chuck Posted January 15, 2009 Share Changing from 8 to 9 speed drivetrain (MTB) means I will replace the shifters, RD and cluster. Question - will I need to change the hub or is it possible to install the 9 speed cluster on the same hub? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomo Posted January 15, 2009 Share Suspect you should be fine with the hub and even RD too.My opinion is based on experience with road equipment though where a lot of hubs/RD's are 8/9/10 speed compatible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Bornman Posted January 15, 2009 Share Changing from 8 to 9 speed drivetrain (MTB) means I will replace the shifters' date=' RD and cluster. Question - will I need to change the hub or is it possible to install the 9 speed cluster on the same hub? [/quote'] Only the shifter, cassette and chain needs replacing. Clusters stopped at 8-speed and have been discontinued. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KDEE Posted January 15, 2009 Share Mini hijack, for the ignorant like me... diff between cluster and cassette? Think I know, but not sure.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatek Posted January 15, 2009 Share I agree with Johan Bornman. Did it with my bike and it worked fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Bornman Posted January 15, 2009 Share Mini hijack' date=' for the ignorant like me... diff between cluster and cassette?Think I know, but not sure..[/quote'] Clusters are a set of sprockets on a freewheel mechanism that screws onto the hub. They went extinct. A cassette fits onto a freehub (body) of the modern kind. They are not compatible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KDEE Posted January 15, 2009 Share Simplistically, clusters are separate 'cogs' that screw on.. ? Cassette is one piece? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speed Devil Posted January 15, 2009 Share Simplistically' date=' clusters are separate 'cogs' that screw on.. ?Cassette is one piece?[/quote'] A cluster is one piece (all in one). A cassette is a number of cogs that fit on splines and are held on by a lockring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Bornman Posted January 15, 2009 Share Simplistically' date=' clusters are separate 'cogs' that screw on.. ?Cassette is one piece?[/quote'] No, bike stuff is never that simple. Clusters comprised a freewheel mechanism with loose sprockets. The largest 5 sprockets slid on, just like today's cassettes. They were separate and had spacers between them. The last two small ones screwed on. The very last one wasn't like today's locknut but a proper sprocket, usually 13 teeth and later 12. Clusters by different manufacturers were not compatible and we used to grind them to modify them. With some careful grinding you could ever reverse some and get double their life. However, some freewheel bodies were stepped, with the larger sprockets fitting on a bigger part of the freewheel (in other words, had larger holes). Making up a custom cluster of 7 sprockets involved a stock of 7185 different combinations. It was a nightmare. Confusingly, you could buy a cluster as a unit, complete with freewheel mechanism inside or, you could buy separate sprockets. The top brands were Sachs (today SRAM), Shimano and Mailard (which merged with Sachs before merging to become SRAM). Regina in the Italian camp also featured. A cassette on the other hand can be one-piece or multiple pieces. Most in fact are multiple pieces with the largest three riveted together and the smaller ones being separate with spacers in-between. I can't put it more elegantly than the late Sheldon Brown. http://www.sheldonbrown.com/images/freewheel-vs-k7.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KDEE Posted January 15, 2009 Share What a great explanation JB, my dim and distant memories of Alan Van Heerden and my Dad discussing and changing sprockets 30 years ago is coming back to me. Once again, thanks for taking the time to answer a question that possibly I wont need to ever know the answer too, but found interesting/curious enough to ask. KDEE2009-01-15 02:20:11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck Posted January 15, 2009 Share Only the shifter' date=' cassette and chain needs replacing. Clusters stopped at 8-speed and have been discontinued. [/quote'] Sorry I'm still old school but yes it's a cassette. I still use LP's and tapes Is the 9 speed chain narrower than the 8 speed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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