Eight to Nine speed upgrade - Advice Please

[Slave]

My good cycling buddy (Greyowl) has donated me a set of 9 speed shifters (Shimano) for my bike which is currently configured for 8 spped Shimano.

 

Other than Shifters and cluster, what other mods do I need to do to convert to 9 speed.

 

Do I need to change my chain, freehub all that sort of stuff?

 

Advice Please. JB, you seem to have the guru status, your opinion will be valued. (anyone else, I need help.)

 

Thanks.

[Zatek]

I ran 9 speed on my 8 speed bike. The only things I changed was the shifters and rear casette. I also took out my smallest chainring on my crank. 

[andrewc]

I'm no expert, but I did some research when I was still thinking of upgrading my old-school road bike to STI's. I can only offer the opinion of Sheldon Brown:

 

 

 

The hub will be compatible with a 9 speed cassette:

 

"Shimano 8- and 9-speed hubs and cassettes (except Capreo ) are fully interchangeable with one another, so any 8-speed hub can be a 9-speed, or vice-versa."

 

 

 

From http://www.sheldonbrown.com/k7.html

 

 

 

I'd think a change of chain would also be necessary, as the 9-speed chain is narrower (compared my 9 speed Tiagra with a mate's 8 speed Sora chain - we just added Power Links, so recently noted this).

 

 

 

From my reading, I recall that the derailleur pull ratios are the same for almost all the Shimano group sets (except some Dura Ace sets, IIRC).

 

 

 

Hope this helps a bit.

 

 

 

Cheers,

 

 

 

Andrew

 

 

 

 

 

andrewc2009-04-17 03:25:55

[Johan Bornman]

Shifters, cassette and chain.

 

 

[Slave]

Thanks all. (I was secretly hoping that I could get away with the chain replacement.)

[deanbean]

I've just the same, 8sd STX to 9 spd XT, just shifters, cluster and chain, easy

DS