wrote:
Hello all, I have a couple of older bikes with down-tube shifters.
They work fairly well, although need a little love. One thing I'd like
to do is put on new shifters that are attached to the break levers - I
don't know what they are called. I know how to fix some bike stuff - I
took a class - so I think I could do the work, but I'm just not sure if
it is possible to do that. Can I just by pass the shifter on the tube
and go right to the breaks?

Also, what about adding a third gear to the peddle cranks - there are 2
now. My wife needs a lower gear to make the bike from 12 to 18.

Thanks!

I have a 1987 Trek 560 that I converted from a 6 speed freewheel with
downtube shifters to 7 speed freewheel with STI. It was pretty simple.

The 6 to 7 speed was just replacing the freewheel; for my bike it fit
and no adjustment/spacers were needed.

The STI shifters (7 speed RSX from ebay) required replacing the
downtube shifters with cable stops, redoing the brake and shifter
cables, and handlebar tape. I had to use an alternate routing for the
front derailleur as the front derailler. See http://tinyurl.com/ns4r7
if you want more details. I think 7 speed Sora are still available.

I have no info on the triple conversion. There is a megarange freewheel
option if you just need a big gear once in a while (look at Sheldon's
site) and you want to keep your double. It likely would require a new
rear derailleur (long cage.) I made this conversion with on another
bike (a 1980's Peugeaut). I don't particularly like it, though. It cost
less than $50 total (freewheel and derailleur)

Joe