Newbie on gt outpost all terra mtb with shift probs

[fattaffracingco]

Hi all , I'm new to the forum(from Swansea) and I need advice
I'm having trouble rh shifting on my early nineties gt , I've fitted new cables , and oe direct replacement shifters , and adjusted and adjusted and yeah u geddit
The chain is shot and some wear on sprockets so I have taken the decision to change everything
I've owned the bike 26 years so it has sentimental value to me
If I'm changing everything can I change from 7 speed to 8 speed nice n easy ???
I've used shimano deore (my other bike claude butler )and really like the shifters can I convert to these also ??
I was planning on changing crank/chainrings , derailer , jockey wheel also to shimano , it currently has suntour , I have read somewhere they are interchangeable
Does anybody foresee any problems in doing this ?
Thanks in advance , Chris fattaff

 

[madjh]

No, you cannot change from 7 to 8 speed cassette, you will need to change the freehub of the rear hub, once you have done you can put a 8,9 or even 10 speed casette but from 7 to 8 you need to upgrade the rear hub.

 

[fattaffracingco]

Ok thanks dude

 

[fattaffracingco]

hi , sorry but another stupid question , if i change the shifters to deore which are 8 speed , ive not seen a 7 speed deore shifter, would this cause me any problems running said shifters with 7 speed rear mech and cassette ????, thanks chris fattaff

 

[fattaffracingco]

or will i have to buy a shimano specific 7 speed /3 speed shifters ???? agaian thanks ????

 

[CassidyAce]

Re:

I've never tried it myself and, personally, wouldn't bother but 7 and 8 speed spacing on the cassette are sufficiently close for people to make it work; however, don't expect the shifting to be as nice as when using a 7 speed cassette with a 7 speed shifter. Instead of using an 8 speed Deore shifter why not look around for a 7 speed STX (Deore's forerunner) shifter?

 

[fattaffracingco]

thanks cassidyace
i will do just that then , i really like that particular style of shifter (deore) purely cos thats the only other type ive used , so rather then cause myself problems i will perserve and find a suitable 7 speed shifter, i will have to shop around and search a bit more for stx , thanks all to gave advice, cheers chris fattaff

 

[fattaffracingco]

stupid questions i know , but if u don't know u don't know
i was trying to buy everything from a large online supplier but they didn't do much in the way of 7 speed only budget thumb shifters which i didn't want and i was hoping to use something else ,so i guess i'm shopping elsewhere as well as , again thanks everyone

 

[CassidyAce]

Re:

Right. There are a number of issues for you to navigate here:

(1) Due to the current upsurge in the popularity of cycling some parts have either sold out or are in short supply.
(2) The common issue of whether one bike part is compatible with another.
(3) The fact that what was once a high end set up, e.g. 7 and 8 speed, is now a low end set up, meaning that you have to choose between higher end but old and secondhand or lower end but new. (New old stock can solve this but expect to pay a premium . . . and patiently wait for any availability.)

The Deore shifters you like are, presumably, Rapidfire shifters. Now, your options are:

(A) Search eBay for some old STX 3x7 Rapidfire shifters but you won't find many at the moment and you will pay a premium due to (1) above.
(B) Alternatively, you could try some new Altus 3x7 Rapidfire shifters. These are lower end but work well and reliably (unlike new, lower end Gripshift!). However, due to (1) above, these are also in short supply and you will pay over the odds: https://www.amazon.co.uk/SHIMANO-Unisex ... mp;sr=1-15 and https://www.amazon.co.uk/SHIMANO-Altus- ... mp;sr=1-22. £50 for this pair is probably more than double what you might have paid a year ago for them.
(C) Buy a reasonably priced pair of new 3x7 Rapidfire shifters but with integrated brake levers, such as these for £11-ish: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shimano-ST-E ... %3A2334524. Like option (B), these will work reliably but the brake levers are for V brakes not the cantilevers that came on your Outpost (presuming it's not the women's version that has a U brake at the back) so you would be best off getting some V brakes as well as these shifter units if you choose his option. (Issue (2) above, again.) However, V brakes were perhaps an upgrade that you were thinking of anyway.

There you go. Welcome to the world of renovating bikes! If it were me, I would choose option (C), enjoy riding the bike and keep an eye out for higher end shifters at my leisure.

 

[fattaffracingco]

Thanks cassidyace , yeah option c methinks
Yup cantilever front dia compe( look like a small version of v brake ???) And correct yes u brake s on rear prostar or allstar ?.??
Original shifters are suntour which tbh for last 20 years I thought ok , but 05 claude butler I been using last 4 years ish with deore is like night n day
I'm planning on using entry level ish shimano bits , cassette , rear mech , square drive crank etc so looking like chucking 120 -130 at it , I already have new cables and shimano v brakes kicking about hopefully they will fit but brakes atm are ok plenty of meat on pads
The prices are the prices cos I dont know any better but as you say parts compatibility is knowledge I dont have so thanks for advice
Bike has gentle life , cycle back n for work in spring/summer , and gentle stuff with kids towing a tag along but the iffy changing is just pissing me off now and its gotta go
Think I said earlier chain n sprockets are shot which not helping ,I've owned bike si ce mid 90s and I knew the 2 previous owners so I really want to keep it