Light Weight Shifters - Are They Out There?

[hamster]

What'ts that weigh out the door- 100 grams? Were they as reliable as Shimano?

They were Shimano road downtube shifters, on a custom mount to make them fit as thumbies.

SHIMANO Thumbies

Do you miss thumb shifters? Converting a drop bar bike to flat bars? These easily transform bar-end (aka barcon or TT) shifters into thumb shifters. The shifters are not included, but are readily a…

www.paulcomp.com

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

There is a lot of information in here...

Gear Shifters

Suntour Thumb Shifter XP-SL01 (XC-PRO/COMP ~1993) Front = 73g Rear = 77g (150g/pair)

www.retrobike.co.uk

Great link. Thank you.

For simplicity, that thread being 11 years old and more exposure I compiled the data here:

Suntour - Thumb Shifter XP-SL01 (XC-PRO/COMP ~1993)
Front: 73g
Rear: 77g
Pair: 150g

SRAM X0 Grip shifter (2009 model year)
Pair: 180g

Shimano XT M740 (w/indicator windows)
Front: 121g
Rear: 127g
Pair: 248g

Shimano XT M751 (w/indicator windows)
Pair: 250g

XTR m970 (2008 model year)
Pair: 235g

XTR m970 Combo Levers/STI (V-Brake set with full length gear cables)
Pair: 498.7g

Paul Thumbies with Shimano Ultegra SL-BS64 shifters
Pair: 138g

XTR m952 Shifters
Pair: 254g

Suntour XC Pro thumbies
Pair: 152g

Campagnolo Record OR thumbies
Pair: 140g

ENE Ciclo 11 spd Thumb Shifters w/ mounting rings
Pair: 140g

IRD Power Ratchet Thumb Shifters w/ mounting rings
Pair: ???g

Rivendell Silver Thumb Shifters w/ mounting rings
Pair: ???g

Sunrace M96 Thumb Shifters 3x9 w/ mounting rings
Pair: 176g

@FluffyChicken
@tintin40
@beshroomed
@WD Pro
@bonty98
@Student Bob

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

They were Shimano road downtube shifters, on a custom mount to make them fit as thumbies.

SHIMANO Thumbies

Do you miss thumb shifters? Converting a drop bar bike to flat bars? These easily transform bar-end (aka barcon or TT) shifters into thumb shifters. The shifters are not included, but are readily a…

www.paulcomp.com

This link really took me down a rabbit hole for the last hour and a half. I had this huge reply laid out discussing bar end shifters and 3x8 but in the end deleted it because I don't think there is a meaningful loss of weight going with that kind of setup. The Paul rings are 60 grams and I cannot find any info on weight of the bar end shifters WITHOUT the bar end adapters. Like the guy Paul says in his rambling video, the primary solution are for those who want different bars on their road bike or dislike bar end shifters.

 

[Prodigal Son]

Paul mounts and ultegra bar cons measure 130 grams together.

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

Paul mounts and ultegra bar cons measure 130 grams together.

That's pretty light. The Paul mounts from the link above + which Ultegra bar end shifters? I'll update this list above with your additional data.

 

[hamster]

All the bar ends are basically the same - they changed the index ring inside for the extra speeds and nothing else. The only difference is that the latest ones don't have the switchable friction setting.

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

Then an Ultegra SL-BS64 2/3x8 shifter setup + the Paul Thumbies is the only real alternative if that were the route someone wanted to take WITH keeping the shifters period correct. I cannot find a weight for just the shifter units detached from the brackets. As a pair weigh with the bar end plugs 178 grams. If anyone has these laying around please pull off the bar end plugs and weigh just the shifters! But the weight is listed above in the list I compiled from @beshroomed who installed this setup on his 1992 GT Zizang.

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

Additional data of Ultegra SL-BS64 + Paul Thumbies: @xbike @bduc61 @beshroomed

SHIMANO SHIFTERS

Hi Retrobike I need help to choose the right shifters to use with Paul Thumbies pods and Shimano M900 group. Would you recommend Shimano 8 speed ultegra bar end shifters SL-BS64-8 (all grey color) or SL-BS50 (black and grey) ? I mean I would be sure that the left shifter can works with Triple...

www.retrobike.co.uk

Paul thumbshifter mounts bolts

got some paul mounts for SL bs64 thumshifter as I cant re-use the bar end mounts bolts , have got only these with a flat head ( which I will have to shorten) any more elegant solution ? seen some allen head ones ( which is a bit small compared to the surface it is suppose to cover ) but...

www.retrobike.co.uk

1992 GT Xizang - rebuilt 26/04/12 pg3

Well this wasn't rode much in the last incarnation, just kept jumping on the zaskar! I've made a few changes and slowly rebuilt in time for the good weather, when it finally gets here! I've gone back to the original wheelset from kases' build. 2x8 with a larger big ring. Real levers for...

www.retrobike.co.uk

Shimano nomenclature via @FluffyChicken

Shimano Groupsets : Years and M Numbers

Shimano MTB '90 Deore XT Deore DX Deore LX Exage 500LX groups M735 M650 M550 M500 shift/brake lever ST-M090 ST-M091 ST-M070 ST-M071 ST-M060 ST-M050 shift lever brake lever BL-M050 brake BR-M732 BR-M733 BR-MT62 BR-MT63 BR-M453 BR-M550 BR-M453 BR-M454 rear...

www.retrobike.co.uk

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

Found these pictures in an image search of Paul Thumbies:

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

Sorry these got snapped up long time ago.

I ended up doing just this myself.

Except black Paul mounts and 7700 Barcons, rather than the downtube shifters used above.

They work lovely, too!

11-speed version next time/bike!

That’s what I’m going to be doing - but these look fantastic - certainly on a different aesthetic level to the Barcons! And much much rarer (and more expensive)

Did the Paul Thumbie/Dura Ace 9-spd setup work on a 3x8 Shimano setup or what? I need details, ahhhhhh! I just ordered the thumbies a few days ago

The picture above shows Dura Ace downtube shifters with the thumbies.
The Paul thumbies, today on his website, says "works with bar end shifters Ultegra SL-BS64"

What is the meat and potatoes? I want the lighter of the two shifters if they both work! Thanks in advance!

Moved from an old FS thread to consolidate info!

Sold - Pauls Components Thumbies and Shimano SIS 9SPD 7700 Shifters

Hi For sale Paul Components Thumbies and Shimano Dura-Ace 9SPD SIS 7700 Shifters. Fits handlebars with a diameter of 22.2mm. Great for converting over to thumb shifters. As new never used. Ultralight. Ready to go no need to spec up anything else. £190 inc delivery within UK. PayPal F&F...

www.retrobike.co.uk