Another amusing annecdote

TimC said:

So, since you all enjoy the crash bandicoot episodes so much 🙂

OK, so I didn't crash. But I did find out that clumsy people
shouldn't use down tube shifters, lest one sticks their fingers in
rapidly spinning spokes. Youchy. At least my fingers didn't get
dragged up behind the front fork. That woulda been youchy youchy wah
wah. Just another reason to hurry up with the fixie conversion.

So whoever thought downtube shifters were a smart idea, putting them
right next to the spinning wheel (oh, and I keep changing gears when I
pull the bottle out of the bottle cage).

I like DT shifters, no, I'm not that old. My first real road bike (which
I still have) has DT shifters. I bought it secondhand in around 2000 and
I didn't even know brifters existed at that stage. I like them because
it takes more effort to reach down and click around the ratios - so I
tend to shift less and work a bit harder. I also love the friction
operated FD shifter for perfect trimming of the FD.

I don't ride it very often, but it's strange - a couple of days ago
I found myself grasping to shift the RH DT shifter whilst on my
brifter equipped commuter. Weird as I haven't ridden the DT equipped
bike for around 6 months...

--
..dt

quote='dtmeister'TimC said:

So, since you all enjoy the crash bandicoot episodes so much 🙂

OK, so I didn't crash. But I did find out that clumsy people
shouldn't use down tube shifters, lest one sticks their fingers in
rapidly spinning spokes. Youchy. At least my fingers didn't get
dragged up behind the front fork. That woulda been youchy youchy wah
wah. Just another reason to hurry up with the fixie conversion.

So whoever thought downtube shifters were a smart idea, putting them
right next to the spinning wheel (oh, and I keep changing gears when I
pull the bottle out of the bottle cage).

I like DT shifters, no, I'm not that old. My first real road bike (which
I still have) has DT shifters. I bought it secondhand in around 2000 and
I didn't even know brifters existed at that stage. I like them because
it takes more effort to reach down and click around the ratios - so I
tend to shift less and work a bit harder. I also love the friction
operated FD shifter for perfect trimming of the FD.

I don't ride it very often, but it's strange - a couple of days ago
I found myself grasping to shift the RH DT shifter whilst on my
brifter equipped commuter. Weird as I haven't ridden the DT equipped
bike for around 6 months...

--
..dt[/QUOTE]

Since I ditched the brifters and went to non STI brake levers and barcons on bullhorns, I've discovered that I really REALLY like friction shift FD. I think I still like indexed RD but I'm going to play with friction shifting for a bit until I can get it together to adjust the indexing (it's rather badly off at the moment).

dtmeister said:

I also love the friction
operated FD shifter for perfect trimming of the FD.

This FD refutes such erronious statements that 'FD's are 'friction operated'
(depending upon the type of friction, obviously 😄) nor can 'FD's be 'perfectly' trimmed unless referencing the one-and-only-orig-o-nal FD who has no desire to be perfect, nor trimmed!

F"off to look for friction"Dutch

flyingdutch said:

This FD refutes such erronious statements that 'FD's are 'friction
operated'
(depending upon the type of friction, obviously 😄) nor can 'FD's be
'perfectly' trimmed unless referencing the one-and-only-orig-o-nal FD
who has no desire to be perfect, nor trimmed!

What's wrong with being perfectly trim. 🙂

--
..dt

TimC said:

So, since you all enjoy the crash bandicoot episodes so much 🙂

OK, so I didn't crash. But I did find out that clumsy people
shouldn't use down tube shifters, lest one sticks their fingers in
rapidly spinning spokes. Youchy. At least my fingers didn't get
dragged up behind the front fork. That woulda been youchy youchy wah
wah. Just another reason to hurry up with the fixie conversion.

So whoever thought downtube shifters were a smart idea, putting them
right next to the spinning wheel (oh, and I keep changing gears when I
pull the bottle out of the bottle cage).

I think it was my first bike. It had shifters on the gooseneck, which I
changed to downtube shifters. Riding along Liverpool Rd that morning I
reached for the shifters, couldn't find them, had a look, changed gear
and looked up to momentarily view the telegraph pole I was about to
crash in to. Ouch.

P

--
Peter McCallum
Mackay Qld AUSTRALIA

dtmeister said:

I also love the friction
operated FD shifter for perfect trimming of the FD.

I miss friction shifters. So much less hassle than indexed gearing.

P

--
Peter McCallum
Mackay Qld AUSTRALIA

Peter McCallum said:

dtmeister said:

I also love the friction
operated FD shifter for perfect trimming of the FD.

I miss friction shifters. So much less hassle than indexed gearing.

The RD is indexed with a friction mode. Must admit, haven't tried it as
the SIS shifting works really well. The rear sprocket is only 7 speed,
so it's not really much of a challenge. My first Kmart 'racing' bike
from my school days had friction shifters on the gooseneck, don't
remember having any trouble with them.

--
..dt

quote='Peter McCallum'dtmeister said:

I also love the friction
operated FD shifter for perfect trimming of the FD.

I miss friction shifters. So much less hassle than indexed gearing.
--
Peter McCallum
Mackay Qld AUSTRALIA[/QUOTE]

Look at some of the photos of Lance Armstong in the hills, He has the front derealier on a down-tube lever. I read somewhere it was a weight saving option.

I have two of my bikes set up with friction barcons (the tandem and the dropbar 26" dirt road bike) both of which are fun. I like the ability to check which gear I am in by feel on the end of the bar.

RoryW