How to change frame mounted gear shifters to brake lever shifters

[daddyshambles]

Hi, can any one tell me what is involved in changing the shifters from the frame to the brake levers. Its a 10 speed, 2 at the front 5 at the back or is there other options or alternatives. Do I need to change the front and rear mechs, what brake levers do I need etc etc. Any advice would be welcome thanks

 

[screenman]

I am not sure you can even get 5speed, lever any more.

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

It's something I'm in the process of doing, so I'm speaking more from hope than experience!

Broadly speaking, you'll need cable stops which fit in place of your down tube shifters; a set of cables (dimensions are different to regular cables) and, of course, a pair of combined brake and shift levers (scroll down).

You will need to choose between Campagnolo (Ergo-power) and Shimano(STi and Shimano compatible systems from SRAM and Microshift): it is possible, in certain circumstances, to "mix & match" but it isn't something for beginners.

You should also be aware that mixing "speeds" (ie number of gears) can cause complications because the gears can have different spacing and consequently the shifters will pull different amounts of cable.

As far as I know, 5 speed gears pre-date "brifters" and although you might be able to fit a 7 speed freewheel, 7 speed brifters aren't common.

What is the OLD of your frame?

NB The links are just examples, the first thing that came up on a search and won't necessarily work together.

 

[boydj]

Most of the post above is correct. The shift levers need to be compatible with the cassette - basically SRAM/Shimano or Campag. If you have 10-speed Shimano, then you can go with Shimano or SRAM levers. Assuming you're not planning to change the wheels, then OLD is irrelevant - if it's 10-speed then it should be 130mm for a road bike or 135mm for a mountain bike. If it's a mountain bike, then it won't be Campag.

 

[mcshroom]

boydj I think you've misunderstood 'ten speed' here. The bike being converted has 5 gears at the back, not a 10sp cassette.

I'm afraid you won't get brake lever shifters (sti shifters) for less than 8 speed rear cassettes really, so you will probably need a new rear wheel. You will also need a cassette (slides on the wheel mounting instead of a screw on freewheel on older designs. Then you need the cable stops and levers and so on.

Unless it's a really expensive bike you may be better fitting bar end shifters instead as these should allow you to keep the rest the same, and upgrade bit by bit after that.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

boydj I think you've misunderstood 'ten speed' here. The bike being converted has 5 gears at the back, not a 10sp cassette.

I'm afraid you won't get brake lever shifters (sti shifters) for less than 8 speed rear cassettes really, so you will probably need a new rear wheel. You will also need a cassette (slides on the wheel mounting instead of a screw on freewheel on older designs. Then you need the cable stops and levers and so on.

Unless it's a really expensive bike you may be better fitting bar end shifters instead as these should allow you to keep the rest the same, and upgrade bit by bit after that.

+1.

I would like to add that if the bike has downtube shifters in 2x5 then if the rear mech is original then it would most unlikely be compatible with any current indexing system. So new rear mech too for a brifter system, and most probably cold-setting the frame (provided it is steel and not too exotic) from 120mm to 130mm etc. in order to accommodate a modern rear wheel.

I would also add that not all bar end shifters nowadays has a friction shift facility, which the OP should pick if he goes down that route.

 

[sidevalve]

Check out E Bay . 5 Speed shifters are available but they are the old bar mounted thumb shifter type, seperate from the brake levers. If you're happy with non indexed shifting then you can find quite a few if you look hard enough. Why are you moving the levers ? If it's to go indexed, try to find a pair of downtube index levers. If it's just to maove the position of the levers then apart from the cable stops non index bar shifters are the easiest route.

 

[PpPete]

I've done smilar operations on several bikes.
Cold-setting a steel frame is not difficult, even mixing Campag & Shimano is not that hard if you read up on it carefully.
BUT
If your existing downtube shifters are the band-on type (rather than the type which screw directly into a boss on the frame) or if your rear derailleur mounts directly to the rear wheel axle (rather than to an threaded hanger that projects below the drop-out) then the whole thing becomes very much more problematic, and IMO the horizontal drop-outs make the frame much better suited to conversion to a fixed wheel/SS operation.
If that's the case and you don't want a fixed or single-speed and the frame is of good quality (Reynolds or Columbus tubing for example), then you should be able to sell it on the eBay (as suitable for fixed conversion) for a decent price to partially fund something that better suits your needs.

 

[daddyshambles]

Thanks for that everybody, after reading all that I think I will just leave them where they are, it was just for cosmetic and style reasons anyway and I didnt realise all that was involved. Thanks a lot all

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

Cosmetic and style reasons? Get some Gippiemme coke spoons or Simplex Super LJ shifters if you want a better looking bike; but don't hang bloated, over-sized brifters (even the word is ugly) off the graceful curves of your drops!

 

[Matthew_T]

I have down tube shifters and I am in the same dilema as you. Althought mine are 7 speed. I have looked at changing them to brake shifters but dont really have the patience or money to do it at the moment.

 

[andrew_s]

As stated above, the lowest that integrated brake/shift levers go is 7-speed (Sora). That would mean a 7-speed hub, which would mean resetting the rear dropout separation from 120mm to 130mm (Argos in Bristol quote £30 for doing this, or see Sheldon for DIY instructions).

Options if remaining 5-speed friction shifting:
You can mount your existing levers on the handlebar either side of the stem on these (probably).
You can use indexed bar-end shifters in friction mode
You can mount your existing shifters beside the brake lever using Kelly Take-offs. (Thread on DIY take-offs)
This chap in the US sells replacement brake lever arms that allow you to fit a down tube or bar end lever on the front

.

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

...That would mean a 7-speed hub, which would mean resetting the rear dropout separation from 120mm to 130mm...

126mm?

 

[4F]

Those Kelly take offs are Fugly with a capital F

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

You can mount your existing levers on the handlebar either side of the stem on these (probably).
.

Those mounts are firstly designed for Shimano bar end shifters and secondly are for flat bars (which are 22.2mm diameter). Practically all drop bars are 23.8mm at/from the grip area so won't fit, this is also the reason why the vast majority of current flat bar or mtb shifters/sti's won't go on drop bars and which is why you generally don't see them (despite their usually costing a lot less than drop bar sti's ).

Exceptions are rare, but exist, including current thumb shifters by Sunrace, which I believe can be sourced from ebay for a song.