sqwertl

I have a 1996 Cannondale 2.8 aluminum frame that I am upgrading from downtube to STI shifters. I also need to replace the rear wheel, because the previous owner installed a 126mm wheel and the frame has 130mm dropout. This opens up a lot of possibilities for my upgrade since a new wheel means I can go 8-11 cogs (currently at 7). I will already be upgrading to STI, so I am wondering how high I should go here.

I'm new to upgrading bikes, so I don't know what would need to be replaced in addition to the shifters, cassette, and rear derailleur. My current setup includes: RX100 downtube shifters, front derailleur, brakes, and crankset (52/42 teeth), with a Shimano 600 rear derailleur. My brakes are fine for now, but do I need a new front derailleur or crankset to upgrade? Would this depend on how high I wanted to go? I was originally considering the 8-cog Claris since my 600 rear derailleur is 8-cog, but I am thinking about going to 9 or 10-cogs if I can keep the price in check.

I'm also fine upgrading over time if I find that other parts are better, but I want to keep the initial upgrade reasonable.

Edit: I replaced "speed" with "cog" in this post since that was a pain point for a few people.

sch

Realistically, the cranks and RD don't care much about whether you have a 7 or 10 spd set up. The FD will have some
influence as the higher speed cages are a bit narrower but also the vertical height of the inner cage can affect how
different the sizes of the CW can be, ie cages with vertical heights suitable for a 10 tooth difference may not work
well with a 16 tooth (ie compact) difference. You have to pay attention with the FD also as to needed cable pull
which means that 9-10-11 FDs may have different requirements.

You will have to locate an adapter for the downtube shifter boss to
convert it into a cable stop. OTOH modern cable/housing friction decreases mean that running a housing to near
the derailler is feasible. IMO 10 spd is the sweet spot from functionality/cost POV but 9 spd stuff (the critical parts
are the brifters and cassettes) is still around and pretty cheap.

1500SLR

Yes, you will need a cover for your down tube shifter that also converts it into a cable stop which is kind of ugly. I have one on my Giant in my bike log as below. The only other thing I can think of that might be a complaint is the spacing of the rear dropout. It can be a bit narrow on older bikes which will restrict the width of the wheel that you can fit on your bike comfortably.

fietsbob

Don't confuse Speed, with 'speeds' 1 is velocity, the other is a count of how many cogs are stacked on the rear hub.

ExPatTyke

I've upgraded my Peugeot Premiere from 10 to 18 speed. I had to spread the rear triangle to fit the wider axle, but that's not an issue you'll have as yours is the correct size already.

I went for 18 speed as there are plenty of Tiagra 2x9 shifters on Ebay at a good price. The shifters are reliable and have a decent shifting mechanism, and the 9 speed cassettes offer a good range of gears. No reason not to use another set up though, depending on your freehub.

You'll also need cable stops for the downtube. SJS Cycles stock them, and ship overseas: -
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/gear-spa...rs-st66006603/

1500SLR

I'm generally disagreeable with speed altogether. You have however many cogs as you do, but you never really have that many due to overlaps of gear ratios. This is particularly prevalent in department bike that claim to be 21 speed or whatever You have 10 gears on the bike but that' all that tells you. We should be talking in ratios like most other method of transportation but thats all a bit hard to understand for the average consumer.

SkyDog75

When you look at the price of shifters, cassette, and derailleur(s) and compare it to the price of a whole groupset, it might make sense to go 'whole hog'. STI levers, cassette, and derailleur can cost you over $200, but you can sometimes find complete Tiagra 10-speed groupsets for $300-ish: STI levers, both derailleurs, brakes, crankset, bottom bracket, and chain.

But when you add the price of a new groupset to the price of a new wheelset, your updates are coming perilously close to the price of a used or clearance bike that's already equipped how you want. BikeIsland.com can be a source for donor bikes. It's the scratch-n-dent clearance for bikesdirect.com. You can pick up a scratched or damaged bike with complete drivetrain and wheelset for less than they'd cost without the rest of a bike attached. Or a brand new, ready to ride Raleigh Revere 2 would probably cost somewhere in the $400's if you use their 'corporate discount' coupon code when ordering.

...or if you really want to do brifters on the cheap, pick up a set of Microshift 7-speed levers that'll mate with your Cannondale's existing components. And add a few spacers to your rear axle to space it properly for your frame.

Kontact 

You may get away with just rear hub, cassette, Microshift shifter and chain for 8 to 10 speeds. I would try it and replace the FD if it doesn't work - it probably will.

Depending on your current rear wheel, you might be able to rebuild the hub for 8, 9 or 10 cassettes and 130 spacing if it is currently a Shimano freehub.

sqwertl

Sorry, I forgot to mention that I already have some Shimano downtube cable stops, since I had planned on upgrading to Tourney shifters before I noticed the incorrect rear wheel.

It sounds like shifters and cassette are the only real necessities unless I run into problems after installing? I can get Tiagra 4700 shifters and cassette from ebay for fairly cheap, and a new rear wheel is about $80 from what I see online. The current wheel is 126mm 7-cog hyperglide so I can probably sell it and recoup some losses. This really wouldn't be too bad for a bike that I got off craigslist for $100. I love how gorgeous this frame looks, so I'm willing to go through some extra work for it. I know a new bike would be lighter and automatically come with the better gear, but I like projects like this and it's a great learning experience for bike maintenance and repair.

Ghrumpy

To quibble a bit about something else, to my way of thinking, an upgrade isn't "more", it's "better." Adding more "speeds" isn't an upgrade unless you are using better quality components. Adding more speeds at the same or lower quality level is an "update." The distinction is only important if you want to retain some level of immunity from marketing hype.

Replacing 600 with Claris is a downgrade.

sqwertl

Thanks for the input. There must have been some miscommunication, because I never used the word "upgrading" to mean "more." I only used that term when referring to the move from downtube to STI, which is definitely an upgrade for me since I consider it "better" to not remove my hands from the bars when shifting.

Per your example: I was referring to using the Claris shifters with my current 600 RD, not replacing the 600 with a Claris RD.

If you have any input relating to my question, I'm very interested in hearing it. If you want to discuss the semantics of "upgrading," I'm fine with that, too, but can we please take that convo somewhere else so this thread stays on topic?

Ghrumpy

Fair enough. That part was clear. To my reading, you used the term as though it was also about the number of cogs as well as the location of the shift levers. Hence my comments.

I do apologize, I've been hearing people misuse the word "upgrade" for the last 28 years of working on bikes, so it's practically a reflexive action.

Gotcha. Wasn't entirely clear from the text whether you were replacing your entire setup or piecemeal bits.

Sure!

Your question is complicated by its open-endedness. Upgrading/updating can become a rabbit hole. I generally recommend people come up with a wish list and/or a budget, and then see what can be done for the money available, or what it will cost for the wishes to come true.

wrk101

Cheapest option is get a set of the Shimano Tourney or similar 7 speed levers. Work perfectly fine, saves a lot. Use your original stuff. Your son RD will handle 7 speed just fine.


Example, brand new set for $54 delivered: https://www.ebay.com/i/312098779692?chn=ps&dispItem=1

HillRider

The OP already said the dropout spacing is 130 mm.

1500SLR

I may have missed that.

70sSanO

Well maybe not the 4700 shifters. You can probably use Tiagra 4600 10 speed shifters and use your existing derailleurs. The 4700 shifters have a different cable pull, so you need compatible derailleurs.

Running a 10 speed chain through a 7 speed system should work, but you may get chain float with your 7 speed crankset. I've never attempted that setup, so I don't know if it is possible for the chain to get wedged between the chainrings. I know that downshifting to the smaller chainring can cause a 9 speed chain to float on a 7 speed crank when in the higher cogs.

It is something to think about. I'm sure others will chime in.

John

speedevil 

^^ this is a good way to get brifters on your bike for a minimum cash outlay. Not knowing the # of miles in the chain right now, I would likely replace it at the same time. You should be able to pick up a set of 7 speed microshift brifters for $60-70, and a new 6-7-8 speed chain for $20. Since you already have the downtube cable stops, you're all set. Spacers on the rear axle are a good idea too, and very cheap.

Unless you want/need the additional gear ratios (and all of us here understand that need/want are often the same thing) this gets you into brifters and addresses the OLD problem, for a very reasonable price.

I would suggest that you add your location to your profile, that helps folks here to know what terrain you're likely to be riding in.