Classic & Vintage - Anyone use Bar End Shifters?

So, I've been thinking of converting my '85 Trek 4xx (not sure which it is) with Suntour friction on the downtube to bar ends. Keeping my eye out for the right deal on the shifters, but I have a question about the conversion as a whole. Is it a difficult change? Is there something specific I should look for when buying cables? S'pose this question should go the maintenance forum, and I'll be glad to post there, but this thread seemed to bring out some passionate responses so I figured it was a good place to start...

Its an easy conversion. Cables are nothing special, but you will need cable stops on the downtube. There are many varieties available, the best ones bolt right on to the shifter boss and have built in barrel adjusters.

Its an easy conversion. Cables are nothing special, but you will need cable stops on the downtube. There are many varieties available, the best ones bolt right on to the shifter boss and have built in barrel adjusters.

Thanks. Wrench (the good one...) at the LBS gave me a set of those cable stops the other day when I mentioned that I was considering the change. He was busy, so didn't have time to talk me through the project, but happened to have a set just sitting on the bench. They're black plastic and metal, so won't maintain that vintage look (my bike is all original except the seat and tires) but will work in a pinch...

Have you checked the travel limit screw? It might need adjustment.
It's not the limit screw.

I just refurbished a 70's Nishiki International, replaced the 5 speed with a 7 freewheel and put barcons on it, but it can only shift into the 2nd highest gear, not number 7. I'm stuck with the original Suntour GT derailleur right now, but is this a cable pull thing or an old derailluer thing? I'm planning on getting a hanger so I can put on a newer alivio derailleur, but do you think I'll have the same problem?

Basically what I'm asking is has/does anyone use barcons for a 7 speed freewheel (or 8 speed cassette, for that matter), or is it a known thing that they just don't pull enough cable generally? I'm hoping it's a derailleur thing because the GT just doesn't seem to have that much range.

I have 7spd Suntour Accushift barcons on my 7spd and they work fine. If you have the barcons in friction mode and it still won't cover the 7 cog range I would guess it may be the derailleur. I used to have a VGT derailleur that worked fine - is your GT a short cage? Maybe it can't handle the range on the freewheel.

BTW - I also have a 6spd set up with Accushift barcons and a 9spd with Dura Ace bar end shifters and both work great.

One thing to watch for is width of your bars. If they are too narrow you can wind up doing some unexpected shifting with you knees when riding out of the saddle!

I have the friction barcons, the ratcheting friction ones, not the accushift. It may be the derailluer, I guess I'll just have to wait to find out.

I have Silver Rivendell) shifters barend on my Nashbar Road Fra-may. They are on Riv's Mustache handlebars matched with a 34/46 compact rictchey crank, 12-32 8sp cassette, Deore RD, Suntour Lite FD. It is made for hill riding in Vermont. I love the settup. I shift as quick as Ergo index stuff, less fussy, easy to maintain. It is also easy to reach on a Mustache bar vs, drops or downtube. The Silvers are well made and work great with friction. They do not have the index option like the Shimano, if that is important for you. The beauty of a friction set up is that you can mix and match different systems depending on the parts on hand-Campy, Shimano, Campy-doesn't matter. It is not fussy like index, and easy to set up. Silvers are great!

MotoMan

I just refurbished a 70's Nishiki International, replaced the 5 speed with a 7 freewheel and put barcons on it, but it can only shift into the 2nd highest gear, not number 7. I'm stuck with the original Suntour GT derailleur right now, but is this a cable pull thing or an old derailluer thing? I'm planning on getting a hanger so I can put on a newer alivio derailleur, but do you think I'll have the same problem?

Basically what I'm asking is has/does anyone use barcons for a 7 speed freewheel (or 8 speed cassette, for that matter), or is it a known thing that they just don't pull enough cable generally? I'm hoping it's a derailleur thing because the GT just doesn't seem to have that much range.

I've used them for years on a 7 speed freewheel. I also have them on a 6 speed and have used them on an 8 speed cassette. They work great on all of them.
It may be the derailleur not having the range of movement, but are you sure it's not just hitting the limit screw?

I run bar end shifters and I love them. It cracks me up when people come up to me and go "what are those?"

Anyone know if you can run bar end shifters with new fangled carbon bars like the FSA K Wing? They aren't exactly classic or vintage, but wow they're comfortabe.

I have them on my cyclocross bike and on a winter beater. I use Shimano indexed, 8 on the cyclocross, 7 on the beater. They are great particularly in cold, winter riding because I can wear bulky gloves and still shift easily, which is not possible with STI. The only really downside of using downtube shifters is you can't shift when you are out of the saddle so if you did not downshift just before that hill, it's going to be a problem. If you are careful, you can shift with the bar ends, but it still is not as easy as STI.

Anybody have some secret source for those ratcheting suntour bar ends? I've been searching online for a set to no avail, but I suspect that, given the positive reviews you guys give, there must be somewhere that still carries them.

Anybody have some secret source for those ratcheting suntour bar ends? I've been searching online for a set to no avail, but I suspect that, given the positive reviews you guys give, there must be somewhere that still carries them.

The only indexed ones I've seen are for 7 speed. The old style friction come up from time to time on ebay. Usually in the $50 range. Good luck

Tim

I enjoyed using bar-end shifters, but they are a maintanance headache. Mine came loose from the handlebar and they just never really fit snug or trouble free. Once they get loose and you can't quite secure them, they are really annoying.

I guess the bottom line is that I removed my bar-end shifters and replaced them with down-tube shifters.

I enjoyed using bar-end shifters, but they are a maintanance headache. Mine came loose from the handlebar and they just never really fit snug or trouble free. Once they get loose and you can't quite secure them, they are really annoying.

I guess the bottom line is that I removed my bar-end shifters and replaced them with down-tube shifters.

Did you remove the shift levers and tighten the expanding barrel that secures them inside the handlebars? It takes an allen wrench - 6mm.

One way to find the shifters:
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?sofocus=bs&sbrftog=1&catref=C6&from=R10&satitle=suntour+bar+end+con&sacat=36140%26catref%3DC6&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D2&sadis=200&fpos=31061&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&fsop=1%26fsoo%3D1&coaction=compare&copagenum=1&coentrypage=search

I have Silver Rivendell) shifters barend on my Nashbar Road Fra-may. They are on Riv's Mustache handlebars matched with a 34/46 compact rictchey crank, 12-32 8sp cassette, Deore RD, Suntour Lite FD. It is made for hill riding in Vermont. I love the settup. I shift as quick as Ergo index stuff, less fussy, easy to maintain. It is also easy to reach on a Mustache bar vs, drops or downtube. The Silvers are well made and work great with friction. They do not have the index option like the Shimano, if that is important for you. The beauty of a friction set up is that you can mix and match different systems depending on the parts on hand-Campy, Shimano, Campy-doesn't matter. It is not fussy like index, and easy to set up. Silvers are great!

MotoMan

I'm still waiting for mine. It's been a month and they are on back order.....:(

Did you remove the shift levers and tighten the expanding barrel that secures them inside the handlebars? It takes an allen wrench - 6mm.

One way to find the shifters:
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?sofocus=bs&sbrftog=1&catref=C6&from=R10&satitle=suntour+bar+end+con&sacat=36140%26catref%3DC6&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D2&sadis=200&fpos=31061&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&fsop=1%26fsoo%3D1&coaction=compare&copagenum=1&coentrypage=search

BluesDawg: Yes, I did tighten them as required. Good suggestion, though. Part of the problem, I believe was the new style thick spongy bar tape which reduced the shifter expander contact with the inside of the handlebar tube.

Part of the problem, I believe was the new style thick spongy bar tape which reduced the shifter expander contact with the inside of the handlebar tube.

Are you wrapping your bars in the old school manner of starting at the stem and finishing at the bar ends and thus requiring you to "hide" the tape end inside the bar? If so, I would suggest wrapping the cork tape starting at the bar ends towards the stem and finishing at the stem with black tape or similar.

Ideally, you want a clean metal to metal interface inside the bar when securing the barend shifter. You can get away with hiding tape under barends when using cotton tape like Tressostar, but even that is problematic, ime. I gave up on the old style of wrapping years ago. The overlap is wrong, imo.

I just refurbished a 70's Nishiki International, replaced the 5 speed with a 7 freewheel and put barcons on it, but it can only shift into the 2nd highest gear, not number 7. I'm stuck with the original Suntour GT derailleur right now, but is this a cable pull thing or an old derailluer thing? I'm planning on getting a hanger so I can put on a newer alivio derailleur, but do you think I'll have the same problem?


Tim,

Do you mean you can only shift into the 2nd lowest gear (aka 2nd largest cog)?

If so, I find this generally means that the RD cable has picked up some slack in it. Sometimes this is due to a new cable stretching or a cable end or housing end seating more fully after a few shifts have stressed the system. I would suggest a) shift into the highest gear (smallest cog), b) check for slack in the RD cable along the downtube and if you find any slack, c) use a cable puller on the RD to tighten the cable as much as you can.

I would be shocked if the Suntour Barend doesn't have enough cable pull. However, you might need a different RD that moves at a different rate for a fixed amount of pull. If the problem persists, I would try a modern Shimano RD on it.

Lastly, I think Sheldon Brown has cable pull and shifter/RD compatability info on his site.

Are you wrapping your bars in the old school manner of starting at the stem and finishing at the bar ends and thus requiring you to "hide" the tape end inside the bar? If so, I would suggest wrapping the cork tape starting at the bar ends towards the stem and finishing at the stem with black tape or similar.

Ideally, you want a clean metal to metal interface inside the bar when securing the barend shifter. You can get away with hiding tape under barends when using cotton tape like Tressostar, but even that is problematic, ime. I gave up on the old style of wrapping years ago. The overlap is wrong, imo.


I guess I am wrapping them the "other" old school way. I start at the bar ends and then work toward the stem. HOWEVER, I still do tuck the wrapping tape into the bar ends and hold them in-place with the bar end plug (or bar end shifters).

I Hadn't thought of it, but there really is no need to tuck the tape inside the tube if you are starting at the bar end, is there?

Hmm... Good point. Thanks.

I hated the Dura Ace friction bar ends that were on my touring bike. I am MUCH happier with the 105 downtube friction shifters I replaced them with. There are a number of reasons:
1. Shifting is much more sensitive and precise ( at least partly due to much less cable housing).
2. I find the DT shifters to be at least equally convenient.
3. Since I am used to DT shifters (and have used them for many years) they feel more natural.
4. No more bumping the shifters with a knee and having an unintentional shift.

Bear in mind that I am kind of an oldtimer in this regard. All my road bikes have DT shifters. The only bike I own that doesn't is my MTB which has thumb shifters.

I regularly ride vintage bikes with DT, stem, and barend shifters. I totally prefer the barends. I don't have to have one hand off of the handlebar and can keep control at any speed or cadence.

Does anyone use barend shifters on Northroad style Handlebars? Does anyone know of a reason you could not?

Al

I keep bumping my knee into my barends(got em when they were out of fashion for ten bucks). I am seriously thinking about switching back to downtube shifters. I don't shift as much as I used to anyways. I run everything in friction cuz I am too cheap buy matching components.

I just converted my Trek to Bar End's. These are Silver Supermix Bar-end Shifters from Rivendell and are friction only, but have a nice ratcheting mechanism. I think this was a great addition to the bike and shifting is as easy as with STI’s.

http://cdn-65.cdn.buzznet.com/assets/users13/marinerfan/default/large-msg-116549287672.jpg

http://cdn-10.cdn.buzznet.com/assets/users13/marinerfan/default/large-msg-116549288325.jpg

http://cdn-12.cdn.buzznet.com/assets/users13/marinerfan/default/large-msg-116549290142.jpg

http://cdn-43.cdn.buzznet.com/assets/users13/marinerfan/default/large-msg-116549289509.jpg

Those Rivendell shifters look real nice. Good job

Tim

I use bar-cons on my mountain bike.

Best thing I ever did for that bike.

I am absolutely in love with the upgrade to barcons (old school ratcheting friction Suntours) on my LeTour Luxe.