gerald_g 

I have a mid 90's trek I bought used. It is seven speed - triple ring. The former owner had added downtube shifters to replace the STI shifters (which were gummed up), but installed them up on the front of some bolt on aero bars. I don't want the aero bars, so I tried to clean up the original shifters.

They were working good in the shop, so I changed the cables over and went for a ride. They are not yet fully functional so I am thinking of replacing them. I found this article, and know how trusted Sheldon's info is.

Shimano and Sram Bicycle Shifters from Harris Cyclery. STI, Brake/Shift levers, Bar-end Shifters, GripShift

So I gather I can replace my RSX set with the ST-A073 set?

Can anyone tell me...

1: How well do the ST-A073 shifters work? reliable and durable?
2: Is there another product I should consider?
3: any other comments of advice.

Thanks
Gerald

bradtx

Gerald, I used them when they were still called Sora to replace the RSX shifters on my daughter's 2X7 bike. She also prefers to use the button rather than the smaller lever.

While my daughter crash damaged her shifter, many times flushing with WD40 will restore indexing.

Brad

PS I forgot to add that I replaced her's about 6-7 years ago. She had two babies since they were replaced so perhaps not very much mileage/use on them, but they've functioned perfectly the last 2-3 months.

bikemig 

If you're good with friction, there are a lot of good, inexpensive choices out there including dia compe bar ends which look sweet, Dia-Compe ENE Bar-End Shifters.

There are threads on the new 7 speed shimano brifters,

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...th-anyway.html

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...ti-levers.html

These look cool; I've been thinking of getting a pair for one of my old bikes.

gerald_g 

Thanks for the replies.

Flushing and cleaning with solvent has not restored shifting on my RSX shifters. I believe I could tear them right down and clean the pivot for each pawl, but I'm not certain I have that kind of time. I may. I had my RSX shifters apart enough to dunk the mechanisms in solvent and clean with a toothbrush.

They worked good, but I think as the solvent dried, the pawls quit moving again.

I don't mind bar ends, but the price looks about the same.

With bar ends, do I get to run the cables under the bar wrap? this might be nice to have all my cables wrapped up like that.

bikemig 

Friction bar ends will work with 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 in the back and a double or a triple up front. The cables go under the tape like this:

bradtx

You can run the housing completely under the bar tape to exit at the stem if you wish, you will need to buy longer housing than what is normally supplied.

Brad

gerald_g 

Thanks Brad - that sounds kinda nice.

SkyDog75

If you decide to give the Shimano brifters a shot, you had the right ones picked out. ST-A073 is for 7-speed cassette/freewheel and triple crankset. Bar end shifters are also a perfectly viable option, and while the price of new ones is similar to brifters, you can probably find used sets for less.

gerald_g 

I think I may have resurrected my RSX shifters. I decided to give them another look tonight, and after pulling apart the rear/right, and giving it another very thorough cleaning again, as I was re-assembling, I could not figure out why the outer coil spring seemed to be pushing against the big paddle, rather than pulling it back into place to reset the pawls.

After looking at it perplexed for a few minutes, and flipping the spring inside out, and back a few times, it occurred to me that it was indeed supposed to pull the lever back, and I must have the wrong spring in there.

What if a previous owner had tried to fix the shifters (before giving up) and switched the springs left to right as he re-assembled them. He might not have even cared, as he was putting the stem shifters up on the aero bar anyway. I pulled the outer cap off the left shifter, and placed it into the right side. Sure enough, it pulled the paddle back as I thought it should.

Without taking the whole left side apart, I removed just the cable, and got the correct spring back in under the cover. They are working good on the stand.

Now I need a tip on adjusting the front. It needs a little extra pull to move from the small to the middle ring. The shift to the big ring works well.
I'll hit Sheldon's site, and or Youtube for tutorials on adjustments tomorrow.

My tip, if working on RSX shifters, open only one at a time to avoid switching parts from left to right !!!

Gerald

gerald_g 

worked great on my ride tonight - just a short commute, but they shifted really well

bradtx

Congrats and thanks for the feed back.

Brad