Positron400

Hello,
I was about to transplat my clam-on style downtube shifters (suntour something) from my old mixtie to my "new" commuter, but it seems the diameter of the downtube is too wide to properly screw it on. Were 31.8 mm tubes not common "back in the day" and do I have to get an adapter, or can I get some other older style clamp-on downtube shifter which would fit that diameter?

thanks!
P!

maddog34

31.8mm downtube tubes were not common "back in the day" when clamp-on downtube shifters were common.

consider switching to bar-end shifters. they are much easier and safer to use.

there are usually a few 31.8 clamp-on downtube shifters on ebay, but you will NOT like the prices.....

tiger1964 

First off, kudos for sticking with downtube -- OK, it's antediluvian tech but some of us stick with it. I swear I've seen handmade bands on eBay, but I presume you are looking for something like THIS?

veganbikes

Yeah I would have to agree on using bar end shifters or if you are really wanting to step up get the Gevenalle shifters. They combine a standard brake lever (for short or long pull or hydro) with a bar end/downtube shifter at the front and they make a version sans shifters if you want to run your old Suntour shifters. They are fantastic and combine the old school reliability of the DT/Bar end shifter and brake lever separate with the convenience and safety of the modern STI/Ergopower/Double Tap lever.

This is probably what you would want: https://www.gevenalle.com/product/audax/ but feel free to explore.

Positron400

I love the simplicity of friction downtube - they work with everything. And yes, this is exactly what I was looking for - thanks.

Positron400

I wanna spend as little as possible on this frame as it basically serves as a replacement for my other crapped out commuter, so a new set of bar ends is not really in the cards (unless 10-20 usd). I also really prefer DT, because bar ends tend to poke my knees A LOT. How would I fix the cabling for the bar ends if I have no bosses for DT? Also, how are they safer?

Positron400

I guess If I wanna go the STI route, I'd look for some used 3x8 STIs. They should be cheap, if I be willing to spend more money on this.

veganbikes

Nope go with the Gevenalles they are a better product in certain ways. Your brake lever is a brake lever, your shifter is a downtube or bar end shifter they are mated together but are not totally integrated. STI levers are neat pieces of kit but I don't like them because I like a brake lever that is just a brake lever but I like the fact I don't have to move my hands to shift and brake and the same is true for Gevenalle. However with the Gevenalle I get the reliability of everything as separate pieces and in my case was able to keep some Dura Ace DT shifters (which I will admit are not ideal for the build and they mentioned that because they angle a little different).

I have one bike with DT shifters now and honestly I don't ride it much. It is a pretty bike and I love staring at it but I think I might seriously want to add the Gevenalle and ruin the aesthetics minorly to improve the useability of the bike. It would suck but I have had my time staring at it and want more time riding it.

Positron400

Respectfully disagree. I can get a pair of older STIs for like 50 USD/EUR but Gevenalle are a lot more expensive (not to mention, as i am in Europe they are bascially non-existent here). I use STIs on a few of my bikes and have no isses with the shifting mechanism and i want to be as thrifty as possibly with this and mostly plan on reusing parts from my existing bike.
I wanted to reuse the dt-clamp but, as stated in the first post, only noticed too late, that the downtube was 31.8 and not 28.6 (not a huge loss with a 40 € bike, but still annoying)

smd4

I’m a down tube fan myself, but the claim is that bar end shifters are safer because you don’t need to take your hands off the handle bars to use them.

Positron400

Ah, fair enough. Not really an issue for me, but i get the claim.

kommisar

paddythepeddler on ebay specializes in adapting old clamp on gear for oversize tubing. Check out his stuff.

https://www.ebay.com/str/paddythepeddler

veganbikes

Ahh did not know you were in Europe...that does complicate things more but yeah the shifting is fine, it is the braking that bothers me. I like my brake lever to just be a brake lever I don't like it also moving to shift that is why I loved Di2 and the Gevenalle stuff. STI levers for $50 could be a screaming deal or completely fubar'd I actually have a pair of 8 speed Tricolor levers that I did bring back from the near dead but it took a lot of work and cleaning to get them back and they still aren't great but they shift decently enough (nowhere near like a new one would). I do get the parts bin idea my favorite bike came heavily out of my parts bin and a co-workers. But I did it with trigger shifters as a flat bar/alt bar set up because I had enough drop bar bikes but nothing flat anymore now that has changed.

maddog34

since you've convinced yourself to stay with the downtube shifters, i won't bother explaining bar-end shifter advantages to you.

You need to find a local Bicycle RECYCLER/Co-op, and hope they have a 31.8mm clamp DT shifter set in their stock... anyone else will be wanting to get top Dollar for one.... or Euro... or whatever currency you use...

79pmooney

No help here on the 31.8 dilemma. I have two bikes that are probably 31.8 but one is a fix gear and the other got "braze-ons" for DT shifters when it was built. (In quotes because its a welded frame.)

DT shifters - yeah! Dangerous? I suppose but I haven't seen that crash in 100,00 miles so I'll keep pushing my luck. (I love that they accomplish the impossible. Light, cheap and reliable as all get out. More aero too.)

Sorry, I haven't had your challenge yet. If I'd seen it, I'd have an answer for you.

Re: bar ends - I'll never go that route because I've hit the handlebar end too many times with my knee/thigh. I can imagine 1) the bar end getting hit a lot more often than the bar itself being closer, 2) that impact perhaps not being fun and 3) the resulting shift perhaps being unwanted. Never mind the potential for that shifter breaking when the bike falls over. (I've also seen a few expensive brifters trashed in crashes. My racing days - trashed brake levers were just the cost of doing business. Most worked just fine post crash. Never damaged a DT shifter, ever.)

ThermionicScott 

One solution to the “bar ends make the bars too long” issue is simply to use a pipe cutter to trim off 1/2” (or more) from the ends of the handlebars before installing. How often do you ride with your hands on the very back ends of the drops anyway? 😉

79pmooney

I'd have to cut the bars back the full length of the shifter.

Positron400

I should maybe clarify, that the 50 € were for one shifter only - (the right one). As this is going to be a commuter. (Personally, i would love to use some 105 STI ST-5500s if I could get my hands on them for cheap, since i already have the RD). I will be going 1x so a FD is not required.

I feel like my cheapest-no-faff-option will likely be some form of bar end shifter to use most (if not all) of the existing stuff on my donor bike. What "vintage" bar end should I be looking for, if I want friction, seeing as most of the modern offerings only do indexed?

delbiker1 

I have a pair of 6500 STI levers that are in very good shape, also a pair of 4500 that are lightly used and look nearly new. Prices TBD. PM me with interest.

veganbikes

Still pretty cheap.

For friction I would do probably the Dia-Compe ENE Bar end shifters I hear they are quite nice but you can also use just about any Shimano and possibly Microshift Barcon in friction mode. If I wanted the ultimate set up probably an old Suntour or Campagnolo shifter would be the dreamiest but I don't know enough to really say those will be great in your situation as I am unsure if at least the old old Campagnolo would sweep a cassette or 8-10 speeds as I have not had the pleasure of actually using one. SunRace also make a shifter and I know Rivendell sells them individually but not sure on getting them in Europe. There is also a slight possibility that maybe you can find a shifter pod that can use your DT shifter on it but that would probably be best asked in C&V as I know bits and bobs enough to be helpful in a shop for most folks but not a ton of full compatibility and odd stuff like that to really give you the proper answer.

Positron400

Yea, I was considering the DAcompe offerings, since i already have set of those as DT in use on a different bike and the ratchet mechanism is awesome. While they are not super spendy (75 € for the pair), I will check my local coop for some older/cheaper offerings in the Suntour/Campag vein. Really trying to keep the cost down as much as possible and I hope I can get one there for ~10-20 € (if not even a DT clamp at 31.8 mm to make the front end even more hassle free)

JohnDThompson 

If your clamp-on shift levers are compatible with standard square-base braze-on mounts (many, but not all, are), something like this will work:

https://www.jensonusa.com/Problem-So...-Shifter-Mount

Crankycrank

Check out these. https://www.bricklanebikes.co.uk/via...-shifter-mount

Kontact

If money is that big a problem spend $10 on some stem shifters.

There is no cheap and elegant downtube solution.

tiger1964 

I wonder if, in a commuter/college application depending on where the bike is parked, if downtube shifters might (marginally) act as a theft deterrent? There might be a generation of younger would-be thieves that would shy away from them. Then again, maybe not.

In a very different application, I recently used one of those -- not the prettiest design but it certainly works.