Shimano SIS "Click" question.

Rob,
What you are talking about is an indexed shifter which clicks into each gear position. There is no indexing in the derailleur itself. You definitely can replace this with a non-indexed lever but finding one will probably be hard.

You see, non-indexed shifting is no longer considered "normal" (and hasn't been since the eighties). Indexed shifting has been the standard for some time now.

I think it would also be a bit fiddly, if you have more than, say 8 speeds, to use a non-indexed lever.

Cheers

Have a close look at the shifter - there is often a lever for switching off the indexed shifting, so you would then be on friction only.

Rob,

best to change the lot, cassette, derailleur, chain, shifters. I did a restroation of a 30 year old 10 speed recently, went to 24 speed, I used 3x8, rapid fire shifters, new RD, Chain, FD, crankset.
http://www.triwa.org.au/bb/viewtopic.php?t=1293

tafi said:

Rob,
What you are talking about is an indexed shifter which clicks into each gear position. There is no indexing in the derailleur itself.

Thanks for the reply. That's exactly what I wanted to know. 🙂

tafi said:

You see, non-indexed shifting is no longer considered "normal" (and hasn't been since the eighties). Indexed shifting has been the standard for some time now.

I'm just an old school type of guy! 😉

artemidorus said:

Have a close look at the shifter - there is often a lever for switching off the indexed shifting, so you would then be on friction only.

Hey thanks. I'll have a closer look.

gclark8 said:

Rob,
best to change the lot, cassette, derailleur, chain, shifters. I did a restroation of a 30 year old 10 speed recently, went to 24 speed, I used 3x8, rapid fire shifters, new RD, Chain, FD, crankset.

Sounds good, but the existing parts are far from worn out. I was asking because I have a set of 1980's style Shimano headstem mounted gear levers and was wondering if they would work with the existing derailleurs. Now that I know it'll work, I just have to find them. 😉

Thanks for the responses guys. 😎

artemidorus said:

Have a close look at the shifter - there is often a lever for switching off the indexed shifting, so you would then be on friction only.

Let me qualify this answer - if you have "Rapidfire", then you're stuck with the indexing. If you have a thumbshifter, it may have the lever to switch off the indexing.