7 to 8 Speed - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

08-03-2004, 02:57 AM

Hello,

Right - I'm WAY behind the technology curve. But it all
comes down to money and priorities.....

I currently have a 1996/1997 Cannondale R300 that has been
slowly "upgraded" and transformed into a tri bike over time.

The rims on the wheels are grooved and should probably be
replaced at the end of the season if not sooner. While
doing so I would like to move up to an 8-speed cassette.

Why 8? The thought is that it would give me one more gear
choice while allowing me to keep my current drive train. Is
this the correct assumption?

The current setup of a older 105 rear derailleur with
bar-end shifters mounted on aerobars in friction setting
(rather than STI) works quite well I am very happy with it.
However the 11-21 cluster is a bit of a challenge (for me)
on steeper hills.

I was hoping to focus more of my money on the wheels -
something like a pair of Aerospokes with an 8-speed (11-26
or something similar) without having to upgrade the
rear-derailleur, chain, and therefore crankset (in other
words the entire drivetrain).

Is there any reason why I couldn't do this?

Thanks!
-CF