stanjang

I broke this shifter on a crash recently and need to decide on a replacement.
The bike is a Litespeed Classic with mid-90's Dura Ace groupset. The rear derailleur has been replaced with a late 90's Dura Ace unit. The drivetrain has been recently replaced and I don't ride the bike a great deal, so these points are factors in how to proceed.

Please confirm whether these options will work:

1) Install a right 105 shifter, 10 speed cassette and 10 speed chain.
I've already tested my freehub with a 10 speed cassette to verify that it fits. Sheldon Brown says that my derailleur should work with 10 speed.

2) Install a right Claris shifter. Will this work? Its entry level, but people say that it works fine.

I have considered replacing the entire drivetrain (compact cranks) to get lower gears, but can't bear to toss all of these components that are running fine.

Thanks,
Stan

jimc101

With any 8 speed freehub, sticking a 10 speed cassette should just fit.

For the shifters you are looking at, would try to keep the pair the same, as having different shaped grips/levers may just feel off, and looking at the options you have proposed, can't see how it will be much more cost effective by getting one shifters vs the pair.

If your happy with the look of Claris (it a very good VFM group), would stick a pair on, and sell the excess 7400 STI (7400 was Dura Ace 8 speed), alternately look for a good used NOS 7400 RH STI)

If looking at converting to 10 speed, would avoid 10 speed 105, this came in 2 versions 5600 with the external shifter cables and 5700 with the under the tape cables, 5600 will be hard to find now, as it's many years OOP, and the 5700 series was the first gen of covered cable, which weren't that good, if you can wait a few weeks for 4700 Tiagra, this is effectively Shimano's 2nd gen under the tape 10 speed STI's but would budget for a new FD if looking at this, as the design has changed significantly.

Al1943

Which RD will you be using? (7700?). If so it should work will with any Shimano 9 or 10- speed shifter.

stanjang

Thanks for the replies. Yes the rear derailleur is 7700.

jimc101, just to confirm, Claris shifters pull the correct amount of cable for my rear and front derailleur? Thanks for the info re: 10 speed. I'd forgotten about the change to cable run.

Stan

mconlonx

Funny: a few years ago, we had a Lightspeed in the shop with a broken shifter, DuraAce 8sp setup. Customer's solution was to take the opportunity to upgrade then current 10sp Dura Ace...

jimc101

No change with Claris, I mentioned needing a new FD with Tiagra 4700, as this has the 11 speed (5800/6800/9000) design FD; would be surprised if it didn't work, as normally there is cross compatibility between Shimano groups (somewhere there probably is a chart for this), but as it's not on the market just yet, and is of a new design, would play it safe when it comes out (if buying), and get the FD as well as the shifters (the new design should shift much better than the old one if 11 speed is to go by)

bradtx

Stan, The 8S D-A RD has a different pull ration than any of the 8-10S RDs. You can shift the RD with a 9S from any of Shimano's groups. AFIK the 8S D-A FD is the same ratio as the lower tier 8S and the 9 and 10S. I've read that the second generation of under the bar tape 10S shifters have a different brake and gear pull ratios. Info is a bit conflicting, but perhaps someone can post up exactly which groups that change occurs.

Brad

stanjang

The new Tiagra will be 10 speed correct? I believe that 11 speed requires a different RD because of the amount of cable pull.

stanjang

Thanks Brad, but I think that you're referring to the original 8S D-A RD that is incompatible with current 8/9/10 speed.

Here's my story on this:
I got my bike setup with mid-90's 8speed D-A. I crashed a couple years later and the shop straightened the hanger and put in a D-A 7700 RD. Fast forward a bunch of years. I found that I couldn't get my rear shifting dialed in. I thought that it was a worn drivetrain. I replaced the drivetrain, but still not perfect. I took it to a shop to check the hanger. They told me that the D-A STI wasn't compatible with the 7700 D-A RD. But there's an alternate cable attachment to make the RD work with this older STI shifter. Problem solved. Then I crashed and broke the shifter...

So, it seems that my original D-A had different cable pull from almost all other Shimano 8/9/10. The next version D-A (including my current RD) was changed to this "standard".

This is what I've learned, and I just wanted to confirm before I start shopping.
Thanks,
Stan

FastJake

If it were my bike I would want a replacement DA7400 lever. You can probably find them on ebay. There's also a guy on ebay that rebuilds the old levers and gets them back into great working condition (or so I've heard.)

You have other options, of course. "Upgrade" to 9/10/11 speed. Or put on some Claris 8-speed shifters.

An intriguing option you might not be aware of is that you can use Campy 10-speed levers with an otherwise Shimano 8-speed drivetrain. I've done this on at least 5 bikes and it's worked great every time. Just avoid anything with the "Escape" mechanism which is supposed to be terrible.

These options will work. Front shifting might not be ideal with the wider chainrings and 8S FD. But it should still work.

vintage cellar

The 7700 should work fine with a ten-speed set-up. But usually it wont handle much more than a 28 tooth rear cog maximum. Sometimes you can use a longer b-tension screw and get up around 30 max. Think about if that is gonna be low enough of a low . . .