Classic & Vintage - How hard to modernize stem shifters?

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JusticeZero
07-27-10, 12:26 AM
Wife rides a road bike with stem shifters. LOVES the frame. The shifters are a bit less loved. We may be moving next year; when we do we considered replacing a couple of parts, maybe putting a somewhat newer shifter on it. "Somewhat Newer" being a pretty relative term, to mean "something with the shifters easier to reach, not in danger of impaling the rider, and maybe but not necessarily indexed".

What exactly would be involved in this, and what would the expected cost range be?

Amani576
07-27-10, 12:38 AM
Cost of parts. I'd go with thumbshifters, which you can pick up for pretty cheap (<$30), and new cables. A decent lined set or cables and housing should cost you between $10 and $15.
-Gene-
auchencrow
07-27-10, 06:03 AM
I guess it depends on what "easier to reach" means.
My P4 came with those infernal stem shifters and I remedied that in a couple of minutes with some shifters from my parts bin.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh117/auchencrow/Peugeot%20Corbier%20P4%20-%201987/1987PeugeotCorbierP4a6.jpg

Barcons are a good option too but tend to be pricier.