How hard (moreso costly) is it to put a modern drivetrain on a vintage mtb?

[Tootyred]

No, they have 7 speed hubs.....so will only take up to 7 speed.....without messing about.

Try a wanted advert in the "wanted" section. Ask for 8+ speed 26" wheels, cheap, posted and see what comes up.

Or alternatively, ask for a whole cheap bike, posted, ready to go.

Cant do any harm.

 

[retrobiker273891]

No, they have 7 speed hubs.....so will only take up to 7 speed.....without messing about.

Try a wanted advert in the "wanted" section. Ask for 8+ speed 26" wheels, cheap, posted and see what comes up.

Or alternatively, ask for a whole cheap bike, posted, ready to go.

Cant do any harm.

Ok but from the rest of the discussion 8+ speed seems unnecessary since a 20/22 granny on 34, 7 speed would be super low as is.

Sure 8 speeder would be ideal for upgradeability purposes but most bike I seen on here are 21 speeders.

Maybe the 1998 forum would have more however then you see all suspension everywhere which I don't want .

I thought the spacing between 7 and 8 is the same. I read another well respected poster on cyclinguk forum tell me that 7 speed is even better because the wheel axle is stronger than 8s. I think I am remembering that right.

 

[Tootyred]

Just so you can see the issue your dealing with.

Top freehub is a 8+ speed......bottom is a 7 speed. The 8+ is 5mm longer to take the bigger 8/9/10 speed cassettes which are wider.

You can do all kinds of things like using narrow spacers, thinner cogs, breaking up cassettes and even swapping freehubs and grafting them on to make 7 run 8.....but....its all a big p.i.t.a. and requires parts, tools, fiddling, redishing, spacers.

For your purpose a 8 speed wheelset will fix your woes, give access to a world of huge dinner plate ratio cassettes (not even considered in the 7 speed era) and be far cheaper than messing with cranks, rings, freewheels etc.

But as above....given your also looking at frames....just go through and find a while bike. Its always cheaper than parts and its job done.

All the best

 

[Tootyred]

If you have been riding a narrow, cheap freewheel hub for all these years, the chance of you busting an mtb freehub axle is highly limited. I've never done it in 30+ years of using freehubs....that includes racing.

 

[retrobiker273891]

Just so you can see the issue your dealing with.

Top freehub is a 8+ speed......bottom is a 7 speed. The 8+ is 5mm longer to take the bigger 8/9/10 speed cassettes which are wider.

You can do all kinds of things like using narrow spacers, thinner cogs, breaking up cassettes and even swapping freehubs and grafting them on to make 7 run 8.....but....its all a big p.i.t.a. and requires parts, tools, fiddling, redishing, spacers.

For your purpose a 8 speed wheelset will fix your woes, give access to a world of huge dinner plate ratio cassettes (not even considered in the 7 speed era) and be far cheaper than messing with cranks, rings, freewheels etc.

But as above....given your also looking at frames....just go through and find a while bike. Its always cheaper than parts and its job done.

All the best

Ty, that does help clarify matters.

It won't just be a simple case of get a huge dinner plate cassette and done though will it, if getting an 8 speeder. Whole drivetrain would have to be replaced...derailleur to fit dinner plate, new chain, shifters and maybe narrow wide chainrings on the front or maybe that last one is optional?

The 20/22 granny crankset still seems the cheaper option to that.

 

[Tootyred]

11 36....thats plenty big enough isnt it on a small front ring....which will come on most bikes with "compact cranks" from around 1995 onwards.........£16

https://madspeed7.co.uk/products/8-speed-cassette-11-36t
The bike may even have one on it.....and a working shifter of the correct size and a derailleur the right capacity......and better wheels, frame........

Obviously up to you, but i know where i would put £150 ish at this point......into a nice marin.

The archive has all the catalogues in so you can even check where 8 speed started....and yes...all still rigid. And yes...tbh, you might get a bike for less than £100 on gumtree.

 

[Tootyred]

https://www.gumtree.com/p/bicycles/marin-bear-valley-se-15.5-1997/1485250820
Something like this...a touch overpriced imho, but 8 speed, rigid, small compact crank.....etc etc

 

[retrobiker273891]

https://www.gumtree.com/p/bicycles/marin-bear-valley-se-15.5-1997/1485250820
Something like this...a touch overpriced imho, but 8 speed, rigid, small compact crank.....etc etc

Thanks for looking.

I think I skimmed over that when looking for bikes generally on gumtree, but did not have the criteria you specified in mind at the time.

Looks good, but small for me I think as I am 5' 10"?

 

[retrobiker273891]

https://www.gumtree.com/p/bicycles/marin-bear-valley-se-15.5-1997/1485250820
Something like this...a touch overpriced imho, but 8 speed, rigid, small compact crank.....etc etc

I can just buy a 21 speeder and then buy a wheel like this no?

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/orange-no-5-rear-wheel-26-inch-wheel-8-speed-cassette.482570/
Only £23.

Easy to find 21 speed bikes on here. Not so easy 24 but probably easy to get 8 speed back wheel.

 

[retrobiker273891]

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/raleigh-mtrax-1000l.479954/
Is this bike good? Raleigh is respected or not and good parts?

I read mixed that Raleigh used to be seen as good until by the numbers mass producted, similar to British Eagle?

So was that still during their good era?