madfiNch

Can you put precision shifters on any bike? I have an 84 Bridgestone and I can't stand the shifters on it. It's a 10 speed. Is that realistic? Would I have to replace the derailleur/cassette or anything? Anything else I should know?

Thanks!

rmfnla

Anything is possible; the question is how much do you want to spend?

Yes, you would have to replace the derailleurs & cassette, although you actually have a freewheel so the rear wheel will have to go, too. Also the shifters and chain and possibly the crankset, too.

If this sounds like a lot of $ you're right, and after all that you'd still have an old Bridgestone.

There are so many reasonable-priced bikes available I suggest checking out your nearest bike shop. Run the numbers for converting vs. a new bike and then decide.

Sawtooth

Caveat: I have not done what you want to do, but I think it can be done.

I am assuming that by "precision" you mean indexed shifting instead of friction shifting????

If you have a 10 speed you definitely have a freewheel and I am not aware of any 5 speed indexed shifters (not saying they don't exist). But...you can probably put a 7 speed freewheel on the wheel https://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/freewheels.html#7 and find an old pair of downtube or even sti 7 speed index shifters https://cgi.ebay.com/Shimano-RSX-7-Sp...QQcmdZViewItem . Not sure about rear hub spacing but that should work as long as your deraileur has the range. If not, just get a more modern deraileur. You will probably also need a new chain, which could effect your front deraileur performance.

If you absolutely love the frame, take heart. There are plenty of guys on these forums running classic frames all decked out with the most modern componentry. The issue is always how much stuff you have to replace in order to get what you want.

I_bRAD

I've seen 5spd indexed in both twist and thumb style. Both were low end and both weren't very good.

If you can find them, deore or XT thumbshifters in 7sp are awesome and last forever.

Sawtooth

Perhaps you could elaborate about what type of shifters are on it and why you hate them? Lots of guys really like friction shifting because it is so versatile and forgiving.

madfiNch

Okay, here's the deal:
I bought the bike on Craigslist a month or so ago. I love it. The frame is MINT. Definitely worth saving!
Here is a pic so you can see the shifters:


Here are the problems:
It won't switch to the larger chain ring in the front at all. Ever. The shifter cable just goes slack when I move the shifter up.
I can't get it to settle on a gear on the rear deraileur except for the highest or lowest. Anywhere in between and it just creaks and complains and even shifts itself after a while. Even in the highest/lowest gear it's still noisy.
I don't mind spending the money to upgrade the bike. All the hardware on it is 23 years old. I've wanted a bridgestone for a long time, so I'm psyched to get it running smoothly. If I'm going to spend the money to upgrade the bike, then the idea of more gears appeals to me anyway.

Thanks a lot for your replies!

rogerstg

I'm pretty sure that up on the left friction shifter is to go to the small chainring, down is for moving to the large. It sounds like you simply need to adjust the cable tension.

Again, I believe it's a matter of adjusting the cable tension so that the index of the right shifter matches the RD placement needed for the gears. It settles on the highest and lowest because the stop screws end the travel at those points.

Good luck.

Dural

Try cleaning and adjusting what you have. It should work well if you do the job right. Check the Sheldon Brown and Park Tools sites for how-to info.

Pushing down on your front lever (not up) normally moves the front derailleur out and puts the chain on the big ring. Check and adjust the cable length and also the limit screws on the derailleur.

"Ghost shifting" or wandering gears in the back usually come down to friction on the cables where they pass through the bottom bracket area. The frame flexes as you pedal, and the cable gets pulled, so gears shift by themselves. A good cleaning and some grease will help there.

For a budget build, I'd look for a newer style 6 cog freewheel which has shift ramps on the cogs. SHimano calls their version Hyperdrive. They shift much nicer than old flat or twist tooth cogs. You might have to spread the dropouts or put in a longer axle if you go to a 6 or 7 speed freewheel.

madfiNch

Oh. I forgot to mention this:
I had it tuned up shortly after I bought it. It rode home fine. It was every ride after that where things stopped working. Do you think it might just be that I need new cables for the shifters? It's like it worked and then immediately went out of whack..

sexy prison

In addition to the things mentioned above, try tightening the screws on the friction shifters--I had an old raleigh once that would shift by itself when I put enough pressure on the pedals and this fixed it.

DMF 

If the cables were replaced during the tune-up (likely), new cables stretch and need to be adjusted several times over the first week or so. You could learn to do your own adjustments or take it back to the shop.

tellyho

You can definitely get that setup to shift well every time.