tarsi 

I have a set of shimano 9 speed bar end shifters which I would like to use with a 6 speed freewheel. I know I can use the bar end pods to mount a set of 6 speed down tube shifters to but I would really like to use the original bar end shift levers. Is there any way to convert the 9 speed bar ends to 6 speed using the interior parts from the 6 speed down tube shifters? Has anybody done this or something similar before?

dabac

Does the shifter have a friction setting?
Otherwise AFAIK - no.
The index plate is an integral part of the shifter and not separately replaceable.

tarsi 

yes, it has a friction setting. Last resort will use that way but would like to use index if possible.

dabac

Only thing I can think of then is getting creative with the various Shift Mates available. Maybe there’s one that’ll increase pull enough to let you shift a 6-speed f/w from a 9-speed lever.

tarsi 

Still hoping for a way to use my bar ends but if not, anybody mounted any of these on drop bars and use like bar ends?

oddjob2

I would offer up your 9 speed on the for trade thread for Suntour friction bar ends

John E

Give friction a try. Particularly for anything up to 8 speeds, it is very easy and fuss-free. I run my mountain bike in friction mode, which made it trivial (swap wheelsets and tweak stop screws) to upgrade from a 7-speed SunTour freewheel to an 8-speed Shimano cassette.

pastorbobnlnh 

Friction is easy peasy, even up to 9 speeds.

The challenge with the thumb shifters is placement for where you want to shift, bar tape use and its thickness, and then cable routing. There is also a difference in bar diameter between MTB and road bars, but that issue is the easiest part to work around.

rccardr 

Yes, it is easy to convert your 9 speed bar ends to 6 speed. The indexing unit will pop right out and can be replaced by a Shimano 6208 6 speed indexing unit. Make sure you get a 6208 unit that has all (or at least most) of its six indexing tangs intact, as they are made of pot metal and break off very easily. Easiest way to obtain one is through this forum or by purchasing a set of levers on eBay.

tarsi 

will this work?

rccardr 

It might, don't know from personal experience. Disassemble the right shifter and see if the indexing unit pops out. If so, you're good to go.


If you are considering buying these, either ask the seller or search online for a Shimano exploded diagram.

tarsi 

Seller was trying to do the same thing but by mounting the entire shifter on pod, not just replacing the indexing unit. He ran into problems with the cable hole not lining up correctly.

If you know that Shimano 6208 will work than probably best to just stick with those.

Are there any posts or write-ups about the procedure that you're aware of? Nothing just "pops out" if the bar ends and want to make sure I'm doing it right and not breaking something.

rccardr 

Yeah, I did a thread about it back in 2015, but the search function only seems to go back to 2016.

Found a pair of BS78 bar ends (the original 10 speed that were friction/indexed) at the co-op and the indexing unit literally fell out into my hand. Turns out the indexing units that are removable (and not all of them are) in bar ends and downtube shifters share a common socket pattern. So that 10 speed unit popped right into a right side 6208 lever body. Same is true of 9 speed DA downtube shifters, Dura Ace 6-7-8 speed shifters and probably others with which I have no experience.


If you take the right side bar end completely apart- off of the pod, off of the boss, so just the lever unit is in your hand- and press it out from the inside, it should pop right out without damaging anything. But take a picture of the inside first, because you will want to get the orientation of the funny washer/s correct when you reassemble.

rccardr 

And if you're not sure, post a picture of the inside of the disassembled pod here.

52telecaster

+1. its all i use. barcons and whatever cassette i feel like. the only exception for me is when i index 3 speeds!

tarsi 

So I have both the original 9 speed bar end shifter and the donor 6 speed shifter open but neither of the indexing units just pop out.

They both have what appears to be a black, washer-like locking ring but even after removing on the bar end shifter, nothing budges. Any tips?

rccardr 

Two things:

1) I just recently learned that there were two series of BS77 bar ends. One used the pop out indexing unit, the other one the fixed indexing unit. I know this because I just bought a set of BS77's intending to do the same swap and the indexing unit was fixed, unlike the previous ones I have seen. Yours are also fixed and cannot be swapped out.
2) That does not appear to be a 6208 six speed shifter. To the best of my knowledge (and as demonstrated above, my knowledge is not always complete) all 6208 right shifters utilized the pop out indexing unit.

Here's another head scratcher and mind blower: Shimano Dura Ace 6 speed down tube indexing units are pop outs, as are 8 and 9 speed down tube shifter and early DA 7850 series 10 speed down tube and bar end shifters. But 7 speed Shimano Dura Ace down tube shifters use a fixed unit.

All this aside, you should be able to install that 6 speed shifter as a whole unit into the bar end pod. As long as your knee doesn't hit it, should work fine.

tarsi 

Not thrilled about how the long shifters look or might interfere when riding. The guy I bought the shifters from gave it a shot with the same Shimano bar end and said he couldn't get the cable to push/pull properly. I'm thinking friction mode might not be too bad at this point.