Dura-Ace 7-speed and STI

On Tuesday, July 16, 2002 at 3:06:12 AM UTC+2, Bill Davidson wrote:
O.K. So I was one of the suckers who bought 7-speed Dura Ace back in 1987
or 1988 (can't remember exactly which year). I've been getting jealous of
all the people with STI every time I reach down to shift; especially when
I'm shifting on a bumpy road where I'd really prefer to have both hands on
the bars.

I've been looking through Google groups and some web pages and it appears
that Shimano never made STI shifters for Dura-Ace 7-speed. It looks like
if I want STI, the cheapest way is to buy a used RSX rear deraileur and
STI shifters or if I want to go new, get Sora 7-speed (which appears to
still be available). If I'm understanding the past postings correctly,
the old Dura-Ace 7-speed freewheel uses the same spacing as the newer
7-speed stuff but the old deraileur/shifters have different cable throw to
achieve that spacing. Am I correct?

The alternative seems to be upgrading to 9-speed with Tiagra but that
seems a lot more expensive as it also requires a new hub, wheel rebuild,
frame respacing, new cluster, new chain and possibly even a new crank
and bottom bracket.

Sigh. Some days I hate Shimano.

--Bill Davidson

Downtube shifters are enormously better than shimano sti especially early ones where you can't downshift more than one gear another advantage is that brakes levers don't move to the inside when you want to brake holding by the hoods. Don't understand this obsession with crappy sti and bumpy roads? ha I live in poland I can tell something about bumpy roads sometimes I change gears without holding handlebar at all lol Downtube shifters take some skill but then when you practice are much more fun.

On 2016-09-11 14:44, wrote:
On Tuesday, July 16, 2002 at 3:06:12 AM UTC+2, Bill Davidson wrote:
O.K. So I was one of the suckers who bought 7-speed Dura Ace back
in 1987 or 1988 (can't remember exactly which year). I've been
getting jealous of all the people with STI every time I reach down
to shift; especially when I'm shifting on a bumpy road where I'd
really prefer to have both hands on the bars.

I've been looking through Google groups and some web pages and it
appears that Shimano never made STI shifters for Dura-Ace 7-speed.
It looks like if I want STI, the cheapest way is to buy a used RSX
rear deraileur and STI shifters or if I want to go new, get Sora
7-speed (which appears to still be available). If I'm
understanding the past postings correctly, the old Dura-Ace 7-speed
freewheel uses the same spacing as the newer 7-speed stuff but the
old deraileur/shifters have different cable throw to achieve that
spacing. Am I correct?

The alternative seems to be upgrading to 9-speed with Tiagra but
that seems a lot more expensive as it also requires a new hub,
wheel rebuild, frame respacing, new cluster, new chain and possibly
even a new crank and bottom bracket.

Sigh. Some days I hate Shimano.

--Bill Davidson


Wow, a post from 2002, a blast from the past :-)


Downtube shifters are enormously better than shimano sti especially
early ones where you can't downshift more than one gear another
advantage is that brakes levers don't move to the inside when you
want to brake holding by the hoods.


Sometimes I detest my downtube friction shifters, especially after a
nasty ghost-shift uphill. However, I really enjoy being able to throw
the bike from small-large to large-small in one swoop, using only one hand.

Younger cyclists sometimes seem to wonder why I am reaching down but
don't retrieve my water bottle. Unless we pass each other they can't
really see that it's a Flintstonian road bike.


... Don't understand this obsession
with crappy sti and bumpy roads? ha I live in poland I can tell
something about bumpy roads sometimes I change gears without holding
handlebar at all lol Downtube shifters take some skill but then when
you practice are much more fun.


In the Wild West we've got bumpy roads as well. This one is right in our
town:

http://www.analogconsultants.com/ng/bike/CoachLane1.JPG

This evening I'll need to travel such a road there but I'll probably use
the MTB. It has Deore XT with the usual click shifters but allows to
skip gears by the ratcheting deeper on the lever. Quite helpful on that
turf.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/