Road Cycling - optical gear display

Hey everyone,

This may sound a little cheesey, however I'd like to get my hands on an optical gear display for my rear shifter like the ones given with Dura Ace shifters. Call me crazy however I have a tendency always look down to see what cog I'm in (bad short term memory) and don't feel safe doing this while in traffic. If anyone knows where I can get my grubby little hands on one that would be great.

Thanks,

Shane.

You do not have to have Dura Ace to get and use a Flite Deck. Any Shimano shifters that say they are Flite Deck compatible will work. As far as I know DA, Ultegra, and 105 are all compatible.
If you have Campy their product I believe is called the Ergo Brain but I could be mistaken as to the name.
I also think Mavic puts out a similar product.

Thanks George, however I'm not looking for Shimano's flight deck. I'm looking for the mechanical optical display that actually is placed in between two sections of the housing of the right shifter cable at the handlebars. I really don't want another computer mounted to my handlebars ;)

Shane

Go ask your LBS, Shimano makes an optical gear display for STI shifters/brake levers. It's just a simple piece that is spliced into the cable housing on the right side.

Thanks George, however I'm not looking for Shimano's flight deck. I'm looking for the mechanical optical display that actually is placed in between two sections of the housing of the right shifter cable at the handlebars. I really don't want another computer mounted to my handlebars ;)

Shane

Most LBS have the "Shimano 9-Speed Inline Gear Display" (it's proper name) and if they don't, they can order it through Quality Bike Parts (QBP) part # LD7706. It'll cost about $7~$10.

Simple to install, your shift cable will have to be cut the same amount as the length of the Gear Display.

Local bike shop , cost 8 euros but you have to replace the cables , tape at the same time so it gets a bit more expensive .

Local bike shop , cost 8 euros but you have to replace the cables , tape at the same time so it gets a bit more expensive .

Bar tape and cable don't need to be replaced to install the gear indicator, just the rear shifter housing needs to be trimmed the same amount as the gear indicator length.

I have one and it is easy to install. I got it on Ebay for $10. I didn't use it for the first 3-4 rides but now I am use to having it and it is very useful.

Here are some.

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?query=dura+ace+gear&catref=C3&from=R10&sacategory=7294&BasicSearch=

Davet that is exactly what I was/am looking for. Thanks.

OOOOHHH. Gotta have one. :eek: It is now on my Sunday shopping list. I saw one on Dura Ace and thought (I don't know why) that it was just a Dura Ace thing.

STOP IT. You guys keep costing me money!! :)

The Flight Deck would be cool. But, I just can't live with having to push a button to start the thing. :( In a pack, starting from a stoplight, I have more important things to worry about. Shimano, what were you thinking???

Thanks again for all the help guys. I do appreciate it. :beer:

i've only seen those things from a distance, and only on D/A bikes, and for some reason, i thought it was an in-line cable adjuster...a display thingy, while kinda cool, is also, and i hate to say it, because it's cool, but kinda pointless. i usually don't think about it as i'm just out to ride and have fun...and even if i was racing or training or something like that i think it would be a distraction.

...at least it isn't numbered. i wouldn't be opposed to having one, just for the cool factor though.

I can understand your point OTS. I'm more concerned by the fact that even though I've been riding for several years now, I still have to look down, behind and in between my legs to see what gear I'm in. I'm not very comfortable doing this in traffic. I believe this little doohickey will solve that problem. I've already placed a bid on e-bay for one!

Shane

yeah...i end up doing that too, even though i try not to...i pretty much only do it if i'm all alone on the road though, or out on a path somewhere...i don't have that problem when i ride fixed though... :) WHY DO I LOOK DOWN!?! i don't even really care what gear i'm in. i know my rear cluster goes 13-18,21,23,25, and i usually stay in the 14-17 range....yet...i still look down. i don't do it on my mountain/trials bike.

The indicator will work on older 7 and 8 speeds too. It just isn't dead on accurate.

yeah...i end up doing that too, even though i try not to...i pretty much only do it if i'm all alone on the road though, or out on a path somewhere...i don't have that problem when i ride fixed though... :) WHY DO I LOOK DOWN!?! i don't even really care what gear i'm in. i know my rear cluster goes 13-18,21,23,25, and i usually stay in the 14-17 range....yet...i still look down. i don't do it on my mountain/trials bike.


Exacty, thats why it is useful. They come on MTBs why not road?

but...i'm not looking down because i care what gear i'm in...i think it's more out of boredom and it's like..."hmm...i wonder what my chainline looks like?"

the one i used to have on my MTB was HORRID...it was one of those kind that's attached to the pod shifter, like what comes on some hybrids...and it had numbers...numbers are silly. what the hell does "4th gear" on a mountain bike mean? and it shifted like crap...which is why i eventually changed it...i also used to whack my knee on it. and that made me sad.

i dunno...it's a cool gadget, and if they made a cable that had one already installed that didn't cost more, i'd go for it... but i probably wouldn't go through the trouble of installing it.

i use it to make sure i'm not cross-chaining... that's about the only reason (but it's an important one)

but...i'm not looking down because i care what gear i'm in...i think it's more out of boredom and it's like..."hmm...i wonder what my chainline looks like?"

Mmm Ka



the one i used to have on my MTB was HORRID...it was one of those kind that's attached to the pod shifter, like what comes on some hybrids...and it had numbers...numbers are silly. what the hell does "4th gear" on a mountain bike mean? and it shifted like crap...which is why i eventually changed it...i also used to whack my knee on it. and that made me sad.

What does a gear indicator have to do with how your bike shifts?



i dunno...it's a cool gadget, and if they made a cable that had one already installed that didn't cost more, i'd go for it... but i probably wouldn't go through the trouble of installing it.

Anyone with simple skills can install it.

gear indicator has nothing to do with how it shifted. the pod shifter was crap, and the indicator was pointless...especially with the numbers...that was my point.

true, trimming the cable housing isn't difficult at all. but it's still too much work for something i don't really need. i happen to be a very adept mechanic, having put together every single one of my 5 bikes myself, and doing all the routine maintenance myself. all i'm saying is that i wouldn't actively seek one out because *I* don't need/want one. i can see how it would be useful for others though.

Local bike shop , cost 8 euros but you have to replace the cables , tape at the same time so it gets a bit more expensive .Not so. Tape is untouched. Same cable is used..... unless the cable end is frayed badly and there's not enough length left in it to give you a clean splice.

There is no need to retape the bars with Shimano, as the shifter cables run out of the side of the shifter/lever and outside of the bar tape.

Thanks to this forum I found out about optical gear displays and bought one today and installed it. They suggested using a new cable to insure it goes through the bead. THIS IS THE BEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD!!!! I think it should be standard with all bikes. FANTSTIC IDEA; LOVE IT!