8-speed shifting for dropped bars

I have a commuter bike with straight bars which I'd like to convert to
dropped bars. It has 10 years old good quality 3x7-speed Shimano
components. The rear wheel is recent and is 8/9-speed compatible.

My plan is to go to 8-speed by changing the cassette (from my current
14-32 to a 12-32, the chainwheels being 28-38-48). Going to 9-speed would
involve changing almost everything and would not be economical.
What is not clear for me is what shifting system to use. One option being
bar-end shifters, the other is STI brake levers.

I would happily go for bar-end but I don't know where to find good
comfortable brake levers, the equivalent of recent Shimano STI
without the STI function. I like these Shimano levers because they have a
special curvature that make them seem easier to grab with my small hands
when riding in the lower position. My local source of parts has Dia-Compe
levers but these don't seem so comfortable - at least on catalogue.

If I go for STI, Sora seems to be the only surviving 8-speed system. Does
anybody have experience with Sora ? What drawbacks have to be expected
compared to 105 or other more expensive components ? How would that
compare with the Campagnolo Veloce I have on my road bike ? Would it make
sense to look for older 8-speed 105 components ?

Any comments welcome.

Jacques

On Sun, 04 Jan 2004 10:04:00 +0100, "jacques"
wrote:

My plan is to go to 8-speed by changing the cassette (from my current
14-32 to a 12-32, the chainwheels being 28-38-48). Going to 9-speed would
involve changing almost everything and would not be economical.
What is not clear for me is what shifting system to use. One option being
bar-end shifters, the other is STI brake levers.

For a commuting bike I would go with bar-ends, you can switch to
friction and limp home if the indexing goes for any reason. Not that
STI is unreliable these days, but I'm paranoid :-) All depends on how
far you ride, I guess. And 8-speed is, in my view, less fiddly to
maintain than 9-speed (I have bikes with both). So I think you're
doing the Right Thing.

I have plain vanilla Shimano levers on my drop-bar bike with bar-ends.
No idea what part number, but the bike shop had them in stock. Could
be BL-R400s but not sure. Dia Compe, SunTour and Weinmann levers are
also available.

A UK tourists' bike shop catalogue is he
http://www.sjscycles.com/store/vIndex.htm - look for drop bar aero
levers and drop bar non-aero levers. Not an enormous choice, but
hopefully enough to be going on with.

Only Dia Compe, as far as I know, works with V-brakes without using a
Travel Agent, so if you're using / thinking of using V-brakes you
might bear that in mind.

Oh, and there is a new(ish) lever for mounting on the inner part of
the bar, like the old suicide levers but providing Actual Braking
Performance (TM) so that might be worth looking at at the same time.
I think the review is in the current Velovision, which I can't find
right now.

Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk

"jacques" wrote ...
I have a commuter bike with straight bars which I'd like to convert to
dropped bars. It has 10 years old good quality 3x7-speed Shimano
components. The rear wheel is recent and is 8/9-speed compatible.

My plan is to go to 8-speed by changing the cassette (from my current
14-32 to a 12-32, the chainwheels being 28-38-48). Going to 9-speed would
involve changing almost everything and would not be economical.
What is not clear for me is what shifting system to use. One option being
bar-end shifters, the other is STI brake levers.

I would happily go for bar-end but I don't know where to find good
comfortable brake levers, the equivalent of recent Shimano STI
without the STI function. I like these Shimano levers because they have a
special curvature that make them seem easier to grab with my small hands
when riding in the lower position. My local source of parts has Dia-Compe
levers but these don't seem so comfortable - at least on catalogue.

If I go for STI, Sora seems to be the only surviving 8-speed system. Does
anybody have experience with Sora ? What drawbacks have to be expected
compared to 105 or other more expensive components ? How would that
compare with the Campagnolo Veloce I have on my road bike ? Would it make
sense to look for older 8-speed 105 components ?

Any comments welcome.

Jacques

Rivendell (www.rivendellbicycles.com) sells very nice friction-only bar end
shifters, which completely eliminates the problem of indexed shifting going
out of adjustment, and lets you use any nuber of cogs you wish on the
cassette without compatibility issues. They also offer the Shimano brake
levers w/o the STI function. They also offer a very nice selection of Nitto
dropped bars.
--
mark

On Sun, 04 Jan 2004 10:04:00 +0100, jacques wrote:

My plan is to go to 8-speed by changing the cassette (from my current
14-32 to a 12-32, the chainwheels being 28-38-48). Going to 9-speed would
involve changing almost everything and would not be economical.

That is not at all clear. Your derailleurs and chainrings should work
fine with 9-speed. Of course, the manufacturer will claim you need to buy
all new drivetrain components, from them of course.

What is not clear for me is what shifting system to use. One option
being bar-end shifters, the other is STI brake levers.

I would happily go for bar-end but I don't know where to find good
comfortable brake levers, the equivalent of recent Shimano STI without
the STI function. I like these Shimano levers because they have a
special curvature that make them seem easier to grab with my small hands
when riding in the lower position. My local source of parts has
Dia-Compe levers but these don't seem so comfortable

I recently got Dia-Comp levers for my tandem, and they seem to be quite
comfortable for me. My hands are not small, though, so maybe your
experience will be different.

If I go for STI, Sora seems to be the only surviving 8-speed system.
Does anybody have experience with Sora ? What drawbacks have to be
expected compared to 105 or other more expensive components ?

I don't like the Sora downshift lever. It looks like the Campagnolo
thumb-lever, but is impossible to reach from the drops. So, you have to
shift on the hoods.

How would
that compare with the Campagnolo Veloce I have on my road bike ? Would
it make sense to look for older 8-speed 105 components ?

Why not use Campy on this bike, if you like the ERGO levers? OK, you'll
need a new rear derailleur. Shimano 9-speed cassettes work with Campy
9-speed shifting.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics, I can assure
_`\(,_ | you that mine are all greater. -- A. Einstein
(_)/ (_) |

On Sun, 04 Jan 2004 11:43:21 +0000, Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:

Only Dia Compe, as far as I know, works with V-brakes without using a
Travel Agent, so if you're using / thinking of using V-brakes you
might bear that in mind.

Not all Dia Compe levers work with v-brakes. Be sure to get the ones that
do. Mine work very well with v-brakes, no travel agent.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | This is my religion. There is no need for temples; no need for
_`\(,_ | complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our
(_)/ (_) | temple. The philosophy is kindness. --The Dalai Lama

jacques wrote:

I have a commuter bike with straight bars which I'd like to convert to
dropped bars. It has 10 years old good quality 3x7-speed Shimano
components. The rear wheel is recent and is 8/9-speed compatible.

My plan is to go to 8-speed by changing the cassette (from my current
14-32 to a 12-32, the chainwheels being 28-38-48). Going to 9-speed
would involve changing almost everything and would not be economical.
What is not clear for me is what shifting system to use. One option
being bar-end shifters, the other is STI brake levers.

I would happily go for bar-end but I don't know where to find good
comfortable brake levers, the equivalent of recent Shimano STI
without the STI function. I like these Shimano levers because they
have a special curvature that make them seem easier to grab with my
small hands when riding in the lower position. My local source of
parts has Dia-Compe levers but these don't seem so comfortable - at
least on catalogue.

If I go for STI, Sora seems to be the only surviving 8-speed system.
Does anybody have experience with Sora ? What drawbacks have to be
expected compared to 105 or other more expensive components ? How
would that compare with the Campagnolo Veloce I have on my road bike
? Would it make sense to look for older 8-speed 105 components ?

It would make more sense to switch to 9 speed. You don't have to change
"everything," just the cassette and shifter, and probably the chain. You
already have a 9 speed compatible wheel. It would cost no more to convert to 9
speed than to 8 speed, and there are far more options with 9 speed stuff now.
Even if you decide to go with bar end shifters, Shimano still makes 'em for 9
speed.

Sora brifters work great. My only complaint with them is that it's hard to
reach the little thumb lever from the drops. Otherwise, one could argue they
actually work better than other STI -- the action is lighter, and with upshifts
and downshifts completely separated, there are fewer problems with missed shifts
from hitting both levers at once.

Matt O.

On Sun, 04 Jan 2004 13:02:36 -0500, "David L. Johnson"
wrote:

Not all Dia Compe levers work with v-brakes.

True. Sorry, I wrote that in a confusing way didn't I?

Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk

On Sun, 04 Jan 2004 13:00:19 +0000, David L. Johnson wrote:

On Sun, 04 Jan 2004 10:04:00 +0100, jacques wrote:

My plan is to go to 8-speed by changing the cassette (from my current
14-32 to a 12-32, the chainwheels being 28-38-48). Going to 9-speed would
involve changing almost everything and would not be economical.

That is not at all clear. Your derailleurs and chainrings should work
fine with 9-speed. Of course, the manufacturer will claim you need to buy
all new drivetrain components, from them of course.


Well, if what you say is true then it might well change my view on this
change... Except that I already placed a bid on an 8-speed cassette on
eBay. Let's see what happens.


How would
that compare with the Campagnolo Veloce I have on my road bike ? Would
it make sense to look for older 8-speed 105 components ?

Why not use Campy on this bike, if you like the ERGO levers? OK, you'll
need a new rear derailleur. Shimano 9-speed cassettes work with Campy
9-speed shifting.

I quite like the shifting of the Campagnolo Veloce, but I am less
enthusiastic about the grip on the brakes. From the drops I have great
difficulties to grab the brakes, and even from the hoods it feels a bit
tiresome and not very efficient. OK, my reference is straight-bar handles
which are certainly better for strong braking. But at first sight it looks
like the Shimano levers, at least the recent ones (Sora and up) have more
curvature and then probably an easier grip from both positions. I think
this is important as a good part of my riding is done in town and
including downhill.

Jacques