Spacers on 8 speed hub

bice
bice Posts: 772
edited September 2011 in Workshop
I have bought a seven speed (Shimano CS-HG30-71) to put on an 8 speed Tiagra hub for my commuter.

I don't need 8 gears, barely need seven, and my Acera rear mech doesn't like shifting to eighth gear - with the limit screw loosened to the max - so I bought a seven speed cassette.

I now think this may be a mistake because I might just end up with six usable gears.

To solve this, can I put a spacer right at the front, ie before seventh gear, rather than at the back (ie after large first gear cog)? I will lose the ratchet lockring on the first cog, but is that so crucial?

Also, couldn't I just use a plastic cable tie as my spacer? This may sound like a bodge, but most of the cassette on this £12 cassette is spaced with plastic inserts. I could tighten the lockring against the cable tie and it might just lock nicely. (Doesn't seem to me as though the lockring is under much tension anyway.)

I am only shifting with a down-tube tension shifter, so accuracy isn't the issue that this would be with decent shifters.

Comments

  • bice
    bice Posts: 772
    I reckon I have sorted this by using one of the 8-speed cogs as a spacer. The drive side lock nut is pretty much obscured, but I can - just - get the wheel into the drop-outs.

    So I have a seven-speed, with 14T, 13T and 12T in top gears, and an 11T that can't be used. This is fine for its purpose.