Sacrilegious question - X9 Rear with Downtube shifters

[kd498]

Just back from the Pyrenees, unfit early season. Thankfully Tourmalet was closed!
Managed fine using a last minute build with 42-29 & 12-27.
I doesn't look right on a 70s steel frame!
Going back in October and want to look more normal without sacrificing the ratios.
I want to go compact at the front, and i have 12-32 cassettes and X9 mech kicking about.
I use 9 speed downtube shifters.
I know the SRAM needs half the cable pull, so friction mode should work.
Has anyone tried it?

 

[foz]

I thought sram pulled double the cable of shimano? either way, I think you'd have problems - either your lever won't have enough overall movement, or there will be very little movement of the lever between gears and it might be very fiddly to use and trim the chain

 

[hamster]

Foz is right: SRAM uses twice the cable pull, so friction and muck on the cables have less effect.

You could dismantle and fit SRAM bar-end shifters onto the cable stops on the frame, but frankly you will get a tidy XT or Ultrgra long cage mech for around £20-30 here so why bother?