I'm considering converting my 7 speed road bike to STI if I can do it without spending a lot. Sora brifters, the ones with the thumb lever, are still available for a little over $100, in both 7 and 8 speed. Are these any good? Will I hate that thumb lever sticking out? Would I be better off finding a used pair of RSX on ebay or craigslist? Does it matter what front derailleur and chainrings I use? Am I better off sticking with trusty barend shifters? I already have a bike with barends though and I want variety.
zuvembi
Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 5:27 am
Joined: 24 Jul 2005Posts: 942Location: Little Addis Ababa
Are you set on eight speed? If not, have a set of 9 speed Tiagra shifters I'd be happy to sell you (once I get the Campagnolo ones from Alastair).
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ripper
Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 6:24 am
evilmikeJoined: 19 Apr 2006Posts: 640Location: Capitalist Hill
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joeball
Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 8:03 am
Joined: 24 Jul 2005Posts: 6037Location: Ether
That rsx set might be worth trying, also the advantage of trying them in person to see if that ratcheting still works ok. The RSX still has the dual lever design as well i believe, as opposed to the sora/campy thumb lever. Personally I like or am used to the double finger lever design, granted I have not ridden or owned a bike with the thumb lever, just borrowed them. If you have a shimano front der you should be fine. I am not sure if the RSX levers are double or triple specific. I know 105 9-speed the left lever could be used for either but Dura-Ace was double or triple specific.
Dane's Tiagras would be good as well but then you would need a 8/9speed wheel. And if you are talking about the cannondale you probably have 126mm rear spacing, which my restrict you to 7-speed.
derrickito
Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 8:45 am
now with 50 percent more EVILJoined: 22 Jul 2005Posts: 10566
ive been running a pair of soras with thumb shifters since 2004 and give them a hearty thumbs up. put thousands of miles on them and they dont bug me and they havent ever failed.
dennyt
Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 10:19 am
rocket mechanicJoined: 02 Aug 2005Posts: 2708
My soras rock, especially for shifting from the hoods. Downshifts from the drops are a bit of a stretch (long stroke on the shift), but I barely ever ride in the drops anyway.
MikeOD
Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 11:42 am
Joined: 04 Feb 2006Posts: 545
These will go on the Apollo, 126 spacing but steel frame so I could set it and go to 8 or 9 speed. I have a 7 speed wheel I could use but it's not great, so I'm considering a new wheel build anyway. Thanks for the Craigslist link, I bought stuff from that guy last summer, he meets Seattle people at Southcenter mall. Dane the Tiagras are tempting, let me know what you would want for them and I'll consider it. Are they for a triple or double?
the dreaded ben
Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 12:11 pm
Grumpy GreebJoined: 20 Aug 2005Posts: 5329Location: flavor country
how many speeds are your barend shifters?
i'm looking for an 8 speed set.
MikeOD
Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 12:54 pm
Joined: 04 Feb 2006Posts: 545
The only set of 8spd I have is in daily use. In the parts bin I have 7 speed (used, still good) and 9 speed (NIB) shimano indexed barends. Also suntour friction barends, and suntour 7 speed indexed (requires a suntour rear mech).
zuvembi
Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 2:40 pm
Joined: 24 Jul 2005Posts: 942Location: Little Addis Ababa
MikeOD wrote:
These will go on the Apollo, 126 spacing but steel frame so I could set it and go to 8 or 9 speed. I have a 7 speed wheel I could use but it's not great, so I'm considering a new wheel build anyway.
Alternately you can do the 8-of-9-on-7 trick. 7 speed wheel, eight - 9 speed cassette cogs, 9 speed shifter.
Quote:
Dane the Tiagras are tempting, let me know what you would want for them and I'll consider it. Are they for a triple or double?
They're for a triple, so you can do either with them.
Let me dig them out when I get back home and assess them.
the dreaded ben wrote:
how many speeds are your barend shifters?
i'm looking for an 8 speed set.
I have a new-in-box 8 speed barend set if I'm not mistaken. Let me look when I get back.
_________________ When the revolution comes, we're going to need a longer wall
the dreaded ben
Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 2:44 pm
Grumpy GreebJoined: 20 Aug 2005Posts: 5329Location: flavor country
zuvembi wrote:
the dreaded ben wrote:
how many speeds are your barend shifters?
i'm looking for an 8 speed set.
I have a new-in-box 8 speed barend set if I'm not mistaken. Let me look when I get back.
yay!
TrikerTrev
Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 3:04 pm
Joined: 23 Oct 2006Posts: 2303Location: FOCO, MOFO!!!
Thats one e-vil lookin teddy bear! Was it yours Ben? 'Splains alot if it were.
langston
Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 9:15 pm
Joined: 25 Jul 2005Posts: 5547Location: Columbia City
beware the curse of old-gear with the RSX. They very, very much want their accompanying front and rear dérailleurs to work well. They don't feature a replaceable seat-tube clamp. which is a total bitch. I couldn't find ones that fit Megan's seat tube when her build-out finished, and it's been a major hassle, even with a nice 105 shifter. Enough so, that we're getting her outfitted with some cane creek brake levers and bar-ends.
Alex
Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 9:36 pm
Joined: 18 May 2006Posts: 3128Location: Roosevelt
MikeOD wrote:
The only set of 8spd I have is in daily use. In the parts bin I have 7 speed (used, still good) and 9 speed (NIB) shimano indexed barends. Also suntour friction barends, and suntour 7 speed indexed (requires a suntour rear mech).
I have 8sp barcons that I'd trade for 9sp. So I could get Mike's 9sp, and Ben could get my 8sp ones.
Sorry, I shoulda brought them tonight.
alex
zuvembi
Posted: Wed May 30, 2007 7:35 am
Joined: 24 Jul 2005Posts: 942Location: Little Addis Ababa
the dreaded ben wrote:
zuvembi wrote:
the dreaded ben wrote:
how many speeds are your barend shifters?
i'm looking for an 8 speed set.
I have a new-in-box 8 speed barend set if I'm not mistaken. Let me look when I get back.
yay!
I did rummage around and find the box with these.
Did you still need them, or did you fellows work out some sort of swap?
_________________ When the revolution comes, we're going to need a longer wall
the dreaded ben
Posted: Wed May 30, 2007 8:10 am
Grumpy GreebJoined: 20 Aug 2005Posts: 5329Location: flavor country
nope, but i'll take who's ever i can get.
¿Cuántos cuestan?
MikeOD
Posted: Wed May 30, 2007 2:20 pm
Joined: 04 Feb 2006Posts: 545
Alex wrote:
I have 8sp barcons that I'd trade for 9sp.
If your 8sp are new or functionally like new then let's trade. These have been sitting in my drawer unused for about a year now, and I'm more likely to put the 8's into service sometime soon than the 9's. The pods are the same, just the levers differ, correct?
I'm backing off the brifters for now, but at least I might get a useful trade and Zuvembi might get a sale out of all this.
Langston were you trying to set up RSX 7sp or 8sp shifters? What front derailleur did you have? A shim wouldn't work? Hmm I guess there are no negative shims are there. What about a barend or downtube lever for the front der and the RSX shifter for the rear. From what I read any Shimano rear der will work, it's the front that's problematic. I'm still not clear though whether the front derailleur needs to be a specific model to match the shifters, or just needs to be a road model rather than mountain.
langston
Posted: Wed May 30, 2007 3:28 pm
Joined: 25 Jul 2005Posts: 5547Location: Columbia City
MikeOD wrote:
Langston were you trying to set up RSX 7sp or 8sp shifters? What front derailleur did you have? A shim wouldn't work? Hmm I guess there are no negative shims are there. What about a barend or downtube lever for the front der and the RSX shifter for the rear. From what I read any Shimano rear der will work, it's the front that's problematic. I'm still not clear though whether the front derailleur needs to be a specific model to match the shifters, or just needs to be a road model rather than mountain.
It was the the front shifter for the RSX 7spd kit. I'd kept the whole drivetrain together, but the front wouldn't translate. No negative shims, indeed. I've gotten a 105 to work well enough. Even if they did work ideally, they are too big for her hands so she wants smaller levers. There's a pair of Cane Creeks waiting for the day & pay to do it.
Alex
Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 9:26 am
Joined: 18 May 2006Posts: 3128Location: Roosevelt
[quote="MikeOD"]
Alex wrote:
I have 8sp barcons that I'd trade for 9sp.
If your 8sp are new or functionally like new then let's trade. These have been sitting in my drawer unused for about a year now, and I'm more likely to put the 8's into service sometime soon than the 9's. The pods are the same, just the levers differ, correct?[quote]
Yup. I should have functionally new ones and probably even have brand new ones. I'll check when I'm at home.
Quote:
Langston were you trying to set up RSX 7sp or 8sp shifters? What front derailleur did you have? A shim wouldn't work? Hmm I guess there are no negative shims are there. What about a barend or downtube lever for the front der and the RSX shifter for the rear. From what I read any Shimano rear der will work, it's the front that's problematic. I'm still not clear though whether the front derailleur needs to be a specific model to match the shifters, or just needs to be a road model rather than mountain.
It just needs to be road vs mountain. You can mix and match beyond that. Shimano was nice and used the same indexing for rear road and mountain, but screwed up the front.
Indexed front shifting sucks anyway.
alex
MikeOD
Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 1:09 pm
Joined: 04 Feb 2006Posts: 545
Alex wrote:
MikeOD wrote:
Alex wrote:
I have 8sp barcons that I'd trade for 9sp.
If your 8sp are new or functionally like new then let's trade. These have been sitting in my drawer unused for about a year now, and I'm more likely to put the 8's into service sometime soon than the 9's. The pods are the same, just the levers differ, correct?
Yup. I should have functionally new ones and probably even have brand new ones. I'll check when I'm at home.
alex
I have the 9sp levers in my bag today - I'll keep them there until I run into you. I also have another pair at home, so if you have 2 sets of 8's... I was originally going to build up our touring bikes as 9sp but went with 8sp instead.
Alex
Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 1:56 pm
Joined: 18 May 2006Posts: 3128Location: Roosevelt
MikeOD wrote:
I have the 9sp levers in my bag today - I'll keep them there until I run into you. I also have another pair at home, so if you have 2 sets of 8's... I was originally going to build up our touring bikes as 9sp but went with 8sp instead.
Cool. I'll grab what I have and stick them in my bag too. I'm most likely not coming tonight (but if someone wants to call and tell me where you folks are going then I might intersect the ride).
alex
rlotz
Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 3:46 pm
Joined: 23 Jan 2006Posts: 311Location: Capitol Hill
MikeOD wrote:
I have the 9sp levers in my bag today - I'll keep them there until I run into you. I also have another pair at home, so if you have 2 sets of 8's... I was originally going to build up our touring bikes as 9sp but went with 8sp instead.
If Alex doesn't want the second set of 9spd barcons then I'm interested. I could either offer cash or buy you a pair of new or functionally new 8spd shifters.
Alex
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 5:16 am
Joined: 18 May 2006Posts: 3128Location: Roosevelt
Alex wrote:
MikeOD wrote:
I have the 9sp levers in my bag today - I'll keep them there until I run into you. I also have another pair at home, so if you have 2 sets of 8's... I was originally going to build up our touring bikes as 9sp but went with 8sp instead.
Cool. I'll grab what I have and stick them in my bag too. I'm most likely not coming tonight (but if someone wants to call and tell me where you folks are going then I might intersect the ride).
Andre called (thanks Andre!) and I was still lame and didn't show up. However I do have two pairs of 8sp barend shifters. Both are in good shape, but neither is brand new.
I'd suggest taking one pair of mine and taking up Richard's offer to do a trade for the other pair.
I also have a 7sp barend if anyone is looking for one of those.
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