Fixing up the boy's bike...help!

[MissTillyFlop]

My long-suffering other half has a VERY HEAVY Claude Butler touring bike (straight handlebars), which is also really slow (probably all that weight!) and it's a real effort.

The other day I was walking past the charity shop when I saw a vintage Dawes Galaxy and lo! It was beautiful! It was only £20, so clearly I snapped the little old lady's arm off and took it.

However, the gears are:

a) Friction shifters on the lower tube
b) Broken

Now, this will be the first drop handlebar bike he's had and he's scared enough about that. I was just wondering guys opinions on whether I should just fix up the gears as they are, or change the gears to STIs?

 

[Andy_R]

instead of STIs and all the expense there, what about bar end shifters or even tourneys?

 

[Angelfishsolo]

instead of STIs and all the expense there, what about bar end shifters or even tourneys?

Or rocker shifters on the flats?

 

[Andy_R]

Or rocker shifters on the flats?

If you mean grip shifts, I've seen them put on the ends of butterfly bars, but never on the flats of drop bars for some reason.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

If you mean grip shifts, I've seen them put on the ends of butterfly bars, but never on the flats of drop bars for some reason.

No I mean this type of shifter.

 

[Crackle]

If you go down the STI route, you may well need to buy a new rear wheel to accomodate a newer cassette (assuming it's a 5 speed frewheel now). This may also mean having the frame cold set at the dropouts to widen them for the slightly wider cassette. None of that is onerous but something to look out for. I presume also, it's a 27 inch wheel not a 700c, so a new 700c wheel will mean checking the brakes reach. STI downtube shifters are available, Brifters (the combined brake/shifter) will set you back a fair bit unless you can get some second hand. All things to think about. On the other hand, Andy's suggestion could avoid all of that.

I and a lot of others rode with friction shifters for years, they function. That said, I do like STI's.

 

[Andy_R]

No I mean this type of shifter.

Now those look interesting.....Im building a tourer with drops and was thinking about bar end shifters or tourneys. Rockers appear to be another option. What make/model are they?

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Now those look interesting.....Im building a tourer with drops and was thinking about bar end shifters or tourneys. Rockers appear to be another option. What make/model are they?

They are shimano SL-A050. They are classed as Trigger shifters BTW (I chose the wrong word to describe them ) You can buy them here for for $15

 

[Christopher]

I voted for the Op to fix the gears up as they are. After all the OH might not like the bike anyway.

How many gears at the back does it have? Nothing wrong with friction shifters at all after all, well maybe a disadvantage for racing cyclocross, but I haven't seen new bar-end shifters for fewer than 8 speeds (and I had to wait 6 weeks for the 8-speed ones).

 

[Hacienda71]

Fix the existing friction shifters would be my vote as well. Less to go wrong, cheaper, a lot of us learn't on "racers" with friction shifters years ago and they didn't do us any harm.

 

[MissTillyFlop]

If I was riding it, I would leave them as they are, because I think it will interfere with the "look" of the bike. (I would also get a Brooks swift saddle if it was my doing!)

Still a quandry. have had quote of £200 to switch to STIs from Brixton Cycles, but boyfriend said he would prefer to pay the extra and have ones easier to operate and he hates the Brooks on my other bike (I tried!)

Still I can envision buying a steel frame bike bike and rennovating it for myself in the future, so these are all great options to bear in mind for that.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

If you mean grip shifts, I've seen them put on the ends of butterfly bars, but never on the flats of drop bars for some reason.

The reason is mtb/flatbar levers are usually designed for flat bar diameter (22.2mm), while drop bars are 23.8mm, so usually won't fit.

For the OP a key issue, as Crackle wisely pointed out, is that going sti/indexed the shifter and the gears need to match, which means that the rear wheel will likely need to be replaced, with further potential consequences (e.g. frame spacing and brake reach).

There are quite a lot of choices here too with ease of operation and without going sti.

 

[Andy_R]

The reason is mtb/flatbar levers are usually designed for flat bar diameter (22.2mm), while drop bars are 23.8mm, so usually won't fit.

For the OP a key issue, as Crackle wisely pointed out, is that going sti/indexed the shifter and the gears need to match, which means that the rear wheel will likely need to be replaced, with further potential consequences (e.g. frame spacing and brake reach).

There are quite a lot of choices here too with ease of operation and without going sti.

That'll be why I've never seen them then

 

[mcshroom]

The bar ends aren't a bad idea either. I was thinking about switching my hybrid to drops and was going to get v-brake compatible levers and dia-compe bar end shifters.

I went for butterfly bars in the end but the other setup would have been nice, and would accomodate changing the speed of cassette on the rear later if I felt like it

 

[fossyant]

Bar end or SIS down tube shifters. Keeps the bike 'period'. Got SIS down tube shifters on both my road bikes.