Originally Posted by
robsilverii
I am going to buy the whole wheel set. I don't want to deal with getting things relaced. Could I just run a 7 speed cassette with the derailleur that is on the bike? It is shimano light action.
You should be able to run 7-8-9 speeds in friction mode with your current setup. If you want indexed shifting with cassette wheels, you can buy new shifters. 8 and 9 speed shifters are available new for around $50 and 7 and 8 speed shifters show up regularly on ebay. A final option is to buy a 700c wheel that will take a 6 speed thread-on freewheel. These come up regularly on ebay and can be bought new online or through your LBS.
You've got lots of options.