8 speed?

[Sboat]

Does anyone else use 8-speed anymore? If so, please explain why. I use it because I really like the quality and look of “Chorus” and “C-Record” of the 8 speed era, also being a Clydesdale, I like the feel of bullet proof gear, thicker chains, etc.

[rccardr]

Nothing against 6-7-9-10-11 speed stuff, but IMHO, the best looking Shimano stuff is 8 speed DA 7402/3/10 and Tricolor 6401/2.

Plus it isn't fussy & just works flawlessly. Forever.

[saab2000]

I ran 8-speed Record on this Serotta for a number of years. It was fine and worked the way 8-speed needed to work. It was the best looking stuff I've ever had.

All that said, I liked my 10-speed Record more. Much more. And today I like my 11-speed Shimano even more than I liked my 10-speed Record.

I've never really felt the need to go backwards, and on those occasions I did, I usually felt I now understood why technology marches forward. I wouldn't call it regret but this bike is in no possible way better than what I ride today. It was heavier with much less user friendly technology than what I have today. The ONLY place this bike was equal to or better than today's was in the braking. These first-generation Record dual pivots were strong and progressive, every bit as good as today's best rim brakes.

In general, I'm nostalgic for the aesthetic of these bikes but not the function. Could I live with this bike forever? Absolutely. Do I prefer 11-speed? Yes.

https://live.staticflickr.com/7004/6469039811_e12fe16b27_b.jpg

[Spaghetti Legs]

I have 4 bikes (about 1/4 of my bikes) equipped with Campy 8 speed. 2 have indexed down tube shifters, the other 2 Ergo shifters. When my touring bike gets back from its fresh powder coat, it will most likely get 8 speed triple.

Campy 8 checks all the boxes for aesthetics and reliability. I have one bike with first gen Super Record 11 and 3 or 4 with 10 speed. If I had to pick one bike to ride away from Zombie apocalypse, it would be a tough choice between the 8 and the 10, but I might go with the 8 because of the added reliability.

[CDollarsign]

I ran C-record 8 speed for a long time and then I moved somewhere hilly...

[FlashUNC]

https://media.giphy.com/media/K0AnEB2t2EM/giphy.gif

[redir]

Had first gen Record 8-Speed on my G/L bike and loved it. Like you said the shifts are strong and confident, you can feel the mechanism like no other. I still have that group and might use it again some day.

[Black Dog]

On my commuter/light touring bike, I run 1st gen 8 speed campy ergos and it shifts perfectly and is very durable. the 8 speed chains and cassettes last forever. I use shimano cassettes with custom spacers to match the campy 8 speed cog spacing and it is all perfection. With a long cage RD I can run 32 tooth cassettes easily.

[mhespenheide]

I use 8-speed XT on my flat-bar townie/commuter because that's the most gears that I can have and still use vintage Shimano thumbshifters. (7-speed plus the "ghost click". Works great.)

One of these years I'll switch to 9-speed Microshift thumbshifters. But the old XT stuff refuses to wear out and it still works day-in, day-out.

[palincss]

On my commuter/light touring bike, I run 1st gen 8 speed campy ergos and it shifts perfectly and is very durable. the 8 speed chains and cassettes last forever. I use shimano cassettes with custom spacers to match the campy 8 speed cog spacing and it is all perfection. With a long cage RD I can run 32 tooth cassettes easily.

But do 8 speed Campagnolo cassettes actually exist, or is your only choice rebuilding Shimano cassettes with Campagnolo spacers? I did a little quick searching and came away with the impression that not only are 8 speed Campagnolo cassettes rather thin on the ground, but also the only ones I found to be actually available had either 23 or 26 tooth large sprockets.

Things are rather different in Shimano-world. 8 speed cassettes are much more available, and you can even find 12-32 for under $20 from Sunrace [ the 12-32 XTR had been unavailable for many years ].

[Hindmost]

...the only ones I found to be actually available had either 23 or 26 tooth large sprockets...

Those were the largest sprockets Campagnolo offered originally (there were 21 and 25 iirc). I found Miche in 28. And that about max's out the 8 speed derailers capabilities without resorting to the various workarounds.

[CMiller]

Campagnolo old stuff still works fantastic, I don't find older brake/shifters hoods nearly as ergonomic as modern though

[choke]

But do 8 speed Campagnolo cassettes actually exist, or is your only choice rebuilding Shimano cassettes with Campagnolo spacers? I did a little quick searching and came away with the impression that not only are 8 speed Campagnolo cassettes rather thin on the ground, but also the only ones I found to be actually available had either 23 or 26 tooth large sprockets.Campy still makes 8sp cassettes and yes a 26T is the largest available.

They did make larger ones in the 90s for their MTB groups (at least up to a 32T) but those are very hard to find.

[David in Maine]

I just got back from a quick, mellow mountain bike ride on the easy trails near my house. My Igleheart 26er steel hardtail with 8 speed shifting worked great. SRAM trigger shifter for the rear, Suntour thumb shifter for the front triple. Shimano XT 9 speed derailleurs, 8 speed cassette. :)

I also have a Celo Europa 853 lugged steel bike with 8 speed Dura Ace STI. Also works great, although it doesn't get ridden much. Agreed that the Ergonomics of the old levers are far less comfortable than the new stuff.

David

[bigbill]

My Gunnar Crosshairs has 8S Dura Ace STI with a 7410 crankset 38/44 and a 12-26 cassette. I did several gravel races on it in 2016/2017 before I got a "gravel" bike. I didn't get faster, just a little less beat up. The gravel bike is mostly 8000.

[peanutgallery]

We are talking about 20 year old kit? Hammer pants were in when that stuff was new. Good luck finding a campy cassette that hasn't been on display in a museum:)

I'm with Saab on this one, nostalgic for the look/style but not the function. The new stuff is light years better

[Black Dog]

But do 8 speed Campagnolo cassettes actually exist, or is your only choice rebuilding Shimano cassettes with Campagnolo spacers? I did a little quick searching and came away with the impression that not only are 8 speed Campagnolo cassettes rather thin on the ground, but also the only ones I found to be actually available had either 23 or 26 tooth large sprockets.

Things are rather different in Shimano-world. 8 speed cassettes are much more available, and you can even find 12-32 for under $20 from Sunrace [ the 12-32 XTR had been unavailable for many years ].

The spacing is so close that even on a regular Shimano 8 speed cassette it will shift ok. Look around for a set of wheels manufacturing campy Shimano conversion spacers to get the spacing perfect. To run a large cassette pick up a long cage 9 speed campy RD or try a wolf tooth with an 8 speed RD.

[jamesdak]

Ten of my 30 bikes have 8 speed of one flavor or another. I run it because it works and I don't feel like it holds me back. Replacement parts have never been a problem either. For Shimano I can easily "upgrade" to lighter modern wheels and I can even do that with the Campagnolo 8 speed stuff with a simple swap of some spacers and such. I've managed quite a few PR's on my 8 speed stuff so I see no reason to move on. I also have stuff that ranges from 6 to 11 speed. As long as the equipment is tuned up I'm happy with it.

Shimano 600/Tricolor mix 8 speed:

https://pbase.com/jhuddle/image/168074741.jpg

Shimano Mix 8 speed:

https://pbase.com/jhuddle/image/169142819.jpg

Campagnolo Racing T 8 speed:

https://pbase.com/jhuddle/image/166790982.jpg

Shimano 600 Tricolor 8 speed:

https://pbase.com/jhuddle/image/167575141.jpg

Shimano 105/Tiagra 8 speed:

https://pbase.com/jhuddle/image/169674476.jpg

Campagnolo Chorus/Record(?) 8 speed:

https://pbase.com/jhuddle/image/166138354.jpg

Shimano 600/Tricolor mix 8 Speed:

https://pbase.com/jhuddle/image/166081196.jpg

Shimano 600/Dura Ace 7403/Mavic mix 8 speed:

https://pbase.com/jhuddle/image/169163524.jpg

Campagnolo (?) 8 speed:

https://pbase.com/jhuddle/image/166686538.jpg

Shimano 105/Ultegra/Dura Ace mix 8 speed:

https://pbase.com/jhuddle/image/163655066.jpg

[Pastashop]

[QUOTE=jamesdak;2609734]



Shimano 600/Dura Ace 7403/Mavic mix 8 speed:



https://pbase.com/jhuddle/image/169163524.jpg



That’s boss, right there!

[oldpotatoe]

But do 8 speed Campagnolo cassettes actually exist, or is your only choice rebuilding Shimano cassettes with Campagnolo spacers? I did a little quick searching and came away with the impression that not only are 8 speed Campagnolo cassettes rather thin on the ground, but also the only ones I found to be actually available had either 23 or 26 tooth large sprockets.

Things are rather different in Shimano-world. 8 speed cassettes are much more available, and you can even find 12-32 for under $20 from Sunrace [ the 12-32 XTR had been unavailable for many years ].

Campag still makes a 8s 12-23 and 13-26..not hard to find. BUT correct..get a 8s spacer set from a Campag 8s cogset and use in a shimano 8s cogset and it works fine.

[oldpotatoe]

We are talking about 20 year old kit? Hammer pants were in when that stuff was new. Good luck finding a campy cassette that hasn't been on display in a museum:)

I'm with Saab on this one, nostalgic for the look/style but not the function. The new stuff is light years better
I wouldn't call it regret but this bike is in no possible way better than what I ride today. It was heavier with much less user friendly technology than what I have today.

The whole bike is heavier? BUT, whether it be lever mounted 8s or 12s, you push shift levers and chain moves to new cogs. Not sure how current Campag 12s or shimano 11s mechanical is more 'user friendly'. New stuff sure is more expensive and probably lighter but IMHO, lighter isn't necessarily better, just lighter.

BTW-very happy with retro-friction down tube shifters and Athena rear der on my Moots..with a 6s freewheel and KMC 9s chain..

[jamesdak]

Campag still makes a 8s 12-23 and 13-26..not hard to find. BUT correct..get a 8s spacer set from a Campag 8s cogset and use in a shimano 8s cogset and it works fine.

Hmmmm......why haven't I thought of this? 3 of my Campagnolo setups are Veloce 9 speeds with one cog removed and using an 8 speed spacer kit. But I have a slew of extra Shimano freehub wheels at the house. I can go this route to shed another pound off the Gan Lemond for the long mountain climbs! :banana:

I just converted a Veloce for this during the weekend to mount up some tubulars that aren't very light compared to a modern wheel/clincher setup.....

https://pbase.com/jhuddle/image/169909401.jpg

[oldpotatoe]

Hmmmm......why haven't I thought of this? 3 of my Campagnolo setups are Veloce 9 speeds with one cog removed and using an 8 speed spacer kit. But I have a slew of extra Shimano freehub wheels at the house. I can go this route to shed another pound off the Gan Lemond for the long mountain climbs! :banana:

I just converted a Veloce for this during the weekend to mount up some tubulars that aren't very light compared to a modern wheel/clincher setup.....

https://pbase.com/jhuddle/image/169909401.jpg

Nice rig and another example of how some 'older' stuff is more 'user friendly' than modern stuff, specifically 8s(and 9s) triple stuff from Campag when you didn't need a new LH shifter..forza!!

[nesteel]

There's one bike hanging in my basement with 8 speed on it; Shimano Tricolor. It will soon find a new home.
I will keep several vintage rides with 6 and 7speed friction. The rest are a mix of 9 and 10speed Campy and Shimano.
IMHO, with 9 and 10speed Campy being so affordable, why bother with 8speed? Unless you have it; I see no real reason to go looking for it.
At least 8speed Shimano isn't an evolutionary dead animal.

[texbike]

Nothing against 6-7-9-10-11 speed stuff, but IMHO, the best looking Shimano stuff is 8 speed DA 7402/3/10 and Tricolor 6401/2.

Plus it isn't fussy & just works flawlessly. Forever.

I agree 100%! One of the finest groupsets ever made. I currently have it on two bikes (with DT shifters) and the stuff just works perfectly. Granted, those bikes are more wall-hangers now than primary riders, but when I do ride them, I'm amazed at how nice the DA 74xx stuff is.

Texbike

[93KgBike]

Because riding a perfectly functioning time machine is like riding a smile.

[dddd]

I have been re-visiting 8s after winning a Davidson Impulse two weeks ago (for all of just $70 worth of raffle tickets).

8s is about perfect for the shorter, more-intense Fall training rides that support CX fitness. Climbing our foothills with limited gearing just means getting out of the saddle and keeping the intensity up, which is a good thing within one's reasonable abilities.

A Shimano or SRAM 7s cassette would provide about the right spacing for Campag 8s, after adding on another cog and spacer to the big end of say a 12-23t 7s cassette.
The darker-colored 2-3 spacer on Shimano 7s cassettes is 3.3mm instead of the other's 3.1mm thickness, so that might be changed also for best indexing.

Note that SRAM 7 and 8s loose-cog cassettes are far lighter (and are more plentiful in most cases) than Shimano's! Plus thay are beautifully chromed.
This bike now sporting a SRAM 12-26t cassette, replacing a smaller SRP titanium cogset.

One reason that people often feel that newer gruppos are better than old ones is because the older bikes usually have older, dirty cables/housings. But simply freshening up an 8s bike's cabling to high standards gives smooth, robust shifting performance that won't hold back one's best efforts.

Oh, and here's that Davidson, which fits me and rides like the best of them!

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48953298891_d1ffde7caf_c.jpg

[mt2u77]

One thing about hacking a wide range cassette for Campy 8 spd.-- RD chain wrap capacity can be quite limiting.

For a period correct bike, there's nothing wrong with 8 spd. I personally like a DA-7400 or 600 tricolor drivetrain Shimergo'd with a 10 spd Campy ergo shifter. Best of both worlds IMO. You get the functionality, compatibility, and cost effectiveness of a Shimano drivetrain paired with the look, feel, and serviceability of Campy levers. The combo should keep a classic road bike going forever.

[Sboat]

That looks awesome!

[dddd]

That looks awesome!

Thanks! To be honest, neon and fades have not been so much my thing. But when the bike rides the way that helps this rider, my opinion about it's aesthetics instantly starts to change for the better, helped here by a neon-fade paint job that doesn't seem to have suffered from the other kind of fade. And the bit of color on the ends of the fork blades gives it more zing.
At last I've found the right bike for the custom lightweight clincher wheelset I built ~15 years ago from leftover parts (the bike came with tubulars, GEL340's on 7401 hubs).

A long-time club member once owned this bike but passed away at a fairly young age last year. Another club member bought his bikes from his wife, and later donated this one for the cause of raising funds to have a memorial bench built for another club member who was killed by a distracted driver a few years ago.

[jamesdak]

Thanks! To be honest, neon and fades have not been so much my thing. But when the bike rides the way that helps this rider, my opinion about it's aesthetics instantly starts to change for the better, helped here by a neon-fade paint job that doesn't seem to have suffered from the other kind of fade. And the bit of color on the ends of the fork blades gives it more zing..

This is so true! Hence why I don't mind that my Davidson above is pink. Who cares what it looks like when it rides so well... :banana::banana::banana:

[oliver1850]

I still build bikes with 8 (6, 7 as well) speed: Shimano, Campagnolo, Sachs (and Regina), SunTour. Of the four, Campagnolo is probably the easiest to put a group together. You can mix parts from all groups, and it's easier to find good Ergo levers than good STI. Just purchased a pair of early Sachs New Success Ergo levers with the metal bodies and solid AL brake blades. The rest of the group can be kind of hard to find at reasonable prices, especially the cranks - but you can substitute any other brand for everything except the rear derailleur. The Sachs parts are very pretty and well built. I probably have half a dozen bikes built with Sachs.