Folding Bikes - front shifter idea

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ncscott
06-10-07, 06:32 AM
I am very clearly bored...
I've noticed a few people have mounted double chainrings on their bikes (downtube folders specifically) and just kick shift it (no derailer). The biggest problem of putting a working front derailer appears to be routing a cable to the derailer when there are no cable stops put on the bike for this purpose.
What if... You mount a clamp on downtube shifter (http://www.bikeparts.com/search_results.asp?ID=BPC308003) to the seat tube just below the top tube and ran the cable strait from the shifter to the front derailer. A top pull derailer would be required and removing the shifter on the other side would be neccessary as well. You can still buy thumb sifters as well but would need to do more fudging with the clamp to make it fit.
Does anybody else think this is possible? When I finally get around to buying my own folding bike I'm going to start off without the front derailer but this idea might make sence as well.
Scott

EvilV
06-10-07, 06:41 AM
I am very clearly bored...
I've noticed a few people have mounted double chainrings on their bikes (downtube folders specifically) and just kick shift it (no derailer). The biggest problem of putting a working front derailer appears to be routing a cable to the derailer when there are no cable stops put on the bike for this purpose.
What if... You mount a clamp on downtube shifter (http://www.bikeparts.com/search_results.asp?ID=BPC308003) to the seat tube just below the top tube and ran the cable strait from the shifter to the front derailer. A top pull derailer would be required and removing the shifter on the other side would be neccessary as well. You can still buy thumb sifters as well but would need to do more fudging with the clamp to make it fit.
Does anybody else think this is possible? When I finally get around to buying my own folding bike I'm going to start off without the front derailer but this idea might make sence as well.
Scott

Something like this one might be what you are thinking about.

The clamp was made by a guy in England called Steve Parry. It isn't cheap. I think he charges £40. It is purpose made for a Brompton. I use it on my Brompton clone. It works fine. The mech is a compaq Mirage.

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/6452/dscn1209kp4.jpg

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/5236/dscn1208eg8.jpg
ncscott
06-10-07, 09:26 AM
That pretty cool looking. I was just going to mount the shifter on the seat tube and skip the cable housing, leting the cable route directly to the top of the top pull derailer. The Downtube fs model has more seat tube than the brompton. Seeing as how I do not have the bike yet I have no clue if it would work but its and idea that I thought I would throw out there. If anyone has a spare thumb sifter or spare top pull front derailer than it would be a worth experiment. I seriously doubt too many people have clamped downtube shifters lying around, but 20 bucks is cheap and there are cheaper options but made to fit the stem only (more fudging).
Food for thought...
What you have is seriously very cool, though.
Scott