mstateglfr 

https://www.cxmagazine.com/greg-vaug...ekai-magnum-s7

Avgd over 16mph for the 150mi course.

Neat build- 3x7 friction drivetrain, original brake pads, and nonaero levers.

nesteel 

I really pushed for the vintage category, and gave them my input on year/equipment requirements, but was very disappointed they chose not to run a 75 miler in addition to the 150.

bikemig 

Cool article. With a 75 miler, they'd get more people to show up but that doesn't sound like what the organizers wanted. A gravel ride in the midwest with a vintage category makes a lot of sense.

I thought it was interesting that he used friction rather than 3 x 7 shimano indexing. I recently installed cyclone derailleurs on a Fuji Finest. I like them a lot. I had forgotten how good they are but I'd definitely want to use indexing on a long gravel ride.

I think his choice of a selle anatomica saddle is spot on. It's becoming my go too saddle on my vintage bikes.

HTupolev

I'm sort of surprised that people care much about indexing on non-integrated lever shifters. The right bar-end shifter on my gravel bike can index the rear gearing just fine, but I keep it in friction mode due to lighter action; friction mode actually gives freer hand shifting ergonomics than indexed mode.

I don't see how ride length should impact the preference. If anything, it seems like friction ought to get relatively more attractive with longer gravel rides, since it won't be affected by any gunk or condition changes that might mess with the indexing.

bikemig 

That's not surprising. Indexing beat out friction in terms of popularity long before brifters came out. I made the switch when I was racing from friction to indexing. I thought it was better then and still think it is better today. And I like friction. I tend to run friction on my old bikes because it looks right and works well.

I get it. You feel differently about this. Maybe it's just a matter of taste, maybe it's a matter of function. Friction takes a bit more rider input than indexing and at least for the guy who won the gravel race, that was a problem.

Here is the quote:

"The most challenging part of the race, and one I didn’t really anticipate, was shifting a friction downtube 3×7 on slippery and noisy gravel. Finding gears and getting it trimmed took a lot of effort and killed my momentum. After the second checkpoint, my left arm was pretty much useless for controlling the bike so I started shifting with my left hand, which was harder than it sounds."

HTupolev

I know that. I'm not questioning whether it was easy to sell, I'm questioning its actual impact on shift ergonomics.


We're certainly looking at it through different eyes. I started cycling in 2015 and got exposed to all the different systems in pretty quick succession.

I guess I can see it being an issue with downtube, due to the timing of regaining full control of the bike. I don't have direct experience there, since my gravel bike uses bar-end shifters; sloppy shifts are barely disruptive, as I'm still controlling the bike from a secure position throughout the trim. Even on very rough gravel, shifting isn't a significantly different experience than on paved roads.

Downtube seems like it would be annoying on rough gravel even with indexing.

Classtime 

I think it is really really cool that they have a Vintage Category. I understand the riders concern/fear about riding fast, in a tight group, near the front, in the dark, with unfamiliar equipment like toe clips and DT friction shifters. Next year, he won’t hesitate.

bikemig 

Not as much as you might think. People raced on gravel and used downtube shifters long before gravel racing became a thing.

There are reasons why indexing became popular; it was not just a fad. Friction obviously takes more user input to fine tune and on a long hard ride that may become an issue as that quote makes clear. But YMMV.

crank_addict

Nice read. Most any old steel road bike that fit 32 width 700c suffice.

I've wiped out on gravel and where having robust metal brake levers, derailleurs and friction shifting works to advantage.

HTupolev

Yes, but that's got little to do with the degree to which a given shifter location introduces annoyances. It just means it's what people did, either out of available technology or out of fashion.

I don't disagree.

My point is that degree of problem might be dependent on multiple factors, and in particular, that index versus friction has different ergonomic implications for shifters in different locations. On a downtube shifter, a sloppy shift means you're spending an extra moment in a posture which offers questionable bike control on poor surfaces; there's not really a similar caveat with bar-ends.

Tulok

150 miles on dirt and gravel regardless of the bike is going to be a challenge. Averaging 16 and with old rigid technology? Extra points for him. Haha.

CV-6 

He should learn to shift with either hand. I can. I bet a lot of others on this forum can also.

Mechanicjay

I'm not great at it, but can in a pinch. I should practice more.

I'm not discounting his experience, but a few more miles training on that particular bike might have helped his shifting. For me, it took a good 4-6 weeks of commuting, (400ish miles) before I stopped hunting for the right gear and constantly trimming. I can now pretty much just select the gear I want without thinking about it. Seems there's a similar learning curve for each new friction shifting bike. At least that's my experience.