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Originally Posted by RobbieTunes
(Post 21838899)
Some Kleins are DT or nothing, as they used that piggy-back shift mount AND routed the cable directly down through the downtube. A lot of modifying can change that, but then it's just an old bike changed. Stay tuned, sports fans, I've got something cooking on an older Klein. Top |
I've never been a fan of down tube shifters. I've always ridden a 25" or larger frame and the dt is too far away to reach, my chin hits the top tube before my hand gets to the shifters on some bikes. I ran Suntour Barcons on nearly everything back in the day and still have them on a few vintage Raleighs. Longer legs doesn't always equate to longer arms, with a frame that had a 12" tall headtube, it means the DT shifters can be as much as 8" farther away than on say a 21" frame. Ad four or five inches of saddle height the reach issue gets even worse. These days, some 40 years later, its my gut not my chin that gets in the way but at 6ft 3in tall and over 300lbs, I pretty much gave up on road bikes except for a few upright conversions I still ride.
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Originally Posted by randyjawa
(Post 21836288)
I love my vintage road bikes but two things bother me. The first is the pedals - I ride with SPDs even though they are not period correct.
Second, I use down tube shifters, but do not like doing so. I feel that they are unsafe. That said, I do not mind eliminating the down tube shifters for something that is period and, even in this case, model correct. This old German bike sports a set of Campagnolo Barcons which I find much easier and safer to use than their down tube siblings. Others may disagree... https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...50452bdb41.jpg However, in either case be it down tube or bar end, the user will have to learn to feel the shift, seeking that sweet spot each time until doing so becomes automatic... https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...66e9c98be3.jpg |
Yeah I got nothing against barcons, I have the Suntour ones on my Supercourse. I can shift quicker with the DT shifters on my other bikes though.
All my frames are 25 inch, or greater, but my arms are long, and as stated in an earlier post, way easier then going for the water bottle. My favorites are the Suntour Superbe levers on my 84 Supersport, really nice feel, and probably the only reason I still have that bike. Tim https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3f177257a.jpeg 1984 Schwinn Supersport |
Originally Posted by oldspokes
(Post 21839441)
I've never been a fan of down tube shifters. I've always ridden a 25" or larger frame and the dt is too far away to reach, my chin hits the top tube before my hand gets to the shifters on some bikes. I ran Suntour Barcons on nearly everything back in the day and still have them on a few vintage Raleighs. Longer legs doesn't always equate to longer arms, with a frame that had a 12" tall headtube, it means the DT shifters can be as much as 8" farther away than on say a 21" frame. Ad four or five inches of saddle height the reach issue gets even worse. These days, some 40 years later, its my gut not my chin that gets in the way but at 6ft 3in tall and over 300lbs, I pretty much gave up on road bikes except for a few upright conversions I still ride.
Because they are, well, tall, I had no pity for them whatsoever. It’s a resentment thing. |
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