Touring bikes: Index or friction shifting?

On Apr 17, 12:54 am, still just me wrote:
On Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:33:36 -0700 (PDT), Jay Beattie

wrote:

I rode across the US on a bike with 5sp friction bar end shifters --
and I much prefer my modern STI. And after all these years, STI has
never crapped out in the middle of nowhere or anywhere. I have index
bar ends on my commuter and don't like them because I have gotten so
used to being able to shift while standing and climbing. If I were
outfitting a touring bike, there is no question that it would use STI/
Ergo -- and if I were neurotic about it failing, then I would pack a
two ounce DT shifter just in case. -- Jay Beattie.

Real men like a little friction!

That said, and noting that my bikes are all retro-grouch friction, if
I was riding cross country I would likely choose something that I
could find replacement parts for in the majority of modern shops.

My coast-to-coast a couple years ago was done with friction bar end
shifters. When touring, I seldom (if ever) feel a need for a "right
NOW!" shift while standing and climbing. It's a tour, not a race.

On that same trip, my daughter had STI. She had consistent, but
minor, trouble shifting to the largest rear cog. She ultimately
learned to always double-hit the shifter to make that shift. This may
have been because we were pushing the envelope on rear cog size.
(Sorry, I don't recall the tooth count or derailleur model right
now.) But I certainly prefer my setup to hers.

IME, index shifting is stable and reliable on "normal" bikes. Still,
I have no interest in carrying an assembly of unrepairable wris****ch
parts inside my brake levers. I think bar end index, with a friction
option, make the most sense. (I also think you don't need as many
gears as are currently fashionable.)

BTW, I find index to be less reliable on a folding bike. Whenever
it's unfolded, the cables seem to need to go through their "settling
in" routine for the first, oh, ten or fifteen miles at least. During
that time, I can't count on one click generating one shift. And the
more complex cable runs make index a bit less consistent even when the
bike has not been folded for a while.

- Frank Krygowski

wrote:
On Apr 17, 12:54 am, still just me wrote:
On Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:33:36 -0700 (PDT), Jay Beattie

wrote:

I rode across the US on a bike with 5sp friction bar end shifters --
and I much prefer my modern STI. And after all these years, STI has
never crapped out in the middle of nowhere or anywhere. I have index
bar ends on my commuter and don't like them because I have gotten so
used to being able to shift while standing and climbing. If I were
outfitting a touring bike, there is no question that it would use STI/
Ergo -- and if I were neurotic about it failing, then I would pack a
two ounce DT shifter just in case. -- Jay Beattie.
Real men like a little friction!

That said, and noting that my bikes are all retro-grouch friction, if
I was riding cross country I would likely choose something that I
could find replacement parts for in the majority of modern shops.

My coast-to-coast a couple years ago was done with friction bar end
shifters. When touring, I seldom (if ever) feel a need for a "right
NOW!" shift while standing and climbing. It's a tour, not a race.

For most people it has nothing to do with racing. It is more convenient.


On that same trip, my daughter had STI. She had consistent, but
minor, trouble shifting to the largest rear cog. She ultimately
learned to always double-hit the shifter to make that shift. This may
have been because we were pushing the envelope on rear cog size.
(Sorry, I don't recall the tooth count or derailleur model right
now.) But I certainly prefer my setup to hers.

IME, index shifting is stable and reliable on "normal" bikes.

It is stable and consistent off road in the worst circumstances in my case.


Lou

On Apr 16, 2:28*pm, wrote:
bfd wrote:
However.... back 15 years ago when I did have a bike
and lost of riding, I remember friction shifting.....
and when things were not quite aligned I could manually
make that small adjustment so that it was.

Try adjusting the barrel adjuster behind the rear der. Turning it like
1/4 turn clockwise until the chain runs smoothly.

How can I reach that while riding tho?

You don't. You adjust the rear der when you are off the bike. This can
be done anywhere. If you don't have a stand, have some one hold the
bike up and turn the crank. Then as you hear chain out of alignment,
try turning the barrel adjuster on the rear der, about a 1/4 turn at a
time until things quiet down. Try it, it actually works! Good Luck.

In article
],
Ryan Cousineau wrote:

Experiments with other non-indexed bikes have suggested that
friction-shifting a 7-speed cluster, even with Hyperglide teeth, is
mildly tricky.

I do not find this to be the case on a seven-gear 14-32
Hyperglide, down-tube friction shifter bicycle. Seven
positions over 120 deg of throw is easy to discern.

I'd prefer to use a 6-speed cluster on a
friction-shifting bike, though the Mega-7 freewheels might tip the
balance in a particular application owing to their bail-out cog and nice
internals.

--
Michael Press

On Apr 17, 7:08*am, Tim McNamara wrote:
In article
,
*Jay Beattie wrote:

I rode across the US on a bike with 5sp friction bar end shifters --
and I much prefer my modern STI.

Tastes are different. *I adopted STI in 1992 and then switched to Ergo
because I didn't like STI's laterally moving brake lever. *I used those
through 2005 when I went back to downtube friction shifting on my bikes. *
I just like it better. *It's nice there are options.

Absolutely. Now that I am riding with my leg in a splint, I pretty
much stay seated anyway, and my shift mechanism doesn't matter that
much. It's only for climbing out of the saddle and racing that I
strongly prefer STI/Ergo. -- Jay Beattie.

Jay Beattie wrote:

I rode across the US on a bike with 5sp friction bar end shifters --
and I much prefer my modern STI. And after all these years, STI has
never crapped out in the middle of nowhere or anywhere. I have index
bar ends on my commuter and don't like them because I have gotten so
used to being able to shift while standing and climbing. If I were
outfitting a touring bike, there is no question that it would use STI/
Ergo -- and if I were neurotic about it failing, then I would pack a
two ounce DT shifter just in case. -- Jay Beattie.

OK thanks Jay!!

wrote:

I have no interest in carrying an assembly of unrepairable wris****ch
parts inside my brake levers.

Are the insides of those combo brake and shifter levers
THAT complex?

serious question. That many parts in there?

wrote:


BTW, I find index to be less reliable on a folding bike. Whenever
it's unfolded, the cables seem to need to go through their "settling
in" routine for the first, oh, ten or fifteen miles at least. During
that time, I can't count on one click generating one shift. And the
more complex cable runs make index a bit less consistent even when the
bike has not been folded for a while.

Thanks or that info Frank!!

A I have been thinking abt buying a Bike Friday NWT
soon!!

Sounds like I better stick with friction shifting on it
huh?

If yes....what system do you advise?

Ryan Cousineau wrote:

That's my long-winded way of saying that the shifting method on a tourer
hardly matters (among likely means) and is largely a matter of taste.

Thanks Ryan

Bill Taylor wrote:

You should look at Sheldon Browns website, he has
some recommendations which boil down to strong and reliable.
BT

Good idea!!

Heading there now!