pahiker

I got the old bike rebuild almost complete. Haven't taken it out yet (that's tomorrow), but I started thinking about possible shifter replacements. I've never been crazy about the stem shifters it has, PIA to take the hands off the handle bar to shift while going up hill. Is there anything out there for my setup that would mount on the handlebars?

fietsbob

thumb shifters.. they go on the handlebars .. there's some cheap ones .. friction is still the way to go.

check in with your LBS.

Rest_assured

Or maybe bar end shifters if you're using drop bars?
BTW, it doesn't take long to get used to stem/downtube shifters. Practice makes perfect!

sonatageek

Here is a cheap set (out of stock right now):
https://www.niagaracycle.com/categori...and-left-black

They have a set that cost $10 that is currently in stock.

MisterK

Those are what I use on my 1x5 and friction is awesome

FastJake

I don't like stem shifters either. I put friction downtube shifters on my latest commuter build and I'm surprisingly happy with them. I thought I would hate either the friction, the DT, or both.

What kind of handlebars? Drop bars, go with downtube or bar-end shifters. With flat bars the choice is obvious - thumb shifters.

bikemig 

I just put on index downtube shifters on my latest commuter build. They work well.

If you want something on the handlebars, the kind of bars you have make a difference. For flat bars, I'd go with thumb shifters. The choices are tougher with drop bars as I'm not aware of any inexpensive or even reasonably priced bar end shifters. So I'd go with downtube shifters if you have drop bars.

Mike89

Hmm. I'm very late to this party. Have an old 10 speed road bike with friction shifters on the neck. Would love to find a way to be able to shift from flat bars. Don't see anything made anymore for friction shifters. Saw the comment about using index thumb shifters. I would be willing to try that. Does anyone have any experience with this kind of thing? Do you think say Shimano TX30 thumb shifters would have the range to be able to shift to all my speeds? I have a feeling I'm going to be like stuck in between gears with indexing not being as flexible as friction shifting.

alcjphil

https://velo-orange.com/collections/...thumb-shifters

capnjonny 

Sunrace friction shifters work well for upright bars both straight and pull back. . We use them a lot on our donation bikes at the bike Exchange. Both Shimano and Suntour made some good ones back in the day that you might find at your neighborhood bike co op

https://www.amazon.com/Sunrace-SLM10.../dp/B007QMJH86

79pmooney

If you are riding dropped handlebars, downtube shifters are surprisingly natural to use, even climbing. Yes, you do have to plan ahead to have some speed and you will lose some of it, No magic. A lot of us think out the shift sequence before we get to a hill. Good derailleurs help a lot (and make a bigger diferfence than on closer spaced FW/cassettes with modern ramped and shaped cogs. (I am willing to bet that once you have tried DT shifters, you will find shifting far more natural than reaching for a stem shifter.)

My all-time favorite shifters for 5-speed set-ups is the SunTour Power Ratchet shifters. SumTour made them in numbers like probably in the 5 or 6 digits and they last forever so finding a good pair is easy. Not hard to clean up and lube. It will work like new when you finish. Use daily. Repeat the servicing every 20 years if needed.

Oops! Talking about being late to the party! (*We got to the address on the invitation but no house! Neighbors said it was torn down 10 years ago."

Andrew R Stewart 

I agree with Ben. I first used SunTour ratcheted shifters in 1973 on my first Fuji Finest. Soon converted to their bar end levers and ran them for over 15 years before moving onto their indexed versions (whose LH lever was still ratcheted. BTW this version is IMO the best ratchetted one as it has finer steps on the ratchet wheel).

There are a number of house labeled thumb shifters (made by Sun Race) available at pretty low retail cost. However their clicks are not the same friction clutch design as ST's were. The clicks are noise only. Andy

Mike89

Wow some nice options already. Glad to see some stragglers came to the party, when I finally got here the house was gone and only a tent was left. I changed out my original dropped bars long ago for some upright bars. Wanted some thumb friction shifters that would work on this bike without having to change out derailleur and sprockets. These two option look like they are going to work fine.

Iride01 

Are you trying to keep it original? If so, I have nothing to say. And you probably shouldn't read any further or you might get your blood pressure up. <grin>

If you don't care about being all original, then look for a new groupset and put anywere from nine to eleven on the back and thumb shifters if you are straight bar or STI if you are road bike with drop bars.

I used to think friction levers were great, however when I built up a 1991 Paramount frame with new 105 5800 eleven speed and STI levers, then I had to change my opinion and wonder why I waited so long to embrace newer tech. I'll never go back to friction for the type riding I do today. I personally have no use for old components on bikes. However I'd agree that there are some old frames worth upgrading with new group sets.

The only old bikes that should stay original in their restoration are those that are to be museum pieces and brought out a few times a year to show others the days of old.

That's just my opinion, and it doesn't matter one bit if you are the opposite just as long as it's okay that we can have differing opinions.

Mike89

I don't care about staying original as I've already changed out some parts over the years. I've had this bike over 25 years. I'm perfectly fine with 10 speeds, I use maybe 3 of them. Hell if I had a single sprocket in front that would be fine with me.I still have the original chain on this bike so that tells you about what kind of rider I am. Super casual. Super casual dude who doesn't want to spend a lot of money on this bike. But I definitely want to get those shifters from stem to handlebars.

Iride01 

Mike89 -- my response wasn't for you. It was for the OP. However I didn't realize this was a zombie thread. To me, it would always seem better to start a new post and make reference links to pertinent stuff in dead threads.

Mike89

Got the Falcon shifter from velo orange, (thanks alcjphil). Easy to set up and worked perfect Only took me 25 years to get my shifters on the handlebars but hey I goterdone. Like the results. I know thumb shifters went out with the tide but I'm an old timer and so is my bike and we are still out there swimming together. I'm a happy dude right now.