Road Cycling - Who Still Has/Uses Stem Mounted Shifters?

I'm not a racer and can't afford a new bike. Just curious if anyone still has stem shifters?

I'm not a racer and can't afford a new bike. Just curious if anyone still has stem shifters?


My beater has em, I'm fixxing it up to race on this season though :eek: no shame in em, I like em better than STI

You like nut-crackers???

You like nut-crackers???

I've found index/friction shifts more accurate than STI.. I haven't had a chain slip once on a 1979 bike, any problems. My 2005 roadie has had a few issues with shifting....mainly not hitting it hard enough going around a curve

I'm building up a bike for commuting and utility use that will have them. The only thing that worries me is impalement. I would much prefer DT shifters but there really isn't a way to put them on this frame. I know there are clam on DT shifters, and I actually have a set. I think they require a raised patch on the DT though to keep them from sliding around or twisting.

I'm building up a bike for commuting and utility use that will have them. The only thing that worries me is impalement. I would much prefer DT shifters but there really isn't a way to put them on this frame. I know there are clam on DT shifters, and I actually have a set. I think they require a raised patch on the DT though to keep them from sliding around or twisting.


ZIP TIE!!!

Seriously is there anything cycling related a zip tie can't mend? I limped to the bike shop on a zip tied chain (yesI carry zip ties with me) it was only half a mile but still better than walking

When I was a kid (~10) I had a department store 10 speed that had stem mounted shifters. Purely a quirk of fate, but I almost took my eye out on those suckers. (You'll take your eye out, kid) I was pushing my bike across an intersection, hit something in the road and went face first into the shifters. Hit me right below the eye.

I seriously doubt these stem shifters could hit me in the face.

ps. I've since re-wrapped the bars with really nice padded wrap from the LBS. Thanks Park tool for the instructions.

I've found index/friction shifts more accurate than STI.. I haven't had a chain slip once on a 1979 bike, any problems. My 2005 roadie has had a few issues with shifting....mainly not hitting it hard enough going around a curve


This would appear to be a reasonable argument for down tube friction shifters. It doesn't address the impalement issue of the stem mount.

I seriously doubt these stem shifters could hit me in the face.

ps. I've since re-wrapped the bars with really nice padded wrap from the LBS. Thanks Park tool for the instructions.

Yeah, it would be prety tough on your setup. I had not seen stem shifters mounted like that before now. My shifters were mounted with the shift levers in front on the stem, and fairly high up as I recall.

"down tube friction shifters", what's the difference between that and stem mounted shifters? You guys are way more advanced with the terminology than I am. Thanks for teaching me.

I seriously doubt these stem shifters could hit me in the face.

ps. I've since re-wrapped the bars with really nice padded wrap from the LBS. Thanks Park tool for the instructions.


No, those won't hit you in the face. The chance of them hitting you though goes up when your frame is closer to the "right" size for you. (ie if you had either lower bars or both lower seat and bars.)

I WISH there was a frame my size. But I put in my measurements in wrenchscience.com and my frame would have to be a 70cm. That doesn't exist. I'm 6'6", 230lbs. So no bike exists that's "right" for me. Heck this Schwinn you see is an XL already.

"down tube friction shifters", what's the difference between that and stem mounted shifters? You guys are way more advanced with the terminology than I am. Thanks for teaching me.

The down tube is where you have the pump mounted on your bike. (The one in the picture you posted) Friction refers to shifter technology that is not indexed (non-clicky).

I seriously doubt these stem shifters could hit me in the face.

ps. I've since re-wrapped the bars with really nice padded wrap from the LBS. Thanks Park tool for the instructions.

Whoa... I have that exact frame hangin' out in my closet!

And good job on getting your wraps replaced. Well, at least you taped them down in this pic, but lately I've been seeing a lot of ppl on roadbikes where the wraps are hanging off their bars.

Anyhoo... downtube shifters would be great on your bike... but ya know it's ur fookin' bike and you can do whatever tf u like :) Interesting setup with your stem shifters, tho.

Spokes in my poop! hahaha, that's funny.

I think I would prefer the stem shifters to downtube shifters. I already have to move my hand enough to get to the stem. ON the downtube they'd be even further away. Being such a large person, I'm not crouched down very far, even in the drops.

Please forgive me, I'm so fond of this bike. It's a neat ol' Schwinn from 1984. MY wife's not working, and there's no way I could buy a bike. I found this one on the side of the road during bulk p/u. I put on new tires/tubes, bar wrap and she was good to go. It looks like she was kept indoors well cared for.

Then I found this site.........you folks are GREAT! Thanks for all the excellent info.

Spokes in my poop! hahaha, that's funny.

I think I would prefer the stem shifters to downtube shifters. I already have to move my hand enough to get to the stem. ON the downtube they'd be even further away. Being such a large person, I'm not crouched down very far, even in the drops.

Please forgive me, I'm so fond of this bike. It's a neat ol' Schwinn from 1984. MY wife's not working, and there's no way I could buy a bike. I found this one on the side of the road during bulk p/u. I put on new tires/tubes, bar wrap and she was good to go. It looks like she was kept indoors well cared for.

Then I found this site.........you folks are GREAT! Thanks for all the excellent info.

Yeah, finds like that are always great. The bike I mentioned fixing up earlier in this thread is actually a road-side find Motobecane. Looks like it'll need new 27" tires, cables and housings, bar tape, chain and it should be ready to go. We'll see though - I haven't seen it in person yet.

You know if you WANT to be crouched down farther you can get a stem that has a lot less rise for like $10 (most likely even less, if not free).

>"You know if you WANT to be crouched down farther you can get a stem that has a lot less rise for like $10 (most likely even less, if not free)."<

This Schwinn HAD a really low rise stem and I was too afraid to ride it like that. I put the high rise black stem on the bike, that's why I had to rewrap the bars (wrap not shown). Heck, I feel crouched with this stem. What can I say, I'm a complete novice. Perhaps with a properly sized bike (which doesn't exist) things may be different.

Oh, I'm sure a properly sized bike exists. If not from a manufacturer then from a custom builder. Heh. As with all things the issue is whether or not the $$$ exists. ;)