Shifters for flat bars
05-01-18, 06:47 PM
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Shifters for flat bars
Hey everyone, I want to restore a 70's steel bike, which currently has drop bars, and use flat bars instead. My question is, which shifters would work best. It currently has down tube shifters. I could go with stem shifters, but I would prefer for them to be on the bars themselves. Not sure what is available that would work with a Suntour freewheel and Suntour V-GT rear derailleur. Obviously not indexed. How would upshifting work on non-indexed flat bar shifters? Thanks.
05-01-18, 06:55 PM
#2
feros ferio
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Plain old non-indexed mountain bike thumb shifters would work very well in your application.
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
05-01-18, 07:00 PM
#3
Fillet-Brazed Member
Maybe some vintage Suntour XC or new Microshift thumb shifters?
I wonder if you would need cable stops where the downtube bosses are now?
Maybe post some pics of the bike and bars?
I wonder if you would need cable stops where the downtube bosses are now?
Maybe post some pics of the bike and bars?
05-01-18, 08:04 PM
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Thanks, I have only ever used downtube, stem or brifters on drop bars. I will check out the thumb shifters. I probably will need cable stops. The bike is currently in storage, but is a 70's Zebrakenko. I have a few of them and have been restoring them one at a time. I am restoring this one to give to someone who does not like drop bars.
05-01-18, 08:56 PM
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Typically easiest route for cable stops is one of the clamp on ones that Shimano and Suntour both had versions of. Easy to find at a co op. This assumes no braze on cable stops already, which on a 1970s bike, you shouldn't have one.
The nicer vintage thumb shifters are very nice! Not super cheap, but not too bad. Its one of the parts I usually harvest from older MTBs.
The nicer vintage thumb shifters are very nice! Not super cheap, but not too bad. Its one of the parts I usually harvest from older MTBs.
05-02-18, 07:32 AM
#6
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The old Deore thumbies are very nice and have a friction setting.
If you need a clamp on stop, feel free to PM me with your address. I have a couple extras.
If you need a clamp on stop, feel free to PM me with your address. I have a couple extras.
05-02-18, 10:44 AM
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your choice, but there are options out there that have more style and better ergonomics than flat bars, like the postino from velo orange. Thumb shifters as noted are a great option whether you do flat or less flat
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Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
05-02-18, 10:52 AM
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Wow, I must say, those are very elegant. I will definitely go with them when I restore the bike. Many thanks.
05-02-18, 04:54 PM
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Might have to go with the Velo Orange Quill stem - https://velo-orange.com/collections/.../vo-quill-stem. Thanks again.
05-02-18, 05:14 PM
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Also, would you happen to know what stem that is? It looks like the Velo Orange Grand Cru, except for the Grand Cru on the Velo site has an extra boss for a bell, which I would not want - https://velo-orange.com/collections/...cru-quill-stem I don't see that they offer the Grand Cru stem without the boss, but the stem in the photo doesn't have the boss.
Might have to go with the Velo Orange Quill stem - https://velo-orange.com/collections/.../vo-quill-stem. Thanks again.
Might have to go with the Velo Orange Quill stem - https://velo-orange.com/collections/.../vo-quill-stem. Thanks again.
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Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
05-03-18, 05:41 AM
#11
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My guess is the bell boss is something they’ve added to the design and the pic is an earlier version, but you could contact VO and ask.
