Liverpool@1

Hi all,
I'm looking to upgrade the shifters on my Cannondale st600.
I'm looking to install STI type brake and shifter levers.
It is a 7 speed x3 chainrings.
Any advice on what I should buy, without spending a lot for an older bike ?
Thanks

veganbikes

I would keep the ones you have if they aren't broken but if you want something different Gevenalle is the way to go: https://www.gevenalle.com/product/om/

KCT1986

It depends on the group that is on the bike. If this is the Shimano equipped year, then it should be doable with 7 speed brifters and a road triple front derailleur. 7 speed brifters are not too common, since brifters mostly started at 8 speed. Shimano did have the RSX brifters (ST-A410) in 7 speed as part of the original batch of brifters. Later model of 7 sp were lower level models, Sora (ST-3300-7) and possible a few other later low end modlel.

Check if your year is Shimano or Suntour.

You could go more modern, but that would entail more items to change. One of the issues is rear wheel, depending on what hub is there now.

Ironfish653

If it’s a Shimano bike, then you have some options; as mentioned, the RSX c.1997 came in 3x7, as does the more modern Sora and Tourney.

Microshift and MicroNew also have 3x7. I have a set of 2x10s on one bike and they’re far nicer than I expected from an $80 pair of brifters. I want to say that the 7-sp were less than $60.

If your ST is one of the SunTour bikes, then Gevenalles would be your only option. They’re nice, but expensive; a set of Gevenalle levers would probably cost more than the parts née to swap the rest of the bike to 7-sp Shimano.

Liverpool@1

I checked and I see that the derailleurs are suntour x-1.

Iride01 

I think microShift has a dual control lever that will work with most of that old stuff. 'You'll only need the two dual control levers and some down tube cable stops along with new cables.

https://www.microshift.com/models/sb-r373/

If you have 130 mm spacing on the rear, you could put 3x10 on it. But obviously that will be more cost. And 2x11 if you want to spend even more for a 2x crank.

icemilkcoffee 

Suntour derailleurs are not compatible with brifters. You'll need to switch to Shimano derailleurs and crankset. Look for 7 or 8 speed Shimano road groupsets, like the RSX (FDA410-T , RDA410-GS and FCA413). You'll have to switch to a Shimano or Shimano compatible 7 speed freewheel as well.

The other option would be the rather obscure Suntour Command shifters:

These should work with your existing Accushift setup, but you'll have to confirm with knowledgeable people.

KCT1986

The general consensus is that Suntour rear derailleurs are not compatible with Shimano or Shimano compatible brifters. The standard Suntour index system uses a different actuation ratio. In brief terms, the actuation ratio is how far the RD move laterally per mm of cable pull from the shifter. Ideally, shifter will pull the proper amount of cable, multiplied by the actuation ratio to get the RD movement. This RD movement should match the spacing between the rear sprockets. Lot of info about this available if you search.

Suntour essentially was out of the market by the mid-90s and didn't ever really have a popular brifter.

Thus, if you want a combined brake lever/shifter, your options are limited. Genenalle was mentioned earlier, but I won't comment since I've never used them. If you want a more common brifter syle unit, Shimano or compatible will mean changing a few parts, (shifter, RD, freewheel, possibly FD).

Your rear hub may use a thread-on freewheel and the Accushift syle freewheel, which may work with Shimano indexing or can be replaced with a Shimano freewheel.

Front derailleur compatibility is not well documented so it is hard to guess compatibility between manufacturers. Most brifter use indexing for front shifting so with a triple the setup can be tricky.

Liverpool@1

Okay, thanks for the information.
It seems like a lot of changing parts then.
Another option would be to think of installing bar end shifters.
Originally, the bike had a bar end twist and shift type setup, but one was damaged badly in a fall.
I haven't been able to see that type anywhere, except on the catalog for the original bike.
What type of bar end shifters would work with the Suntour X-1 system ?.
Thanks

Liverpool@1

Forgot to mention, after the accident, a bike shop replaced the bar end twist and shift with two levers mounted on the stem.... very unsightly and not a fan at all of this set-up
Thanks

Maelochs

I have a 1983 Cannondale ST 500 with Micronew shifter in back and Shimano up front (the Shimano worked well and I didn't feel like unwrapping the bars and re-running the cable.)

I have zero complaints with Micronew. I recommend it based on actual real-world performance.

Liverpool@1

Does anybody know what type of bar end twist and shift type shifters that Cannondale used on the ST600 ?

icemilkcoffee 

Do they look like this:

Just like any old bike parts, your first and last resort should be Ebay:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/116172904811

veganbikes

Again at Liverpool@1 just go with Gevenale. I linked to the ones you would want above. They work really well and my only minor complaint which others may not have is because they are using Tektro levers the hand comfort for me is not as ergonomic as I would personally like but the shifting is excellent and all I needed was those levers I don't need to swap to different derailleurs or anything like that. You will need new cables and housing but that is a nice thing to replace and upgrade for better shifting and braking so that is a good thing.

If you want to just get shifters go for something friction based and you have decent options there but I will tell you Gevenalle is the way to go 100% without question.

bboy314

Are your current stem shifters indexed or friction? If you’re ok with friction, most bar end shifters would work. I’d look for older Shimano or Suntour shifters. If you want index, you’ll need some Suntour indexed bar ends like the ones pictured above.

KCT1986

Your bike seems to have been equipped originally with some version of the road GripShift, a product of SRAM. These type of shifters were sometimes used back before brifters were available. Currently not used much except on MTB and flat bar hybrids.

SRAM currently still makes GripShift but only for MTB, so presumably for handlebars with 22.2mm or so diameter, most road bars are usually larger at 23.8mm in the shifter location.