drewfio

Hello,

I have a bike currently set up with 7 speed indexed downtube shifters. I've been curious about using bar end shifters. I have a 6 speed indexed bar end shifters I pulled off another bike (never road it, since it was "for parts" condition) a while ago which I never used. I've seen mounts for attaching downtube shifters to bar ends, but I was wondering if I could use the same mounts as are on the 6 speed, and just replace the levers. Is this possible/reasonable?

degan

Depends on the shifters. I know the modern Shimano bar end shifters pods will accept just about any DT shifter that fits on the standard post, but I don't think they go back as far as 6 speed indexing, the fewest I've ever seen is 7 speed. If its the suntour accushift 6-speed bar-end shifters I'd be a little more skeptical about mixing and matching parts. The two sets I've had of those were very finicky just by themselves.

drewfio

Here are some photos of the parts in question. The downtube 7s shifter I believe is Shimano SL-A410 (not marked), and the bar end shifters say SL-BS50.

brian3069

This thread should be helpful.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...d-adapter.html

drewfio

Oh! super Helpful. It turns out it does have one of the adapters mentioned in thread in there already, making it 6 speed. I also, when pulling it apart just now found it seems to have the square mount inside oriented wrong (it was only clicking 3 times). When I spun it around into a different orientation, it in fact clicks 7 times, so it is an 8 speed? It doesn't seem to shift great, and my current downtube shifts quite well, but maybe worth giving it a shot as is (since 8 speed shifter I understand can shift a 7 speed cassette)?

brian3069

I don't know why you're getting an extra click, but your shifters should be 7 speed with the adapter removed. My understanding is that the 8 speed version (sl-bs-50-8) is Dura Ace only, it can't be converted to 6 speed.

icemilkcoffee 

I noticed the same thing with my 7 speed BS50. For some strange reasons, it has 7 clicks, which technically gives it 8 positions.

ShannonM

Yep. There's a low-side overshift built into the shifters, to allow for bail-out downshifts under load. This is why you can use a 7 speed shifter on an 8 speed bike and the indexing works. I had a mountain bike set up this way, because I hate trigger shifters. (8 speed cassette, 9 speed XTR rear derailleur, 7 speed XT thumbshifters, best-shifting MTB I've ever owned)

--Shannon

tyler_fred

Here’s my 7sp setup.