High end 8 speed compatible parts still for sale?

Great Ayton

Are there any better quality 8 speed drivetrain parts still sold new? I am building up a new winter mud plugger and would like some nice 8 speed kit to fit. Something around XT or XTR quality ideally. Am i correct in thinking Shimano 9 speed mechs and chainset will work fine? If so what are the best 9 speed pods, cassette and chain still available?

Back in the day when the world moved to 9 speed I quickly realized how it was notably poorer in thick mud and wore out relatively quickly. Now with 10 speed I am eating through chains and cassettes like nobodies business. So though I may as well try 8 again.

Thanks in advance

Chunkers1980

Not new clearly but secondhand, but then you don't want second had blocks rings or chains. I'd just buy cheapo Deore stuff on the wear out parts.

Neal_

I'm 8 speed and have replaced my whole drivetrain in the last year with good stuff.

SRAM X9 9 speed rear mech
Shimano XT 9 speed front mech
SRAM X7 8 speed trigger shifters (these were a lucky find so doubt you'd get them anywhere)
Shimano Deore 9 speed chain set
SRAM PG850 cassette
KMC X8-99 chain

Finding decent shifters will be the hard part but 9 speed mechs and chain sets are fine and the chain and cassette I've got are great.

Great Ayton

Thanks Neal_.

Does any one know if the Shimano SL-R440/SL-R441 8 speed pods will work on a MTB? From the look of it they look just like the old XT though i dont know if the cable pull is the same?

supersonic

Flat bar road shifters are designed to be used with road front mechs, which have a different cable pull to MTB.

Newer 8 speed shifters like Altus are very good anyway.

nicklouse

Neal_ wrote:

I'm 8 speed and have replaced my whole drivetrain in the last year with good stuff.

SRAM X9 9 speed rear mech
Shimano XT 9 speed front mech
SRAM X7 8 speed trigger shifters (these were a lucky find so doubt you'd get them anywhere)
Shimano Deore 9 speed chain set
SRAM PG850 cassette
KMC X8-99 chain

Finding decent shifters will be the hard part but 9 speed mechs and chain sets are fine and the chain and cassette I've got are great.

if you were changing the whole lot would it not have been easier to go to 9spd? more options.

Neal_

nicklouse wrote:

if you were changing the whole lot would it not have been easier to go to 9spd? more options.

Yes and in hindsight I should have done that but everything was replaced individually over a year as parts wore out rather than all in one go, I'll no doubt end up having to replace with 9 speed as 8 speed stuff becomes more difficult to source but that won't be a bad thing.