Why do C&V Riders scoff at stem mounted shifters?
12-06-22, 02:33 AM
#101
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is that a grip shift mounted t a quill stem???
Brilliant!
Brilliant!
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12-06-22, 11:07 AM
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It could go way BITD when bikes had handlebar mounted bottle cages. Maybe the stem shifters got in the way of getting a bottle out. Or not.
12-06-22, 12:41 PM
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Whenever topics like this come up, I always notice that those who raced in their younger days seem to have the higher standards. I don't know that they are always being snobbish or putting down other equipment. But I suspect they have experienced better and so they would not settle for less. I also suspect that as they were racing they have a greater interest in cycling than members that simply rode casually until they switched to driving and so may represent a larger sampling of the population interested in classic and vintage bikes here on the forum. As a result, it is easy to understand why classic and vintage bikes are esteemed higher than bikes that are simply more vintage than classic like bike boom bikes. Additionally I think when someone points out that something like stem shifter are an indicator of lower end bikes in the C&V world, it is an honest statement not necessarily a scoff.
I will update my response above and say that I do see an advantage for folks using giant-sized frames, where using downtube shifters can be clumsy and awkward.
12-06-22, 12:53 PM
#104
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I'm assuming you're commenting on @BoltBreaker's pix. That one goes to 14 (Rohloff).
I tried to talk him into mounting it on his seatpost, but then he wouldn't be able to shift within 500' of an elementary school.
I tried to talk him into mounting it on his seatpost, but then he wouldn't be able to shift within 500' of an elementary school.
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12-06-22, 01:56 PM
#105
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They are working well for me, almost as well as DT shifters, with the stiff, skinny Jagwire cables, and the Suntour barrel-style shifters. I always thought that the separate barrel looked kinda clunky and heavy, but boy does it work well. Just one JIS screwdriver to tighten, and it won't scratch up your stem, either.
Suntour stem shifters are just so cool!
Suntour stem shifters are just so cool!
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12-06-22, 02:02 PM
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It could also be that the high end bikes came with high end/expensive stems that people didn't want to scratch with stem shifters.
02-25-23, 10:00 PM
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I like downtube shifters but my current vintage road bike has stem mounted. I don't mind them as I've gotten older but....
Can someone explain THESE shifters?
Top tube mounted?
Can someone explain THESE shifters?
Top tube mounted?
02-26-23, 12:19 AM
#108
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But they were probably chosen for quicker assembly of the bike out of the box.
02-26-23, 06:19 AM
#109
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02-26-23, 12:50 PM
#110
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No new info from me here, but I'll chime in. I got older and slower and less flexible. While I prefer the Barcon type shifter for upright riding on a vintage bike, they have become expensive and require an expensive upright bar to install them on. For less than five bucks I can run the very excellent quality Suntour Power Shifters, which are readily available in parts bins. Upright riding position shifting is solved for dirt cheap. So for me it is a matter of cost, functionality, and practicality. Here is a shot of my current favorite bike with a reworked cockpit that cost me around $10 for stem, bars, and shifters!
Perhaps I should mention I have Clark Wallabies with SPD cleats bolted to them for casual rides.
Perhaps I should mention I have Clark Wallabies with SPD cleats bolted to them for casual rides.
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02-26-23, 01:12 PM
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02-26-23, 06:29 PM
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+1
My little bro lived in those Clark's Wallabies for at least a decade or more beginning in the late 70s. It would be a treat to see a pair modified for cycling!
DD
My little bro lived in those Clark's Wallabies for at least a decade or more beginning in the late 70s. It would be a treat to see a pair modified for cycling!
DD
