# Dawes Lightning Knowledge Needed



## Babu_The_Great (15 Apr 2020)

Hi all, first time posting on the site, any help would be much appreciated 
I am in the process of renovating my dads 1980's Dawes Lightning and need to replace the gear leavers. At some point they have been moved from the down tube to the handle bar stem.
I'm wondering if anyone knows what make they originally would have been and where I might be able to find a replacement.
If it helps the gear shifters are Simplex SXA32 front derailleur and Simplex S001 rear derailleur.
Thanks in advance


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## biggs682 (15 Apr 2020)

Evening & welcome @Babu_The_Great 

Some thing like these might do you depending upon what amount of gears you have https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sunrace-...var=490184275853&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649


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## Cycleops (15 Apr 2020)

I don't think anyone has moved them, they may always have been there! Nothing to stop you putting some shifters on the down tube but you'll need a band as well.


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## SkipdiverJohn (16 Apr 2020)

I would question whether moving them to the downtube is actually a good idea. Downtube shifters are simple and look elegant, but they are not as user-friendly as having the shifters higher up where they are easier to reach. I still have them on two bikes, and I grew up riding such bikes so I am used to them, but even so I do not make such effective use of the gears as I do on those bikes I ride where the gearshifts are mounted on the bars.


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## uphillstruggler (16 Apr 2020)

Babu_The_Great said:


> Hi all, first time posting on the site, any help would be much appreciated
> I am in the process of renovating my dads 1980's Dawes Lightning and need to replace the gear leavers. At some point they have been moved from the down tube to the handle bar stem.
> I'm wondering if anyone knows what make they originally would have been and where I might be able to find a replacement.
> If it helps the gear shifters are Simplex SXA32 front derailleur and Simplex S001 rear derailleur.
> Thanks in advance



after a few more posts on here (possibly 5), you should be able to post some images - people on here like images and it may help to give you some help.

I have a Dawes from the 70s, it didn't have the braze on mounts on the down tube but a nub on the underside where the band on mount was fixed. if I can get to it later today, I will get a photo.


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## Cycleops (16 Apr 2020)

uphillstruggler said:


> I have a Dawes from the 70s, it didn't have the braze on mounts on the down tube but a nub on the underside where the band on mount was fixed. if I can get to it later today, I will get a photo.


Wasn't that nub to stop it sliding down?


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## uphillstruggler (16 Apr 2020)

Cycleops said:


> Wasn't that nub to stop it sliding down?


 yep, that's what I was trying to explain in my ham fisted way


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## Babu_The_Great (20 Apr 2020)

Thank you all for your help. I know they were originally on the down tube as my dad remembers them bring there  I managed to find one on ebay that was from the 80's and it works a charm.
And yes the nub fits in a slot in the band to stop it sliding down


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## rogerzilla (20 Apr 2020)

Stem mounted shifters are quite good for emasculating the rider in a crash. Other than that, they are the worst form of shifter known (except maybe the vintage type that required the rear QR to be opened while riding!).


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## Archie_tect (24 Apr 2020)

My blue Dawes Lightning 10 speed has down-tube shifters- I bought it new in February 1981- and have never found them to be a problem, even downshifting both levers at the same time!

I'll post a photo of the shifters tomorrow if I remember...- love my old bike.


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