Bicycle Mechanics - Installing those Dura-Ace inline gear indicators...

Hi Everyone,

I'm installing a Dura-Ace inline gear indicator and was wondering if there was a less painful way of threading the orange indicator, i.e. can I take the module apart?

Thanks in advance!
Mike


http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/files/in_line_gear_indicator_209.jpg

No replies needed, got it done!

For anyone else who has this issue in the future, having a nice clean cut on the cable end plus a bit of wiggling and perseverance should be all that is necessary. This indicators are the bomb, I have one on every one of my bikes, 9 or 10-speed. I know I can look where the chain is, or try to memorize it, but why not add 3 extra grams to your bike to have the rear sprocket that you are in shown right in front of you? Simply awesome.

ok... I gotta ask. Why do you folks feel that this is useful?

ok... I gotta ask. Why do you folks feel that this is useful?

For me, I've never found them useful on my road or mountain bikes. My mtb rapid shifters have them in the shifter bodies but I've never paid any attention to them while riding. I guess I'm accustomed to taking a quick glance down to see where I'm at.

But looking back, when I used to own a tandem years ago a gear indicator perhaps would have been useful as I sometimes had to guess where my chain was on the cassette.

:)

ok... I gotta ask. Why do you folks feel that this is useful?

I have a triple and want to avoid cross-chaining as much as possible. I also don't have the "feel" or "ear" for what gear I'm in, compared to someone who is logging 5000 miles per year.

The old fashioned XT mountain bike thumbshifters and the modern bar-end lever shifters solve this problem by letting your sense of touch tell you what gear you're in. No need to look down.

They are quite useful in city riding where your attention has to be split between a lot of different things. It's just an easy way for me to look and se where my chain is when I am thinking abut my next shift, the car beside me, the car coming at me from the side, the stop light, stc....I could do without it easily enough, but it's nice and I do use it. If you can remember where your chain is all this time you wouldn't need it and on rides with less distractions, I actaully don't even look at it much.

ok... I gotta ask. Why do you folks feel that this is useful?

If you know or have a cheat sheet of your gear inches, then when touring up a mountain you can quickly glance at your cheat sheet to determine if changing the front and rear would give you a better gear to climb the mountain. Sometimes, just a small change of gear inches can make a huge difference, at least for me.

Sure, I could look at the cassette, but I'd rather look at an indicator, look at my cheat sheet and determine the shift that is required. So, it's not needed, but it is nice to have.

Sounds reasonable enough.

Sounds reasonable enough.

and they weigh next to nothing, so you don't need to look for the carbon version. :D

can I take the module apart?

To answer the question, yes you can. It's a press-fit plastic-to-plastic connection. When you push the cable in, have it move the colored indicator as far toward the rear (derailleur) end as possible; as you tighten the rear cable, the indicator moves toward the shifter to show you your gear selection.

You can also take off the "solid" part that would normally plug in to the brifter, if you're retrofitting to an older brifter, or if you want to install the indicator just "upstream" of a downtube cable stop. You may find it necessary to change to 4mm OD housing (and to pick up some 4mm housing ends) in this case.

and they weigh next to nothing, so you don't need to look for the carbon version. :D

I work in a bike shop, so I do see them pretty frequently. i've just never felt the need, or want. And I wanted to here from people who had.