Since you currently have a working 8-speed, then you are virtually certain to have 130 rear spacing. You can measure with a good metal ruler easily, or get some digital calipers, but your wheels and your current gearing indicate you don't need to be concerned about the rear dropout spacing.

As for your original question, I can't imagine for $50 you can get anything functional as a group set. What's your absolute top budget for this project? Maybe post a photo of your current bike, along with a description of the current components, and give a price range you're looking to hit. The board might be able to help you find exactly what you need at a great price.

if I were (and I have been! that is how i know) I'd look for some 9 speed ultegra (6500) as a good cost vs performance upgrade. the stuff is rock solid and all you need is the brifters and a 9 speed cassette + chain, and your off!

I have them on 2 of my bikes, both purchased used (one was REALLY trashed) but they take a beating and keep on clicking. One set is on my cyclocross bike and its always getting wet and even hit and a bit muddy.. and its fine. super tough.


here are some with 6 hours left and $15

https://www.ebay.com/itm/LQQK-SHIMANO...8AAOSw4GVYTt2t

This caught my attention first thing on reading the OP. I remember numerous folks posting about this or that great deal from one of the Chinese on-line sellers. Pretty much false advertising to me, perhaps someone actually found a deal on some actual Shimano components, but I live by the old saw "You Get What You Pay For" when these things come up. At that price, you might find a FD from one of these places, RD would be a bit more. Do your due diligence first.

Best way to get an honest discount on a Shimano 5800 (105 11-speed) or 6800 (Ultegra 11-speed) is one of the UK in-line sellers, as said previously. Last year I used Ribble for an Ultegra 11-speed group set for my CAAD 10, paid approx. 530.00 USD, for a complete groupset, and I needed a wheelset too, the Fulcrum Racing7 I had would not accept the 11-speed cassette, I used the new Racing7 LG, since they were on sale at the same time there.

Bill

That's ALWAYS a scam. Do not bid on China origin bike parts. Usually always $49 no matter what the product.

Drop out measures 128mm. Rear wheel slides on and out easily. I can spread the drop outs easily enough by hand, I don't think that much deflection would hurt the frame, possibly more stress on the hub bearings? I've been riding this bike for 4 years and I haven't had any problems in that regard so who knows.
My goal is to start riding to work more often. I would like move the shifters off the downtube to make city riding a bit easier. Ideally I don't want to spend more than 200 dollars or so. Any more than that and I could sell this bike and be into a unit that already has more modern components.
Here's what I'm working with
[IMG][/IMG]

you can get a Sora 9 speed group set for a bit more than your $200 Shimano Sora 3000 9 Speed Double Groupset - Road Groupsets - Ribble Cycles

I hadn't considered 128mm spacing. That makes sense and it will work for you.


Your current wheels still limit you to 10-speed, but I wouldn't consider that a problem. If you're comfortable doing the work yourself, it should be no problem keeping it under $200. You've got a few options:


1) Buy new 10-speed shifters, cassette and chain. If you go to the Ribble site, you can find 4600-series Tiagra levers for $130, cassette for $18 and KMC chain for $15. If you want a little more bling, Merlin has 5700-series 105 shifters for about the same price. Going this route you could upgrade other pieces as budget allows in the future. There's no reason you couldn't move it all to another bike later. Note: 4700-series Tiagra levers will NOT work with your derailleurs. If you want to go cheaper, you can get 9-speed Sora levers for under $90 (but again, you'll need 3500, not R3000) and 9-speed cassette and chain are even cheaper.


2) Search eBay for used components. With enough patience you could find used 10-speed Ultegra shifters within your budget. Buying used STI levers is a gamble because they aren't easily serviceable, but you could get something really nice this way.


3) If you want to go really cheap and don't mind something exotic, you could buy 10-speed Campagnolo shifters. They should work with the 8-speed Shimano cassette and rear derailleur so you wouldn't need to buy anything else (except maybe a Campy front derailleur, depending on your tolerance for sloppy front shifting and your mechanical skills). Ribble has new 10-speed Xenon shifters for $60. The biggest downside here is that a lot of bike shops will tell you that you're on your own getting a setup like this to work.

Ugh don't even get me started on the LBS. they are damn near a cult.
Fantastic info and I appreciate the time everyone has taken to respond.
What about microshift? Are they utter garbage?

Don't forget C&V for sale section......often you can find what you are looking for or ask and be surprised with what shows up and IIRC Oddjob has a lot of 105 parts you could IM him

I've heard decent things about Microshift. The only Microshift products I've personally used are the bar-end shifters built into my Gevenalle CX levers. Those are outstanding. The main reason I didn't mention them is that if you should UK discounters for Shimano stuff it's pretty competitive with Microshift in terms of price.

Microshift is an interesting company.

They, like Shimano, have a full line of components ranging from cheap in price and finish to excellent and expensive.
I have their 11speed bar end shifters on gevenalle shifters and they work great. I bought 7sp STIs from them from a China ebay company and they worked fine. Not excellent feeling, but Shimano 7sp STIs are no different.

Microshift 9sp mountain bike shifters have gotten less than stellar reviews.
The 9sp road and mountain derailleurs work great and are well constructed.

Amazon has relatively good deals on microshift shifting groups (STIs and derailleurs). Otherwise if you want new, overseas Shimano is probably the best.

Be aware- microshift went to the Campy style of ahifting for their higher 3 STI shifters. Some like that and some hate it.

While $50 for a brand new groupset isnt legit, i have gotten a ton of components from China without issue. The quality is consistently on par with the cost which is all i can expect, and the transactions are painless.

I should have clarified. The $49 Shimano Dura Ace or Ultegra Groupo isn't legit.

I had never seen the $50 China groupset thing until today. Today I saw $48 for a Campagnolo 9-speed build kit -- ergo shifters, crankset, bottom bracket, chain, rear derailleur, brakes. Free shipping! Two available! Zero seller feedback. The picture is stolen from another ad selling the same stuff from the US for $399. That makes me nervous just having the ad open in my browser.

I've bought things from China and never had a problem, but this is blatantly a scam.

Here's Sora on sale pretty cheap at Jenson -- $60 for brifters, They had $10 rear Sora derailleur but looks like it's sold out; and front derailleur is about $15.

Shimano ST3500 9 Speed Lever Set No PCKG > Components > Drivetrain > Road Shifters | Jenson USA

Not sure if this rear would work with 9-speed; works great with 8.

Shimano Altus M310 7/8 Speed Rear Der > S > Shimano | Jenson USA

Have fun!

A lot of late 80s early 90s Cannondales had 128mm spacing (I've owned two, so far). This puts you in a grey area where you can go w/126 or squeeze in a 130 hub. Didn't know this would still be happening on a 1994 R400. I'm running a 130mm 8-speed hub on my 1990 ST600, it's 128mm.

And yeah, $2 bartape from a seller with 19,000 feedback is legit, $49 Dura Ace Group from a seller with zero feedback is a scam.

If your big goal is to get away from Down Tube shifting...you might consider getting a set of Bar End Shifters...effectively moves you to the handlebars for shifting, and...the rest of your stuff will probably work...just a thought...

If you have 8 speed already then all you need to move to this century is the STI levers. Claris is made for 8 speed and they are excellent, especially for the price. You could also go as high as 10 speed (non Tiagra) and change nothing but shifters, cassette, and chain.