Can I mix 8 and 9 speed?

[fatface]

Built my Hei Hei with whatever I could lay my hands on so I could ride it.
Intend to replace current components with period stuff (circa 97).
Seen an XTR 950 8 speed cassette on CRC.
What's the chances of this and an 8 speed chain working with sram x7 shifters and x9 rear mech?

 

[Max P]

Rear mechs are not indexed, only shifters. The mech will work fine. If you have a 9 speed shifter it is not compatible with an 8 speed block. The distance between the cogs is different on 8 and 9 speed. I would always stick with 8 speed though, far more reliable.

 

[fatface]

Thanks for that.
Seen any 8 speed shifters anywhere?

 

[m1kesmith]

using sram mechs with 8 speed is going to give you a whole world of pain.
they used to make shimano compatible mechs and shifters to you could mix and maatch, now they pull a different amount of cable to shimano.
your options are
1 find a set of sram 8 speed shifters with a 1:1 pull
2 change the rear mech to shimano.