SIS friction mode vs old friction shifters?
#1
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SIS friction mode vs old friction shifters?
It seems to me that the suntour blueline shifters on the Lotus Unique I used to have shifted quieter than my Shimano SIS shifters in the
friction mode.The shimano shifters shift ok but you still get the fairly loud click from on gear to the next, you just cant feel the click in the shifter.
If I remember right the old Suntour shifter seemed much smoother going from one gear to the next.
friction mode.The shimano shifters shift ok but you still get the fairly loud click from on gear to the next, you just cant feel the click in the shifter.
If I remember right the old Suntour shifter seemed much smoother going from one gear to the next.
#2
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The older Suntour shifters may have been retrofriction which changed really well. I'm afraid I don't know the other ones you list.
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It seems to me that the suntour blueline shifters on the Lotus Unique I used to have shifted quieter than my Shimano SIS shifters in the
friction mode.The shimano shifters shift ok but you still get the fairly loud click from on gear to the next, you just cant feel the click in the shifter.
If I remember right the old Suntour shifter seemed much smoother going from one gear to the next.
friction mode.The shimano shifters shift ok but you still get the fairly loud click from on gear to the next, you just cant feel the click in the shifter.
If I remember right the old Suntour shifter seemed much smoother going from one gear to the next.

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The friction mode on my 9-speed DA downtube shifters is worthless. Won't hold a gear worth a damn no matter how tight I screw it in. Index mode is exact and reliable though.

#5
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IME dedicated friction shifters generally function a lot better than SIS shifters in friction mode.
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I've got Shimano 8 speed bar end shifters on my Ironman. While they worked in SIS mode with the 7 speed Shimano 6400 drive train, it was still a a bit clunky, so I switched to friction mode and it works flawlessly and is easily superior to Suntour Superbe or Cyclone setups I have on other bikes.
#9
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I have a variety of friction and friction/index shifters. The Suntour ratcheting and pure friction (and Rivendell Silver) shifters are the smoothest. Shimano 8-speed Ultegra bar-ends work in friction or index mode (I also have some on Paul thumbies) do have micro-detents in friction mode, but they don't have clicks between gears. As much as I love the Suntour pure friction levers, they do need tension adjustments from time to time with the D-ring and the Shimano's don't seem to need that. It's not a problem , just different.
I haven't ever had an opportunity to use the Simplex that everyone seems to love, so I can't say how they compare. My favorites are the Rivendell Silvers.
I haven't ever had an opportunity to use the Simplex that everyone seems to love, so I can't say how they compare. My favorites are the Rivendell Silvers.
Last edited by stanman13; 08-13-19 at 01:02 PM.
#10
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#11
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From the ones i used so far i liked these Hurets the most

#12
Shifting is fun!
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+1. They have a feeling of substance to them that I really like.