'95 Cinder Cone original specs and Suntour/XT compatibility

[KeepItSteel]

Was surprised to count 8sp on my cassette last night, as being in what I thought was full original condition I suspected 7sp from the 1995 model. Catalogue confirms 7sp cassette - yet, also confirms SRT-600 shifters, which I still have fitted..
I haven't used the bike a great deal (can you tell?!), have I been using a 'hidden' 8th gear on the grip shift??

Planning on fitting DX/XT thumbies anyway, so a switch back to 7sp cassette may work better for me.

Or, if i were to run Suntour XC 8sp thumbies, will they index perfectly with 8sp Shimano cassette?..

 

[mk one]

not sure on original specs but XT went to 8spd in '94

 

[legrandefromage]

Suntour thumbies are considered better

 

[KeepItSteel]

Re:

I'm intrigued by the Suntour option, but confused by the offerings..
Seems there were early 7sp ones (XC Pro) capable of running 8sp, and slightly later 8sp specific ones - plus some were silver and some were black. And what about other variants, XC Ltd etc..
Are they all essentially the same, and all capable of marrying with 7 or 8sp Shimano cassettes?

 

[legrandefromage]

yes, suntour 8spd and shimano 8spd share the 4.8 to 5mm spacing

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/cribsheet-spacing.html

 

[RadNomad]

Re:

SRT-600 existed in both 7 and 8 speed versions (i have both sets in my posession so can confirm this).
You are right that the 1995 Kona catalogue states 7 speed cassette with SRT-600 shifters - presumably the 7 speed shifter version. However... if you look closely at the main Cinder Cone photo in the very same catalogue you will see it’s fitted with 8 speed gripshift! Hence Kona’s own photo didn’t match their spec page.
I own a 1995 Cinder Cone and it came as original with 8 speed SRT-600.
My guess is that SRAM may have been in transition from 7 to 8 speed with SRT-600 around that time.. maybe the earlier ‘95 bikes had 7 speed but the later ‘95 bikes got 8 speed..(?), all labelled SRT-600.

 

[KeepItSteel]

Re:

Brilliant, thanks for confirming. That's good, confirms my suspicions that my bike is still full original spec.