Sturmey Archer drop bar shifters

[buddha]

My twistgrip shifter has finally died (good riddance, the nasty plastic thing that it was!). It was mounted on the tops, near the stem. Which took the use of a saw and some solvent to fit, probably hastening it's demise.

Ideally, I'd like a thumb operated shifter nearer the hoods. But see that the 5sp thumb shifter looks a bit weak.

Do the newer SA 5-speed shifters (SLS50-T for example) only work with wide ratio hubs? Or can they be 'adapted' to work for normal/older ratio ones? Or is there something else out there? (nothing expensive mind, as this like is likely to get chained up outside a sarf-London Lidl).

 

[Zoiders]

According to Sturmey they currently turn out a 3 speed version of the thumbshifter, a bar end fitted conversion and it's also possible to bolt the shiftfer straight onto a braze or band on so you have all 3 options.

 

[buddha]

I've just had another look of the sturmey site. Problem is, for 5 speed, they are all for the post 2009 'wide' ratio hubs.
Do these hubs need a different amount of cable-pull, or is it something more than that?

 

[Bigsharn]

Call me a noob, but what's wrong with just using a bar end friction shifter?

 

[buddha]

Call me a noob, but what's wrong with just using a bar end friction shifter?

Maybe nothing. But (I think/have heard) that the indexing is pretty crucial. If it's not spot-on it won't shift and/or will mangle something.

 

[TheDoctor]

That's right, adjustment is fairly critical for hub gears.
Listen to the voice of buddha, so to speak.

 

[Smut Pedaller]

yep spot on, you definitely want the proper indexed shifter for hub gears. Not sure about cable pull, but I would hazard a guess that all the late model ones would probably be the same.

 

[Chris S]

Call me a noob, but what's wrong with just using a bar end friction shifter?

The SA shifter's notches also lock the cable in position and prevent the selector pulling itself back to bottom gear.

 

[fixedfixer]

Could try here http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/m13b0s108p0/Components/Gears_-_Shifters some of these look good for either bar end or the lever type that work with 3 speed.