Can you bodge?

[Agency_Scum]

...an 8 speed XTR cassette to work with 9 speed bar end shifters?

 

[Max P]

Spacings are slightly different so it will not be perfect but will work quite well. How about going friction mode?

 

[andy.l]

You can use 9spd shifters on an 8spd cassette but chain,cassette and chainring will have more exertion put through them.

8spd cog spacing is 4.8mm,9spd is 4.34mm so not much (0.4mm) but just enough to annoy you when it starts to rub.I expect youll find that the very high and very low gears will work fine but itll be a minefield of fine adjustments in the middle.

andy

 

[andrewl]

...an 8 speed XTR cassette to work with 9 speed bar end shifters?

The short answer is no it just doesn't work unless you plan on using only one gear!

 

[one-eyed_jim]

...an 8 speed XTR cassette to work with 9 speed bar end shifters?

You can try the "alternate cable routing" described here:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/dura-ace.html#indexing

Briefly, you run the cable to the other side of the clamp bolt. That tweaks the cable pull ratio just enough to get 8-speed shifting out of a 9-speed lever. The article is mostly about Dura Ace compatibility, but this is another application of the same thing.

You could just run a 9-speed cassette of course - I think that's what I'd do.

I was also sorting out some junk last night and found an Ultegra 8-speed bar end lever. It's a little tatty, but I'm sure it works fine, and I'm unlikely to use it again. Drop me a mail if you're interested:

yosnappyj at hotmail dot com