Thumb shifters
 

Hello

Does anyone know whether there is a 7 gear version of the shimano sis thumb shifter?
I attach I photo of the 6 gear one I have now used on two bikes and prevents me from upgrading. I am so used to riding with my palms resting on the shifters and like the ease of changing gears while wearing thick gloves I am reluctant to use any other type of shifters.
Also please note that I want the lever to be flat so that I can continue resting my palm on it. I am really looking for the exact same shifter but with 7 gears.

Thanks a lot
Tom

Don't know if shimano make/made one, but I found this one by sunrace on ebay, so they are out there: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sunrace-7-spee...item588a24d0a0

Shimano makes a 7 speed thumb shifter but the shifter is located below the bars - not above lile you have now. There may be some old style 7 speed above the bar thumb shifters out there but nothing currently being made from Shimano.

Agreed, look out on eBay for used stuff or NOS. They definitely used to make some but I don't believe they currently make any.

Going with bar end shifters mounted on Paul Thumbies would be a good upgrade alternative.

I always see 7 speed DX and XT thumbshifters for sale on EPay.

I have a set of 7 speed LX thumb shifters and I use them with an 8 speed cassette. You can push the shifter past the 7 index and use the RD limit for the 8th gear. This has worked really well for a while now and I bet you could do the same with a 6 speed set up. The indexing is very similar between 6,7 and8.

Tom: I Googled "shimano thumb shifter 7 speed" and came up with these among others: http://www.google.com/products/catal...d=0CDsQ8wIwAw# $17 for the pair.

Shimano was into 7 speed in the late 80's, XT and so forth , good luck on those auctions..

the stuff does turn over, there.

I'm using friction shifters on my 6 and 7 speed stuff ..

http://www.niagaracycle.com/product_...ducts_id=15889
$12.78

http://www.niagaracycle.com/product_...ducts_id=15890
$17.03

dingdingding! We have a winner!

But, for real, i'd spend $9 on the sunrace thumbshifters, which'll be right there for you, ready, when/if you upgrade to 8, 9, or 10 speeds...

-rob

Found it, if only for sale though
http://www.flickr.com/photos/angelfishsolo/3194539972/
well now we know it exists!

Well, well look at this
http://cgi.ebay.com/Shimano-SL-TY22-...item53e3ecd64c

Shame I'm in the UK and won't be bidding on them!

and more
http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-SL-TY2.../dp/B000A6B634

their called
Shimano SL-TY22 Tourney SIS Shift Lever

only cheap stuff I know but I am so used to them - shame they don't do a higher end version with flat levers. I might even risk it and go for the deore xt with look really well made though they can be quite expensive!

+1. Shimano made 7-speed thumbshifters in Deore and Deore XT grade in the late '80's to early '90's. I have a set, but I'm not selling.

http://www.velobase.com/CompImages/S...8A4C1F8B4.jpeg

Problem solved!

http://www.amazon.com/SHIMANO-TY-22-...1842003&sr=8-1

I have asked a friend in the States to get them for me and bring them over next time he's on this side of the pond sometimes in the new year.

I will then be able to upgrade from 18 to 21 gears - I am finally propelled into the 21st century, not.

However, this now creates another problem: sorting out the best gearing ratio for a commuter, everyday bike, also used for touring/camping trips!

I don't consider 8>9>10 an upgrade, it is just adding complexity..
keeping up with the Marketing driven consumption.

Now a Rohloff German IG Hub, rolling on needle and ball bearings,
That is an Upgrade .

+1. Racers sometimes disagree, but >90% cyclists don't race.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Shimano-Deore-6-S...item3a612820f8

It is hard to quantify, but these are precisely 27,000,000 times better than the plastic ones and work with both 6 and 7 speed. If you find some 7 speed ones they work with 6, 7, 8 speed. I think Shimano stopped making them because not enough people were buying replacements.

i have those shifters. i have 2 sets, now, actually. Very nice. I've found that the indexing in 7speed mode is kinda finicky, so i've been running friction. i might have another go at it someday soon.

these are much nicer than the tourney stuff out there now, although the tourneys are very nice for the price.

-rob