Suntour Command Shifters - Installation

[dirttorpedo]

So I picked up a set of Suntour Command shifters last weekend and have started mounting them on my bike. I've got the right one set up and the shifting is very hard when on the stand - not too bad when riding. I'm wondering if I've got them mounted properly. I've taken a look around on the internet and I've seen examples mounted above the brake levers and below. Above seems to make more sense to me. Which is correct?

 

[iveto1983]

Not sure about “correct”, but I mounted mine above, and rotated them on the mount about 90° to get the shifters where I wanted when in the drops.

 

[dirttorpedo]

That's

Not sure about “correct”, but I mounted mine above, and rotated them on the mount about 90° to get the shifters where I wanted when in the drops. View attachment 625054

That's what I did, but i find shifting to be really hard. I'm running similar bars too. I'm wondering if its due to my cable routing. Did you route yours under the bar tape along the front of the bars?

 

[iveto1983]

No, I didn’t have the cables under the tape. I set them up so the larger paddle was easier the push from the drops, which meant the cables couldn’t be run aero.

It made the action much lighter, but felt a bit strange at first as the action was opposite to a thumb shifter. I don’t have them on the bike now, it has repro dkg shift-ease mounts with m900 pods instead, but I remember thinking the command shifters would be perfect with a rapid rise rear mech.

 

[dirttorpedo]

No, I didn’t have the cables under the tape. I set them up so the larger paddle was easier the push from the drops, which meant the cables couldn’t be run aero.

It made the action much lighter, but felt a bit strange at first as the action was opposite to a thumb shifter. I don’t have them on the bike now, it has repro dkg shift-ease mounts with m900 pods instead, but I remember thinking the command shifters would be perfect with a rapid rise rear mech.

View attachment 625224

That's a lovely bike. Thanks for the extra photo - interesting cable run. I found some promotional suntour photos and they definitely saw the pods being mounted above the brake lever so I'm ok there. I do think the aero cable run is adding a lot of friction into the system. Maybe Ill try your way.

 

[iveto1983]

Cheers. Those photos are a few years old now, the grey shellacked cloth tape replaced the blue and I changed the shifters for the m900s as the indexing was a bit finicky with an m900 mech and cassette.
I’ve seen that some people make indexing plates to make command shifters work with 9 and 10 speed drivetrains but I could find a Shimano 8 speed index plate.

I didn’t fancy the aero routing at all as the alloy spacer between the band and shifter made the cable start too far away from the bar for my liking.

I still have the command shifters and fancy trying them again with a rapid rise mech. Maybe I’ll look into a different index plate again since I’d be going for a newer mech anyway.

Do you have any pics of your build? I’m partial to a dirt drop. I had a Merlin with wtb shifter mounts and my modern Potts has a down tube shifter on a Kelly Take-Off.

 

[dirttorpedo]

Cheers. Those photos are a few years old now, the grey shellacked cloth tape replaced the blue and I changed the shifters for the m900s as the indexing was a bit finicky with an m900 mech and cassette.
I’ve seen that some people make indexing plates to make command shifters work with 9 and 10 speed drivetrains but I could find a Shimano 8 speed index plate.

I didn’t fancy the aero routing at all as the alloy spacer between the band and shifter made the cable start too far away from the bar for my liking.

I still have the command shifters and fancy trying them again with a rapid rise mech. Maybe I’ll look into a different index plate again since I’d be going for a newer mech anyway.

Do you have any pics of your build? I’m partial to a dirt drop. I had a Merlin with wtb shifter mounts and my modern Potts has a down tube shifter on a Kelly Take-Off.

I've heard that you can swap the index plate with shimano or microshift ones to convert them to shimano 8, 9 or 10 speed spacing. I found some microshift ones for sale - I am tempted to upgrade mine to 9 speed. something like this (this one is Tiagra 4700 compatible) https://www.amazon.ca/microSHIFT-10...&refinements=p_89:Microshift&s=sports&sr=1-20

I don't have any good photos of the bike - its a very fugly old Ritchey and I'm still messing about with the build. I am thinking I will take pictures once I get this drivetrain sorted. If I like it I'm thinking the bike will get a new paint job / powder coat. I also have an old Bridgeston RB2 frame that may get this build if my historic dislike of U-brakes overwhelms my love of the Ritchey Ultra.

 

[iveto1983]

I didn’t know the plates were interchangeable, thanks for that. That opens up some options, I have some Shimano 8 and 9 speed bar end and down tube levers. I’ll have to open them up to check it out.

I think that’s maybe the first time a Ritchey has been called fugly I’m a bit of a stickler though. A buddy says I’m way too anal with getting my bikes looking pretty and coordinated instead of just getting them built.

I’ve never had a bike with u-brakes but I’ve got one with roller-cams on the way.

 

[dirttorpedo]

I didn’t know the plates were interchangeable, thanks for that. That opens up some options, I have some Shimano 8 and 9 speed bar end and down tube levers. I’ll have to open them up to check it out.

I think that’s maybe the first time a Ritchey has been called fugly I’m a bit of a stickler though. A buddy says I’m way too anal with getting my bikes looking pretty and coordinated instead of just getting them built.

I’ve never had a bike with u-brakes but I’ve got one with roller-cams on the way.

You're welcome. Let me know if you have any success - I have some 8 speed microshift bar ends, but I'd have to pull them apart to get at the index plate and am a bit leery about that.

Wait til you see the Ritchey - the paint is very chipped and worn and the fork is unfortunately not a matched original (similar but in a contrasting colour).

I recall eventually really disliking U-brakes at the end of my ownership of the Rocky Fusion. I thought it was lack of braking power, but the XT one on the Ritchey has lots of power. Installing a wheel with a fat tire is a pain in the ass though - that might have been what tipped me over the edge - probably trying to get those lovely new panaracer smoke tires in there. I think I test rode a roller cam equipped Kona BITD. They were cool, but I don't recall them working any better than cantis.

 

[dirttorpedo]

So interested to see that JensonUSA is selling Micrshift bar end index kits in 10 and 11 speed / Dynasys and Road. You can also get plates for 10 and 11 speed road spacing and 10 speed 4700 spacing.

Microshift0-Speed Dynasys Index Kit | Jenson USA

www.jensonusa.com

I may pick one of these up and upgrade my microshift bar ends and try the 8 speed in my command shifters. It would be nice to have them play nicely with a shimano cassette.