Why has shifting improved?

Ed Culp said:

I have seen the experts here reminisce that shifting has improved greatly over the years.

I recently replaced the rear derailleur on a 20 year old bike. The freewheel has 6 strait tooth
cogs, without the ramps found on modern ones. The bike shifts with a satisifing kachunka sound. My
relatively new 9 cog bike shifts usually silently but not more reliably. So except for sound I see
no difference.

Is that because of the new derailleur? What shifting quality has improved?

Well, the kachunk might translate to no shift at all under load. Modern systems are far easier due
to indexed shifting (click into each gear rather than moving -- about -- the right distance), levers
that are part of the brake lever, and better-designed derailleurs. The combination has added up to a
real improvement.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | You will say Christ saith this and the apostles say this; but _`\(,_ | what canst thou say?
-- George Fox. (_)/ (_) |

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Ed Culp
I have seen the experts here reminisce that shifting has improved greatly over the years.

I recently replaced the rear derailleur on a 20 year old bike. The freewheel has 6 strait tooth
cogs, without the ramps found on modern ones. The bike shifts with a satisifing kachunka sound. My
relatively new 9 cog bike shifts usually silently but not more reliably. So except for sound I see
no difference.

Is that because of the new derailleur? What shifting quality has improved?

In 1983 (20 years ago) virtually all road bikes had downtube friction shifters - cheap bikes had "stem" shifters. There was no indexing beyond a few failed prototypes so your bike would not have gone "kachunka". Shifting a bike 20 years ago was done well ahead of when one needed the new gear, from a seated position, and with a coaxing hand maneuver. You could get fast at it but it would never go "kachunka".

Indexing (derailleur/shifter interface) and ramped tooth profiles are what make shifting fast these days. Integrated shifters and brake levers make it more convenient. Combined, these improvements allow for shifting under load while standing - something I'll wager precious few people ever attempted 20 years ago.

8-speed to 9-speed to 10-speed improvements have been minor but that's all happened in the last 10 years or so. Friction shifting to STI/Ergo improvements were revolutionary and that all happened in the late 80's/early 90's.

DiabloScott said:

In 1983 (20 years ago) virtually all road bikes had downtube friction shifters - cheap bikes had
"stem" shifters. There was no indexing beyond a few failed prototypes so your bike would not have
gone "kachunka". Shifting a bike 20 years ago was done well ahead of when one needed the new gear,
from a seated position, and with a coaxing hand maneuver. You could get fast at it but it would
never go "kachunka".

Sure it would. Kachunka, ping, rattle-rattle-rattle, clickity-click.

Quoted message said:

Indexing (derailleur/shifter interface) and ramped tooth profiles are what make shifting fast
these days. Integrated shifters and brake levers make it more convenient. Combined, these
improvements allow for shifting under load while standing - something I'll wager precious few
people ever attempted 20 years ago.

Try none. I can't imagine anyone being able to reach down to the downtube while standing, for one,
and the derailleur would just not have shifted.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | I don't believe you, you've got the whole damn thing all wrong. _`\(,_ | He's not the kind
you have to wind-up on Sundays. --Ian (_)/ (_) | Anderson

Ed Culp said:

What shifting quality has improved?

Spinal Tap compatibility:

Soon, it's going to go up to 11...

David L. Johnson said:

On Sun, 13 Jul 2003 16:00:24 +0950, DiabloScott wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

it more convenient. Combined, these improvements allow for shifting under load while standing -
something I'll wager precious few people ever attempted 20 years ago.

Quoted message said:

Try none. I can't imagine anyone being able to reach down to the downtube while standing, for one,
and the derailleur would just not have shifted.

I used to shift under load while standing - inadvertently, when a friction shifter slipped. (My
theory is that this happens because of repeated frame flexing.)

I do like indexing, and STI, though my commuter/cross bike has barcons. But IMO, even friction
shifting is more tolerable, given modern derailleurs and shaped cogs. Oh, and shifters that
don't slip (Suntour Power Ratchets, or Shimano index shifters which are pretty nice in friction
mode as well).

Benjamin Weiner said:

I used to shift under load while standing - inadvertently, when a friction shifter slipped. (My
theory is that this happens because of repeated frame flexing.)

Tends to be lack of lube on the cable guides under the bottom bracket.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | When you are up to your ass in alligators, it's hard to remember _`\(,_ | that your initial
objective was to drain the swamp. -- LBJ (_)/ (_) |

"David L. Johnson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

DiabloScott said:

In 1983 (20 years ago) virtually all road bikes had downtube friction shifters - cheap bikes had
"stem" shifters. There was no indexing beyond a few failed prototypes so your bike would not
have gone "kachunka". Shifting a bike 20 years ago was done well ahead of when one needed the
new gear, from a seated position, and with a coaxing hand maneuver. You could get fast at it but
it would never go "kachunka".

Sure it would. Kachunka, ping, rattle-rattle-rattle, clickity-click.

Quoted message said:

Indexing (derailleur/shifter interface) and ramped tooth profiles are what make shifting fast
these days. Integrated shifters and brake levers make it more convenient. Combined, these
improvements allow for shifting under load while standing - something I'll wager precious few
people ever attempted 20 years ago.

Try none. I can't imagine anyone being able to reach down to the downtube while standing, for one,
and the derailleur would just not have shifted.

Nope, there was one guy I remember who did it all the time. I have an old picture of him, but it's
not the best.

tinyurl.comgz6sOpen ↗