Max88

I'm looking to update my old 24 speed (3x8) Hardrock, but it looks like my grip shifter and brake lever are one piece. I've tried searching for a SRAM trigger shifter/brake lever combo, but haven't been able to find one. I have a SRAM 3.0 rear derailleur which limits my options. Based on the pics below, is there a way to just replace the shifter and keep the brake lever? Or does anyone know where I can buy the trigger/brake combo? Please forgive my lack of knowledge when it comes to bike parts.

bulldog1935

I would follow iBoB google group - a lot of people sell parts there, and trigger shifters turn up frequently.
https://groups.google.com/forum/?fro...m/internet-bob
watch for people cleaning out their parts inventories - you need a g-mail account.

Darth Lefty 

SRAM still makes X4 trigger shifters as well as grip shifters for this RD and 8 speeds. You'll need separate brake levers. Or, you could get a set of Shimano EZ-fires and a Shimano RD to go with it.

Other than EZ-Fires, these sort of went out of style. For the cheaper components, both brands just went to separate parts, and for the more expensive components, both brands have shifters that bolt onto to their brake levers. But it looks like you can't get that at 8-speed, it starts at 9-speed.

Phil_gretz

^ this. Go with st-ef51 in 8 speed and swap in a Shimano MTB derailleur. My local coop has a bin full of them...

That's what I'd do.

fietsbob

ready to change the rear derailleur too? to open your options more broadly?

new bikes keep using 8 speed at the modest price points, I see Shimano on many of them in the LBS..




...

Bill Kapaun

I'm not up on which SRAM parts are compatible with Shimano, But you could get a new Shimano RDER for about $20-25?

I like the Shimano EF-65 shifter/brake combo, although the EF 51 will also work.
The 4 finger version is adjustable for V or Canti brakes.

IF you want to go to 9 speed, get 9 speed shifters, RDER, chain & cassette. Since you are changing some parts anyway, now would be a less expensive time to do it.
I like the much wider variety of cog combinations on 9 vs 8.

leob1

Would these work?
https://www.amazon.com/SRAM-X-4-8-Sp.../dp/B001ONNNCO

And you'd need brake levers, but you have more easy options there.

Max88

Thanks for the quick responses. I really would have just preferred going with a SRAM trigger shifter/brake combo to make things a lot simpler but I guess that is not an option.
So I can just swap out the old SRAM 3.0 RDER with a Shimano RDER in order to use the EF51? Any other mods needed to make it work?

csport

That will work. Shimano MTB shift/brake combos like EF51 of EF65 will work with V brakes and Shimano RDER. Some high end (10 speed MTB or 11 speed road) RDERs may be incompatible. I have a similar Hardrock; I have got a used frame and originally built it with Acera RD-M360 and EF65 8 speed shifters. Worked fine.
Also, would you mind me asking what year yours is? I figured it is 1999 or 2000 (last years they had chromoly frames). Here is a picture of mine (new headset, fork replaced with rigid one, drop bars):

Max88

Mine is a 2001. I think that was the first year this model came out with the 8 speed. Is that Shimano Acera RD-M360 long or short cage?

csport

It is SGS, long cage. It can run 11-34 cassette in the back and 28-38-48 chainset in the front. There are even cheaper ones like this: NEW Shimano Tourney RD-TY500-SGS 6/7-Speed Direct Mount Rear Derailleur - Black | eBay Normally "7 speed RD" will work with 8 speeds.

csport

Thanks! Mine is probably 2001 as well, looks identical.

scolist

This might, or might not help.

Home

csport

Try taking the shifter and the brake lever off the handlebars, and you will see whether they can be separated.
You can buy SRAM shifter and some other (non-SRAM) brake lever for V-brakes.
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Bicycl...r_Shift_Ratios As people said, SRAM normally uses different cable pull from Shimano (1.1 vs 1.7, called 1:1 and 2:1 correspondingly). You can operate the rear shifter across all the 8 gears and measure the amount cable moves along the downtube. Then the shift ratio is 7*4.8/(length of cable movement); here 7 is for 7 shifts, 4.8mm is the 8s sprocket spacing. This way you can be sure what kind of shifter your RD takes.
Plenty of discounted ones at bikewagon:
Shimano Altus ST-M310 3 x 8-Speed Brake / Shift Lever Set V-Brake Silver | Flat Bar Shifters | Shifters | All Products | Bikewagon.com --- separate ones
Shimano ST-EF65 3 x 8-Speed Shift/Brake Lever Set | Brakes & Levers | All Products | Bikewagon.com --- 8s EF65, I have bought this one some time ago, it came with 4-finger levers
Shimano ST-M410 MTB Shifter/Brake Lever Set 3 x 8 Speed Silver | Flat Bar Shifters | Shifters | All Products | Bikewagon.com --- slightly more expensive one
You will need Shimano compatible (Shimano or other brand) rear derailleur for Shimano shifters though.

Bill Kapaun

That was my thought a couple days ago, but since the Brake Levers say Gripshift......

Currmudge

Try this:

SRAM X-4 triggers and Avid FR-5 levers. eBay is your friend.

Max88

I just ordered a set of Shimano EF65s from Ebay and will replace my SRAM RD with a used Shimano 8speed RD from my neighbor's Specialized mtb that has been stripped for parts.