Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Road Cycling
Reload this Page >

Downgrading from 10 speed to 8 speed?

Notices
Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Downgrading from 10 speed to 8 speed?

Old 08-08-14, 12:52 PM
  #26  
Senior Member
 
gregjones's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: West Georgia
Posts: 2,828

Bikes: K2 Mod 5.0 Roadie, Fuji Commuter

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 23 Post(s)
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by bandera
when you purchase a fresh cassette get one w/ gearing that you'll use, 12-25?

You'll then have the benefits of the 10 speed set-up that you paid for.
Originally Posted by leinster
so get a 12-25 cassette next time you replace it. You'll have a 16 and an 18. You won't know yourself.
^^^this^^^
gregjones is offline  
Old 08-08-14, 02:00 PM
  #27  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Above ground, Walnut Creek, Ca
Posts: 6,681

Bikes: 8 ss bikes, 1 5-speed touring bike

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 86 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times in 4 Posts
sure. i agree. go to 8-speed. less is more...

although i have to admit i recently reinstalled my rear DR on one of my singlespeeds, but only because i heard it, and it's buddy, the friction shifters, whimpering as i passed by my closet the other day. i didn't go all out though. only put three cogs on.
hueyhoolihan is offline  
Old 08-08-14, 04:20 PM
  #28  
SLJ 6/8/65-5/2/07
 
Walter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SE Florida, USA aka the Treasure Coast
Posts: 5,399
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Liked 20 Times in 7 Posts
Originally Posted by jerrycan42
Dude just ride your bike.
Originally Posted by Agent Cooper
Somewhere, Sydney is smiling.
A name I haven't heard in awhile and I think he's smiling too while telling us to smoking carpet.

Like many others I don't see the swap as paying economic benefits. But I ride Campy so what do I know of economic benefits?
__________________
“Life is not one damned thing after another. Life is one damned thing over and over.”
Edna St. Vincent Millay
Walter is offline  
Old 08-08-14, 04:37 PM
  #29  
Fresh Garbage
 
hairnet's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 13,198

Bikes: N+1

Mentioned: 21 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 352 Post(s)
Liked 25 Times in 17 Posts
8 is great if you want to move to friction shifters or bar ends, like me. Otherwise save yourself the hassle.
hairnet is offline  
Old 08-09-14, 03:10 AM
  #30  
Mostly harmless ™
Thread Starter
 
Bike Gremlin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Novi Sad
Posts: 4,424

Bikes: Heavy, with friction shifters

Mentioned: 21 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1105 Post(s)
Liked 213 Times in 127 Posts
Thanks for all the advice. Had I known 3 years ago what I know now, I would have went for 3x8 with bar end shifters. Most roadies I know recommended 105 and 10 speed because it is "future proof" - like you said - parts availability etc.

In the mean time I had a left brifter broken and was very hard and expensive to get another one - cost over 100 euros.


I got an offer to swap the groupsets from a guy who competes. Got me thinking. Still haven't decided.
Bike Gremlin is offline  
Old 08-09-14, 03:36 AM
  #31  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Posts: 5,773
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 453 Post(s)
Liked 104 Times in 87 Posts
Originally Posted by Slaninar
Most roadies I know recommended 105 and 10 speed because it is "future proof" - like you said - parts availability etc.
Nothing is future proof, and parts availability, even for cassettes for 7 & 8 speed gets worse every year. I used 8 speed for MTB's but as soon as the XT level was discontinued, made the switch to 9 speed, we are well past that for road bikes, with Shimano only offering HG-41/HG-50 level cassttes, which are effectively Sora. Can't see these disappearing for many years, but at the same time, you only have one option. For 10 speed, that's effectively obsolete at the higher (from 105) level up now with the introduction of 5800 11 speed.
jimc101 is offline  
Old 08-09-14, 03:48 AM
  #32  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Hobart, Australia
Posts: 239
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 61 Post(s)
Liked 6 Times in 3 Posts
Originally Posted by Slaninar
In the mean time I had a left brifter broken and was very hard and expensive to get another one - cost over 100 euros.
Well you'll struggle to find 8-speed brifters singularly, since only one Shimano groupset uses them, and they're not made for the kind of riders that might do enough riding to break a shifter (which is an effort in itself). The cost of a set of new 8-speed brifters is... guess what, over 100 euros!
raisinberry777 is offline  
Old 08-09-14, 04:19 AM
  #33  
Banned
 
BoSoxYacht's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: take your time, enjoy the scenery, it will be there when you get to it
Posts: 7,281

Bikes: 07 IRO BFGB fixed-gear, 07 Pedal Force RS

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by redlude97
10000+ miles annually would not be considered recreational to most cyclists
So what is it considered?
BoSoxYacht is offline  
Old 08-09-14, 04:47 AM
  #34  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Posts: 5,773
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 453 Post(s)
Liked 104 Times in 87 Posts
Originally Posted by BoSoxYacht
So what is it considered?
10000 miles = 833 per month / approx 190 per week, that's a lot of distance & time on bike for recreation...
jimc101 is offline  
Old 08-09-14, 05:50 AM
  #35  
Mostly harmless ™
Thread Starter
 
Bike Gremlin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Novi Sad
Posts: 4,424

Bikes: Heavy, with friction shifters

Mentioned: 21 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1105 Post(s)
Liked 213 Times in 127 Posts
Used to be a 25 km to and from work, plus group rides after work and on weekends. Guess around 200 km per week. But not 200 miles. Not intensive at all, but I do ride all year long. When it snows, it's an old rigid MTB with studded tyres.

Road bike was used very seldom, but the more I rode it, the more I liked it. Soon I put a rack on the back and used it as a fair weather commuter. Now I'm thinking of getting cheaper spare parts (hence 8 speeds) and riding it all year long. It's lighter, faster, more fun, better seating position...
Bike Gremlin is offline  
Old 08-09-14, 06:51 AM
  #36  
Senior Member
 
Willbird's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Very N and Very W Ohio Williams Co.
Posts: 2,458

Bikes: 2001 Trek Multitrack 7200, 2104 Fuji Sportif 1.5

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by LesterOfPuppets
There are no 8-speed chains in that test, however. Maybe 9-speeds are crap. I know I snapped one 9-speed chain in no time. I put a Sram 830 chain on there cuz I had one on hand, been running it ever since. I now have a 9-speed to replace it with but haven't bothered.
It strikes me that the 8 speed will be just as needful of adjustment, but more tolerant of mis adjustment, personally I take no pride in a less than well tuned machine. I tweak for minutes and ride for hours and hours .

Just my .02

Bill
Willbird is offline  
Old 08-09-14, 07:28 AM
  #37  
ka maté ka maté ka ora
 
pdedes's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: wessex
Posts: 4,423

Bikes: breezer venturi - red novo bosberg - red, pedal force cg1 - red, neuvation f-100 - da, devinci phantom - xt, miele piste - miche/campy, bianchi reparto corse sbx, concorde squadra tsx - da, miele team issue sl - ultegra

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 25 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
you can save your drive train some wear and tear by fitting some clip on fenders for winter riding. IME, 8 speed stuff lasted longer than 10 spd and remains on my mtb which has been converted to errand/winter beater with fenders and racks. any racer worth his salt isn't riding 10x3. 10x2 only.
pdedes is offline  
Old 08-09-14, 08:31 AM
  #38  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 316
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 12 Times in 7 Posts
i setup my 10 speed mechs just as fast as i setup 8 and 9 speed mechs. i find the cassettes and chains are a bit much at the LBS, but chainreaction sells em cheap
calgarc is offline  
Old 08-09-14, 08:55 AM
  #39  
we be rollin'
 
hybridbkrdr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Quebec, Canada
Posts: 1,930
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 222 Post(s)
Liked 25 Times in 24 Posts
Shimano Ultegra 8 speed bar-end shifters: Shimano Ultegra 6480 Triple 8sp Bar End Shifter | Chain Reaction Cycles

This winter I plan to build a touring bike with Shimano Ultegra bar-end shifters. It's going to be an 8 speed setup (although the LX rear derailleur is really 9 speed and the LX front derailleur is 7 speed).
hybridbkrdr is offline  
Old 08-09-14, 09:48 AM
  #40  
Senior Member
 
wphamilton's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Alpharetta, GA
Posts: 15,280

Bikes: Nashbar Road

Mentioned: 71 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2934 Post(s)
Liked 341 Times in 228 Posts
It seems like a dumb question, but are there any inexpensive 8-speed integrated shifters? It just seems wrong to pay $150 for low end Claris shifters ...
wphamilton is offline  
Old 08-09-14, 09:56 AM
  #41  
Senior Member
 
fstshrk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: WA State
Posts: 1,843
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 20 Post(s)
Liked 5 Times in 3 Posts
Originally Posted by Willbird
It strikes me that the 8 speed will be just as needful of adjustment, but more tolerant of mis adjustment, personally I take no pride in a less than well tuned machine. I tweak for minutes and ride for hours and hours .

Just my .02

Bill
Nope. Even my older 9 speed 4500 Tiagra setup requires less tuning than the 10 speed. I think the Shimano 10 speed drivetrains (4600/5600/5700/....) are finicky. I have three bikes with the Shimano 10 speed and I spend a lot more time tuning/cleaning those than my workhorse 9 speed.

OP, did you think about a 4500 9 speed setup? They are fairly cheap and easy to find parts for.
fstshrk is offline  
Old 08-09-14, 10:40 AM
  #42  
Banned
 
BoSoxYacht's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: take your time, enjoy the scenery, it will be there when you get to it
Posts: 7,281

Bikes: 07 IRO BFGB fixed-gear, 07 Pedal Force RS

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by fstshrk
Nope. Even my older 9 speed 4500 Tiagra setup requires less tuning than the 10 speed. I think the Shimano 10 speed drivetrains (4600/5600/5700/....) are finicky. I have three bikes with the Shimano 10 speed and I spend a lot more time tuning/cleaning those than my workhorse 9 speed.
I think you are doing something wrong.
BoSoxYacht is offline  
Old 08-09-14, 01:16 PM
  #43  
Senior Member
 
fstshrk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: WA State
Posts: 1,843
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 20 Post(s)
Liked 5 Times in 3 Posts
Originally Posted by BoSoxYacht
I think you are doing something wrong.
No, I am not. But thanks for volunteering your opinions. Shimano 10 speed drivetrains (all of them) are temperamental. They run great when finely tuned (which mine are) but they do need careful attention. Compared to the 9 speed Tiagra on the touring bike that just keeps going, and going. The only thing I do is to swap the chain on that bike every 4000 miles or so.
fstshrk is offline  
Old 08-10-14, 02:08 AM
  #44  
Senior Member
 
Fiery's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,361
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 242 Post(s)
Liked 18 Times in 13 Posts
Originally Posted by fstshrk
No, I am not. But thanks for volunteering your opinions. Shimano 10 speed drivetrains (all of them) are temperamental. They run great when finely tuned (which mine are) but they do need careful attention.
I also think you are doing something wrong. I ran 5600 for a few years, and it was only finnicky when the cables wore out. After replacement, it was set and forget for a couple of years.
Fiery is offline  
Old 08-11-14, 07:53 AM
  #45  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 429
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Anecdotal evidence on both sides of the argument, but I found no difference in difficulty of adjustment between the Shimano groups I've had experience with. The 10 speed 105 I run now on my main bike is easily the most reliable I had so far. I'd say adjust difficulty was the same for all and I would describe it as easy.

W.R.T Shimano, I've used following quite a bit:
Downtube:
7 spd : Exage, RSX, 105

STI Brifter.:
Ultegra 8spd, Tiagra 9spd, Ultegra 9spd, 105 9 spd, 105 10 spd
jerrycan42 is offline  
Old 08-11-14, 09:36 AM
  #46  
Banned
 
BoSoxYacht's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: take your time, enjoy the scenery, it will be there when you get to it
Posts: 7,281

Bikes: 07 IRO BFGB fixed-gear, 07 Pedal Force RS

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by fstshrk
No, I am not. But thanks for volunteering your opinions. Shimano 10 speed drivetrains (all of them) are temperamental. They run great when finely tuned (which mine are) but they do need careful attention. Compared to the 9 speed Tiagra on the touring bike that just keeps going, and going. The only thing I do is to swap the chain on that bike every 4000 miles or so.
Look, you really don't know what you are talking about. The fact that you can't get your bike to stay tuned means nothing more than that. You have a problem with your bike.
BoSoxYacht is offline  
Old 08-11-14, 09:51 AM
  #47  
Mostly harmless ™
Thread Starter
 
Bike Gremlin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Novi Sad
Posts: 4,424

Bikes: Heavy, with friction shifters

Mentioned: 21 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1105 Post(s)
Liked 213 Times in 127 Posts
I decided to stick to 10 speed for now. I still regret getting more than 8 speed in the first place. From my experience - it is the sweet spot. Wide range, relatively tight gearing and cheap and reliable, cable/housing dirt/rust tolerant (more than 10 speed definitely).
Bike Gremlin is offline  
Old 08-11-14, 10:23 AM
  #48  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 4,770
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 630 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 369 Times in 206 Posts
Originally Posted by fstshrk
Nope. Even my older 9 speed 4500 Tiagra setup requires less tuning than the 10 speed. I think the Shimano 10 speed drivetrains (4600/5600/5700/....) are finicky. I have three bikes with the Shimano 10 speed and I spend a lot more time tuning/cleaning those than my workhorse 9 speed.

OP, did you think about a 4500 9 speed setup? They are fairly cheap and easy to find parts for.
You should have a qualified mechanic set up your 10 speed. I've ran 9 and 10 and they both require the exact same amount of maintenance.
Elvo is offline  
Old 08-11-14, 10:23 AM
  #49  
blah blah blah
 
milkbaby's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,520
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Fiery
Originally Posted by fstshrk
Shimano 10 speed drivetrains (all of them) are temperamental. They run great when finely tuned (which mine are) but they do need careful attention. Compared to the 9 speed Tiagra on the touring bike that just keeps going, and going. The only thing I do is to swap the chain on that bike every 4000 miles or so.
I also think you are doing something wrong. I ran 5600 for a few years, and it was only finnicky when the cables wore out. After replacement, it was set and forget for a couple of years.
I agree there is something weird going on if your 10 speed keeps going out of whack. The only things that I can think of that should affect the tuning are cable friction (either within the housing or under-BB shell cable guide), cable housing compression, or something gunked up internally in the shifter. I guess there could be other problems if you have an old or defective rear derailer where the return spring was weak or there is too much play in the pivot points.
milkbaby is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
cisaksen
General Cycling Discussion
13
06-30-18 08:24 AM
asmac
Bicycle Mechanics
16
07-07-17 09:30 AM
spectastic
Touring
50
02-26-16 09:59 AM
Bike Gremlin
Bicycle Mechanics
13
09-12-12 10:02 AM
Mithrandir
General Cycling Discussion
3
08-09-11 01:56 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.