jyl

Anyone have experience using a JTEK Shiftmate?

I have a set of Campagnolo 9 speed shifters that I'd like to use on a bike with a drive train using Shimano 8 speed shifting and spacing. Supposedly a Shiftmate #2 will do this. Good or bad experiences?

Andrew R Stewart 

I can't comment on the correct model to get your system gong but will say that I've used Shiftmates for a number of years and am very happy with them. perhaps there's a very slight sluggishness to the response (which could also be from the mixed systems I run). If you let the cable detension fully (like shifting the lever but not pedaling) there's a chance the pulley will rotate out of position. Then the flat spot where the cable travels from one side to the other side of the pulley might come rotate into the wrong place and affect the cable's travel. Easy to reposition if it does happen. There's only one cable end ferrule counter sinked hole in the pulley housing. So careful trimming of the housing length is needed to have the other, freely moving cable ferrule, from binding on the pulley housing.

I run Ergo 9 speed (old pointy hooded levers) with Campy der and Shimano cassette on 4 bikes including a tandem. Andy.

dabac

Haven't used exact that, but I've been quite happy running Campy 9 to Shimano 9 via Shiftmate.

IMO it's better to stay within the same number of speeds rather than having the shifter trying to overshoot the cassette if you forget where you are.

Andrew R Stewart 

I ran an 8 speed Sachs Ergo on a 7 speed freewheel for thousands of miles on a few bikes w/ no overshooting issues. Not even getting into the 8th click on the shifter by accident. Andy.

HillRider

I also haven't used that exact combination but I've used Shiftmates to match a:

1. Campy 10-speed brifter to a Shimano 9-speed cassette and a Shimano rear derailleur. (Shiftmate #2 pulley)
2. Campy 10-speed brifter to a Shimano 10-speed cassette and a Shimano rear derailleur. (Shiftmate #3 pulley)
3. Shimano 10-speed shifter to a Campy 10-speed cassette and a Campy rear derailleur. (Shiftmate #3 pulley, reversed) I'm still using this particular combination.

For all three cases shifting has been as accurate and fast and needed no more cable adjustment then if using the "proper" mix of components. The Shiftmate pulley has never rotated out of phase or needed any attention.

BTW, for the first case (10-speed shifter with a 9-speed cassette) I set up the shifting so the extra click was to the outside of the smallest cog. The small cog position was then held by the high limit screw and if I shifted too far all that resulted was a slightly slack cable.

dabac

So you were happy with it, I wasn't entirely. No big deal.

I didn't say it was a showstopper. Nor did I claim it to be an unquestionable truth. My opinion, my experience. Yours may differ.

I used a Campy 10 shifter with the rest Shimano 8 on another bike for two seasons.
It did get a bit strange at times when a shift hesitated and I hadn't payed attention to where I was at.
There's better tactile feedback from the shifter when it's at its natural stop rather than at its foreshortened stop.
I wouldn't run a speed mismatched set if all that stands in the way is a chain and a cassette.

More awkward combos, perhaps.

dabac

There are two schools of thought regarding that.
The way I've read it, (Campy) shifters are supposed to pull a little more cable on the first shift to make up for initial slack.
So getting the shifting just right can be a bit trickier that way than when you keep the first shift as the manufacturer intended and lock out the last position instead.
That certainly turned out true on my setup.
OTOH when I ran 8-of-9 from a 9-speed cassette on a 7-speed body, I did it your way and that ran fine.

HillRider

The problem I've read about with locking out the last (lowest gear) position is that if you forget where you are and try to force a non-available shift you can break something internal in the shifter. Anyway, my method did work well and removing the first position slack only required tightening the barrel adjuster to compensate.

jyl

Sounds good. Thanks, all. I will try it. I now feel able to rebuild these shifters and use them.

pdlamb

There's always one stick in the mud, and I guess I'm it today.

I ran a JTek to use a Campa shifter with Shimano rder. It worked, sort of. I rode that system for a couple of years, but I sure was happy when I found a new Campagnolo rear derailer.

Camilo

I've been looking for a Jtek Shiftmate #1 - but their website seems to be down and I can't find a source. Any pointers?

HillRider

I have an address and phone number for Jtek that I hope still work:

Jtek Engineering Inc.
5965 138th ST N
Hugh, MN 55038

1-651-340-9770

Camilo

Thanks. I'll try to give them a call tomorrow (it's past closing in MN probably).

I wonder if anyone has bought anything from them lately or knows if they've closed their doors.

[edit] Just tried the number "not in service"

dynaryder

Peter White lists them on their site. If Jtek closed,they might have some old stock.

zonatandem

Works as advertised.

HillRider

Not a good sign. I tried calling the phone number tonight expecting an answering machine but got an automated response saying "The mail box number you are trying to call is not in service." All of the Google references also call up the dead web site so that's discouraging. Peter White Cycles in New Hampshire sells Shiftmates and has a recent web page describing them so he might know what happened. A call to him might get some useful info:

Peter White Cycles
24 Hall Rd.
Hillsborough, NH 03244
USA
603 478 0900 Phone
603 478 0902 Phax

Kimmo

Bummer about Jtek... hope it's not the end for the Shiftmate!

I have a bike running round-hood 9s shifters and Shimano 9s cassette and derailer, and I found the shifting crappy at first because the Campy shifter had built-in overshift where the spring carrier was free to rotate a smidge when pulling the cable; it'd catch on the next larger cog before clicking. Pulled the shifter apart and stuffed a couple of ziptie offcuts into the slots restricting the carrier movement to eliminate the movement, and bingo - perfect shifting.

That's only with ratcheting shifters; Campy's old-style mechanism won't be fazed, just like a downtube or barend shifter.

Definitely a risk with STI or other Campy shifters though. Doubletap too, but that's not so relevant.

MNBikeCommuter

I was a bit surprised to see they're a local company (along with Park Tools) so had to do a little digging. This may explain a bit of what people are finding/not finding:

Obituary: Jay D. Guthrie

Beloved Husband, Father, Son & Brother ~ Age 49 Passed away at home surrounded by family on June 27, 2010 after a long battle with cancer. Preceded in death by father Gerald; brother Craig. Survived by loving wife Ann; daughter Lindsay (Rodrigo Da Silva); son Ryan; mother Nancy; brother Bart (Stacy Gabriel); and many supportive extended family & friends. Founder & President of Jtek Engineering which designs & manufactures specialty bicycling products sold worldwide. Memorial Service Thursday (7/1)

Camilo

Update: I found an old email exchange I had with Jtek about a year and a half ago, and it was replied by Ryan Guthrie - he'd taken over the company after his dad died. I emailed to that address and Ryan replied very quickly.

The bad news is that he said he'd closed the company and had no remaining stock. He suggested I contact the companies already mentioned in this thread. Ebay here I come!

jyl

Jtek Shift Mate 1 shifting adaptor - £37.99

seem to still have them

ShiftMate from Peter White Cycles

Might also?

HillRider

That's really sad news. I knew Ryan had take the company over from his father a while ago but I'm very disappointed to hear he has now closed it. Jtek had several other clever and useful bike components along with the Shiftmates.

Kimmo

+1

bikemike488

Shiftmate Lives:
Jtek Shiftmate

jyl

That's good news.

Rguthrie

Ryan here. I happened to be poking around and saw this. I thought I would clear up any confusion. I did own Jtek for about 7 years after my father passed away and it was a blast and I loved doing it. It was the greatest gift anyone could have ever given to me and it taught me alot about myself and work ethic and set the path I am now on as a shop manager for a large aerospace and medical compnay.

Over the last few years my personal life had been suffering as Jtek was a one man show and I spent many nights and weekends working to keep production orders up and everything else involved. My wife (girlfriend at the time) was a trooper and spent many many evenings and weekends with me working in the shop along sode me but at a certian point was burnt out. I had picked up the job I am currently at to supercharge our finances as we had been shopping for a home to call our own instead of our one bedroom apartment. At that point I was working 7 days a week from 4am until I could no longer keep my eyes open. Her and I rarley saw eachother awake. She basically told me that some changes needed to take place or it was best that we part ways. I was faced with some very difficult decisions shortly after.

As hard as it was I decided that having steady work and gaurenteed income was the best decision and we purchased our house and I asked her to marry me the night we moved in. I was then faced with decisions about Jtek. It was hard, my father built the company from about 5000.00 bucks into what it was and I had poured a good part of my life into it. I sacrificed a lot of my early 20's and personal life to continue a shared dream of my fathers and myself.

When a long time customer of ours St.Johns Cycles asked to place an order and I had informed them that I was closing the doors and could not complete orders the owner Robin asked me what I was going to do with Jtek and if selling the business to them was an option. I did have multiple offers and inquiries regarding possible sales of Jtek. In the end I worked out a sale of the business with Robin. I had worked with them very closly since the early days and felt they were a great fit for not only continued production and sales but growing the company and adding new products. They also agreed to keep the name as Jtek and add more products under the Jtek brand. The sale was arranged and finalized this past march and they have been doing a great job releasing many new products and product lines.

I am happy with my new work and married my wife this past September and we have a beautiful house out in Blaine. Its been a lot of work and was a whirlwind of things going on. I havent had much time in the saddle this past year for those of you who know me and see me around the mountain bike and cyclocross scene. Things are starting to settle down now and I look forward to getting back in the saddle come spring.

If you have questions regarding products you can contact Robin Thorne at SJS. You can also contact myself and I can help answer questions as I played a major role in every aspect of inventing these products. I stay in close contact with SJS and help them whenever I can. Its great to play some small role in the continued sucess of Jtek.

I can also put you in direct contact with them aswell.

Anyway, I hope that clears things up. Happy roads and trails! Look forward to riding with everyone again this spring!