Zorro,
Thanks for the offer. I have kinda fallen in like with those fairly goofy looking shifters.I bought them off Ebay because they were absolutely the cheapest-with shipping- I could get($8 I think). When they arrived, I kinda glanced at them-felt how heavy they were-HEAVY- and put them in the parts 'box". Well, I came by an old steel MTB frame a week later-put it together with parts bin parts and Katrina salvaged/rehabbed parts, and these shifters. They have a nice solid feel to them-really big and easy to find-like a car stick shift.They work just fine with the 9 speed cassette I managed to stuff in there.
For old gimps there is a lot to be said for stem shifters-no bending over, and very versatile-they don't care if it is 5 cogs or 9 cogs.
The old hardrock frame rides surprisingly "soft' for a no suspension bike. It is my new favorite.It is actually my wife's bike, but...
Thanks,
Charlie