The trials and tribulations...
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The trials and tribulations...
Having had an opportunity to ride brother WPH's tandem a couple of times, I was a bit disappointed to pack it up and send it off to Perth. So began the search for a tandem of my own.
I'm now the happy new owner of a low mileage 2009 KHS Milano tandem, picked up for a very reasonable price off ebay. I have seen specs sheets which suggest this model came with Tiagra running gear, but for whatever reason, mine is a flat bar option with SRAM shifters and RD, and V-brakes.
I have ridden it with one of riding mates as stoker, which was enormous fun (won the sprint, no less!), and have started to get Mrs TRH up and running as a regular stoker.
Having paid not too much originally, I have decided to spend a little money converting it to a drop bar bike. The first of the trials is that SRAM don't seem to make a 9sp road bar shifter, and to convert it all to 10sp starts to run up a sizeable bill. On further investigation, it would be more reasonable to convert the RD to Shimano and use bar-end shifters.
To this end, I ordered a pile of various bits and pieces from Chain Reaction which was delivered unbelievably quickly. I enthusiastically opened my box of parts, and was particularly struck by the new XT RD. As I was admiring its very blingness, I noticed that it doesn't have a barrel cable adjuster on the RD. This struck me as a serious issue on a bike without downtube adjusters. With bar-end shifters, there would be no ability to adjust the cable at any point. My enthusiasm was displaced by disappointment. I could change parts around from other bikes, which wouldn't be a disaster, its just the frustration of dealing with apparently minor changes in construction which can impact on unsuspecting users who have a slightly non-cnforming use. I'm sure I won't be the only person who realises their very bling XT derailleur won't work on their road bike.
At this point, I don't see any immediate solution. I suppose in-line cable adjusters would work, but I don't have any personal experience with them.
I'm hoping that someone on this incredible resource can give me some guidance on how this could be tackled.
I look forward to putting up many more miles on my new bike, and already enjoy the camaraderie of the forum. I may even post a photo when i get around to it!
Cheers,
Tom.
I'm now the happy new owner of a low mileage 2009 KHS Milano tandem, picked up for a very reasonable price off ebay. I have seen specs sheets which suggest this model came with Tiagra running gear, but for whatever reason, mine is a flat bar option with SRAM shifters and RD, and V-brakes.
I have ridden it with one of riding mates as stoker, which was enormous fun (won the sprint, no less!), and have started to get Mrs TRH up and running as a regular stoker.
Having paid not too much originally, I have decided to spend a little money converting it to a drop bar bike. The first of the trials is that SRAM don't seem to make a 9sp road bar shifter, and to convert it all to 10sp starts to run up a sizeable bill. On further investigation, it would be more reasonable to convert the RD to Shimano and use bar-end shifters.
To this end, I ordered a pile of various bits and pieces from Chain Reaction which was delivered unbelievably quickly. I enthusiastically opened my box of parts, and was particularly struck by the new XT RD. As I was admiring its very blingness, I noticed that it doesn't have a barrel cable adjuster on the RD. This struck me as a serious issue on a bike without downtube adjusters. With bar-end shifters, there would be no ability to adjust the cable at any point. My enthusiasm was displaced by disappointment. I could change parts around from other bikes, which wouldn't be a disaster, its just the frustration of dealing with apparently minor changes in construction which can impact on unsuspecting users who have a slightly non-cnforming use. I'm sure I won't be the only person who realises their very bling XT derailleur won't work on their road bike.
At this point, I don't see any immediate solution. I suppose in-line cable adjusters would work, but I don't have any personal experience with them.
I'm hoping that someone on this incredible resource can give me some guidance on how this could be tackled.
I look forward to putting up many more miles on my new bike, and already enjoy the camaraderie of the forum. I may even post a photo when i get around to it!
Cheers,
Tom.
#2
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Bikes: 2015 Apollo Syncro tandem, 2006 Scott CR1 SL (still a beastie race bike), 1993 Trek T200, 2006 Fuji Absolute Le, 2000 Thorn Club Tour
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Brother
And so it starts... These sorts of mechanical challenges are part of the world of tandeming, it seems.
No lever bosses on the KHS downtube? That's a bugger. I guess the bike was built long after bar-end and downtube shifters stopped appearing on new mass-market machinery...
No barrel adjuster as part of the XT RD design? That's a bugger. I guess Shimano figure the adjuster on a flat bar gear shifter is all that's needed...
I have a pair of in-line barrel adjusters in stock, they came off my Scott. My experience is that they are a bit fiddly, prone to gradually unwinding, and give only a limited range of adjustment. I removed them because the Dura Ace RD has a perfectly good adjuster, these other bits were redundant. They may be okay on a well-maintained 9 sp system (I'm sure your's will be!). I will post them over, but let's hope the Best and Brightest have some other workable options.
My CRC order takes an awful long time to come into Albany, my last order to Perth took only four days to arrive.
And so it starts... These sorts of mechanical challenges are part of the world of tandeming, it seems.
No lever bosses on the KHS downtube? That's a bugger. I guess the bike was built long after bar-end and downtube shifters stopped appearing on new mass-market machinery...
No barrel adjuster as part of the XT RD design? That's a bugger. I guess Shimano figure the adjuster on a flat bar gear shifter is all that's needed...
I have a pair of in-line barrel adjusters in stock, they came off my Scott. My experience is that they are a bit fiddly, prone to gradually unwinding, and give only a limited range of adjustment. I removed them because the Dura Ace RD has a perfectly good adjuster, these other bits were redundant. They may be okay on a well-maintained 9 sp system (I'm sure your's will be!). I will post them over, but let's hope the Best and Brightest have some other workable options.
My CRC order takes an awful long time to come into Albany, my last order to Perth took only four days to arrive.
Last edited by WPH; 03-19-13 at 06:46 AM. Reason: typos
#3
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let's hope the Best and Brightest have some other workable options.
For your setup with barends, I would want to place them as close to the downtube cable stops as possible, or very close to the chainstay cable stop.
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BICYCLE - [[I]bahy-si-kuhl] - Noun :> A medical device used to correct the common geriatric condition of OFS, (Old, Fat & Slow), in a manner that does not induce brain-decaying boredom like walking or running.
2005 Trek T2000 tandem, Giant TCR, Eddie Merckx Majestic Ti, Fuji Team, Giant Revel 29er, Windsor Clockwork (Orange) fixie, and a BikTrix Juggernaut Ultra 1000 fat tire eBike
BICYCLE - [[I]bahy-si-kuhl] - Noun :> A medical device used to correct the common geriatric condition of OFS, (Old, Fat & Slow), in a manner that does not induce brain-decaying boredom like walking or running.
2005 Trek T2000 tandem, Giant TCR, Eddie Merckx Majestic Ti, Fuji Team, Giant Revel 29er, Windsor Clockwork (Orange) fixie, and a BikTrix Juggernaut Ultra 1000 fat tire eBike
#4
Clipless in Coeur d'Alene
I also have a Shimano Shadow RD (XTR M972) that is sans cable adjuster. I like that the fixed cable location does not require a large cable slack loop like those models which pivot the cable casing stop point inward.
Some people have reported problems with inline adjusters, but I've never experienced any. We use Jagwire adjusters for the derailleurs and these seem to work fine. For the rear brake, I use the inline adjuster provided by Avid for their BB7 disc caliper setup.
Some people have reported problems with inline adjusters, but I've never experienced any. We use Jagwire adjusters for the derailleurs and these seem to work fine. For the rear brake, I use the inline adjuster provided by Avid for their BB7 disc caliper setup.
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Thanks for the responses. On a little further investigation, it would seem Jagwire Rocket cable adjusters are designed to fit directly into the STI levers. My thought is that they might fit directly into the downtube cable stops.
Does anyone have experience or knowledge on whether this will work?
TRH
Does anyone have experience or knowledge on whether this will work?
TRH
#6
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TRH
Where you up to on this?
Photos?
WPH
Where you up to on this?
Photos?
WPH
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