DA gear indicator

[2372ighost]

Has anyone used one? I am redoing the cables on my Burley Rumba and am wondering if this is a viable upgrade(RSX shifters). Is it possible to use one on the left side also. I know I can keep up with 3 chainrings, but what the hey.

[tandemracer]

The Dura-Ace inline gear indicators will work on any shifting system - the marks just may not line up exactly. I have even used the indicators on my Campy equipped tandem by placing them where the cables attach to the frame near the head tube. And yes, they work fine for indicating position for the front derailleur as well.

[Retro Grouch]

The Dura-Ace inline gear indicators will work on any shifting system - the marks just may not line up exactly. I have even used the indicators on my Campy equipped tandem by placing them where the cables attach to the frame near the head tube. And yes, they work fine for indicating position for the front derailleur as well.

Are you sure that will work with 8-speed?

[TandemGeek]

Are you sure that will work with 8-speed?

I'll stick my nose in the tent on this one.... Yes, it should work; Shimano's 9 speed systems requires more cable pull than the 8 speed. As Tandemracer notes, the little plastic bubble won't line up exactly with the gear position indicator lines, but the relative position will be accurate. I also believe there are Shimano 10 speed in-line indicators available which certainly have enough travel for the two older systems.

Shimano 10 speed cable pull = 35.55mm
Shimano 9 speed cable pull = 34.72mm
Shimano 8 speed cable pull = 33.60mm

Relative to use on Campy systems.... I've never used them but I suspect there's either enough travel to accommodate the every so slightly longer campy cable pull of Campy's shifting system. After all, we're only talking about a couple millimeters of difference.

Campy 10 speed cable pull = 37.08mm
Campy 9 speed cable pull = 36.40mm
Campy 8 speed cable pull = 35.00mm

[zonatandem]

We do not use gear indicators as our legs tell us if we are in the proper gear or not.

[tandemracer]

We do not use gear indicators as our legs tell us if we are in the proper gear or not.

Legs are good for signaling the correct gear, but they cannont tell you if you are cross-chain. I took the gear indicators off after a few month cause I never looked at them. It was simpler to just have my stoker shout out "hey, you're in the big-big combo again!"

[George Handy]

I think they would be more useful to make sure you are in the correct gear when coming to a stop. Nothing like stopping in to high of a gear and having to get off the bike and get it in a gear you can start off in.

[zonatandem]

We do not use brifters (tried D/As for 3,000 miles and switched to barcons). If my memory fails, I can always look at/feel the position of the left barcon to know which chainring we're in. Yup, stoker input would be the other alternative.
Sometimes technology makes things more complex than it needs to be.
Nice to have choices!
At stops, we tend to be shifted down enough to be able to have a smooth take off. Get off that 54T chainring before the stoplight/sign and you're fine, unless there's a heck of incline in front of you.
Another '+' for us is that we pedal 90 degrees OOP and that in itself makes for smoother takeoffs.

Pedal on TWOgether!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem