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Down tube shifters

Old 11-11-15, 07:29 AM
  #1  
rydabent
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Down tube shifters

What is the highest number of gears that that an indexed down tube shifter will handle?
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Old 11-11-15, 07:37 AM
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Currently, 11.
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Old 11-11-15, 08:44 AM
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It depends on the specific shifter's cable pull. I had suntour power ratchets (awesome) on a vintage frame into which I stuffed a 9 speed cassette. The shifters did not pull enough cable length to cover the entire cassette, which meant adjusting out either the top or bottom cog.

Later model DT shifters - anything circa post-freewheel - will cover up to 11.

Dia-compe and Rivendell make vintage style DT shifters with outstanding fit and finish, though for the price you could score Dura Ace.

Last edited by 1983; 11-11-15 at 09:32 AM.
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Old 11-11-15, 08:51 AM
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Worth noting: Shimano DuraAce downtube shifters in the 10- and 11-speed flavors do not swap over to friction shifting, they are index shifting only.
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Old 11-12-15, 07:59 AM
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For me DT is limited by my skill level, 9 cogs. I just struggle with 10 and can not imagine trying 11.
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Old 11-12-15, 08:04 AM
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Originally Posted by easyupbug
For me DT is limited by my skill level, 9 cogs. I just struggle with 10 and can not imagine trying 11.
Indexing is your friend.
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Old 11-12-15, 12:33 PM
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Originally Posted by 1983
It depends on the specific shifter's cable pull. I had suntour power ratchets (awesome) on a vintage frame into which I stuffed a 9 speed cassette. The shifters did not pull enough cable length to cover the entire cassette, which meant adjusting out either the top or bottom cog.

Later model DT shifters - anything circa post-freewheel - will cover up to 11.

Dia-compe and Rivendell make vintage style DT shifters with outstanding fit and finish, though for the price you could score Dura Ace.
He's asking about indexed DT shifters.
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Old 11-12-15, 01:17 PM
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Originally Posted by Grand Bois
He's asking about indexed DT shifters.
Calm down turbo, the answer is still the same. mconlox also mentioned friction, might want to direct a needless quip to him as well.

Last edited by 1983; 11-12-15 at 01:23 PM.
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Old 11-12-15, 03:08 PM
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Originally Posted by mconlonx
Worth noting: Shimano DuraAce downtube shifters in the 10- and 11-speed flavors do not swap over to friction shifting, they are index shifting only.

What about the shifter on the left side of the down tube?
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Old 11-12-15, 03:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Grand Bois
He's asking about indexed DT shifters.
I agree. Why bring up friction shifting when the OP has clearly queried about indexed shifters? It just muddies the water of discussion.
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Old 11-12-15, 05:11 PM
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Yep, a little comprehension deficiency, maybe.
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Old 11-12-15, 08:27 PM
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Originally Posted by shelbyfv
Yep, a little comprehension deficiency, maybe.
+1
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Old 11-13-15, 09:52 AM
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Originally Posted by cale
I agree. Why bring up friction shifting when the OP has clearly queried about indexed shifters? It just muddies the water of discussion.

Oh lordy, how will anyone ever know what's being discussed? How terrible!!
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Old 11-13-15, 10:02 AM
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14, a Rohloff grip shifter can also be mounted sticking out from the side of the Downtube.

not the most convenient location , but it is an option. .. just takes a 22.2-7/8" tube being added..

by the same method a NuVinci CVR hub has an infinite number of "speeds" with in its range of ratios..

Last edited by fietsbob; 11-13-15 at 10:07 AM.
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Old 11-13-15, 10:03 AM
  #15  
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Originally Posted by 1983
Oh lordy, how will anyone ever know what's being discussed? How terrible!!
I'm looking for a socket wrench and you want to tell me the value of a hand wrench. Don't think that I've forgotten about the hand wrench, but I've graduated to socket wrenches. Hope to see you guys in the Fall! Haha
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Old 11-13-15, 10:08 AM
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Originally Posted by cale
I'm looking for a socket wrench and you want to tell me the value of a hand wrench. Don't think that I've forgotten about the hand wrench, but I've graduated to socket wrenches. Hope to see you guys in the Fall! Haha
I don't particularly want to tell you about any kind of wrench.

However, a successful analogy would have been to use ratcheting and non ratcheting box wrenches.
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Old 11-13-15, 11:36 AM
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Originally Posted by DiabloScott
What about the shifter on the left side of the down tube?
All friction for front shifting as far as I know, no index option, will still work for double or triple front chainring setups.

I only mentioned the friction thing because in the past, DT and Bar End shifters were usually referenced in the same context as being simpler and less fragile than brake/shifter setups. Especially where touring is concerned, the ability to convert to friction shifting was seen as a benefit to such shifters, in the event of some emergency or if indexing got out of whack for some non-adjustable reason.

And so I commented about friction shifting, even though the OP specifically queried about index shifting. It might answer someone's unasked question, it's also a data point regarding the features of Shimano 10 and 11 speed DT indexing shifters being discussed here.

For those worrying about reading comprehension, I even prefaced the information I shared with "Worth noting:", a modifier very distinct from something more along the lines of, "Critical information regarding the OP!!!", or no modifier at all, which might imply that it directly answers the OP. Truly, said modifier could rather be read as, "Tangential but still somewhat pertinent to the OP" by those with any kind of nuanced reading comprehension, rather than the bludgeon of grammar/thread discipline Nazism displayed here.

Last edited by mconlonx; 11-13-15 at 11:58 AM.
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