Opinions on Downtube/Friction shifters

[Ming the Merciless]

Old thread but who still uses levers instead of STI? I use bar end shifters in friction mode front and rear on 9 speed on recumbent. On road bike I have indexed rear on 10 speed.

 

[fossyant]

Me, both classic road bikes are 8 speed SIS down tube shifters, Shimano 600 and Dura Ace. Just works. The DA is still on the original cables from 30 years ago - multi thread cables - lovely to look at, fully stainless. Crisp shifts all the time.

 

[Peugeotrider]

I like downtube shifters; but they ain't all the same.

I frequently read that Simplex changers are in a class of their own - something that I took with a pinch of salt.

Well, I've now got them on a bike and they are superb !

simplex dt shifters are probably the best ones ever made.
I had them on a peugeot many years ago,smooth as butter.
I still have an old peugeot on simplex shifters and its my no1 bike

 

[fossyant]

simplex dt shifters are probably the best ones ever made.
I had them on a peugeot many years ago,smooth as butter.
I still have an old peugeot on simplex shifters and its my no1 bike

Nah Dura Ace SIS - I am biased. Lovely to use.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I run dura ace, silky smooth and just work.

 

[MichaelW2]

Suntour with the ratchet microclicks was probably peak downtube shifter.

 

[tyred]

All but one of my derailleur bikes have friction shifters. Cheap, easy to set up, no additional maintenance required and I have never found them difficult to use.

I upgraded an old MTB to 8 speed cassette several years ago and I still use the original 6 speed shifters - I just switched them to friction mode and it works fine so never bothered to buy the correct shifters.

 

[aj101]

Easier to change the cables, more reliable on long tours, and won't cause you a huge amount of problems on an all dayer if the rear mech gets gunked up.

 

[Saluki]

My D.B. (dronfield) has friction shifters. Simplex ones, each of which are an elegant, thing of beauty. It’s fine and I love it. My other bikes have STI shifters.
It was suggested, by some blasphemous person, that I ‘updated’ my Dronfield. I no longer have anything to do with that person.

 

[aj101]

Just wondering has anyone tried a friction downtube shifter with a Campag 13 speed Ektar rear setup? I mean, in theory it will work, right?!

 

[Sharky]

I like downtube shifters; but they ain't all the same.

I frequently read that Simplex changers are in a class of their own - something that I took with a pinch of salt.

Well, I've now got them on a bike and they are superb !

My Simplex DT levers were probably from an early model and not the ones you are referring to.
Mine were the white nylon/plastic levers that were popular at the time. Arrived at the start of a 25 in a hurry and in the wrong gear. Tried to change down, but the lever snapped and went into the palm of my hand. Had to do the whole of the 25 in top gear (104")! Not a pleasant experience.

 

[Johnsco]

I have Suntour DT friction shifters on my 1960s Carlton.
Never used anything else.
What you don't have, you don't miss.

 

[freiston]

I use bar-end shifters in friction mode, 3x9 setup. I had 5 speed (2x5) bikes with D/T friction shifters from the 70s up until the late 90s when I bought a nightmare of a rigid mtb bike with 3x7 indexed trigger shifters (Shimano SiS). I eventually replaced that bike with my current (3x9) bike in 2014.

 

[biggs682]

Work fine for me

 

[Paulus]

I have DT levers on several of my old bikes, and recently converted my 1990's Galaxy back to indexed levers from STI's that I upgraded to some 10 years ago.
I really find DT levers easy to use, as l have used them for 50+ years.
I still have several more modern bikes with STI and Campag. ergo shifters though.