Originally Posted by headwind15

As A bicycle store owner/ mechanic for over 12 years, I find the term "a different rear sprocket to move the gears more correctly" disturbing. The mechanic is making up this terminology up. NEWSFLASH: there are no sprockets that will make your gears move more correctly. This is very similar to a car mechanic saying that your muffler bearings are shot! (in case you didn't know it, mufflers do not have bearings).

Originally Posted by squirtdad

not correct. freehwheels and cassettes have shaped and "ramped" teeth that help with shifting. These started about the same time indexing started. So the OP could certainly have a freewheel or cassette that is just straight teeth or an early version of shaped and ramped teeth and moving to newer, more evolved design can certainly improve shiffting

Originally Posted by 70sSanO

In 1994 8 speed would be a cassette. Not a chance Trek sold a bike with an 8 speed freewheel. Go take a look at a 1994 Trek catalog and see what bikes Trek offered with 8 speed and what 8 speed groups existed in 1994.

But since the OP’s bike doesn’t exist, we can pretend. Sure it’s an 8 speed Sachs Aris freewheel. It has gummed up shifters, probably brifters, or triggers. Or we can pretend they are 8 speed downtube shifters, bar ends, or thumbies.

It probably doesn’t matter since the OP might be tempted to spend $6000 on a new bike.

Should I buy a new tube for my bike or buy a new bike that already has a tube?

John

And a new wheel, all for $200.