tk1

hi all, first time poster here, what a great and healthy community.

i'm just a simple day to day cyclist, appreciate it as a form of transportation but limited in bike lingo and mechanical knowledge.

i recently purchased a great minimalist looking bike to my liking, everything is great except the shifter levers that came with it is bugging the crap out of me (i'm a pro designer, so certain aesthetic requirements are necessary

its a 7-speed that came with a set of "Shimano EF500, EZ-Fire Plus"

not only its bulky and inelegant (they look like a set of alien eyes to me, its also taking up so much room on my handle bar that i can't mount my lights and my cell holder.

do you guys have a recommendation for shifter level replacement thats slim/small and minimalist looking?

can i just use any 7-speed shifter levers? will i also have to change the derailleur (Shimano Tourney TX800)?

it seems the shifter is attached to the brake levers, does this mean i should be looking at a good shifter/brake combo replacement?

lastly, can you please recommend a good online tutorial on how to change the shifter/levers myself?

thank you all very much! really appreciate it!

freeranger

I don't think you can separate the shifter/brake combo, so you would have to put on separate brake and shifter levers, or find a brake/shifter combo that you liked better. A couple of good sources for working on bikes: https://www.parktool.com/ and https://www.sheldonbrown.com/ You can look around sites for what may be available as replacements, Jenson, Universal Cycles, and many other sites show shifters and brake levers, just have to look until you find what you like. If in doubt if it will work with your bike, check with the supplier or your LBS (local bike shop), or the site CHAT, or call the site number. If you decide to stay with the existing shifter/brake, you could add a handlebar extender for accessories: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=bicycle+h...b_sb_ss_i_3_18

subgrade

The bad news are that nowadays 7 speeds are at the bottom of the range and none of the available shifters look very elegant, at least to my eyes. I'd say something like SL-M310 and seperate brake levers might be the best option. Or you may look for vintage higher end parts like ST-M567 or ST-M095, but I suspect those would be harder to find.

And no, as long you use any 7 speed shifter you don't need to change the derailleur (or casette). The derailleur will work also with 8 speeds, but then both shifter and casette would need replacing.

The replacement process is quite simple if you are at least a bit mechanically skilled, and know what you do. However, the readjusting of the derailleur might prove tricky for someone who has no prior knowledge.

HillRider

As noted above currently 7-speed is pretty much the bottom of the range for derailleur bikes and Shimano's Tourney is Shimano's lowest line of components above "Big Box Store" bikes. What you have is functional but will not be elegant without a lot of replacement parts and cost.

​​​​​​I assume your bike also has a freewheel, not a cassette. Therefore going to 8-speed or more to get more "elegant" shifters would require a new freehub rear wheel along with the new shifters, brake levers, cassette and perhaps respacing the rear dropouts to accomidate the wider hub. This is going to be very expensive and probably far more than the bike originally cost.

Retro Grouch 

The bad news is that, once you let aesthetics enter the decision process, it gets a lot more complicated.

Probably the cheapest solution to your shifter issue is going to be SRAM MRX twist shifters. Has to be 7-speed. They'll come with new cables already installed but you'll have to buy shorter hand grips separately or it's going to look goofy. I personally don't like twist grips but I suspect they'll meed your aesthetic standards.

You will be able to find them with or without brake levers attached. If it was my bike I'd get separate brake levers but the combined set may match your minimalist preference. I've also been known to hacksaw the shifter pod off of the clamp so that I could use the existing brake lever.

Andrew R Stewart 

Micro Shift (and the various house brands the make under contract) have a few 3x7 speed shifter options. See here https://www.microshift.com/en/produc...ifters/page/4/ Then there's the used markets (eBay, Craig's List and others). Do know that Shimano Rapid Fire (and other of their shifters) have the need to clean and lube the ratchet/internals periodically. So used shifters that "don't work" are often just ion need of some TLC. I've ended up with old "don't work" shifters, that have been made to work well, for next to nothing. Andy

AnkleWork

You should read more.

dedhed

Might be faster, easier, and cheaper to add an auxiliary handlebar mount.


https://www.amazon.com/Minoura-Acces...91303503&psc=1

madpogue 

For elegance as well as ease of operation/maintenance, there's nothing quite like simple thumb shifters. NOT the internal-ratchet trigger type that many (including at least one manufacturer) mistakenly call "thumb" (i.e. "thumb-tap") shifters. True thumb shifters simply rotate to move the cable, just like downtube or bar-end shifters on road bikes. They can be had in index/friction or friction-only action. You'll want something with 7-speed index, such as these: SunRace | SLM2T . Whatever you do, unless you opt for another brake/shifter combination control (which will be no more elegant than what you have), you'll need separate brake levers. The bonus is, a simple set of brake levers and a pair of plain thumbies will take up about the least amount of real estate on the bar.

wrk101

Big fan of the old school 7 speed thumb shifters with a separate brake lever. Of course, they are now 30 years old or older. I get them used either in the form of a complete MTB or take offs.

I've also used these on 7 speed bikes, with a separate brake lever. https://www.amazon.com/SHIMANO-Tourn...1-9&th=1&psc=1

tk1

thank you all so very much for your tips and suggestions!
your help is giving me good directions for research.
will follow up once i have chosen a new combo.
deeply appreciated! tk1.