Index, schmindex

In article <[email hidden]>,

Blair P. Houghton said:

After not riding for 12 years (about), I had my Holdsworth
cleaned and lubed this week, and hopped on it for a test-ride.

Ran the friction-shifting Shimano 600 derailleurs into
every gear without so much as a chatter.

My index is in my index finger.

--Blair
"Just like riding a bicycle."

Well, it appears we have our next Tour de France winner...

--
tanx,
Howard

So far, so good, so what?

remove YOUR SHOES to reply, ok?

Blair P. Houghton <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

After not riding for 12 years (about), I had my Holdsworth
cleaned and lubed this week, and hopped on it for a test-ride.

Ran the friction-shifting Shimano 600 derailleurs into
every gear without so much as a chatter.

My index is in my index finger.

--Blair
"Just like riding a bicycle."

While climbing hard out of the saddle!?? ;-)

Blair P. Houghton said:

Ran the friction-shifting Shimano 600 derailleurs into every gear without
so much as a chatter.

I'm riding a bike with Shimano Titlist, the daddy of 600, but with a
modern Sram 8speed cassette and chain. Brilliant--the modern cogs make the
chain literally "snap" into place.

Newfangled stuff is slick, but most bikes I see around here seem to be
ridden by goons that don't bother to adjust them--so they're very noisy, I
like being able to "tune" the derailleur slightly.

The virtually silent drivetrain, inaudible shifting, and barely
perceptible ratcheting of the new Shimano hub makes everything better. 😄

I don't like racket.

As for shifting when standing going uphill--Oh well, there's one thing I
can't do. LOL I can do it sitting down just fine, letting up on the torque
for a fraction of a second to ease the shift.

It adds to the mystique of cycling, like nail on cleats, and stinky wool.
LOL Those things I don't miss...

😄

My dad's cars never had air conditioning. He said it put wear and tear on
the engine. Often times we sweated like pigs going across the desert during
the height of summer. I followed suit for about 1/2 my driving career (34
years) when I bought a car with AC. Never going back.

It's nice there are many schools of thought. When it comes to index
shifting, though, I ain't going back.

Tom

"Blair P. Houghton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

After not riding for 12 years (about), I had my Holdsworth
cleaned and lubed this week, and hopped on it for a test-ride.

Ran the friction-shifting Shimano 600 derailleurs into
every gear without so much as a chatter.

My index is in my index finger.

--Blair
"Just like riding a bicycle."

Howard Kveck said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Blair P. Houghton said:

After not riding for 12 years (about), I had my Holdsworth
cleaned and lubed this week, and hopped on it for a test-ride.

Ran the friction-shifting Shimano 600 derailleurs into
every gear without so much as a chatter.

My index is in my index finger.
"Just like riding a bicycle."

Well, it appears we have our next Tour de France winner...

I rode right past a Post Office this morning. Had to
fight the urge to go in and demand a tryout.

--Blair
"They looked busy."

Nick Kolodinsky said:

Blair P. Houghton <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

After not riding for 12 years (about), I had my Holdsworth
cleaned and lubed this week, and hopped on it for a test-ride.

Ran the friction-shifting Shimano 600 derailleurs into
every gear without so much as a chatter.

My index is in my index finger.
"Just like riding a bicycle."

While climbing hard out of the saddle!?? ;-)

Shouldn't affect the operation of the gears any more or
less than an index shift will, and I can always overshoot
to force it over then ease off when it catches.

--Blair
"How's my shorts look from there?"

(Nick Kolodinsky) said:

Blair P. Houghton <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

After not riding for 12 years (about), I had my Holdsworth
cleaned and lubed this week, and hopped on it for a test-ride.

Ran the friction-shifting Shimano 600 derailleurs into
every gear without so much as a chatter.

My index is in my index finger.

--Blair
"Just like riding a bicycle."

While climbing hard out of the saddle!?? ;-)

That's always a matter of planning and bike handling. If you're trying to shift
while out of the saddle you are already hosed.

Besides, didn't Lance fail to beat the old pre-index time up the Alp of Wheeze?

Ron

maxo <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I'm riding a bike with Shimano Titlist,
the daddy of 600, but with a
modern Sram 8speed cassette and chain.
Brilliant--the modern cogs make the
chain literally "snap" into place.

Quoted message said:

Newfangled stuff is slick, but most bikes
I see around here seem to be
ridden by goons that don't bother to adjust
them--so they're very noisy, I
like being able to "tune" the derailleur
slightly.

When I first moved from 7 to 8 speed I did it with Simplex
retrofriction shifters (which don't index) and Shimano hyperglide
chains. The shifting was really good. Actually almost too good,
because I no longer needed to slightly overshift as I had with some
Maillard/Sedis stuff I was using earlier.

Modern chains, cogs and cable housings that came to prominence with
index shifting are really a big part of the improvement in shifting in
the last ten or fifteen years, not just the indexing.

JT

RonSonic <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

(Nick Kolodinsky) said:

Blair P. Houghton <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

After not riding for 12 years (about), I had my Holdsworth
cleaned and lubed this week, and hopped on it for a test-ride.

Ran the friction-shifting Shimano 600 derailleurs into
every gear without so much as a chatter.

My index is in my index finger.

--Blair
"Just like riding a bicycle."

While climbing hard out of the saddle!?? ;-)

That's always a matter of planning and bike handling. If you're trying to shift
while out of the saddle you are already hosed.

Besides, didn't Lance fail to beat the old pre-index time up the Alp of Wheeze?

Hmm, the record from Pantani is apparently 37:35. Over the same
distance Lance did 37:36.

What was the "pre-index" time again?

Blair P. Houghton <[email hidden]> wrote in news:_YILc.20202195$Id.3343809
@news.easynews.com:

Quoted message said:

Ran the friction-shifting Shimano 600 derailleurs into
every gear without so much as a chatter.

My index is in my index finger.

That Lance guy in France uses indexed shifters. What a girly-man.

John Forrest Tomlinson said:

Modern chains, cogs and cable housings that came to prominence with index
shifting are really a big part of the improvement in shifting in the last
ten or fifteen years, not just the indexing.

You said it! The only thing that might drag me to STI is the comfort of
the brake hoods--I could care less about the shifting.

It is amazing that old parts and new can work together so well. Makes me
happy whenever I get on my bike and see stuff from last week and 25 years
ago meshing perfectly.

Simplex Retrofriction eh? Cool! I always wanted a pair of those--that's
the only thing I don't like about my drivetrain now, is having to
constantly tighten the thumbscrews on the Shimano levers. :/

Ken said:

That Lance guy in France uses indexed shifters. What a girly-man.

Oh come on! :P

Friction shifting on a recreational bike is a treat for some--a retreat to
different times.

We don't all want or need the latest gear and most of us won't have the
honour of competing in the TdF either.

😄

Tom Kunich said:

Hmm, the record from Pantani is apparently 37:35. Over the same
distance Lance did 37:36.

Gad. What a lamer.

--Blair
"Must be his bottom bracket."

Ken said:

Blair P. Houghton <[email hidden]> wrote in news:_YILc.20202195$Id.3343809
@news.easynews.com:

Quoted message said:

Ran the friction-shifting Shimano 600 derailleurs into
every gear without so much as a chatter.

My index is in my index finger.

That Lance guy in France uses indexed shifters. What a girly-man.

He uses a lot of [censored] he wouldn't use if he weren't paid
a ton of money to use it.

And I'm not saying index shifters are bad. I'm just
saying I do fine without.

--Blair
"Snickt."

(Tom Kunich) said:

RonSonic <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

(Nick Kolodinsky) said:

Blair P. Houghton <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...
> After not riding for 12 years (about), I had my Holdsworth
> cleaned and lubed this week, and hopped on it for a test-ride.
>
> Ran the friction-shifting Shimano 600 derailleurs into
> every gear without so much as a chatter.
>
> My index is in my index finger.
>
> --Blair
> "Just like riding a bicycle."

While climbing hard out of the saddle!?? ;-)

That's always a matter of planning and bike handling. If you're trying to shift
while out of the saddle you are already hosed.

Besides, didn't Lance fail to beat the old pre-index time up the Alp of Wheeze?

Hmm, the record from Pantani is apparently 37:35. Over the same
distance Lance did 37:36.

What was the "pre-index" time again?

I guess my mistake. I misremembered and thought the fastest time up that hill
was older than that. As it turns out there isn't much in the way of recorded
times from before the mid-80s, at least not that I can find. Guess we won't
know.

Ron

RonSonic said:

(Tom Kunich) said:

RonSonic <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

On 22 Jul 2004 08:58:32 -0700, [email hidden] (Nick Kolodinsky) wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

That's always a matter of planning and bike handling.

There is no reason to plan if one has indexing.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Besides, didn't Lance fail to beat the old pre-index time up the Alp of Wheeze?

Hmm, the record from Pantani is apparently 37:35. Over the same
distance Lance did 37:36.

What was the "pre-index" time again?

I guess my mistake. I misremembered and thought the fastest time up that hill
was older than that. As it turns out there isn't much in the way of recorded
times from before the mid-80s, at least not that I can find. Guess we won't
know.

Bikes are 5 lbs lighter now than the were in the non-index days. Non-index was a long time ago.