surly crosscheck “shimergo” conversion…

Regardless of what the cycling industry will have you believe, more isn’t always better. Modern 10 speed cassettes rely on thinner cogs that wear out faster & cost more than twice as much as their 8 speed counterparts.

And when it comes to shifters that are fully serviceable & rebuildable, Campagnolo takes the cake, unlike the STI shifters that Shimano manufactures. Shimano would rather have you just buy another set of their shifters instead of being able to replace a spring or something else that should be easy to extend the life of the component.

What’s the best of both worlds? Campagnolo 10 speed shifters used with Shimano-based 8 speed drivetrains. It just so happens that the cable pull for Capagnolo 10 speed is the same that Shimano uses for their 8 speed setup. With proper installation & adjustment, a “Shimergo” setup works flawlessly!

False advertising!

Eight is great!

Here is a quick cost breakdown.

“Good” 8 speed cassette – $32 & “cheap” 8 speed chain – $10 = $42 total.

Vs.

“Cheap” 10 speed cassette – $70 & “cheap” 10 speed chain – $35 = $105 total.

So it costs about 250% more to replace the 10 speed drivetrain than it does the 8 speed drivetrain. To add insult to injury, the 10 speed drivetrain will have a shorter lifespan than the 8 speed, due to the chain & cassette cogs being thinner. So, not only does it cost more, but you’ll have to replace it more often!

~ by michael on April 28, 2008.