Sora 8sp triple replacements

West Texas Jim said:

I'm looking for recommendations on what to replace the old soras with...

Presuming that you don't want to replace the entire drivetrain, a new-or-used pair of 10-speed Campagnolo ERGO shifters is actually the least expensive option; and, you can directly substitute a pair of pre-2007, Campagnolo 10-speed VELOCE shifters that you will find on eBay for between $80-to-$120 (the price range varies ...).

You do NOT want a 10-speed VELOCE shifter that has a 'QS' on the left shifter ... unless you are only going to use the shifters with a DOUBLE crankset.

You do want 10-speed ERGO shifters (no 'QS'😉 if you are going to use the shifters with a TRIPLE crankset.

If you feel you must maintain Shimano-only, you can probably find a new pair of 8-speed SORA shifters on eBay, too.

There are other options ... including a used pair of rare 8-speed Shimano 105 shifters or some 9-speed Shimano shifters which are triple compatible (only some are) if you're willing to pay more & do some minor fiddling with the rear derailleur cable's anchoring position.

8-speed Shimano bar end & downtube shifters are another option.

I had an old 7 speed that I wanted to convert to drop bar and I found a new set of Shimano Dura Ace downtube 8 speed shifters here. I have generally only used brifters but I found the downtube amazingly easy to get used to. All cables were included when I bought mine and they currently are listed as Ultegra so check.