Vintage shifters vs modern cassette & RD
10-17-20, 07:24 PM
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Vintage shifters vs modern cassette & RD
I am building up a 1983 Miyata 1200 bought as a frame. It came with the Suntour Symmetric downtube shifters. I was wondering if it is possible to use this same shifter with a Shimano 105 rear derailleur and an 11-speed, 11-34 cassette? Though I am more inclined to do a retro modern build with a full 105 setup, I realized I also have an old pair of Diacompe brake levers so I was hoping I can keep some vintage vibe going as well. Would this configuration work? Has anyone done this? Thanks.
10-17-20, 08:58 PM
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The shifters will probably work with the rear derailleur, with the caveat they have enough cable pull range to traverse 11 cogs. However, the shift precision will suffer and require more “trimming” per shift, due to the tight cog spacing.
If you want to keep the brake levers (and I would, as I find brifters incredibly ugly and bulky), you might consider bar-end shifters. Not sure what’s on offer in 11-speed, but modern shimano barcons can look very understated and work very well.
If you want to keep the brake levers (and I would, as I find brifters incredibly ugly and bulky), you might consider bar-end shifters. Not sure what’s on offer in 11-speed, but modern shimano barcons can look very understated and work very well.
10-17-20, 09:00 PM
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The shifter should be able to friction shift the modern 105 derailleurs. You will need to spread the rear apart a bit to fit a 130 spaced 11 speed wheel on the back. The problem you face going full blown brifter or even bar end is trying to figure out cable stops that will look good on the frame.
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My bikes: 1970`s Roberts - 1981 Miyata 912 - 1980`s Ocshner (Chrome) - 1987 Schwinn Circuit - 1987 Schwinn Prologue - 1992 Schwinn Crosspoint - 1999 Schwinn Circuit - 2014 Cannondale Super Six EVO
My bikes: 1970`s Roberts - 1981 Miyata 912 - 1980`s Ocshner (Chrome) - 1987 Schwinn Circuit - 1987 Schwinn Prologue - 1992 Schwinn Crosspoint - 1999 Schwinn Circuit - 2014 Cannondale Super Six EVO
Last edited by Steve Whitlatch; 10-17-20 at 09:11 PM.
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10-17-20, 11:32 PM
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An 11-speed cassette might be beyond the limit for your Suntour shifters, but there's only one way find out and that is to try.
If you find the shifting fails to meet your expectations, Dia Compe makes an 11-speed downtube shifter set. ENE 11S SHIFTER | DIA-COMPE
If you find the shifting fails to meet your expectations, Dia Compe makes an 11-speed downtube shifter set. ENE 11S SHIFTER | DIA-COMPE
10-18-20, 12:35 AM
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The shifters will probably work with the rear derailleur, with the caveat they have enough cable pull range to traverse 11 cogs. However, the shift precision will suffer and require more “trimming” per shift, due to the tight cog spacing.
If you want to keep the brake levers (and I would, as I find brifters incredibly ugly and bulky), you might consider bar-end shifters. Not sure what’s on offer in 11-speed, but modern shimano barcons can look very understated and work very well.
If you want to keep the brake levers (and I would, as I find brifters incredibly ugly and bulky), you might consider bar-end shifters. Not sure what’s on offer in 11-speed, but modern shimano barcons can look very understated and work very well.
