Roadie Newbie Question - Down Tube Shifter?

Im a definate newbie when it comes to road bikes - so please go lightly on me guys! Ive been a Mtb'er since birth and am now wanting a road bike to do the Essex100 on this year....

Ive seen a frame i quite fancy - however i see that it has a downtube shifter mount and I think i would prefer to fit the brake/shifter combined units as seen on more modern bikes these days...

Is this at all possible or am I trying too hard to integrate old and new???

Please excuse my ignorance and thanks in advance!

You can get STI cable stops/adjusters that fit onto the DT lever mounts. Both Campagnolo and Shimano do them but they work with either make.

Ye'll probably find that the STI units may well come with the down tube stop ajusters to fit on...........if not, they're cheap enough.

Judas,

Go with the downtube shifters. Put the retro back in.

Just try keep your fingers out of the front wheel, it hurts.

Alternatively, compromise and fit either bar end shifters with the cable stops as per STI or stem shifters. Both are retro and put shifting close to hand.

Bar end shifters would also be a cheaper option.........STI Road levers arnae cheap, even the low end sets (that said, though, I have Sora ones on my Klein Q- only new 8spd ones I could find to replace the Ultegra set, and they are actually lighter and work easily as well- I prefer the thumb button to the inner lever)

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/src/froogle/ ... -20549.htm

Comes with cable stop thangs and fittings.........

velomaniac":a14s4i2m said:

Alternatively, compromise and fit either bar end shifters with the cable stops as per STI or stem shifters. Both are retro and put shifting close to hand.

Click to expand...

Stem Shifters?

Not really recommended for serious cycling due to their propensity to impale themselves on the rider's chest at times of accidents.

Stick with bar ends or STi's - or even DT levers! You get used to them eventually.

Stem shifter impalement is something to worry about at times of accidents :shock:

So the accidents that could result in this injury is the lesser evil bearing in mind road bikes are heads down speed machines. Broken necks/bones are worse than being spiked by shifters. Never been got by my shifters yet and I have crashed numerous times !

Choose your shifters based on your own preferences and modern STI are probably best and are if the right model is sourced retro by now

Really need to know what frame and what kit you are considering.

velomaniac":29o1j673 said:

Stem shifter impalement is something to worry about at times of accidents :shock:

So the accidents that could result in this injury is the lesser evil bearing in mind road bikes are heads down speed machines. Broken necks/bones are worse than being spiked by shifters. Never been got by my shifters yet and I have crashed numerous times !

Choose your shifters based on your own preferences and modern STI are probably best and are if the right model is sourced retro by now

Click to expand...

Copied from the late great Sheldon Brown's site -

'Stem Shifter
A type of shift lever which mounts on the shaft of the handlebar stem. These were popular in the late '70's and early '80's because they permitted shifting without having to lean down to reach down-tube mounted shift levers. Stem shifters, along with brake extension levers, encouraged riding using only the top of drop handlebars. This riding style was popular at the time, because many casual cyclists bought bicycles with drop bars for reasons of fashion and style, even though drop bars were not suited to their low-intensity riding style.

Unfortunately, this riding position gives rather poor control of the bicycle, mainly because the hands are too close together for good steering control. Also, stem shifters are difficult to shift precisely, because with the shifters behind the stem, there is nothing against which to rest the hand. Most stem shifters are friction shifters, worsening the problem.

Stem shifters also present a danger in a collision. Depending on what gear you have selected, stem shifters can be like having a dull knife aimed at your groin!

If your bike has stem shifters, consider upgrading to something safer and more convenient.'

I must admit that I was thinking of chest rather than groin - that's even worse!!