As title really.
Do they work with "standard" modern mechs? If so, how do they hold against the force of the mechs spring, without anyway of locking (like a modern mech does)?
Same goes for any unindexed mech I guess?
Ta, Duane.
Bike Forum
How do suicide shifters work?
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Posted 6 months ago #
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what the heck are 'suicide shifters'?
Posted 6 months ago # -
Posted 6 months ago # -
They're not suicide shifters
Posted 6 months ago # -
Mechs aren't indexed, shifters are (nowadays). It's a just friction from what I remember of old thumbies.
Posted 6 months ago # -
SO you mean downtube shifters?
They're a friction shifter, they rely on the friction of the mechanism in the shifter to hold it in gear.
Mech's are indexed anyway, only shifters are.Posted 6 months ago # -
They have internal friction to hold the mech. That little D ring on the side turns to tweak the friction. Too much and the mech won't return, too little and it won't hold.
Posted 6 months ago # -
You're not very old, are you Duane?
Posted 6 months ago # -
those campag shifter were awesome......only bettered by suntour.
Posted 6 months ago # -
Of course you can also get indexed downtube shifters.
Posted 6 months ago # -
ohhhhhhh, down-tube shifters
that D-ring on the outside simply tightens up against the lever to provide enough friction against the spring of the derailleur whilst still allowing the lever to move, they were simpler times
Posted 6 months ago # -
The 'D' shaped clip on the outside controlls the friction in the shifter, you wind it in untill the friction ballances the spring in the mech.
Newer ones were indexed so the friction could be less as the 'clicks' held it against the mech spring, they usualy still had a switch to turn the indexing on and off as well as friction controll.
Only refered to a suicide shift on motorbikes IIRC though?
[edit] beaten to it.
Posted 6 months ago # -
Sorry, I meant unindexed shifters, not mechs.
Posted 6 months ago # -
Oh, didn't realise they weren't called suicide shifters on bicycles, thought they were.
And aracer, aye I guess, younger than you anyway, grandad
Posted 6 months ago # -
Too much and the mech won't return, too little and it won't hold.
Not true - too much just makes it harder effort to shift - the mech doesn't have to overcome friction at the shifter, just friction in the cables. Those Campag ones pictured I assume are also retrofriction, with a clutch which makes resistance one way much more than the other (to counterbalance mech spring tension).Posted 6 months ago # -
Can still buy friction shifters for MTBs. Real simple to use. no maintenance, last forever.
http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/m13b331s108p9236/SUNRACE_R90_SLR-R9_Thumbie_Shifter/RS_GB/25036Posted 6 months ago # -
Cant remember where I read it but I think that D ring is used to tighten the shifter and provide friction so they don't return.
Posted 6 months ago # -
OK, cheers.
Basically, I want to fit a shifter to the seattube for a front mech, but don't have a cable stop, so thinking of bodging a friction shifter to the seattube...
Posted 6 months ago # -
The mechs used to have 2 springs as well, one on the mech like modern ones, and one on the bit where the cable pulled, so you could shift the whole cassette with the shifter, but the spring would just apply gentle tension to the mech only letting it shift up a gear when it engaged the teeth of the next one. Making it possile (in theory, if your brave) to shift down the entire cassette under full power.
Posted 6 months ago # -
Basically, I want to fit a shifter to the seattube for a front mech, but don't have a cable stop, so thinking of bodging a friction shifter to the seattube...
I did that, works fine as long as you can get the right size shifter for the seatube or seatpost (and never move the seat post up/down).
Posted 6 months ago # -
little known fact. Lance Armstrong used a downtube front mech shifter for all of his 7 tours wins. (not sure if he contuinued with it on his comeback) so yeah, they'll be compatible with newer mechs
Posted 6 months ago # -
I've got one of those old Campag shift levers lurking in a drawer in the garage somewhere. Lovely looking thing.
I still use downtube shifters on my Cross Check; ultra reliable and easy to set up.
Posted 6 months ago # -
Basically, I want to fit a shifter to the seattube for a front mech, but don't have a cable stop, so thinking of bodging a friction shifter to the seattube...
http://www.billys.co.uk/english/group.php?prod=bsqb-backstopsPosted 6 months ago # -
Why can't you move the seat up and down?
Posted 6 months ago # -
The mechs used to have 2 springs as well, one on the mech like modern ones, and one on the bit where the cable pulled
Not as standard they didn't - "modern" location of springs goes back a long way. You're referring to something a bit special there.Posted 6 months ago # -
Not as standard they didn't - "modern" location of springs goes back a long way. You're referring to something a bit special there.
Will have to dig them out then, 80s shimano ones IIRC. You could pull the lever the whole way but it wouldnt shift untill you started pedaling.
Posted 6 months ago # -
little known fact. Lance Armstrong used a downtube front mech shifter for all of his 7 tours wins. (not sure if he contuinued with it on his comeback) so yeah, they'll be compatible with newer mechs
Why?
Posted 6 months ago # -
some of his lightweight climbing bikes had them to save weight. he didn't use them on all the bikes he used
Posted 6 months ago # -
guess it's lighter?
Posted 6 months ago # -
All you need to know about suicide shifters, plus lots of other fascinating facts.
APF
Posted 6 months ago # -
IIRC when indexed downtube shifters first came in, quite a few riders wouldn't use em as the distinctive click meant you couldn't do a stealth gear change.
Posted 6 months ago # -
little known fact. Lance Armstrong used a downtube front mech shifter for all of his 7 tours wins. (not sure if he contuinued with it on his comeback) so yeah, they'll be compatible with newer mechs
He used them because at the time there was no UCI minimum weight limit and they were lighter.
Posted 6 months ago # -
I love seeing the old boys in cross races with their downtube shifters.I have trouble riding and shifting the Ergos on my bars, and these old goats skip past me, one hand on the bars and one getting the shift just right..!
Posted 6 months ago # -
Getting a shift just right on non-indexed downtube shifters was really satisfying. I'd still never change back, mind..
Posted 6 months ago #
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