Mary Ann,
I'd like to think you can ask anything here. Most posters at 50Plus only get wiseass when it matches the intent or content of the question. I think people try to avoid what happens commonly in other places.
Friction shifting is what used-to-be before indexed shifting arrived in the late 80's. Indexing uses detents or little "stops" inside the shifter that puts or removes just enough tension on the shifter cable to move it to the next detent-- and as it does so, it moves your derailleur just the right distance so your chain can neatly (if all is adjusted adequately) engage the next cog or chainring. shift/click, shift/click, shift/click... each click is your shifter stopping at or passing a detent and causing the chain to land on the next gear.
Friction shifting had and has no detents or stops in the shifter. The shifter moves freeling back and forth and so it is up to you manually by touch and "feel" to move the derailleur back and forth to where the chain lands on the right cog or freewheel. If you misjudge, your chain rattles a bit and you "trim" by moving the lever a tad to get that chain to mesh with the gear teeth.
In practice, it becomes second nature and can be very satisfying to get a solid ka-chunk and feel you are directly connected to your bike. OTH, missing a shift on a steep hill or with that vicious rottweiller vectoring on you can be frustrating.
A few olde fartes and young individualists hang on to friction because it is elegant, retro, shifters on e-bay are cheap or out in the garage because they last almost forever w/o wearing out.....and it simply feels good.
In the end, its no big deal.
Last edited by GrannyGear; 08-06-05 at 05:08 PM.