Bicycle Mechanics - How to tell double or tripple shifters?

I tried a search, didn't find the info. There sure are a lot of opinions on double vs. tripple though. :lol:

I recently got a set of Shimano Dura-Ace 9-speed shifters from a friend of a friend. How can I tell if the front shifter is for a double or tripple? There are cables still attached, can I measure a difference in cable pull?

Look at the model number engraved on the brifter somewhere. Triples will be XX03 as in 7703

Just take the right hand shifter and see how many times it clicks in each direction. I don't know if you have to tension the cable for a dura ace shifter to work. Of course, a triple should click twice and a double should click once. You can tell the right lever because the levers are designed to move inward, or left.

Just take the right hand shifter and see how many times it clicks in each direction. I don't know if you have to tension the cable for a dura ace shifter to work. Of course, a triple should click twice and a double should click once. You can tell the right lever because the levers are designed to move inward, or left.

That would be the left shifter, and if triple it will click 3 times on a road shifter, plus a trim position. Shimano triples have 4 full positions on the left shifter. And the levers will move to the right.

Thanks for the help. I ran the shifters through when I got them, a little tension on the cable and they click just fine when I move the lever. I'll count it out tomorrow.

That would be the left shifter, and if triple it will click 3 times on a road shifter, plus a trim position. Shimano triples have 4 full positions on the left shifter. And the levers will move to the right.
A 105 does click twice during the shift into the middle ring but I would not say it had four positions. If you keep pushing the lever inward it will click twice during the shift into the middle ring but then it will hit a stop. You're supposed to keep pushing to the end.

Granted, if you don't push until the lever stops but stop after you hear the first click during the shift into the middle ring, (mostly during the upshift,) the derailleur does move to a sort of ghost position between rings.

To put it more clearly, push either the upshift or downshift lever several times. Then you should be able to push the other lever two consecutive times, all the way to the end of its travel, before it becomes inactive, if it's a triple.