WTB: 8 Speed Wheel set!
 

My noob cycling brother has a Tommasini frame with 7402 group with indexed shifters. Its all very nice, but he is missing the rear derailleur and a wheel set. Ideally if anyone has a dura ace hub laced to a clincher rim with an 8 speed cog (range does not matter) that would be the best case scenario. Open to suggestions though, as I would like to get this done for him so he can ride this spring/summer/fall.

I would pick up an entry level prebuilt Mavic, Shimano or Vuelta wheelset; if he really gets into riding he can spend the money on an upgrade and if he stays recreational the wheels will last years. Cost, weight and durability are all an ok balance and will run around 200.00 for a set. A quick search of Ebay showed that an 8sp DA wheelset will set you back close to 300 plus shipping for wheels that may be low milage, may have been well maintained or may have been nearly worn out before being replaced and tossed in a listing. Probikekit and a couple of others keep running conti 5000 tires for 70.00 a pair and lower tier conti and vittoria for 40.00 a pair which either way is a bargain and cassettes can be found cheap, just need a sram pg-830 for 20-25.00.
Dura ace hubs were cheap enough used if you can build a wheel, has me thinking of buying a set, building some rims I have laying around and seeing if they really sell for 300.

I’ve got a 7402 hubset with matching Uniglide cassette. Not sure if that’s useful here.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...96c672472f.jpg

8-speed Shimano / SRAM compatible wheels are among the most common commodities in the bike universe. Keep in mind that Shimano spline compatible hubs also fit 9 and ten speed cassettes, so you have a lot to choose from.

Shimano and SRAM 8-speed cassette spacing is also all cross compatible, including old Dura-Ace.

How much should you be willing to pay for a 8/9/10 speed compatible wheelset? Basically nothing, as everyone is shedding these to upgrade to 11-speed systems, or discs.

The going price at my local Co-op for (pro hand built ) wheels with Dura-Ace 7700 hubs and Open Pro rims is roughly 100 Canadian Pesos.

Really? Where's your local Co-op?

The 7700 hubs are some of the nicest ever built.
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I have a set of wheels Shimano R500, 622x15C, clincher.
The set of wheels is in a nice condition, the rims are true and the hubs are moving smooth.
The front wheel has 20 spokes, the rear 24.
The hubbs are WH-R501.
The set comes with quick release skewers and a cassette Shimano Ultegra hyperglide CS-6500, 9 speed.
They are on eBay now for 100 plus shipping.
i can sell them for 85$ plus shipping.
I don't know if it helps, but also I will look for a spare wheel as you want.

Got a Shimano 600 (HB6400-FH6402) / Mavic Open 4 CD wheelset. I think I have an 8s DA cassette around here somewhere (13-23 maybe)? PM if interested. Cassette was on the rear and the wheelset came with a Bianchi I bought last year so I haven’t been using it. But it’s old, dirty, and haven’t opened the hubs up at all.
Edit: also have an 8s 105 RD that came with the same bike if you’re interested, have to pull the model # later

I also have a set of Matrix ISO C-II, 700C with Shimano 600 tricolor hubs and cassette, but 7 speed. Very nice condition
and a rear wheel, rim doesn't have a sticker, Shimano 105 hub and a 8 speed cassette, which spins good, but has rust

I have a set of Nisi HR22, 700c, with Ofmega hubs and a Sachs-Maillard LY91 8-speed freewheel 13-21. These were on a Marinoni 1992 all Shimano DA (except for the wheels). Wheels are true and the freewheel is good but needs to be lubricate. One Olmega skewer was replaced by a Shimano Ultegra one. PM if interested.

P.S. I know shipping from US to Canada is prohibitive but from Canada to US, it is reasonable ;)

Here is the bike in question. I will get to some PMs in a bit.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ad9c01453.jpeg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...775e0464b.jpeg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8e55645f9.jpeg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...91a0c87c7.jpeg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...de06e4cd7.jpeg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4e4084792.jpeg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2a12d00ba.jpeg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...cbc7dedb6.jpeg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...dd0ac59fa.jpeg

This guy on Paceline is selling a dura ace and a 600 wheelset for a nice price. Let me know if you’re not registered there and I can try to connect you.

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=250307

Actually these are the be best hubs ever made. Superior cup and cone implementation, highest quality cups, cones and balls, and a light titanium freehub. Every part on these hubs (including the cups) can be replaced easily with readily available parts. These hubs should last a lifetime if not completely abused and neglected.

Anyway, back to the OP: very nice frame. The 7403 brakes are the best road rim brakes ever made. The crankset is outstanding as well. This is well worth building up.

Comment: your downtube shifters (7 speed 7402) are not compatible with your rear 7700 (9-speed era) derailleur. The cable pull is mismatched, and it will not index shift over any cog spacing that I am aware of. Keep in mind that most Shimano 740X series stuff is completely off onto a world of its own in terms of incompatibility and being long orphaned. Particularly 740X series cassette hubs. Do NOT get drawn into taking any of this stuff, even if it is free.

Dave is quite correct. If you run into any 7400-series hubs or cassettes, you should send them straight away to me. I am an EPA-certified 7400-series Dura Ace disposal contractor and for a very small fee I’ll safely and humanely remove any such items from your premises.

Also, I’m not aware of any Dura Ace 8-speed DT shifters compatible with anything other than a 7400 RD. Once Shimano went to 9-speed, DA was no longer its own thing and the DA RD’s went back to the same pull ratio as all their other groups.

So unless you want to run friction, you’ll need a 7400 RD to match your 7400 shift levers (and be stuck at 7s) or get a 7400 RD and a set of 9s levers which will work as 8s (just don’t use the last “click”) or “downgrade” to something like 6400 and search out a set of 8s DT shifters - they aren’t too common.

Like I said, I’m a licensed 7400 disposal agent.

Will my 740x-series equipped bikes explode if not stored properly?

They are a ticking time bomb - send to me for disposal before it’s too late!

I'm disappointed with the responses to the OP - a self-described 'noob' who needs a wheelset.

The frame is very nice, and well worth building. But in the spirit of being helpful, the OP does NOT need:

• 7-speed cassette hubs
• Anything with a 126mm OLD.
• Anything Uniglide - he doesn't need to be sent on a epic goose chase to hunt down 30 year-old cogs.
• Any ancient cassette hub that does not accept a 11-tooth cog. I know, 11-tooth cogs are practically useless, but almost all new cassettes come with them, and the OP does not need the surprise of buying a standard modern cassette and finding out that it will not fit. Or worse, he or his shop will force it on and break something.
• The OP does not need ancient hard-anodized rims that are notorious for cracking.
• The OP does need any freewheel-based system. 7-speed freewheel hubs are marginal due to the amount of axle overhang. 8-speed freewheels, unless you weight 100 pounds, are completely wrong. BTW: I have dozens of high-end freewheel-based wheelsets hanging in my garage. Cassette systems are simply better.
• The OP definitely does not need any 740X cassette hubs. They feature impossible to source cogs and freehubs. I too have a stash of this stuff in boxes somewhere, including replacement 7403 freehubs. But in the year 2020, I'm not going to recommend anyone actually use this stuff.

Done: said it.

12-21 8 speed? Don't take the risk and build them up into a wheelset, your life is at stake. Doing so would be like going to an Easter Sunday church service where the pastor hugs everyone and then tests positive for Covid-19. I can provide my address for safe disposal, just PM me. For the love of God, it's Uniglide - noooooo!!!!!

You done said it, but what should the OP use with your presumptive 7s DA shift levers? I'll call your 7s and raise you 8s.

Not even remotely funny.

And yet reality is stranger than fiction... but then this isn't the Foo or the Political forum. Sorry for that.

That's why I posted what I did. This isn't the Foo or the Political forum.

No worries.

All apologies. Would love to hear from the OP on what specific shifters he has and what his thoughts are on how he would like to move forward.

The early advice was actually pretty good. Any decent machine made Shimano compatible 8-9-10 speed wheelset will do the trick; they are out there for $200 more or less and will accept a modern HG 8 speed cassette without whimpering.

Sure, there are those of us who would source and lace up a 7403 hubset (I’m looking at you. In the mirror) but totally not necessary.

Shimano still makes a couple of 8-speed cassettes that don't start with an 11, if that helps: https://www.universalcycles.com/shop...17&category=42

I’ve used the combination of that Shimano 13-26 and a Sunrace 11-28 to make a very closely stepped cassette. OP could make a very nice 13-28: 13-14-15-16-18-21-24-28. I’m fairly certain the Sora cassette is not spidered so individual sprockets come apart; the Sunrace is definitely not spidered. It would provide OK gearing for hill climbing when paired with the lowest front chainring available on that DA crank (39t).