friction shifting ideas please - one for the bodgers

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friction shifting ideas please - one for the bodgers

19 posts & 12 voices | Started 1 year ago by TandemJeremy | Latest reply from TandemJeremy

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TandemJeremy - Member

I recently put a friction shifter on my bike on for the rear mech - and decided I prefer it to indexed. Its a nice suntour thumbie I have used.

Unfortunately I only had the one - I would like to go to a friction shifter / simplified for the front mech - even more advantages being able to trim it. I only have two chain rings so the cable pull required is not very much. I tried using a poplock lever but the pull ratio was all wrong - required far too much force.

Anyone got any bright cheap ideas so I can get rid of the clunky indexed lever. Quite happy to bodge something up. I would only shift a couple of times a ride on the front

Ta

Posted 1 year ago #
Crell - Member

Buy an old MTB front thumb lever - try retrobike or ebay. They're non-indexed. The problem is prices are still quite steep.

You may have to bodge the clamp if you're on them new-fangled fatter bars

Here's a cheap one on ebay

Posted 1 year ago #
cynic-al - Member

What he said...not sure you have any other options really, bodge an old down tube one on?

Posted 1 year ago #
BikePawl - Member

Get yourself up to the bikestation and see what they've taken of old bikes

Posted 1 year ago #
TandemJeremy - Member

Cheers guys
Thing is it only needs a much smaller cable pull than a full lever pulls and that won't match the nice lever I have on the right - not that that really matters I guess.wanting as small and neat a solution I can.

Posted 1 year ago #
Mackem - Member

I've got a pair of friction shifters I could sell for not a lot. They are the forge ones, they are a bit tatty but work fine.

Posted 1 year ago #
wwaswas - Member

if you really only change gear once or twice per ride you could mount the shifter on the seat tube above the front mech stop - very short cable run and no 'mismatched shifter on the bars' issues?

Posted 1 year ago #
TiRed - Member

Gripshift for the front mech (you use it left often and can trim). Thumbie for the rear. I use an old gripshifter on our tandem for the drag brake as it has settings from 1-8 and stays on when needed. Of course it also has those classic Shimano DX friction shifters front and rear

Posted 1 year ago #
TandemJeremy - Member

wwaawas - I did wonder about that as a possible solution. I tend to drop onto the granny ring at the bottom of long / steep climbs and leave it there until the down is reached

Makenm - interested please email me ta

Posted 1 year ago #
Stoner - Member

proppa bling, innit
http://www.paulcomp.com/mtthumbie.html

Posted 1 year ago #
TandemJeremy - Member

*gets pain in the wallet*

Posted 1 year ago #
simon1975 - Member

Cheap and nasty?
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/sunrace-thumbshifter-left-hand-prod23293/

Posted 1 year ago #
bigjim - Member

have a look on some of many half stripped bikes stuck to railings around town, sure to be some kind of thumbie on one.

Posted 1 year ago #
gusamc - Member

how about something like

http://www.britishseagullparts.com/engine-throttles.htm or something similar, lawnmower etc etc etc

can you use a motorbike clutch lever, bolted to the frame, with the lever bolt done up really tight, or you could glue a small spanner to the lever bolt for on the hoof adjustment ...

edit *didn't old car choke cables have a pull and turn the knob sideways to lock arrangement ?

Posted 1 year ago #
leffeboy - Member

Is it one of these

They are awesome. Mine still gets used daily

Posted 1 year ago #
TandemJeremy - Member

Thats the one I have. I did have a pair but one was on the bike that got stolen

Its mounted under the bar tho on my bike now

Posted 1 year ago #
leffeboy - Member

Ah, I used to mount it under the bar as well. Proper old school
I can send you this if you like:

It's a left hand thumbie that has seen better days but should still work. I took it off a bike only a few months ago. It's missing the screw adjuster for tension and is a bit stiff but should be ok. FOC if you want it as it's just in my box of bits at the mo

Posted 1 year ago #
leffeboy - Member

Oops, not paying attention. Just realized that if you are mounting under the bar (missus) then you need the other shifter and I no longer have that one. Back to the whisky

Posted 1 year ago #
TandemJeremy - Member

ta anyway.

Posted 1 year ago #

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