another friend (who's worked for a major bike manufacturer for years) says they just want to sell me a new bike and converting the bike for a 9-speed cassette actually may only require a new chain, cassette and shifters. Who's right? Is there another (economical) ultra-gearing approach I should be considering? Can I really find a granny ring with 18 teeth?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Your friend is correct. I Like riding the old stuff, I built a 1979 raleigh technium that was originally 5 speed rear to a 9 speed DA and a 1993 bridgestone RB-T that was originall 7 speed rear to a 9 speed XTR. I just finished the bridgestone and have ridden it for just over 700 miles so I'll talk about that one. I installed a dura-ace tripp;e crankset with 30 - 39- 53 rings and an XTR rear cassette (12 - 34), I used a dura-ace front derailure because it will work with the 53 tooth ring and an XTR rear derailure because of the super long cage, it allows me to use the full range of the gearing. I had to build new wheels, I used ultegra hubs. This gear combination is great, it allows me to carry heavy loads up steep grades with no problems and allows me to move when the bike is light and the road permits. The XTR cassette is a 2 step gearing cassette meaning the cogs are as follows, 12 - 14 - 16 - 18 - 20 - 23 - 26 - 30 - 34. They are not race worthy but they are effective for touring. In your situation, you will not need to change your hub because 8 speed and 9 speed use the same cassette body, you will need to replace your cassette, chain, and shifter for the rear only, possibly your derailure depending on what you have now, if you tell me what you have I can tell you. depending on your component choice you can spend from as little as $120.00 for 105 or ultegra to a max of $400.00 for the XTR/dura-ace stuff. either choice will do the job dependably and shift like a swiss watch if set up properly.

Fantastic! Thanks so much. That's just the reply I was looking for! Very glad I posted. The rear D is a DeoreLX. The front, Alivio. I'd also like to do a 20 or even 18 (Do they exist?) tooth granny ring up front. I don't care much about the size of my large ring (Don't enjoy those high downhill speeds while loaded.). Any strong opinions about this idea?

-Scott

The LX rear derailure should shift the 9 speed fine if it's not pre 1998, I don't know if there are rings available for the LX crankset smaller than 22 teeth. 22 - 34 should get you up walls.