Are Shimano chainrings interchangeable?

I have a Shimano 600 set on my road bike (vintage 1987) which I would
like to upgrade the cahinrings from the Bio Pace system that was
introduced that year. I would like to change it for a Shimano Ultegra
39T/53T chain rings. Will the 5-hole shimano cetner spacing be the
esame for all of their components?

Caleb wrote:
I have a Shimano 600 set on my road bike (vintage 1987) which I would
like to upgrade the cahinrings from the Bio Pace system that was
introduced that year. I would like to change it for a Shimano Ultegra
39T/53T chain rings. Will the 5-hole shimano cetner spacing be the
esame for all of their components?

Your crank has a 130mm BCD (bolt circle diameter). Any chinrings using
that standard, including the ones you're asking about will fit.

search tech archives to - CRANK SAVER!
'87! been a long time: off course if the 600 is like new then it's like
new - maybe
but the 600 is beatifull. nice. pleasing to look at.
ohm the other tapir - nashbar is selling a complete new unit for $60
brinmging the inpemetrabble question! iza nashbar 2006 alloy the equal
of a '87 shimano alloy?
and remememember - 1.7 times the center to center bolt hole distance
equals the BCD
...--..?

While we are on the subject. I have thought about upgrading the
Shimano 600 down-tube shifters to a handlebar configuration. My 600
system has a 6-speed gear sprocket in the back with 600 SIS (index).
Most of what I see out there today is 7+ gears cassettes. Is there any
Shimano handlebar shifters out there that can be adapted? Maybe the
Ultegra? The background of the proble is that it is difficult to
convert the entire component set, the bigger cassette needs a wider
backstay. I don't want to mess with the width of the backstay because
it can ruin the frame. Any Suggestions?

wrote:
search tech archives to - CRANK SAVER!
'87! been a long time: off course if the 600 is like new then it's like
new - maybe
but the 600 is beatifull. nice. pleasing to look at.
ohm the other tapir - nashbar is selling a complete new unit for $60
brinmging the inpemetrabble question! iza nashbar 2006 alloy the equal
of a '87 shimano alloy?
and remememember - 1.7 times the center to center bolt hole distance
equals the BCD
..--..?


Gene, I have a near NOS Shimano 600 (FC-6207, IIRC). The right side was
mounted on a spindle (years and years ago) but never used, the left arm
is in an unopened Shimano package. Email me if you're interested, I'd
like to see it go somewhere it would be appreciated.

On Fri, 19 May 2006 11:20:20 -0700, Caleb wrote:

While we are on the subject. I have thought about upgrading the
Shimano 600 down-tube shifters to a handlebar configuration. My 600
system has a 6-speed gear sprocket in the back with 600 SIS (index).
Most of what I see out there today is 7+ gears cassettes. Is there any
Shimano handlebar shifters out there that can be adapted? Maybe the
Ultegra? The background of the proble is that it is difficult to
convert the entire component set, the bigger cassette needs a wider
backstay. I don't want to mess with the width of the backstay because
it can ruin the frame. Any Suggestions?

Try barend shifters, or mounts to convert your downtube shifters to
barends.

IIRC, 7sp shifter will shift a 6sp cassette/freewheel, as the spacing
is the same. So you could use Shimano 7sp shifters, or Campy ones if you
switched to a Campy derailer too.

You could also convert to 7, 8, or 9 speed, without spreading the frame,
by running a wheel with more dish. A lot of people have done this with
no problems. The asymmetric rims available now would help even the
tension.

If your frame is steel there's no reason not to spread it, other than not
having a local mechanic who knows how to do it.

Your situation was common several years ago, as many people were trying to
upgrade their downtube 6sp bikes to STI/Ergo/etc. I wonder if someone has
put together a FAQ.

Matt O.

Caleb wrote:
While we are on the subject. I have thought about upgrading the
Shimano 600 down-tube shifters to a handlebar configuration. My 600
system has a 6-speed gear sprocket in the back with 600 SIS (index).
Most of what I see out there today is 7+ gears cassettes. Is there any
Shimano handlebar shifters out there that can be adapted? Maybe the
Ultegra? The background of the proble is that it is difficult to
convert the entire component set, the bigger cassette needs a wider
backstay. I don't want to mess with the width of the backstay because
it can ruin the frame. Any Suggestions?

I assume you're asking about Shimano bar-end shifters:
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?&sku=12434
Back when these first came out (1990-ish), the 6-speed and 7-speed
shifters were the same. Since 6-speed required a different cable pull,
there was a small plastic shim that fit in the groove of the shifter to
make them index properly. The 6/7-speed shifters are almost impossible
to find now (they haven't been made for nearly ten years) *and* you
would have to find a set *with* the little plastic shim. Double-nearly
impossible IMHO.

(I have a couple sets of 7-speed bar-end shifters- but I'm not selling
them.)

Your best bet to retain your existing drivetrain would be to use
non-index "friction" shifting, either with Shimano or Silver brand
shifters:
http://www.rivbike.com/webalog/shift...urs/17089.html
This isn't really a step backward- most people can use friction
shifters with only a short learning period.

As to your question about widening your frame "ruining" your frame-
that's hogwash. You would only need to widen it 4mm, a very small
amount. I've done it to a couple frames with no ill effects. This
Harris Cyclery article gives you a good run-down on the procedu
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html
It would be easy to re-space your frame to 130mm width. Then you could
"upgrade" to 8, 9, or 10 speeds on the rear wheel!

Jeff

nashbar and loosescrews sell the requisite equipment
as does the local flea market man!!
the two sets downtube shifters i have are from 10 speeds at 2/5/10 but
handle 2//8/16 no problem

gnaw - loosescrews has the rings but i commute and HD tour so the extra
finesse is wasted on me - practically if not asthetically
steel is real - what i would like to find is a box of high end late
'80's SR steel cranksets in 175mm - now that's anicea crankset - word
here is these SR's are $250+ of machining - see the loosescrews special
at $175 - a plainjane set - homely - i have one and keep it hidden
under the bearing cloth
the unworn 600 and another set were replaced with 9 speeds by various
rich folk
have yawl visited the sugino (italy) site? i haven't for a while but
have not located a dealer willing to order tho bike mag had a sidebar
on sugino triples a ways back at $100
the AL rings require every day cleaning before commuting to develop a
sense of longevity - for the CR if not I

Caleb wrote:
While we are on the subject. I have thought about upgrading the
Shimano 600 down-tube shifters to a handlebar configuration. My 600
system has a 6-speed gear sprocket in the back with 600 SIS (index).
Most of what I see out there today is 7+ gears cassettes. Is there any
Shimano handlebar shifters out there that can be adapted? Maybe the
Ultegra? The background of the proble is that it is difficult to
convert the entire component set, the bigger cassette needs a wider
backstay. I don't want to mess with the width of the backstay because
it can ruin the frame. Any Suggestions?


First of all, check your frames rear spacing. It's most likely 126mm,
which means switching to 7SP only requires re-dishing the rear wheel (a
7SP FW takes up more space on the right side than a 6SP), not messing
with the frame.

Now, what do you mean by "handlebar configuration" shifters? Do you
mean the integrated brake/shifter levers from Shimano? If so, if you
convert to 7SP, you may be able to find some of the older 7SP
"brifters" through an LBS, RBM or eBay. I would approach used brifters
with a great deal of caution.

And here are two other approaches, usable in 6 or 7 speed:

Kelly Take-offs:

http://tinyurl.com/b4z48

and Dia-Tech bar-end shift mounts from Rivendell:

http://tinyurl.com/d6tw5

HTH