Can You Turn A Bike Into 8 Gear?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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8 speed drivetrain is great, everything else about it sucks, forks and brakes are terrifying

. My other bikes are mostly 2×9 or 3×9, which works fine, with one 2×11 XT. The 2×11 is the clunkiest of the lot, really does not feel like a high-end drivetrain.

Can you put an 8 speed cassette on a 6 speed?

Easy answer.

No, this won’t work with 8 speed indexed shifters

. The reason is that one click on your shifter doesn’t move your derailleur enough to shift to the next cog on your 6 speed cassette.

Can I upgrade my 7 speed to 8 speed?

What is a granny gear on a bike?

The granny gear is

the smallest cog on the front crankset of your bike

.

What gear should I use on a flat road?


Middle Gear

This is a great gear for everyday terrain when you’re cruising along on a flat road or on undulating terrain. You want some resistance, but not too much. If the road goes up and down a bit, you’ll probably flick between the rear gears to cater for changes.

How does an 8 speed bike work?

The 8-speeds use what most folks would probably refer to as the “standard” gearing set-up on a bike –

different-sized external cogs are shifted through by moving the chain with a derailleur

(that thingy that hangs down with the “little pulley” on it that adjusts the chain’s tension and slides it left and right to …

Why do mountain bikes only have 11 gears now?

So why do mountain bikes have less gears? Mountain bikes have less gears for quite a few reasons, however the primary reasons being

less maintenance, lighter weight, and the need for only the quickest shifts when running into such a varied terrain

.

Is 7 gears enough on a bike?

In terms of how the number of gears affects the overall ride of the bike, a 21-speed is generally faster with smoother transitions and pedaling.

The 7-speed is adequate for most riders

, which is why many people choose the slower option.

Are 8 and 9 speed cassettes interchangeable?

8 and 9-speed derailleurs have the same rear shift ratio but only when both models are made either by Shimano or SRAM. In consequence,

a 9-speed derailleur can work just fine with an 8-speed cassette produced by the same brand

. If the bicycle uses index shifting, the shifter will have to be designed for 8 speeds too.

Can I convert my 8-speed bike to 10 speed?


Yes, it will fit fine

. 8,9,10spd freehubs are the same. If it’s road you’re talking about then you’ll need a 1mm spacer behind the cassette if it’s Shimano, if it’s MTB then it’ll go straight on.

Can I fit an 11-speed cassette on a 8-speed hub?

Condensed answer:

An 8-speed MTB hub is wide enough to accept an 11-speed MTB cassette

. An 8-speed Road hub, however, is too narrow for an 11-speed Road cassette. If you have an 8-speed road bike and want to convert it to 11 speeds, you will have to replace the hub with an 11-speed one.

Are 7 and 8 speed cassettes interchangeable?


7-speed cassettes fit fine on 8- and 9-speed (and most 10-speed) hubs if you put a 4.5 mm spacer onto the body before the cassette

.

Can I use a 7 speed derailleur on an 8 speed cassette?

8 speed shifter and cassette, 7 speed derailleur?

You’ll be fine

. There’s no “probably” about it. 6-, 7- and 8-speed gear is all cross-compatible in terms of chain width.

Will a 10 speed chain work on a 8 speed cassette?

What is the hardest gear on a bike?


High Gear

= Hard = Good for Descending: The “highest” gear on your bike is the largest chain ring in the front and the smallest cog on your cassette (rear gears). In this position, the pedaling will be the hardest and you’ll be able to accelerate while traveling downhill.

Why do they call it granny gear?

What Is a “Granny Gear?” Opinions vary on what constitutes a “granny transmission,” but in a nutshell it’s

a manual transmission with an extremely low gear ratio that allows the vehicle to crawl along at a super-slow pace akin to that of a kindly old granny shuffling along

.

What is the easiest gear on a bike?

The

low gear

is the “easy” gear and is primarily used when climbing. The low gear is the smallest chain ring in the front, and the largest cog on the rear cassette. In this position pedaling will be easiest and the least amount of force will be required to push the pedals.

How do you use a gear 7 bike?

What is the best gear for bike riding?

There are three types of gear; low gear, middle gear, and high gear. For riding on flat roads, it is recommended to use the

middle gear

. It is a common choice among bikers as it helps you reduce pressure from your feet onto the pedals.

How do you shift a 7 speed bike?


Ride the bike around slowly to get a feel for the pedal tension. Move the shift either one number up or down while you pedal forward. Listen for the derailleur to activate

. Seven-speed bikes have just one derailleur on the rear wheel.

Are 8-speed transmissions good?

Having eight speeds

allows the transmission to stay in the “sweet spot” of the RPM power band and also gives 5% better gas mileage than the earlier 6-speed transmissions

. There’s probably a 15-20% improvement between the 8-speed transmissions and their 4-speed ancestors.

Is an 8-speed automatic a v8?

Is 3 gears enough on a bike?


A 3-speed bike offers enough versatility

to help you navigate through uneven landscapes or rougher terrains without exerting too much energy.

Why do expensive bikes have less gears?

Cheaper bikes have more gears

because they rely on a basic and mass-produced triple crankset technology naturally resulting in a large number of chainring to cog combinations

. Conversely, 1x and 2x drivetrains are more optimized, trendy, and use sophisticated materials and rear mech.

Why MTB has no front derailleur?

Mountain bikes no longer have a front derailleur

because of the invention of the wide range rear cassette

, meaning you can have the same range of gears with fewer parts, which saves weight, and keeps things simpler. Also making the bike build look cleaner.

Is 10 speed enough for mountain bike?

Yes, 10-speed bikes are good simply because they have a lot of range.

If you’re climbing a mountain, they’re not the best

. However, if you’re just climbing a hill, then you’ll be all set with a 10-speed bicycle.

David Martineau
Author
David Martineau
David is an interior designer and home improvement expert. With a degree in architecture, David has worked on various renovation projects and has written for several home and garden publications. David's expertise in decorating, renovation, and repair will help you create your dream home.