Inline cable adapter to convert double front shifter to triple
#1
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Inline cable adapter to convert double front shifter to triple
I am building up a drop bar mountain bike. I have a pair of 8 speed Sora brifters I picked up on sale a LONG time ago, but the front brifter is only for a double crank. The rest of the drive train is set up for triple.
It seems like it would be easy enough to set it up to use the large and middle ring, but then have some sort of quick release in the cable line to dump it into the granny gear, should it ever be needed.
Something like the Shimano inline quick release - though it is designed for brake cables. Maybe I'll try it, just wondering if anyone else had done this.
Sounds like IthaDan knew of some such gizmo; but this quoted post is from 2012:
It seems like it would be easy enough to set it up to use the large and middle ring, but then have some sort of quick release in the cable line to dump it into the granny gear, should it ever be needed.
Something like the Shimano inline quick release - though it is designed for brake cables. Maybe I'll try it, just wondering if anyone else had done this.
Sounds like IthaDan knew of some such gizmo; but this quoted post is from 2012:
Some small parts company, back in the day, had an inline "switch" that would sit in the housing stop of a STI (when they still had the shift cables coming out into the atmosphere, allowing a riser to add a triple crank while using their existing double brifter. These were a hit with tandem riders. After googling fruitlessly for the last 20 minutes, I've given up, but someone here must know what I'm talking about.
I can picture it, it was a little brass barrel, with a lever about 5/8" long that moved within a triangle cutout to move the cable enough to get that third gear.
I thought of this, because you might be able to use this with 7700 double STI levers and be on your merry way.
I can picture it, it was a little brass barrel, with a lever about 5/8" long that moved within a triangle cutout to move the cable enough to get that third gear.
I thought of this, because you might be able to use this with 7700 double STI levers and be on your merry way.
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I remember the part IthacaDan describes but I'm equally at a loss for the manufacturer's or part's name. It allowed you the choice of two chainrings in each position; big and middle or middle and granny.
That brake release you show is likely to allow too much cable slack in the open position to be useful.
That brake release you show is likely to allow too much cable slack in the open position to be useful.
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That was a different critter than what you've linked. I don't know MAYBE the QR you've linked would work, but most likely it'll have too much throw.
I can't remember the name of the thing either, I think I have it somewhere...
Don't forget that *i think* all 7700/6500/5500 generation left shifters are triple- if not, the XX03 model number ones certainly are. Perhaps as a reaction to the widget I posted about 4 years ago which worked to make a triple shifter out of the 7400/6400 (tricolor)/1056 generation shifters.
E: the piece I was talking about in that 2012 post would sit right on the housing stop of the shifter, not inline with the housing.
E2: don't forget that a downtube shifter or a barcon would probably work well for this as well.
E3: I FOUND IT!!!!! Of course Saint Sheldon has an entry about it. It was called the Erickson "Gizzmo". Good luck finding one though.
Last edited by IthaDan; 09-02-16 at 09:35 AM.
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The 8-speed STI's came as either double or triple front shifters and you had to buy the right one. The XX00 were doubles and the XX03 were triples. I had 8-speed 105 STI's (1053) and they were triple specific.
For 9-speed, the left shifters, at least for Ultegra and 105, were both double and triple compatible.
For 9-speed, the left shifters, at least for Ultegra and 105, were both double and triple compatible.
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The 8-speed STI's came as either double or triple front shifters and you had to buy the right one. The XX00 were doubles and the XX03 were triples. I had 8-speed 105 STI's (1053) and they were triple specific.
For 9-speed, the left shifters, at least for Ultegra and 105, were both double and triple compatible.
For 9-speed, the left shifters, at least for Ultegra and 105, were both double and triple compatible.
#6
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*whew* thank goodness for email notifications. It's been a while.
That was a different critter than what you've linked. I don't know MAYBE the QR you've linked would work, but most likely it'll have too much throw.
I can't remember the name of the thing either, I think I have it somewhere...
Don't forget that *i think* all 7700/6500/5500 generation left shifters are triple- if not, the XX03 model number ones certainly are. Perhaps as a reaction to the widget I posted about 4 years ago which worked to make a triple shifter out of the 7400/6400 (tricolor)/1056 generation shifters.
E: the piece I was talking about in that 2012 post would sit right on the housing stop of the shifter, not inline with the housing.
E2: don't forget that a downtube shifter or a barcon would probably work well for this as well.
E3: I FOUND IT!!!!! Of course Saint Sheldon has an entry about it. It was called the Erickson "Gizzmo". Good luck finding one though.
That was a different critter than what you've linked. I don't know MAYBE the QR you've linked would work, but most likely it'll have too much throw.
I can't remember the name of the thing either, I think I have it somewhere...
Don't forget that *i think* all 7700/6500/5500 generation left shifters are triple- if not, the XX03 model number ones certainly are. Perhaps as a reaction to the widget I posted about 4 years ago which worked to make a triple shifter out of the 7400/6400 (tricolor)/1056 generation shifters.
E: the piece I was talking about in that 2012 post would sit right on the housing stop of the shifter, not inline with the housing.
E2: don't forget that a downtube shifter or a barcon would probably work well for this as well.
E3: I FOUND IT!!!!! Of course Saint Sheldon has an entry about it. It was called the Erickson "Gizzmo". Good luck finding one though.
I'm sure there is no chance of finding one, especially with triple cranks seeming to be out of favor these days, but it is an elegant looking little device.
I may just try the Shimano quick release. I'm sure I wouldn't have any trim available, and might even have to stop the bike to shift. But if I need that granny gear, I'll do what it takes.
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I don't know if the Gizmo would even have worked with later 9-speed cranks since their chainring spacing was a bit narrower than 8-speed.
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The quick release would probably work to drop down into the granny, but I wonder if it has enough leverage to get you back up to the middle ring. This might be especially problematic if you forgot and tried to upshift with your brifter before flipping the quick release back.
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The quick release would probably work to drop down into the granny, but I wonder if it has enough leverage to get you back up to the middle ring. This might be especially problematic if you forgot and tried to upshift with your brifter before flipping the quick release back.
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I was thinking that if you accidentally upshifted then you would be trying to shift straight from the granny to the big ring with the QR; if you tried to downshift the brifter to correct this it might not release cable properly without any tension from the derailleur due to the slack cable. Then you might end up caught somewhere in no-man's-land, gearwise.
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Interesting concept.
I have a triple on my "rain bike" which I never get into, but would like it once in a while for towing cargo.
Also, perhaps for a "quad" configuration.
Actually, what would be good would be range.
1/2 vs 2/3
But the adjustment would have to be very precise to get that to work.
I have a triple on my "rain bike" which I never get into, but would like it once in a while for towing cargo.
Also, perhaps for a "quad" configuration.
Actually, what would be good would be range.
1/2 vs 2/3
But the adjustment would have to be very precise to get that to work.
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Interesting concept.
I have a triple on my "rain bike" which I never get into, but would like it once in a while for towing cargo.
Also, perhaps for a "quad" configuration.
Actually, what would be good would be range.
1/2 vs 2/3
But the adjustment would have to be very precise to get that to work.
I have a triple on my "rain bike" which I never get into, but would like it once in a while for towing cargo.
Also, perhaps for a "quad" configuration.
Actually, what would be good would be range.
1/2 vs 2/3
But the adjustment would have to be very precise to get that to work.
The challenge would be to make sure you're not leaving enough slack in the cable that it flops around and hooks on something like a bottle cage, and also whether whatever widget you have inline in the cable has enough leverage to tighten it back up against the FD spring. (already been said, but worth repeating).
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We're missing each other here- I was trying to say that the 7400/6400/1055 generation didn't have triple stis for at least 7400 and 6400. I.e. triple shifters didn't go further upstream than, as you say, 105.
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But, on the other hand, if one wanted to be able to do low gear range (1/2) vs high gear range (2/3), then the adjustment would have to be precise enough not to leave a lot of loose cable.
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Yeah, I was thinking 5500 and 6500 series. The 6400 series Ultegra didn't have a triple anything.
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Now that I've stepped back from this a tiny bit, I'm actually kind of surprised to hear there was a double sora. I kind of figured they were all triple.
#17
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Well, now that makes me want to double check. It is still in the box, so it should be easy.
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Best way to check is to thread a piece of cable through the shifter and use your other hand for tension. relying on just the clicks can be tricky without any load to help things along.
Count the clicks, if it's a triple there might be four or five of them.
Also the model mumber, something like "ST-3XXX" should be molded into the body.
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Go Campy...
Most of them don't differentiate between double & triple.
Most of them don't differentiate between double & triple.
#20
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Ah, still has the Nashbar price tag on it from 2006.
The Shimano product info included lists two models - ST-3300 (double) and the ST-3304 (triple). Apparently I have the ST-3300.
The Shimano product info included lists two models - ST-3300 (double) and the ST-3304 (triple). Apparently I have the ST-3300.
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