mtnbke - Thanks for noticing us here at Retroshift. I think it is a very cool idea to set up a 'real' retro retroshift system. I have even eyed some older Mafac or other levers and down-tube shifters and thought it would be fun to set them up as kind of a spoof (vintage looking photo) to show that this idea had been invented many many years ago.
gerv - yes friction is no issue at all. I have told this story before but it still brings a smile to my face each time i remember it. I had a younger (young enough to not have ever used friction) test rider use the system set up with a Dura-Ace 10sp in friction and he loved it and actually thought it was a new technology. With kids getting into vinyl records again I guess anything is possible!
LesterOfPuppets - I love to tinker with stuff, but you pretty much hit it on the head as far as the reality of it. I get very excited by the idea of all the fun that can be had but I am just happy I managed to focus enough to bring just one more option to the table for cyclist to enjoy.
Snydermann - I will get more photos up in time (no need to have to take them apart
I have much going on in life (work between three jobs) and web site was hurriedly done and is quite lacking I feel. The system mounts up VERY simply. That said I went though at least a half dozen levers to find the one that worked the best. The part we machine here in Portland fits up against the lever with a very purposeful profile which took the use of more than a little bit of technology to get right. It is an exaggeration but i would ask you to try to imagine trying to get a coin to reliably stick to the side of a billiard (or pool) ball with only pressure.
ciocc_cat - I am a fan of Kelly Take-Offs and command shifters (should not be too big a surprise) and still consider my Simplex levers as a pinnacle of perfection. I do hope you get a chance to try out the new shifters as I think you will probably like them for all the right reasons but will also be totally surprised at how easy and quick they are to shift. I have played with the design for some time but it was not until I moved the shifter on to the brake lever that it all really clicked. With this arrangement you no longer need to move fingers from the brake to shift.
noglider - Haven't made any yet, will be in the hole for a while! But that said we were getting orders within 10 minutes of the site going live even though it was 10 or so hours until Google indexed us and we were even showing up on searches. Have to say after all the work this was a relief. This has also gives me some confidence to move forward on an additional version that will be based on a lever for linear pull v-brakes. This has been a much asked for addition.
clasher - trained monkey = me! As I mentioned, I love to tinker and much of my time is spent for the pure joy of it and not for profit. It all takes allot of work/time. I love my machine shop and am totally blown away by them. I used to be a recruiter for machinists but never encountered folks like this. Case in point, I walked into the shop on a Monday morning the day after a pro rider had given me feedback at the end of his race about a change he would like to try. About 4 hours later I walked out with a new part, built up a new set of shifters and delivered it to him so he could ride ride it and assess it before the next race. I don't think I can stress enough that this is VERY out of the ordinary and super cool. Yes I could have this stuff made in China for half the price, but there is no way it would be as good and it would not continue to improve in the same way it does by doing it in a community. Sort of on my soap box and my desire to make things in the USA coming out a bit. Sorry.
Mark Kelly - Could work. If you are handy you could even fabricate something that could work with existing parts. Take a close look at the first picture on the support page. You will see some old down-tube clamp on style brackets that I made a mock up with. This would be THE way to go to do a real vintage version as I think you CAN make a working system with only bits from the 60's, 70's. Only makes me wonder all the more why it was not done. Moser should have been riding this technology!
PDXaero - Custom milled makes it sound a bit too special.
It does take some work to get it all right but it is really pretty simple in its end result. Retroshift is not for everyone but I do hope you get to actually ride it as even trying it in a repair stand does not give a fair idea of how it functions. You have to really be on it more than any other component I can think of for it to work. This is probably a good part of the reason why it has not really been done. I still cant really explain in words to someone how it works if I have it in front of me. I will be getting some more video up soon I hope to help explain it. I had a rider on 'Ladies Auxiliary' race Kruger Farms this season with a set that was put on her bike just the evening before. When I asked her how it went she said she loved it but could not really explain how or why just that it was easy.
cudak888 - I am game to try and help anyone out who wants to have a go (I over-commit often!). I would propose that someone donate an old brake lever (complete) that is of a type/model that others are interested in having something for and I will see what I can come up with. If there are a couple of different possible levers then I would want photos to see which one looked like the best bet (and least amount of work).
Kanegon - Will it fit Suntour? You are right it 'should' BUT might not. If you look at the pictures on the product page of the site (click to enlarge) you will see it does include mounts (machined here in Portland out of stainless steel - and held in place with quality hardware from Italy no less). There are so many options that to keep it simple i stuck to Shimano. There are many slight nuances in this little microcosm of shift lever mount interface that have to be taken into account and can cause issues. My kitchen table has a good half dozen assorted types of shift levers (including Campy and Microshift for instance) and they are all different. Even the Shimano which work will cause headaches. Some come with bolts that are longer than others and bottom out, some with washers that are too thick and cause mis-alignment of the cable through the cable stop hole, some fit on a boss with shoulders (like the one pictured) others wont fit over shoulders... Its almost like the big players have been trying to kill off bar-end/down-tube shifters! Conspiracy!!! I am kidding, but if you wanted to believe this you could argue it no problem!
Cheers all and I hope the above is of some value to you.
Adam - Retroshift