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.

[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]

[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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

Originally Posted by palincss

...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]

Originally Posted by palincss

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.