Decent 8 speed shifters still available?

Manc33

Nowhere seems to sell decent 8 speed MTB shifters anymore. All phased out I guess. The annoying thing is plenty of (cheap) bikes are still being sold with a 3x8 setup aka 24 gears.

The best I can find is Alivio, which isn't much of a step up from the Altus/Acera I have on now. :roll:

Feels unresponsive even if the cables are brand new. Mind those shifters have been in use for about 4 years now on 2 bikes and were cheap as muck to start with.

Just with some place sold XT or something. Can't even get away with a 9 speed shifter because of the spacing etc.

If I get the Alivio, how "snappy" is that going to be compared to the current 3 year old Altus crap?



The price of it is worrying, its only about £17 for the above brand new.

I don't wanna buy a used XT/XTR one off eBay, if they even exist, because that is used again although I know a used XT will probably be better than a lot of cheaper ones brand new.

Manc33

Are things like the used XTR's on eBay worth the money?

XTR M950

They go for between £35 and £75 a pair from what I can see.

Are they really so bulletproof its worth it? This equipment always looks so battered.

jimothy78

Is there any reason you particularly want to stick with 8 speed?
An 8 sp derailleur will work with 9sp, so all you'd need to change (apart from the shifter, which you're already changing) is the cassette and chain (which you'll probably need to change soon rather than later anyway...

.blitz

Manc33 wrote:

Nowhere seems to sell decent 8 speed MTB shifters anymore.

Have used SRAM Attack 8sp they are not too shabby basically re-engineered X7s to work with Shimano mechs http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/sram-8-speed-shifter

Also had an X4 8 sp setup on the Chucker & while not exactly blingtastic it had SRAMs characteristic clunk-click shift and worked very well
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/sra ... r-ec017663
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/sram ... -prod30631

Manc33

jimothy78 wrote:

Is there any reason you particularly want to stick with 8 speed?
An 8 sp derailleur will work with 9sp, so all you'd need to change (apart from the shifter, which you're already changing) is the cassette and chain (which you'll probably need to change soon rather than later anyway...

I got this far into thinking this myself but thought what about the chainrings? How come the same chainrings can take 8sp and 9sp chains but cassettes can't?

So the cassette widths are the same from 8sp tp 9sp? Silly question I guess since every single frame would have to be be changed lol.

I might just save up a bit more then and convert it to 9sp. The rear mech is a newish Alivio thats working well, its just those Altus shifters, getting nasty now after 3 years of daily usage.

Whats annoying about those old 8sp XTR shifters on eBay is they are classed as a "cult" item or whatever, retro, so they cost more just because of something like that. Sod that, I just want something that works well!

It amazes me that people will pay £70+ for a pair of M900 XTR shifters from 1992. The only good thing is if I buy something like those I can probably resell them a few years later and not lose much on them. Ones without scratches all over them are like gold dust. :roll:

Is XTR mechanically any better than XT? I have seen endless arguments about how "its just the weight" but some XTR stuff has something XT doesn't like sealed bearings on certain parts etc. Certain cassette sprockets are titanium on XTR.

I have never even touched an XTR shifter so don't know what the gear changes are like... is it a lot easier to push it to change gear on this high end stuff? I noticed my cheap shifters you gotta give it a shove to change gear... its funny how they price stuff or should I say make it with a weaker spring, the only thing that makes the better stuff change gear easier is a stronger spring! Why have it so you need to shove it a lot, I mean its not like a stronger spring costs that much more or whatever, some of it is creating the illusion it is better, I mean it is better than cheaper stuff but they add a stronger spring to make it seem better than it is.

The Rookie

The pitch between the gears changes, the chain internal width stays the same, but the outer width is narrower with more gears. A 9 speed chain set has the rings slightly closer together, but an 8 sped chainset works just fine.

supersonic

I prefer my altus 8 speed shifters to my 10 speed slx.

CitizenLee

Try the Pinkbike & Singletrackworld classifieds if eBay isn't coming up with the goods. BikeRadar classifieds too of course

jimothy78

Manc33 wrote:

So the cassette widths are the same from 8sp to 9sp?

Yes, and even 10sp - the sprockets just get even closer together.
However switching to 10sp would necessitate a change of derailleur as well, as the pull ratio is different for that one, and so fitting a 10sp shifter to an 8sp (or 9sp) derailleur won't work, although the distance traveled from one side to the other is essentially the same.

cooldad

Retrobike classifieds for a nice STX RC.

Manc33

Someone kindly bought me the ones I wanted, XTR ST-M951 as an early birthday + X-Mas present.

Rear changes are as snappy as I have ever seen, it's unreal... but the left one is stiff, too stiff...

viewtopic.php?f=10004&t=12949064

Levi_501

jimothy78 wrote:

Is there any reason you particularly want to stick with 8 speed?

Because it is much better than 9, 10 and 11!

I have done a fair bit of research on this. The latest 8 speed stuff does appear to be fairly good and this is confirmed by other good riders; some on here.

One of the biggest problems I can see, is installing them on the bars; not a problem for everyone, but for some.

The majority of the lower end gear levers tend to have window indicators, thus, interfering with brake levers etc.

There should be a protest around Shimano offices demanding they make 8 speed XTR systems

cycleclinic

Lots of used 8 speed kit about I have lots of it on my bikes I even sell from time to time NOS 8 speed STI or shifters like LX. There are even distributors that new XT or XTR 8 speed shifters so no need for shimano to make more.

New alvio kit though is pretty good it is just the name that is well not desirable. If I was not such a retro grouch and bike snob I would be using it. As for the windows remove them.

10 speed does not mean a change of rear mech though as posted above. I have on my orange 10 speed cassette 9 speed XT mech and Dura Ace barend shifter mounted on Paul Thumbies. So 10 speed thumbies with nine speed XT mechs perfect in my book.

7 and 8 speed rocks by the way.

cooldad

thecycleclinic wrote:

10 speed does not mean a change of rear mech though as posted above. I have on my orange 10 speed cassette 9 speed XT mech and Dura Ace barend shifter mounted on Paul Thumbies. So 10 speed thumbies with nine speed XT mechs perfect in my book.

But seriously folks....

njee20

There should be a protest around Shimano offices demanding they make 8 speed XTR systems

Yeah, along with Flex-stems, DCDs, AMP forks, and all the other stuff that was discontinued 15 years ago!

Levi_501

AMP forks were an acquired taste, if you wan them dear boy, why go the full hog and get the humming Tioga Disk Drive rear wheel!

I thought you could still buy flex stems.

cooldad

Sadly enough, I do still have a Flexstem on one bike.

njee20

Yeah the AMP B5 was a good bike, but still rather outdated, was trying to think of crap stuff!

gt-arrowhead

I use one of these (cause im budget) But they are the best shifters ive used. I know they are supposed to be crap, but im really happy with them. Apparently the only advantage higher "spec" shimano shifters have are just weight, and better, but almost unnoticeable shifting.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shimano-ALTUS ... 2ecb709107

Picking up on the indicator window thing, i personally think its pointless. No one looks down and goes "ohh, im in the right gear". You feel if you are in the right gear. Quite pointless IMHO.

njee20

I use the gear indicators on my road bikes a bit, but only a bit.

Apparently the only advantage higher "spec" shimano shifters have are just weight, and better, but almost unnoticeable shifting.

Subjective obviously, but all other things (such as cables) being equal there is a night/day difference between the budget groups and top end.

supersonic

It depends on the year and model, my 3 year old altus 8 speed feel much better than my ten speed slx.

Shimano fiddle about with feel quite a bit.