Originally Posted by
spclark
I was going to... the plan was to fit a pair of thumb shifters to my Motobecane.
(Couldn't find my cable cutter though so it's not quite done yet.)
This (of course!) is on my trainer, since it's Winter here & I'm not inclined to be out riding a bike when it's 6°F... even if the sun is shining.
Got 'em mounted after some tedious moments. Need a new rear brake cable (maybe housing too) though before I venture outside with this rig come spring.
I think I'm gonna like thumbies when compared to the down tube shifters she came with 54 years ago.
Right-O! I have a distinct memory, back when I was starting to ride some distance on an old downtube bike. I caught a guy on a modern bike with brifters and was drafting him. But every time I had to shift, I lost him and had to get him back. Of course, some of that was my inexperience, but still . . . I went through a couple of bikes of similar vintage, actual "10-speeds," finally bought a new carbon bike. I always felt like I was going to rip the bars off the old bikes when i sprinted, no such sensation on the carbon. I bought the new bike in 2000 and except for our tandem, it's my main ride. I built a rain bike though I don't ride in the rain much anymore.