genejockey 

I just got a 1985 Centurion Ironman, which has Shimano's 6208 SIS shifters. Based on all the information I can find, the 1985 should have friction shifters, right?

The rear shifter is kaput anyway - it didn't really index, and when I opened it up, it's all full of little metal bits. I found some 6207 shifters on Ebay, as well as the correct "axle cover" - the bases for the old-style braze-ons. Can others with 1985 Ironmans (Ironmen?) confirm that they should be friction shifters? NOT SIS? I don't feel too bad swapping out the wrong shifters for the right ones.

masi61

I would think that the 6208 shifters (indexed 8 speed?) were standard on an Ironman in 1985.

T-Mar

Yes, the 1985 Centurion Ironman used friction shifting, while 1986 was indexed shifting. It was quite common to retro-fit SIS to older models to bring them up to date. Another possibility, if you dated from the serial number, is that it's actually a 1986 model that was manufactured in late 1985. The easiest way to tell a 1985 frame from a 1986 is via the colour scheme. The 1985 used contrasting paint only on the head tube, while in 1986 it was used on the head and seat tubes.

It's fairly common to break the indexing tabs on the early SIS shift levers. particularly if you're not careful during reassembly.

T-Mar

Shimano introduced SIS for the 1985 model year but only on New Dura-Ace. It was trickled down to New 600EX (6 speed) and Light Action for the 1986 model year. 105 level didn't recieve SIS until the 1987 model year, with the introduction of New 105.

genejockey 

The paint scheme is metallic red with metallic 'titanium' headtube, so I'm pretty sure it's an 85. I'll confirm with the serial number later today.

Updating the shifters wouldn't surprise me, since a previous owner also replaced the non-aero brake levers with later, generic aero ones.

For me, replacing the shifters with correct 6207 friction shifters is an easy call, because the 6208s are already broken, non-authentic, and impossible to find anyway. The brake levers is a tougher call. Yes, you can find 6207 non-aero levers, but there are no hoods to be found that I can see. There are a few NOS ones, but they all have brown hoods whereas the Ironman is shown in the catalogs with black.

Classtime 

The 85 had shifter bosses that wouldn’t accept indexed shifters without modification. If they’ve already been modified, find some 105 or the later 7 speed tricolor shifters. The 1st generation indexed 600 levers make good key fobs.

genejockey 

The bosses look like upside-down keyholes, right? I think Shimano made boss covers to work with the old style bosses. See the upper right box below.




That's what I'm betting on, anyway. It seems like all the screws for the newer bosses are stamped "M5", while the older M4.5 screws aren't marked. The screw on the right hand shifter isn't marked, and the boss cover has an inlet for the... whatchamacallit that sticks out of the circle part of the boss.

I suspect they made a reasonable number of those BITD, so people could upgrade their older bikes, and I bet that's what a previous owner (not the seller I got it from) did. Same for the brake levers. In fact I'd guess that owner may have upgraded both at the same time. But that was two owners ago, so it's all conjecture!

genejockey 

Another question - does anyone know if IRD's 6-speed freewheels will fit a 6207 hub?

Classtime 

See post #3 in this thread for others experiences: https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...-shifters.html

genejockey 

Yes, I can imagine it's a hassle without the right boss cover. Next time I take it apart, I'll post some pics, because I'm pretty certain this is an original 6433800 boss cover as shown in the diagram. I can also experiment and see if that boss cover allows me to mount other indexed shifters, just as an experiment.

Do you suppose anyone would want to buy it? I mean, not the shifter, it's toast. But it might allow anyone upgrading an older bike with the older bosses, so they can take newer indexed shifters without having to resort to machining anything.

I was able to find the correct 6442001 boss covers to mount the 6207 friction levers I bought. I can live with friction shifting - just not with what's left of the friction shifting with the 6208 levers - there's either too much friction so it's hard to move the lever, or too little and it keeps dropping out of the big cog! Imagine that happening while stomping up a climb, particularly with the 24t largest cog!

genejockey 

Serial Number is N5E5264, so if I decode correctly, it was built in April 1985, so definitely a 1985.

(Seller's Picture)