Anyone else use their index shifters in the friction mode?
 

I've been thinking of using my bikes that have index shifting in the friction mode.
I've had 2 bikes that were Suntour friction shifting. One that had a Blueline shifter
and currently one that has Superbe shifting. I'm 65 years old and live in NW Ohio which is
pretty flat. I'm too old to want to race and don't really shift that often. I really like the old Suntour
friction derailleurs.Easy to tune up and very quiet and smooth. I'll have to try my indexed shifting
in the friction mode to see how they work.

They work just fine.

Like friction shifters!

Yup. I have a 1988 Schwinn Traveler that I got used. It must have been on Friction mode when I got it. I never saw that it was indexing so I rode it for about 7 months like that before I was cleaning the bike and realize it was an index shifter on the down tube. I flipped it to index shifting and it didn't seem to shift any better even after adjustments, so I flipped it back to friction shifting. It shifts good as a friction shifter.

This is the as bought picture. I really need to get a new shot of it. The big seat is gone, and it is cleaned and the paint is touched up. And it has fenders.

Edit: Oh yea, and it has platform pedals with toe clips and aero brake levers.



https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...861fbe7333.jpg

My DA9 dt shifters work flawlessly in index mode, but wont hold their place in friction mode no matter how much I crank down on the screw.

Depends on the shifter design.

The Suntour GPX downtube shifters have a friction mode but it's mediocre. It uses plastic washers with no detents or clickstops to hold position in friction mode. Under pressure, such as standing to pedal, it'll slip and ghost shift unless I crank down the tension so tightly the shifting feel is terrible. It's basically an index-only shifter with a friction mode only as a bailout for emergencies if the index mode fails. So I bought some good quality friction shifters as replacements in case the GPX shifters ever go bad and can't be repaired or replaced.

Shimano bar-end shifters are fine with index or friction shifting. They use tiny detents with micro-clicks to prevent ghost shifting.

Some shifters are index only, no friction option. The Shimano Exage thumb shifters on my Univega Via Carisma were like that. Even the left/front derailleur thumb shifter was index only. When the shifters went bad after about 30 years there was no friction option so I had to replace them.

I'm running 9sp DA bar ends in friction so that the 9sp cassette and 9sp cranks on my mid 80s gitane tandem will get along fine with my simplex derailleurs. I'd like to switch to 9sp brifters and ders but I don't use it enough to justify more then I currently have into the bike when other things need work. The friction is nice but if a set shifters and ders drops into my lap I'd switch out of preference for index.

On my '84 Stumpjumper drop-bar conversion, I'm using Shimano 8-speed bar-end shifters, with the rear set to its friction mode. It could index the rear just fine, but the friction mode has a lighter feel.

I keep the bar-end shifters on my main commuting bike set to friction even though I could simply flip the switch to indexed (they're 8-sp Shimano and I have a matching derailer and cassette) - shifting by feel is smooth and seamless, and adding the extra clicks to overcome would only slow me down and require slightly more force with every shift.

Personally I do like indexed shifting very much for situations where I want to be able to shift gears without shifting my attention (technical mountain biking, aggressive road riding), but for more casual riding (commuting, casual road riding) I'm perfectly happy with friction shifters.

Occasionally I'll switch the Shimano bar-end shifters on my Univega hybrid from index to friction. I put an 8-speed cassette on, 11-32, but still have the original 7-speed Shimano Exage rear derailleur (nearly identical to the Deore LX). The RD will cover the full cassette range in friction mode but tends to pop down from the 32 cog to the next smaller cog under pressure with index mode. If I plan to haul some heavy stuff up hills I might switch it over to have the 30 chainring/32 cog available. Otherwise I keep it in index mode, since the 30T chainring/28 cog is usually plenty for our climbs.

I use the original DT 105 6 speed shifters, in friction, and original derailleur with a 10 speed cassette. It shifts great. It also has the original crankset and front derailleur. The rings on it now are 50/38. I am thinking of switching to an IRD crankset with 46/30.

Only if I have mismatched drivetrains will I do such a thing. If it's any of my 9- or 10-speed DA DT shifters, they always get hooked up to a matching cassette and Shimano derailleurs. I've run Suntour Edge/Blaze Accushift Plus DT shifters with a Campy 9-speed cassette and Campy long cage RD. I could still feel the semi-obvious index points but otherwise it shifted very nicely. The city is noisy (normally) and I like to jump on the throttle enough that I don't want to bother with being 70% aligned when lightly pedaling only to get the catch and chunk when I get on it. So I index almost exclusively. Let it be known that I do have Retrofrictions and do want to use them on a bike dedicated for non sprint-y things (like touring or long rides outside of the city).

The first thing I do when I acquire another bike is install friction barcons an a triple.

I have Ultegra 8-speed barend ****ers on one bike and Dura Ace 9-speed barend shifters on another bike and both are used in friction mode with no trouble whatsoever.

Cheers

Your doing something wrong.
Try a washer under the bolt.
Mine work perfectly in friction.
And everyone else's does.