XT thumbshifters ???

Elmo

Old School Hero
Hi,why do XT thumbies have 7 clicks for 8 speeds ?.
Was this prior planning by the little men at the big "S" ?
Did someone put the extra click there by accident ?
Any ideas ?
 
They weren't the outright market leader at the time and the market was very much of the old " mix 'n match " make-yer-own cassette ratios mentality. So, knowing folks might add a cog to their 7 speed cassette, they added the extra click to accomodate them.
Then they grabbed absolute global dominance and started shooting campag users in the street in cold blood.
 
There actually is not an 8th "click". The notched disk that makes up the shifting indents has a smooth area, indent, smooth area, indent, etc...

The space for the 8th "click" is the smooth portion of the disc between the indents for 7 and the stop before circling back to the first indent.

Not advanced analyzation of the market, just lucky coincidence.

cheers,

rody
 
Err, we were talking about " 7 " clicks dude. If it had 8 clicks it would be 9 speed.

[ homer ] mmmmmmmmm 9 speed thumbies mmmmm [ / homer ]
 
Agency_Scum":rsxvbfzi said:
Then they grabbed absolute global dominance and started shooting campag users in the street in cold blood.

I remember John Stevenson joking about the Campag sponsored riders using blacked-out XT mechs at the Worlds back in... Ooo... 1993ish.
 
Yo Agency_scum,

Better re-read my post...I agree, there is no "8th" click and stated that. In addition, I explained how that ghost click of the 7 speed system functions with an 8 speed drivetrain.

Everyone should take a 7 speed thumbie apart to see the indented disc that creates the indexed function. Helps in visualizing how travel at the shifter affects rear derailleur action.

cheers,

rody
 
Wish I could take a thumbie apart to see the indents. Trouble is I don't know how ( and save the thumbie as well ). It might explain why Dx ones are practically immortal and why I've gone through 3 pairs of pristine condition XT thumbs. Any idea? I thought maybe it was DX thumbs had steel plates with indents and XT had aluminium ( hence the extrordinary wear rate I've encountered ).
 
Hi,Rody mentioned taking XT thumbies apart.
Has anyone actully done this and if so how ?
 
my mavic wishbones have about 15 clicks all spaced for a 7 speed cassette, so i was able to use an 8 speed cassette with a TNT 9th speed lockring cog (10 tooth) - now if I could find one of those original ritchey 34t cogs used to make up the old ritchey 9x2 kits then I could have a 10 speed cassette at 7 speed spacing!
 
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