Friction Shifters for 15 speed

[Cross Country 74]

Hi Folks, I am new to this forum and will post an image of my bike later. I have a vintage 1981 Specialized StumpJumper with TA 26-36-46 chain rings and five cog freewheel. I want to use twist shifters instead of the old thumb shifters. The left hand/front seems simple enough, but 5 speed rear not so much. I see on eBay a Shimano Revoshift SLRS31 right hand shifter for 5 speed rear. I believe this is an indexed shifter, but my old freewheel cogs do not have the chain ramps. Anybody have experience with or an opinion about a conversion like this? Thanks, Mac

[DaveM]

I think the spacing on all 5 speed freewheels is the same so it should work. Ramps help the shift happen faster, but aren't necessary. It's possible you'll need a shimano rear derailleur, but maybe not.

It wouldn't be too hard to convert the bike to 6 or seven speed in the back. You would have to respace the axle and get a new freewheel, but should give you more options on shifters.

[GeorgeET]

Grip shifters are troublesome. Stick with what you got.

[Cross Country 74]

Thanks for the replies. Since the grip shifters are not too pricey, I will probably try them just to see. Dave, there is not enough clearance at the right hand seat stay for a sixth cog. I could move the whole wheel to the left and re-dish it, but I am happy with five gears back there. I want to avoid expensive complications if possible. George, I would be interested in a more detailed report regarding your experiences with the grip shifters. My problems with the thumb shifters are: First, they are stiff and require a lot of effort to move. My old thumbs are getting arthritis! Second, they are way more difficult to modulate than the bar end shifters that I am used to. I have to push them beyond to fish for the gear, then move my thumb around to the other side to back off to keep the chain from rattling. Some other choices might be getting Rivendell's Thumbies and try out my Silver bar end shifters as thumb types. These are pretty smooth and might help with my first complaint, but probably not the 2nd. Let's keep exploring ideas for this situation. Thanks, Mac

[GeorgeET]

I can understand the thumb shifter issues you are having. First make sure everything is lubricated and working properly look for frayed cable. Been a while since I used handlebar friction shifters. My road bike has down tube shifters and they work great, Those do have better mechanical advantage than the thumb shifters.

You may want to consider SIS system with trigger shifters those take very little pressure.
As per twist shifters look in the archives on this list lots of info there.


http://bikeride.com/search.php?q=problems+with+grip+shifters&sa=GO&cx=007212922836035168183%3Afhf2-dk8g-i&cof=FORID%3A9&ie=UTF-8

[nfmisso]

This will work fine for you:
http://www.amazon.com/SRAM-Bicycle-Twist-Shifter-8-Speed/dp/B000QSZRJ0/

I disagree with George - I have no problems with grip shifters; though I do prefer SRAM's to Shimano's. Currently two of my bikes have SRAM MRX grip shifters with Shimano derailleurs.

[GeorgeET]

Glad you like yours Nigel. I provided the archives link to show what has been said about them here. YMMV.

[KDC1956]

(04-01-2012, 08:09 PM)Cross Country 74 Wrote:  Thanks for the replies. Since the grip shifters are not too pricey, I will probably try them just to see. Dave, there is not enough clearance at the right hand seat stay for a sixth cog. I could move the whole wheel to the left and re-dish it, but I am happy with five gears back there. I want to avoid expensive complications if possible. George, I would be interested in a more detailed report regarding your experiences with the grip shifters. My problems with the thumb shifters are: First, they are stiff and require a lot of effort to move. My old thumbs are getting arthritis! Second, they are way more difficult to modulate than the bar end shifters that I am used to. I have to push them beyond to fish for the gear, then move my thumb around to the other side to back off to keep the chain from rattling. Some other choices might be getting Rivendell's Thumbies and try out my Silver bar end shifters as thumb types. These are pretty smooth and might help with my first complaint, but probably not the 2nd. Let's keep exploring ideas for this situation. Thanks, Mac

I like the Silver Shifters the best I have them on my Big Dummy bike that I built for me friction shifters are the only way to go most folks I know hate them around here but I sure love mine they are very easy to install once you set them up you are done with them unless the cable goes bag on you.They are so easy to shift wish I have put these on all of my bikes before now.They cost a bit with all you have to get to set up but for me well worth it.My 2 cents anyway.

[1FJEF]

(06-03-2012, 04:45 AM)KDC1956 Wrote:  I like the Silver Shifters the best I have them on my Big Dummy bike that I built for me friction shifters are the only way to go most folks I know hate them around here but I sure love mine they are very easy to install once you set them up you are done with them unless the cable goes bag on you.They are so easy to shift wish I have put these on all of my bikes before now.They cost a bit with all you have to get to set up but for me well worth it.My 2 cents anyway.

Those Silver shifters you like are just under $100 for two.

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Perhaps cheap twist friction shifters if the index spacing doesn't work out (which I don't think it will) with index shifters. Amazon has them too.

[Cross Country 74]

Hi Folks,

I've been pretty busy lately and have not even looked at this thread in a while.

Rather than buy a set of shifters from Amazon, I chose to take the Stump Jumper to a good local bike shop. They thought they could set it up; if not, no charge. Well, it hasn't turned out too well. First they tried a five speed SRAM twist shifter with the existing 5-speed freewheel. The index spacing was not the same. Next they tried a compatible derailleur, still not right. Next, a six speed freewheel (just enough room to make it work) with six speed shifter, spacing not bad, but required a slimmer chain. Next slimmer chain didn't work with the chain rings in front. Now it needs new spacers for them, producing a setup that is not compatible with my smaller Stump Jumper and extra set of wheels. This avenue has become a case of engineering by continuing to add stuff to make it work. I prefer simplification! I'm going to have them put it pack as it was, pay them for some of their time and let that avenue close.

Meanwhile, I've found that a 3/4" copper pipe coupling will just fit over the end of the steel handlebars that came on the bike. My Silver Shifters will fit into those couplings just fine. This will allow me to use the existing Tomaselli brake levers and the bar-end shifters. The main issue then is would the angle between the fairly straight bars and my hands make it easy to operate the shifters. Also, if I dump the bike, the shifter on that side will be the first thing to hit the ground.

Another idea is to use Rivendell's Nitto Albatross bars, which have the outside diameter for the Tomaselli brake levers, but the inside diameter to take the Silver Shifters. These bars curve back a lot more than the stock handlebars. If either of these changes work, everything will be compatible and I won't have to convert all the components for each bike and extra set of wheels. I'll report back on these approaches after I've worked through them.

Thanks again for the ideas and links, Mac

(06-03-2012, 11:20 AM)1FJEF Wrote:  

(06-03-2012, 04:45 AM)KDC1956 Wrote:  I like the Silver Shifters the best I have them on my Big Dummy bike that I built for me friction shifters are the only way to go most folks I know hate them around here but I sure love mine they are very easy to install once you set them up you are done with them unless the cable goes bag on you.They are so easy to shift wish I have put these on all of my bikes before now.They cost a bit with all you have to get to set up but for me well worth it.My 2 cents anyway.

Those Silver shifters you like are just under $100 for two.

---

Perhaps cheap twist friction shifters if the index spacing doesn't work out (which I don't think it will) with index shifters. Amazon has them too.

[1FJEF]

Yep, I didn't think the indexed grip shifters would work. I thought bar-end Silver Shifters were indexed also for the rear gears. I hope it works out. It sounds like a fun project. What other wheel set do you have for it?

[GeorgeET]

Wow, what a domino effect. For lock on nail Rome fell.

Have you considered the down tube friction shifters , those do not require thumb use.

This is a 85 Fuji del Rey.