# Putting an 8 speed casette on a 10 speed rear hub.



## trailrider24 (Dec 14, 2012)

Do I need any spacer or just put it on and ride? (after derailleur adjustment)


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## Aresab (Mar 27, 2007)

Nope! 8, 9, 10 are all the same size cassette and freehub. A 7 speed would need a spacer.

Happy trails!


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## zebrahum (Jun 29, 2005)

I would mention that it may depend on the hub. Just have it in your head that if it doesn't tighten down with a reasonable amount of force that you may need a spacer. Putting a spacer on is no big deal and any LBS will have one. Mavic hubs, for example, will likely require a spacer while Shimano hubs probably won't. 

If the cassette won't tighten down, you need a spacer.


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## GTscoob (Apr 27, 2009)

zebrahum said:


> If the cassette won't tighten down, you need a spacer.


Or if the lockring tightens down but the cogs slide around on the freehub body, you'll need a spacer.

If you dont have a spacer handy, you can sometimes fit a 13T cog behind the biggest cog and use that as a spacer, they're normally 1.5-2mm wide and will take up enough space to allow the lockring to tighten the cassette down.


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## Aresab (Mar 27, 2007)

While there are infinite possibilities, SRAM and Shimano cassettes are a standard size for 8, 9 and 10 speed. If you are currently running a 10 speed cassette which has no spacer, removing it and replacing it with an SRAM or Shimano 8 speed you should not need a spacer. On the other hand, if you are buying a new wheelset listed as 10 speed that has standard hub you will most likely not need a spacer but I agree with the posts above, there are always oddities...


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## trailrider24 (Dec 14, 2012)

OK, thanks for the answers! I'll put it on to look if I need a spacer. My other question is do I need to adjust my rear derailleur after the wheel change? The previous wheel has an 8speed hub. (at least I believe so)


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## robselina (Nov 1, 2008)

trailrider24 said:


> OK, thanks for the answers! I'll put it on to look if I need a spacer. My other question is do I need to adjust my rear derailleur after the wheel change? The previous wheel has an 8speed hub. (at least I believe so)


Yes, I typically have to adjust my derailleur when I replace cassettes or switch wheel sets. There's just enough variation in parts to require a quick adjustment.

I'm assuming this is an 8-speed drivetrain, but you're replacing the wheel/hub with a new one which is advertised as for 10 speed?


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## trailrider24 (Dec 14, 2012)

robselina said:


> Yes, I typically have to adjust my derailleur when I replace cassettes or switch wheel sets. There's just enough variation in parts to require a quick adjustment.
> 
> I'm assuming this is an 8-speed drivetrain, but you're replacing the wheel/hub with a new one which is advertised as for 10 speed?


I don't know if it's advertied as for 10spd but in the store I asked if I could put a 10 speed casette on it later. They said I can put it on just like that and it's good. By the way it's a Novatec rear hub, don't know the exact type.


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## robselina (Nov 1, 2008)

Yep, sounds like you're going to be fine. Fingers crossed yours is a typical hub and cassette and no spacer required! 
(as others have suggested, every once in a while you end up needing a spacer. I keep some 0.25mm, 0.5mm and 1mm spacers around for rainy days.)


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## tankhead10 (Dec 6, 2014)

How about chainrings, will they need to be replaced or can user just use same chainrings? What about chain? 8 or 9 speed? Thanks and Happy thanksgiving


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## zebrahum (Jun 29, 2005)

tankhead10 said:


> How about chainrings, will they need to be replaced or can user just use same chainrings? What about chain? 8 or 9 speed? Thanks and Happy thanksgiving


An odd response to an old thread...

Are you asking if you need to change chainrings if you go from a 10 speed cassette to an 8 or 9 speed cassette? The answer is that you probably don't need to change chainrings as long as you use the right chain for the chainrings. If you are running an 8 speed cassette but 10 speed rings I think you will need to use a 10 speed chain; I'm actually not sure there.

Speaking generally you can usually use chains from higher speed counts on lower speed count cassettes without issues so you want to try to run a chain which matches the highest speed count of the parts on your bike. There are exceptions, but that should cover a lot of scenarios.


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## tankhead10 (Dec 6, 2014)

Yes that is exactly what I was asking. Everything I have read from sites like Sheldon Brown et al says that I should be fine with a nine speed chain. I was checking to see if anyone has done it.
Just got a new fat bike. It has x5 paddle shifters. Want to switch to 8 speed half pipe shifters since they are my favorites and I have two new ones in the garage. I prefer 8 speed over 9/10 speed.
Thanks for your time.

Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk


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