My kids RD Tourney is shot, can I use LX RD?

[bonty98]

Hi,

I recently got my kid his first 26" mtb with 7 speed Shimano Tourney mech.
It´s got Shimano grip shift-style gear shifting.
The rear mech is totally wasted and I´m wondering if I can use a LX rear mech instead?
It´s ca 1998-ish LX mech, so it´s 8-speed.

All help appreciated
/J

 

[Charlieboy28]

Bonty you can use the lx mech with no issues at all, it will improve shifting no end ,and the bike and your son will love you for it.

Shimano tourney is the devils work, but then so is gripshit.

some sram gripshits use a 1:1 actuation , but seeing as the original mech was a shimano with 2:1 actuation and it ran with them shifters, you should not have a problem.

you wont be able to bolt on an 8 speed cassette without changing the wheels as the freehub is too short, but a simple swap out of rear mechs will be fine.

 

[bonty98]

Thanks Charlie, that´s the answer I wanted
I just need it to work with the freewheel, which is threaded btw, so I´m pleased with this advice.
As the rear mech really sucks, it´s hard for him doing smooth gear changes.
When done we can mtb together for real, which will be so cool!
Thanks again
/J

 

[hamster]

While Tourney mechs are heavy enough to be boat anchors, they always seem to work quite well. Usually bikes with Tourney have ghastly cables, so swapping them would be worth it while you are at it.

 

[Joe of Loath]

While Tourney mechs are heavy enough to be boat anchors, they always seem to work quite well. Usually bikes with Tourney have ghastly cables, so swapping them would be worth it while you are at it.

Dunno, I had one explode after being sat in the garage for a year... The night before the bike was sold!

 

[bonty98]

It´s a pre-used bike that´s seen some use
The mech is almost broken in half, so it´s not totally kosher.
Will put up pre- and post pics.
Thanks all
/J

 

[Elysarian]

The only Shimano gear that won't work is the 10-speed kit (dyna-sys) as the cable pull ratios changed for those.

I'm running an XT (9-speed) rear mech on my wife's 7-speed bike as the Exage one that came with it was worn out.

 

[bonty98]

Sounds perfect

 

[Iwasgoodonce]

Is it proper Gripshift or one of the diabolical copies you get on very low end bikes? Might be worth trying the shifters without anything attached to the other end of the cables. If they still feel awful, try and find an alternative.

 

[bonty98]

As I stated in my first post it´s Shimano. Don´t know the model but I may put on LX-shifters as well because my kids friend has "normal" shifters and he wants them too
/J