Swapping cassette - Shimano 600EX Ultegra - advice please

[Rich5ltr]

My 1997'ish bike is equipped with Shimano 600EX Ultegra with 52/42 chain-rings and an 8 x speed 12/21 cassette. Chap I bought the bike from used it for time trials but I want a wider range of ratios especially to help with hills. Are these Shimano cassettes still available or if not what should I look for which is compatible :?: Thanks Rich...

 

[monty dog]

Regular Shimano 8 speed Hyperglide cassette will fit - plenty of choice available - as long as you don't exceed a 28 tooth maximum sprocket otherwise it'll interfere with your rear mech e.g. Tiagra HG50 13-26

 

[terryhfs]

12-24 and 50/39 would give you a much more usable range. (I commute daily with laden panniers from one side of the south downs to the other and that's the gearing I use).

600EX was an old group from the mid 80's - 7 speed and above is Ultegra (sometime called 6400). Any Shimano 8 speed cassette will fit, check your rear mech for a maximum sprocket size.

 

[Rich5ltr]

Thanks for all your help.

p.s. I got the 600 name from the rear mech and on the brake/shifter it says Ultegra. I think the set is the 6400 set:?

 

[mattsccm]

I'm not big Shimano expert but to me the best way to identify the bits is vai those numbers as they usually tell you year or at least group of years.
A 28 with be ok with almost any mech. Just buy the one you fancy spending the money on. Cheap is generally heavy. Not much though.