Deore 8sp and 9sp rapidfire shifters - interchangeable??

[lewis noble]

Hello!  I would welcome advice on sorting out a problem on my son's bike - as some of the components in question came originally from Thorn / SJSC I hope it is reasonable to seek advice from this Forum.

My son has a Specialized hybrid, several years old, that he uses for commuting / trail riding.  8 x 3 Deore setup.  He had it overhauled by LBS recently, but it sounds as though rear gear cable nipple has sheared off inside the 8sp shifter / brake housing.  Nipple visible under housing, which was perhaps not replaced properly?? New cables on order. 

All being well, the nipple can be removed, cable replaced in usual way, I'm talking him through it as best I can over video phone call. 

If the shifter is damaged, I could give him the old 9 sp rapidfire Deore shifters from my Sherpa . . . . . I moved to bar-end shifters a while ago because stiff thumb joints make rapidfire changes painful on long rides.  I still have the old kit that was taken off the Sherpa (which originally came from a Ripio!)

But will the 9sp shifter work on an 8sp changer / cassette??  All kit is Shimano, but is pull ratio the same?

Thanks for any info.

Lewis

[PH]

No, the pull ratio is different as the cassette spacing is different.
The derailleur and the hub are the same, so a new cassette is probably the easiest way to make it work.

[lewis noble]

Thanks for reply, PH, appreciated.

Ah well, let's hope the socket thing that the cable sits in is not damaged.  With luck, we will get away with this . . . . .

I suppose I could always pinch the 8sp brifter off my wife's bike, but I have a feeling she would notice . . . . .

It's hard to sort these things out over the phone, and my son is in pretty difficult circumstances I think work-wise at present, tho' he keeps his problems very much to himself.  One way or another I expect to be able to sort him out. 

Lewis

[leftpoole]

Lewis (Hero member),
Is your son far away? I am certain you could simply fix the damage and be his hero?
I guess if you fancy a trip you could do it now.
John