Tandem shifters

Paul Westall said:

I have a road tandem equipped with 105 STI shifters, an LX rear derailleur, a 105 front
derailleur. My wife would like to change it from drop bars to flat bars in front. I think that
SRAM gripshift would work OK,

That's correct.

Quoted message said:

but what about rapid fires? I assume the rear would be fine, but will rapidfires shift a 105
front? If not, could one replace the 105 drailleur with a mtb, like LX or XT, and solve the
problem. Or is it a problem with the cranks/chainrings that would keep rapidfires from working?

The front derailer is an issue, due to different cable pull ratios for drop-bar vs flat-bar
Shimano indexing.

Most front derailers compatible with flat-bar shifters are designed for smaller chainrings than
you've got, so they wouldn't work well.

There is one obscure Shimano derailer that will work for this, however, calle the "R440."

See: sheldonbrown.comderailers.htmlOpen ↗

If you make this change, I would strongly advise also replacing the brakes with direct-pull
cantilevers, such as Shimano's "V-Brakes" or the excellent, but inexpensive Tektro version.

It's actually a very small incremental cost since you'll need to replace the levers in any case due
to the bar swap.

Sheldon "Upgrades" Brown +-------------------------------------------------+
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"Sheldon Brown" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Paul Westall said:

I have a road tandem equipped with 105 STI shifters, an LX rear

derailleur,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

a 105 front derailleur. My wife would like to change it from drop bars

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

flat bars in front. I think that SRAM gripshift would work OK,

That's correct.

Quoted message said:

but what about rapid fires? I assume the rear would be fine, but will rapidfires shift a 105
front? If not, could one replace the 105 drailleur with a

mtb,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

like LX or XT, and solve the problem. Or is it a problem with the cranks/chainrings that would
keep rapidfires from working?

The front derailer is an issue, due to different cable pull ratios for drop-bar vs flat-bar
Shimano indexing.

Most front derailers compatible with flat-bar shifters are designed for smaller chainrings than
you've got, so they wouldn't work well.

There is one obscure Shimano derailer that will work for this, however, calle the "R440."

See: sheldonbrown.comderailers.htmlOpen ↗

If you make this change, I would strongly advise also replacing the brakes with direct-pull
cantilevers, such as Shimano's "V-Brakes" or the excellent, but inexpensive Tektro version.

It's actually a very small incremental cost since you'll need to replace the levers in any case
due to the bar swap.

Sheldon "Upgrades" Brown +-------------------------------------------------+
| Search the Quality Bicycle Products Catalog | and order on line: |
| sheldonbrown.comqualityOpen ↗ |
+-------------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗ sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

Thanks for the info, the R440 looks like a good solution. I am curious about the V-brakes. What
advantage do they have over the regular cantilivers currently on the bike. Of course I will need to
replace the levers in any case. Paul

Paul Westall said:

I have a road tandem equipped with 105 STI shifters, an LX rear derailleur, a 105 front
derailleur. My wife would like to change it from drop bars to flat bars in front. I think that
SRAM gripshift would work OK, but what about rapid fires? I assume the rear would be fine, but
will rapidfires shift a 105 front?

I have rapid-fire shifters on my wife's bike, since she wanted it switched to upright bars. The
shifters are road (it is a road bike), Tiagra I think.

The rear works fine. The front took some adjusting to get right, since the front shifter pulls more
cable than the derailleur expects. But I do have it working. Probably going to a mountain front
derailleur would be better.

If not, could one replace the 105 drailleur

Quoted message said:

with a mtb, like LX or XT, and solve the problem. Or is it a problem with the cranks/chainrings
that would keep rapidfires from working?

No, the cranks should be fine.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not _`\(,_ | certain, and as
far as they are certain, they do not refer to (_)/ (_) | reality. -- Albert Einstein

David L. Johnson said:

I have rapid-fire shifters on my wife's bike, since she wanted it switched to upright bars. The
shifters are road (it is a road bike), Tiagra I think.

Umm, I meant that the derailleurs are road.. Sorry.
--

David L. Johnson

__o | A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into theorems. _`\(,_ | -- Paul Erdos
(_)/ (_) |

Paul-<< My wife would like to change it from drop bars to flat bars in front. I think that SRAM
gripshift would work OK, but what about rapid fires? I assume the rear would be fine, but will
rapidfires shift a 105 front? >><BR><BR>

Nope but shimano now makes RFP levers that are road front der compatible. RD-440 or something.

<< If not, could one replace the 105 drailleur with a mtb, like LX or XT, and solve the problem.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

<BR><BR>

If the rings are small enough yes.

<< Or is it a problem with the cranks/chainrings that would keep rapidfires from working? >><BR><BR>

MTB left shifters are not comptible with shimano road front derts...

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