mitiwi2

Are all downtube shifters basically the same? If I wanted to use old (from 70s or 80s) downtube shifters with a modern 9 spd group, will they be able to pull enough cable for today's cassettes (don't worry about indexing)? The only company still making downtube shifters that I could find today is shimano, but I'd rather keep my bike all campy. Can I mix old levers and new cassettes if I stay in friction mode?

operator

Yes.

jhs

You can use Campy Nuovo Record shifters which are still available at a few places like

https://www.loosescrews.com/index.cgi...d=556658519810

I am currently using them on a 9 speed setup.

Brian Ratliff

Yes, but because the modern cassettes are so ramped and shift enhanced, you might find it hard to find a gear using the friction mode.

Here's what campy still offers in non-brifter type shifters. The page includes a conversion kit for converting a bar end shifter into a downtube shifter further down. These are indexed for modern systems. Unfortunately there is no 9 speed shifter anymore. Fortunately, changing to 10 speed involves a simple change in cogsets as the 9 and 10 speed rear hubs are identical and a 9 speed rear derailleur can be converted to 10 speed simply by buying different pulley wheels.

mitiwi2

Thanks for the link jhs... these things are hard to find outside of ebay. I'm glad to hear it's working for you

TallRider

Rivendell offers their "Silver" shifters, with a rachet mechanism like the old SunTour bar-end shifters, in a down-tube version, if you want to go with friction shifters, too.
But it sounds more like you want to re-use something that's already out there.

cuda2k

I do find that my older Shimano 105 shifters (6sp Golden Arrow) seem to shift my front derailleur faster (ie: less pull) than my newer (7speed) set. That could be a combination of factors. But generally - yes: it will work. Though I can agree with the statement above with the ramps/pins sometimes making it hard to find a gear with friction.

HillRider

My experience with Nuovo Record downtube shifters was all bad. They wouldn't hold their adjustment and loosened every few rides. After the third or fourth "ghost shift" when the D-ring lost its adjustment, I switched to Sun Tour "Power Shifters" and never had another problem.

As to the current ramps and shaped teeth, I find they make friction shifting much more precise and predictable. My index-compatible triple crank shifts much better, particularly under load, than the older flat chainrings even with friction barcons.

TallRider

I also find that ramped sprockets make shifting easier with a friction system. This is what I'm running on my my commuting bike. One thing that makes this easier is having a top derailler pully with some float (as they are designed into Shimano's modern (so, the past 20 years) deraillers. Aids indexing and allows space for the ramps to do their job.

(I've never seen "pinned" rear sprockets, only chainrings, and lots of modern systems still run the front shifting as non-indexed.)

Poguemahone

Just get Simplex retrofrictions. Once you use them, you quickly realize all others are junk (possible exception: Suntour Power Ratchets). The Simplexes hold their shift and shift like butter. Far, far superior to Campy NR if you're looking for friction shifting. I always toss the Campy shifters on any Campy equipped bike I find in favour of the Simplex, just that superior.