My old Bianchi 12 speed, now being used by the GF has the original suntour friction shifters on the downtube. Apparently they were losing friction all the time, so she tightened the D-ring until it snapped.
How does one overhaul these things to get the compression back? Are the d-rings at all special, or could I pick one up for a nickel at hardwicks? Would I be better off just getting indexed shifters from RC seeing as how she never really warmed to the original shifters?
(please refrain from commenting on the merits of riding fixed. I would love to convert this frame to a fixie, but she is really enjoying it as it is and I do not want to force her to find a replacement just yet).
1337Joined: 22 Jul 2005Posts: 6705Location: right over
downtube shifters are fantastic. perhaps you should get a set of indexed downtube shifters at RC? they're easy to install but not quite as easy to adjust as their frictiony brethren.
joeball
Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 2:40 pm
Joined: 24 Jul 2005Posts: 6037Location: Ether
Just the D ring snapped? can you get the remains of the bolt out from the frame.
There are a few differences between downtube shifters one of which being here they attach to the frame
- frame has bosses on the left and right side of the down tube
- frame has one boss on the top side of the down tube
- frame has a clamp on band that has bosses on it
I'm guessing yours is the 1st type where left and right shifters are separate and use a bolt with a d-ring or flathead that serves to attach the unit to the treaded boss on the down tube. This little bolt also sets the tension, hence "friction shifting". Did the bolt break or just the D ring? Can you get the old one out?
The cheapest thing would be to just go to recycled cycles and find a replacement bolt. Sometimes they have old indexed shifters too that you maybe able to swap onto the bike as long as the attachment style is the same.
As a side note: Arguably the best D/T shifters are the suntour "power ratchet" design, recreated in these
http://www.rivbike.com/webalog/shifters_derailleurs/17101.html
They are not indexed but still analog yet they have a fine ratchet mechanism that does not require the d-ring bolt to provide the friction.
Razi
Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 3:10 pm
Joined: 16 Dec 2005Posts: 866Location: Seattle
The frame has one rectangular boss on each side.
I might just talk to the GF and see if she would rather use bar-cons. Not as classic looking, but plenty reliable and more conveniently placed. If I do go that route I might very well use the Silvers with the seperate mounts.
I might just talk to the GF and see if she would rather use bar-cons. Not as classic looking, but plenty reliable and more conveniently placed. If I do go that route I might very well use the Silvers with the seperate mounts.
Aaron, do you stock these levers?
yeah i have seen them in his shop
Aaron
Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 7:20 pm
Joined: 25 Jul 2005Posts: 4645
I HAVE ALL BIKE PARTS KNOWN TO GF! (Greg Fitzgerald, God Fabulous, Gino Figorinni)
pete jr
Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2006 1:20 am
Joined: 13 Dec 2005Posts: 1930Location: balls deepx
joeball wrote:
They are not indexed but still analog yet they have a fine ratchet mechanism that does not require the d-ring bolt to provide the friction.
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1337
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