seely

I've seen a few on here, particularly in the Vintage MTB Drop Bar Conversion thread, but wanted to see what everyone is doing and what is working out best. I'm going to run either a mustache bar or a WTB Dirt Drop on my MTB and could easily do bar-end shifters, but I always like doing things a little differently.

An I've had is to mount thumb shifters on the inside of the brake levers (or on the underside in the case of mustache bars) which would then allow me to shift from the hoods (I think... that's how it works in my head anyway). Anyone try this? How do you like it? Any other ideas worth considering? I want to keep it very clean-looking.

randyjawa 

Bar ends or thumb, both work equally well, in my opinion...

Italuminium

Has somebody ghetto rigged DT clamp-on on their handlebars and lives to tell the tale?

seely

Curious about this as well.

cobrabyte

This is about as cool as it gets IMO:
https://retroshift.com/

seely

Cool, but expensive, and holy crap are they ugly (IMHO). I'm trying to think of cleaner, cheaper solutions. I may just have to buy a pair of thumbshifters and experiment a bit.

Italuminium

I don't get this overmarketed retrodoodles when second hand brifters, or even brifter donor bikes can be had for less $.

jjvw

This isn't too crazy. An 8 speed DuraAce lever on a Paul Thumbie. All the crazy is after because this is what controls a Nexus Inter8 hub.

cobrabyte

They may be overkill for most, but once you lose a cross race because your brifters are clogged with mud you'll flip your script real quick. They do a good job for what they're designed for. Maybe not the best solution for the OP, but still a nice product. I happen to think they look cool too.

jjvw

The retroshifts seem to focus on mechanical simplicity and reliability at the expense of elegance and technological innovation. I can appreciate that. A simple hammer will always work. Whereas a pneumatic nailer, despite being faster, is far more complex and prone to failure. That is my analogy.

Italuminium

Hm, no experience in cross, but still. If it was a 20$ solution from the far east it would make a lot more sense at a lot more pricepoints and situations. "unfortunately" it is a well designed product made by hand

cobrabyte

Somebody will steal the idea soon enough lol

I will add the Paul thumbies jjvw suggested are a great way to go too. Great looking a much more affordable. They seem to be the best of both worlds.

jjvw

VO also had a Thumbie type mount. They use a hinged clamp, so you don't need to strip the handlebars to add or remove the mount. They are also polished aluminum. Sadly they have been out of stock for a while.

skidder

How about this? Its a thumbie purchased from Velo Orange being used on an MTB with a 25.4mm clamp drop bar that has a channel for brake cables for aero brake levers. Friction shift only, but it works, and it was only $12/pair (I'm not using a FD on this bicycle). It has a simple, flexible mounting strap similar to a hose clamp that can be flexed to fit any handlebar. Jenson also sells individual thumbies for aroung $7/each (also friction shift). Cheap (like the non-aero brake levers in the pic) but they work great!

Cattywompus

These will be the next shifters I buy. Mechanically simple, easy to repair, parts easy to obtain. My estimation of a product goes way up if the company that produces it plans for repairs, not replacement.

raverson

Depending on budget and style, it's hard to go wrong with a set of Shimano SIS 7-speed thumb shifters. I think I paid like $6 for them on ebay and they shift with typical Shimano precision.

old's'cool

I take it you need to remove your hand from the bar to shift.

mparker326

I have run a thumb shifter on a stem. Most thumb shifters won't fit a drop bar.

cooperryder

i used this set up until I found some used bar ends at a reasonable price.

They are a basic set of Suntour shifters I took off a pitiful Murray junker that had a cheap swept back bar of some type.

I could not get the clamp to fit until I substituted a longer screw to get
it tightened down.
Then it worked great.

All in all I was pleased. Wrapping bars was an issue & I did not do a great job & even used a variety of left over tape as I knew I would soon be changing out cockpit.

I like the clean look of bar ends much better but glad I still have these to use in a pinch
for free as someone gave me that old Murray.

raverson

No more so than conventional barcons. Of course you lose some hand room on the drops, and yes, tapping around the clamp can be a bit tricky.

old's'cool

I tried to embed these photos but something went wrong.

realestvin7

I constantly think of home remedies for this.

Barchettaman

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...s-on-my-set-up

Italuminium

I rather like the first version of the set-up! Doesn't even look half bad, that extended "dashboard".

Barchettaman

Thanks, Italinium! It would have worked but (as so often!) the build ended going in a different, more conventional direction. Cantilevers & Sora/105 STI. Works very well too!