Thumb shifters on road bike

"Rod Raisanen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am wondering if I can use Thumb shifters on my road bikes drop bars. I have done a search on
this but didn't see what I really wanted to know.

I ride on the tops 90% of the time and normally climb with my hands on the tops and not the hoods.
If I can go this route I plan on mounting them

were

Quoted message said:

the computer is normally mounted. I currently have a 7 speed rear

freewheel

Quoted message said:

and triple front. I have new 9 speed Shimano 105 derailers. My questions are.

1. Will thumb shifters get me the right amount of pull with this derailer set up.

2. How hard will it be to open up the mounts to fit on road bars. I'm currently looking at the
tourney shifters.

To me this seems like it would but the shifter in a better place for my riding style than
barcons...I would like to go STI/Ergo but the expense seems to much at this time. I have to good 7
speed rear wheels with good working hubs. So what do you all think

Thanks Rod Raisanen Chillicothe, Ohio

To reply remove garbage

Every once in a while I miss my Zap shifting...

The diameters of road bars are different than mtn bars.

You can probably make some thumbies work if you hog out the inside of the AL clamps. I spread some
of the steel clamped versions out and used a longer bolt to hold them. I was a broke-ass college
student at the time and didn't have the money to buy new stuff at the LBS. I don't think the latter
method would work at the bulge in a road bar, but you can always try.

All you need is to get the inside of the clamp to 25.8mm and you're good to go.

Mike

Rod Raisanen said:

I am wondering if I can use Thumb shifters on my road bikes drop bars. I have done a search on
this but didn't see what I really wanted to know.

-snip-

Quoted message said:

7 speed rear freewheel and triple front. I have new 9 speed Shimano 105 derailers. My
questions are:
1. Will thumb shifters get me the right amount of pull with this derailer set up.
2. How hard will it be to open up the mounts to fit on road bars. I'm currently looking at the
tourney shifters.

-snip-

Sure. Use a friction front* and Shimano seven compatible rear top shifters, about $19.95 with
cables. You'll need a slightly longer mounting screw. Get shifters with steel clamps - the aluminum
clamp models won't fit.

*Indexing front Shimano shifters are of two types,road and mountain, which offer incompatible cable
travel for some reason that remains obscure but annoying.

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Rod Raisanen said:

I am wondering if I can use Thumb shifters on my road bikes drop bars. I have done a search on this
but didn't see what I really wanted to know.

I ride on the tops 90% of the time and normally climb with my hands on the tops and not the hoods.
If I can go this route I plan on mounting them were the computer is normally mounted. I currently
have a 7 speed rear freewheel and triple front. I have new 9 speed Shimano 105 derailers. My
questions are.

1. Will thumb shifters get me the right amount of pull with this derailer set up.

2. How hard will it be to open up the mounts to fit on road bars. I'm currently looking at the
tourney shifters.

To me this seems like it would but the shifter in a better place for my riding style than
barcons...I would like to go STI/Ergo but the expense seems to much at this time. I have to good 7
speed rear wheels with good working hubs. So what do you all think

AH....man after me own heart. I ride this very setup on my old raleigh/road bike, and I love it. I
picked up a 7 speed mountain bike from the dump and raided it for bits. I salvaged some old shimano
steel pod [censored] that didn't object to a bit of bending and a longer bolt. I had to use the rear
mech as well [sorry, forgotten the exact name of the components now] for the shifting to work, but
it works a treat. Like you I ride a lot on the tops of the drops amd although some nice new STIs
would be great, It's not an option right now, although I'm not sure they would suit my style of
riding now anyway.

It can work fine, but like others have said, steel is your friend here.

I'd like to find some steel 9sp pod [censored] now....somewhere??

bob

Quoted message said:

Thanks Rod Raisanen Chillicothe, Ohio

To reply remove garbage

you may also want to investigate this:
paulcomp.comfrmthumbie.htmlOpen ↗

if i ever 'upgrade' my mountainbike ... i may go here. light ... easy ... and top-end
shimano bar-cons

may be your best bet...

cheers

geoff

"A Muzi" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Rod Raisanen said:

I am wondering if I can use Thumb shifters on my road bikes drop bars.

I

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

have done a search on this but didn't see what I really wanted to know.

-snip-

Quoted message said:

7 speed rear freewheel
and triple front. I have new 9 speed Shimano 105 derailers. My

questions

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

are:
1. Will thumb shifters get me the right amount of pull with this

derailer

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

set up.
2. How hard will it be to open up the mounts to fit on road bars. I'm currently looking at the
tourney shifters.

-snip-

Sure. Use a friction front* and Shimano seven compatible rear top shifters, about $19.95 with
cables. You'll need a slightly longer mounting screw. Get shifters with steel clamps - the
aluminum clamp models won't fit.

*Indexing front Shimano shifters are of two types,road and mountain, which offer incompatible
cable travel for some reason that remains obscure but annoying.

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971

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

Quoted message said:

Rod Raisanen said:

I am wondering if I can use Thumb shifters on my road bikes drop bars. I have done a search on
this but didn't see what I really wanted to know.

-snip-

Sure. Use a friction front* and Shimano seven compatible rear top shifters, about $19.95 with
cables. You'll need a slightly longer mounting screw. Get shifters with steel clamps - the
aluminum clamp models won't fit.

*Indexing front Shimano shifters are of two types,road and mountain, which offer incompatible
cable travel for some reason that remains obscure but annoying.

Umm..., Andy, as far as I know, all Shimano thumbshifters were friction for the front. The
differences in indexing come in to play if you're mongrelizing with STI or Rapidfire.

Jeff

Thanks to everyone who replied on this. As cheap as thumb shifters are I think I'll give it a try. I
assume that the Tourney shifters will have steel mounts. Also I was wanting to use friction for the
FD anyways. That is a big part of my reason for not wanting to go with 7 speed STI.

Thanks Rod Raisanen Chillicothe Oh

To reply remove garbage "A Muzi" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Rod Raisanen said:

I am wondering if I can use Thumb shifters on my road bikes drop bars.

I

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

have done a search on this but didn't see what I really wanted to know.

-snip-

Quoted message said:

7 speed rear freewheel
and triple front. I have new 9 speed Shimano 105 derailers. My

questions

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

are:
1. Will thumb shifters get me the right amount of pull with this

derailer

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

set up.
2. How hard will it be to open up the mounts to fit on road bars. I'm currently looking at the
tourney shifters.

-snip-

Sure. Use a friction front* and Shimano seven compatible rear top shifters, about $19.95 with
cables. You'll need a slightly longer mounting screw. Get shifters with steel clamps - the
aluminum clamp models won't fit.

*Indexing front Shimano shifters are of two types,road and mountain, which offer incompatible
cable travel for some reason that remains obscure but annoying.

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971