Originally Posted by
BananaTugger
Yes, really. If you are saying that he can still use his 8 speed crank (which he can), then what has changed? Even if he had to change rings to accommodate the narrower chain, he could still use the same crank since the spacing between the gears are unchanged.
From
Sheldon Brown
Many front derailers are designated for some number of speeds in back. This is actually primarily a marketing distinction, not a functional one. Pretty much any front derailer will work with any modern chain system.
It is true that the cages have gotten slightly narrower to match the narrower chains used on systems with more rear sprockets, but this is rarely a problem in practice.