I have a Schwinn Super Le Tour 1984, with the old stem shifters. Is it possible to change them to the grip shifters? Would I have to change the entire handlebar to do this? And what would the cost be at a bike shop?
Thanks very much.
Different makes of manufacturers shifters pull different lengths of cable per click.
In theory it's quite straight forward - In practice not so.!
You may have to change the derailleurs to suit the shifter and then you may need a compatible sprocket cluster - and so on.
Are your stem shifters the indexing type?
Ride hard or ride home alone!
You would be better off keeping the shifters you have now. But that's my 2 cents on it.
My dad always told me a Sledge a matic can fix any thing.
I have not seen a grip shifter that would work on racing aka drop handle bars, that does not mean they do not exist.
Depending on your desires; I suggest that you get flat bars, new brake levers to match, a new freewheel (or whole new rear wheel with freewheel or cassette), a new rear derailleur, new chain and all new cables. If you purchase moderately priced components from Amazon or similar source, you are looking at $125- (parts only). The change over is not hard to do with basic tools, and a mechanically inclined person with minimal bike experience can do it in a few hours.
A bike store is going to run about double for the parts, plus a couple hours labour, figure about $350- min.
I recently changed my 1984 Schwinn World Tourist which previously (mid 1980's) installed drop bars to flat bars, from 10 speed to 14 speed (new rear wheel, 7 speed freewheel, Shimano TX-51 derailluer, SRAM MRX 7 speed twist grip shifter).
Remember, that after a month or 100 miles (or so), you need to re-adjust the derailluer and cables.
Nigel
