radial1999

Does anyone know if Shimano still makes new 8-speed 105 derailleurs, and if not, what year they stopped making them? I'm trying to date the components on a particular bike.

botto 

stedalus

If you have the components in front of you, you can look for the date code. Look for a two letter stamp on the "back" of whatever part. First letter is the year, second letter is the month. https://www.classicrendezvous.com/Jap...date_codes.htm

Also, if you poke around on the Great German Shimano Component List, you can see that 9-speed 105 shifters (ST-5500) came out in 1999. https://www.fa-technik.adfc.de/Herste...o/Gruppen.html So yeah, Clinton-era.

radial1999

Hahaha, thanks for the replies.

So just to ask one more question:
Say the 8-speed 105 deralleur needs replaced after a crash, the options are:

1) Replace it with Sora (I assume even Tiagra is only 9-speed these days?)
2) Find new old stock 8-speed 105
3) Upgrade to 9 or 10 speed

And if option 3 was chosen, would this require a new wheel? Or would it a matter of shifters/cassette/chain/derailleur, but the wheel would still fit a 9 or 10 speed cassette?

Sorry for the noob questions.

stedalus

Easiest is 4) Replace it with whatever Shimano derailleur you want (except for pre-1997 Dura Ace). There is no functional difference between 8/9/10 speed derailleurs. The difference is in the shifter.

If you want to upgrade to 9 or 10 speed anyway, the wheel should be fine as is. You might have trouble with cassettes that have an 11 as the smallest cog. Depends on your hub.

darb85

with the exception of the new stuff, they changed ratios on the upper level, so the 7900 and 6700 series(ultegra/dura-ace) not sure on 105

stedalus

As far as I know that's only an issue on the front derailleur. Rear derailleur cable pull didn't change.

But, yeah, if you want to be absolutely sure get a Tiagra or pre-7900/6700 105/Ultegra/DA RD.

Paul Y.

Any pictures of the Reagan Administration?