ian0789

So I am awaiting my used set of microshift shifters for my 2nd bike / budget build. Right now my bike is set up with a 8 x 3 set up. The only thing left to the build was finding a set of shifters. After much hunting I should have just broken down and went with a 9 or 10 speed compact. But I was stubborn and my main bike is a 10x2 compact so I wanted to mix it up.

I found on ebay a set of microshift shifters. The seller listed them as 8 speeds and he also said there is only 7 clicks on the right shifter even tho they say 9 speed on it. I know right off the bat it sounds odd. After talking to him he said the left shifter has 4 positions after I asked if it was only for a double or could be used on a triple. I called my local bike shop (the guy knows his stuff) and he said if it has for clicks then it could work on a triple set up. So with out a 2nd thought I snagged them. I am waiting for them to ship to me so in the mean time I going back and forth trying to figure out in my head if this is going to work out in my favor or not.

Now has anyone hear of such a thing happening? The seller said he bought them as 9's but after trying everything he figured out it only was for an 8 speed and changed his cassette and never had a problem since. So if that is true and it only has 7 clicks = 8 speed and the left shifter has 4 positions then do you think I will end up having a chance of making these bad boys work?

In the end I wont be to upset if it doesnt pan out for me. I got them with shipping for 60 bucks and they are in great shape so in the end I could just store them for a project bike / back ups or even just resell them back to recoop my money. Not saying 60 bucks isnt a nice chunk of change but if they work out in my favor I will end up saving a lot more then what I would have shelled out for a set of Shimano or even Microshifts from overseas.

xenologer

the left shifter is for a triple
what the seller thinks is '4 positions' is for trimming; used to very slightly move the front derailer when its rubbing in certain rear gear combos.
frankly, I think such trim options are really just an excuse for allowing poor derailer design/adjustment....

no clue what's going on with the rear derailer; too many possibilities
maybe the seller is mechanically inept, maybe they're just mislabeled, maybe they're damaged in some way
you'll have to find out in person

link to auction photos ?

ian0789

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Microshift-8...p2047675.l2557

Most of the talking was via PM's but even he said it was off that he could never get the right shifter to hit all 9 gears and when he swapped to an 8 cassette they worked great. Who knows I might have scored a really nice set of miss labeled shifters or I just spent 60 bucks for some paper weights

I just kind of went out on a lucky feeling. A few people had posted they had shifters labeled or told to be double but they had identical pairs on different bikes that worked triple and double set ups. My lbs guy said the fourth spot was a trim and for most double only shifters you have two clicks for a trim. So I am guessing it will work.

I just have to find a way to remove the white markings that say double and 9 speed if it holds up to be true lol.

xenologer

I'd try goof-off or mineral spirits first - be sure to avoid contact with any shiny 'chromed' plastic bits
if not then careful sanding always works; hardly noticable on a black matte finished area

Retro Grouch 

I can tell you for sure that Shimano 9-speed brifters (other than DA) are double or triple rated.

I used to have a road bike with a double chainring and a tandem with a triple chainring. Both used the same shifters. On the double I had 2 shift positions for each chainring. On the triple I had 2 shift positions for the middle ring and one for each of the others. I also had Flight Deck computers on both bikes and the Flight Decks always indicated the appropriate chainring so I'm pretty sure that I had them set up the way Shimano intended.

Shimano has different part numbers for double and triple brifters for other speeds. I have no idea what the difference is

Smiziley

Probably just the internal ratchet.

ian0789

Awesome! I am really happy to pick these up then! I was thinking of goof off my self or maybe a mild grade sand paper. I just hope they do work on my eight speed set up. I literally got everything I needed and set it up but I can't stand my old soda shifters. Going to keep them as backups or if I can convince my girl friend to start riding use them on a budget bike for hee
But finding 3x8 shifters other then sora for a good price seems harder then building this bike.

Good to know about the shifters and positions because it had me worried a bit.

Stupid auto correct changed sora to soda and won't let me fix it on my phone x.x

FastJake

Well they say 9-speed on them, so something is still up. If they are really 9-speed you won't be able to use them with an 8-speed cassette unless you use the alternate cable routing (possibly...) or get an OLDER Dura Ace 7400 RD. The old DA 8-speed used the same cable pull as 9-speed, so the stuff is somewhat interchangeable.

ian0789

Well the seller said he had to slap on an 8 speed cassette to make these work. They only click 7 times so technically they are 8 speed. Why they say 9 and only shift 8 I have no clue but if they turn out to be 9's I will just keep them in my parts stash or relist them on eBay. 60 bucks is worth taking a risk if they do turn out to be 8's. Also I just finished building this bike so would rather not change out anything other then the shifters. Don't wanna waste the parts I just hunted down.

FBinNY 

make a fist and look at your knuckles. Each knuckle represents a gear position and the spaces between the shift needed to get from one to the next. So 4 knuckles = 3 spaces. By extension the number of clicks is always one less than the number of gears. Ergo 8s has 7 clicks.

Another way to look at it is that no clicks are needed to get to the 1st position, the lever has to start someplace, one click to the 2nd, 2 to the 3rd and so on with the number of jumps one less than the number of gears.

Phil_gretz

It only takes about 5 minutes to build up a test cable and see what the combination of your 8-speed cassette, rear derailleur, and new right shifter do together. Give it a shot and report back!

ian0789

Will do, waiting for them to arrive. Should have them by the end of the week! One thing about ebay that I hate....You cant just instantly have your goods

ian0789

Well I just got them in the mail today. Out of the box not hooked up I have this... Left Shifter 3 clicks so good to go for a triple set up. Right Shifter 8 clicks so with no cable tension right off the bat that would be for a 9 speed cassette. I even took a quick trip to my bike shop and he said good to go for a triple but as for the 8 speed....well thats a different story. He said I should go home and hook it up just to see what happens. He said the guy who owned them prior probably had the adjustment off and tension was only letting him 8 gears.

I sent a PM to the seller and he did say that he counted the clicks of 7 while they had been on the bike. So at this point I am not sure if its worth the time unwrapping my bars and testing the shifters out or just saving them. I couldnt really see it going from 8 clicks off the bike to 7 clicks with tension if set up correctly but it might be worth a shot.

Still getting over cold and feel way to run down to test them out today to get my hopes down but maybe someone might have some insight till I get a chance this weekend to play around with them.

FBinNY 

Possibly the prior owner had the cable tension set one position too high, so after 7 clicks the RD was at the limit and he couldn't make the last click over the cables resistance.

You don't need to install the lever to verify whether it's 9s or 8s. Counting clicks should have convinced you, but to be bulletproof sure, attach an inner wire and take the lever through it's paces while holding some tension on the wire. If you get 8 clicks moving the cable, that's 8 plus the starting position or 9s total.

ian0789

Yeah you are 100% right. No point to doing the work to find out something i already know. O well still for 60 bucks I am still happy with them. Even if I swap out my cassette and chain I still will save a good amount of cash then if I got any others. I have a nashbar gift card from Xmas so no biggie! That or I can use them down the road.