http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Friction shifters on 10spd Campag? en Wed, 13 May 2026 05:48:00 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9523#post-168527 Fri, 17 Oct 2014 19:40:20 +0000 chdot 168527@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"I've always tried to replace old parts with better ones as they die."</p> <p>Good plan. </p> <p>I dismantled my white bike today for a COMPLETE overhaul. </p> <p>Had planned to replace inner ring (most used one) and 'upgrade' to STI and new mudguards (swap existing to a diff bike) probably new block/chain. </p> <p>But surprised to find front mech almost worn through! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9523#post-168044 Tue, 14 Oct 2014 10:52:18 +0000 kaputnik 168044@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I recently removed the drop bars (25.8mm clamp mid-90s 3TTT anatomic type) and 10 year old Sora STIs from my everyday bike and replaced them with the Nitto Albastache bar (that's the incarnation of the Moustache but with the slight droop of the Albatross), Tektro aero-cabled brake levers and Shimano 8-speed indexed bar-end shifters.</p> <p>I am very impressed with the results. The ride is very comfortable, the wider bar is more flexible, offering a smoother ride in town. Shifting is easy and far more precise than the ageing brifters and braking is much better with a proper, steel lever rather than whatever strange fabric the sora levers were chiseled out of. Oh and it looks nice too.</p> <p>The cost of bar, shifters and new levers was probably about 10% more than some replacement 8-speed STIs but they would have been of the Shimano Claris groupset, whatever on earth that is, Sora now being of the 9-speed flavour, and I've always tried to replace old parts with better ones as they die. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9523#post-100848 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 13:13:03 +0000 Smudge 100848@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Haven't tried friction shifting on the rear for a looong time but the front (bar end) shifter on my Surly is set as a friction shift as it's an MTB chainset and therefore slightly different spacing to a road one.<br /> Works just fine :-)</p> <p>I imagine you would soon get used to it (subject to decent quality shifters and sensible cable runs!) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9523#post-100837 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 12:27:56 +0000 Coxy 100837@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Wil be making a similar switch quite soon.</p> <p>From my research, a lot say that friction on a 10 speed works well - almost like not having to worry about finding the gear, it just slips in.</p> <p>We'll see..... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9523#post-100814 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 11:32:01 +0000 steveo 100814@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Personally I'd be a bit worried about the gap, there isn't a lot of movement between gears and unless you can get a lever with a lot of throw it might be a bit "twitchy". </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9523#post-100813 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 11:29:16 +0000 EddieD 100813@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've got bar-end shifters in friction-mode on the Streetmachine (3x9), and I love it. I was brought up on them, and it just feels right. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9523#post-100812 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 11:28:00 +0000 chdot 100812@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>10 speed - that's so last year...</p> <p><a href="http://road.cc/content/news/49297-12-speed-system-way-kcnc" rel="nofollow">http://road.cc/content/news/49297-12-speed-system-way-kcnc</a></p> <p>Personally I'm sticking with 7. </p> <p>More than that takes too long to change down for stopping at traffic lights!</p> <p>As U says, friction will work fine - as long as the lever isn't 'sticky' and you are patient enough to 'learn' the 'feel'. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9523#post-100811 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 11:23:22 +0000 Uberuce 100811@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>My black Raleigh went cheaply back to being geared last summer; popped an 11-32 8-speed Alivio on the back and reinstalled the original 6-speed downtube shifters on friction mode. Works just dandy in friction mode, but I never got round to switching it back to index too see what happens. I'd imagine it just wouldn't shift into the bottom two gears, but da ken. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9523#post-100810 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 11:16:51 +0000 DaveC 100810@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Oh WC stop messing around and just buy the Cotic Roadrat for heavens sake!!</p> <p>;o)</p> <p>I have a freind who has Shimano changers (STI but Campag on the read hanger, which work ok, but don't know enough to comment seriously. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9523#post-100809 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 11:09:24 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 100809@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've been thinking for a wee while of switching to a flat bar on the Kaff. While this may seem like sacrilege given the interest and plaudits landed on the Nitto Moustache, I've noticed on short rides on the MTB to the shops how much more I enjoy straight bars and the handling they give. Then on Saturday, to accompany Mel on a test ride of her new bike, Mark trusted me with a flat-barred Cotic Roadrat, and I was sold.</p> <p>Biggest issue I have is the gears. I've got 10spd Campag on there, and while Campag do make combined brake/shifters for flat bars they cost about £120 (and the levers only work with caliper brakes apparently, and I've got cantis). I've been reading up and friction shifters basically work with everything. The number of gears is irrelevant as the cassette width is the same - it's just with 10spd you've got less of a gap between cogs, and so have to have a lighter touch changing.</p> <p>Anyone else done this before?</p> <p>Decent, inexpensive, canti brake levers are easily had. This change, plus the new wheels I'm planning on getting, would make it virtually an entirely new bike! </p>