msummers

Hello all,
Yesterday I was able to pick up a beautiful new steel frame at an amazing price. It doesn't have the braze on for downtube shifters, and I was wondering If I or my LBS could still be able to install dt shifters on it-I do have a campy group w/dura ace dt shifters lying around, but I don't have one with brake lever shifters.
How can this be done?

LesterOfPuppets

If you don't mind friction shifting and the downtube is of a reasonable size/shape then you could dig up an old clamp on shifter set.

https://cgi.ebay.com/Campagnolo-Downt...d=p3286.c0.m14

msummers

Thanks!
I have never installed clamp on, are they less reliable in any way than braze on shifters? I had clamp on on an old motobecane of mine and it would come loose on long rides; was that just user malfunction?

HillRider

Clamp-on downtube shifters are an option but, AFAIK, are only available for 1-1/8" diameter round downtubes. Oversize, oval, teardrop, etc. need not apply.

A frame builder could braze on shifter bosses but the cost of the work plus a new paint job will be appreciable.

The cheapest way around the problem is bar-end shifters. They use the built in cable stops on your new frame and cost a small fraction of what brifters do.

msummers

That's a good idea, I am so unfamiliar with bar end shifters that I wouldn't have thought of it. Instead of ripping the drivetrain off my other bike, can someone recommend an affordable group that would work with bar-end shifters? Can I cut costs further by using a low normal derailer?

LesterOfPuppets

They are very nearly as reliable as braze-on shifters. Since there's a pair of clamp-ons on ebay right now with a broken clamp, I suppose that's always a failure possibility, albeit remote.

Assuming the threads are in good shape, a little dab of blue loctite on the threads of the bolt will help keep it from loosening.

I'd likely go the barend route as the other poster suggested, myself, unless you park your bike at bike racks a lot, then I'd stick with the DT. Or, if you just wanna save a little money, of course, stick with the DT shifters.

bluenote157

Friction shifters pretty much work with anything. With that said, friction barcons pretty much work with anything. If you want to cut costs, you can go to rivbike.com and buy those shifter pods and mount your existing dura ace downtube shifters to it. Then again, i'm sure you can find some barcons that are cheaper than what rivbike is charging for those pods. I found some 8 speed shimano barcons and am going to throw my suntour friction levers on them.
Another route is to buy some paul thumbies and use your existing dura ace shifters, then you can mount them on the handlebars.

tellyho

Pretty sure Rivendell only charges $25 for the barend pods. Hard to find an old set of Suntours for that price, at least in my neighborhood.

2tall

I have several older bikes that use clamp-on downtube shifters. The clamps mount on the frame above raised frame bosses. The bosses are intended to keep the clamp in place (prevent the tightened clamp from sliding down under cable tension). Newer frames may not have such a boss.

A fix is to put a small, flat blob of clear silicon caulk on the inside of the downtube clamp, and let it dry first. It provides a grippy surface to keep the clamp from sliding down the frame. This is done in addtion to the blue Loctite on the clamp bolt threads.