bmarkbike

Will 9 speed bar end shifters work with a Shimano Sora 8 speed gear set?

Dougmt

Yes.

On edit:
You can adjust your rear derail limit screws so that you don't send the chain into the frame or spokes. I used the 9 speed dura ace bar end shifters on my 8 speed XT rear DR with a 8 speed cassette. The derail doesn't know what it's hooked to... as long as it can adjust for the gears you have it doesn't care.... You will love the bar end shifters.... especially in friction mode... they are amazing
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sydney

Well, you may have got lucky and made it work, but it's damm sketchy because the 8 speed shimano cog spacng is 4.8mm abd 9 speed is 4.34mm. You can usually get away with a .2mm difference. AFWIW, RDs do matter as their throw ratio has to match the shifter cable pull. Otherwise you could just sub in a campy RD anytime you wanted to in a shimano system.

sydney

Use ultegra 8 speed as the shifter pull exactly matches the 8 speed cog spacing. 8 cog spacing is 4.8mm and 9 is 4.34mm.

ScituateJohn

Or wait 'till the eight speed chain and cassette wear out and change them with nine speed versions with the shifters.

Dougmt

Or... simply use the friction instead if index shifting on the rear... that solves everything :-)
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UCSDbikeAnarchy

the sora is so bad im sure you could make it work. Even with sora sti shifters and derailers, it never seem to stay in the gaer its suposed. to. Of course, in you can just use the 9-spds in friction than you will do fine.

I have sun tour barcons on my old centurion, and i love them do death over downtubes, althouhg give me a good STi anyday.