MrK.

I have not had downtube shifters (suicide levers) on a bike since the late 70's as I prefer bar ends.. I'll have to pick up a bike equipped with them. I like to live dangerously.

JohnDThompson 

If downtube-mounted shift levers are "suicide levers," what does that make a downtube-mounted waterbottle?

ThermionicScott 

Right?

John E

That was the standard (top tube) location for either the old Sturmey quadrant shifter or the later Stick Shifters. One of my friends had an early 1960s Varsity with top tube shifters with pulleys on tthe downtube.

John E

Certainly the quickest, most responsive, and most flexible option.

gomango

I like to stay "open minded" in my approach to bicycling.

10 speed Campy Chorus is my all-time favorite, but I would never argue against "reach down" shifters.

A little Simplex goodness.


Untitled by gomango1849, on Flickr

FWIW My next project will have DA 9 speed dt shifters......

bikingshearer 

I am no longer very good at either of these skills any more; I can do them, but not nearly as well as I once could. The facts that I have always been tall, have long been of significant girth, and at 60 am even more not flexible that I used to be may have something to do with that.

More seriously, not to cast aspersions on my down-tube friends (long may you proper!), there are definitely times when not having to take your hands off the bars to shift is highly desirable. For example, when on a fully loaded tourer having to shift at low speed going uphill on a heavily trafficked narrow road. (On parts of Highway in Northern or Central California, for example, this is unavoidable.) Of course, the "hands on the bar" requirement is more than adequately met with barcons. But I must confess that I do like my Campy 10-speed brifters on my classic, old lugged steel beasties and have no intention of giving them up.

SJX426 

I appreciate the barcon on my tandem. Haven't spent a lot of time with them on a single.

jimmuller 

And I have to ask how you do that. I can do the front but being a musician I am very much afraid of mangling a finger or two or three.

Where, or how, exactly do you reach the tire??

solidtyres

Hook yer thumb on the seat stay up high, fingers pointed inward, then slide it down til touching the tire. Eventually you'll die, but worrying about doesn't help.

DiabloScott

Right hand, either the pocket between thumb and finger (with gloves), or tips of fingers, up high close to the brakes.

I can't believe there aren't any web photos or videos of people doing this... I'll have to make some!
Stand by.

Salamandrine 

We need videos for sure. It's part of cycling tradition and should be recorded for posterity. I can still picture in my mind a whole pace line doing this in nearly in sync several times on every ride.

Right hand -- unless you are left handed... I do it behind the seat tube, a few inches in front of the rear brake bridge. Brush lightly, pointing down and forward. If they catch glass it will feel like gravel stuck to the tire. If it doesn't come out in a couple turns, pull over and dig it out. Sometimes glass will dig itself in very quickly, but many times you can get it before it punctures the tube.

MrK.

I might be a weirdy but I do a front tire wipe with my foot. I can't see weird things going around on the back tire so i ignore it. outta sight, outta mind.

T-Mar

All previous systems become "suicide levers" when we get STD (Shimano Telekinetic Derailleur).

jimmuller 

I'm waiting for the airbag option. Shimano projects it for June 2020.

crank_addict

Im one who rides a number of bikes and various shift controls. Certainly keeps me focused on whatever at the moment machine it is. Though I've never regarded or used the term as suicide.

Maybe I should retort to those calling such and name their push button shifters designed for idiots.

With attempts to keep the flow of humor, last week I was riding my Suntour equipped '76 Viscount aerospace-pro. The front derailleur is a reverse action Comp-V. Only those of us who regularly ride using downtube shifters and conventional action for front derailleur might understand how funny the brain reacts when jumping on 'reverse action' front der. equipped bike.

Salamandrine 

To me what's funny is that these new Shimano electric derailleurs are simply electrified versions of designs developed for cable actuation. I suspect that before too long, the old push-rod changers will make a comeback, presented as a brand new thing. It would make more sense with servo actuation. In as much sense as battery powered derailleurs make at all, which IMHO is none. Soon you will be able to adjust the angle, gear spread, and other parameters using your phone.

Bandera

And this was from guys of the generation that were advocating operating their brake-less Fixies by Zen-Mind-Control a few seasons ago......

-Bandera

T-Mar

MAVIC used that approach with their ZAP shifting system, about 25 years ago.

DiabloScott

Fun project, COMPLETE! Even wore my Billy D socks.

Bobtoo

What other bike features have attracted a "suicide" nickname? The ones I can think of are "suicide levers" for dual brake levers, "suicide shifter" for the early direct action front derailleurs or sometimes for stem shifters and "suicide hub" for a fixed sprocket with a right hand threaded lockring.

non-fixie 

Well done! Thanks.

BigChief 

The first time I recall the suicide nickname was in motorcycling. The old bikes with tank shifters had a "heel and toe" clutch pedal that you would rock with your foot. Some people would modify these to use a spring return like a car. Trouble was that if you were stopped and your weight shifted left, you would have to leave the clutch pedal to keep from falling over and the bike would leap forward into the path of a speeding Peterbilt. Hence, the name suicide clutch.

tkamd73 

ThermionicScott