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
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
[url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sunrace-Thumb-Shifter-Gear-Lever-Bike-Bicycle-/110778606264?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&var=&hash=item5f789c97f9#ht_500wt_1180 ]Here's a cheap one on ebay[/url]
What he said...not sure you have any other options really, bodge an old down tube one on?
Get yourself up to the bikestation and see what they've taken of old bikes
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.
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.
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?
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 8)
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
*gets pain in the wallet*
Cheap and nasty?
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/sunrace-thumbshifter-left-hand-prod23293/
have a look on some of many half stripped bikes stuck to railings around town, sure to be some kind of thumbie on one.
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 ?
Is it one of these
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They are awesome. Mine still gets used daily
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
Ah, I used to mount it under the bar as well. Proper old school
I can send you this if you like:
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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
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
ta anyway.