Bicycle Mechanics - Downgrade: 7 speed wheel in 8/9 speed (130mm) dropout

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Tinkeric
08-15-09, 12:49 PM
Hey everyone, I'm giving my friend an aluminum road bike but I'd like to keep the 8 speed wheels, which I'm hoping to replace with a spare 7 speed set. The dropouts are spaced 130mm but the 7 speed wheels are made for 126mm spacing. Would this work or will there be issues? Thanks.

Retro Grouch
08-15-09, 01:10 PM
If it was my bike I'd put a 4 mm spacer under the NDS lock nut. That will involve shifting the drive side cone and lock nut 2 mm to the right. You'll also have to redish the wheel to the right.

What are you using for a shifter? Some folks post they mix and match 7-speed and 8-speed shifters and cassettes but I've never been able to get that combination to work to my satisfaction.
Homebrew01
08-15-09, 02:14 PM
Or put a thin washer on each side to keep everything centered. Or just put the 7-speed in as it is .... no big deal.

HillRider
08-15-09, 02:25 PM
RG is correct and that's the proper way to do it. Add a 4mm spacer to the non-drive side of the hub, recenter the axle and redish the wheel (actually, you will be reducing the dish). The reduced axle protrusion past the locknuts (3.5 mm per side instead of 5.5 mm) will still be sufficient.

The faster way is to just install the 126 mm wheel in the 130 mm dropouts and tighten the qr skewer enough to compress the chainstays. :)