Friction Shifters?
 

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I'm looking for a new form of transportation on the cheap. I think the best way to do this is to find a cheap older road bike. I've found a guy near me that has a wide variety for bikes for cheap. My only concern about this is the use of friction shifters. I've never ridden a bike with anything but indexed shifters, and I'm not sure how hard it would be to get used to something like this. Are they hard to use? Is it possible to replace them with indexed shifters without buying new derailers? I'm on a pretty tight budget, so replacing large amounts of equipment isn't possible. My choices are either to learn friction shifters, or buy indexed shifters/brake levers if possible. Any suggestions?

Also does anyone have any suggestions for what to look at when looking at old road bikes? I'm not as interested in history or brand names as I am rideablility and quality. I don't know what to look for other than rust and any bent or broken parts. Any help?

Thanks a million.

You can convert it over but when you get used to friction it is no big deal. The friction advantage is that you can drop gears rapidly also if you hit the sweetspot there is very little chain noise.

The best bicycles on a budget are mid range jJpanese frames. They offer the best components and frame quality for a good price.

I agree. No need to pay a collector's premium for a European bike or Campy components if you're looking for affordable, reliable transportation. An early eighties Japanese frame with Suntour or mid-level Shimano components can be had for $100 to $200 and will last nearly forever.

Friction shifting is very easy to learn and get used to as long as you aren't trying to ride competitively. Some even prefer it.

Friction shifters work fine, and the whole system is so easy to adjust yourself. To shift, all you have to do is move it until the chain shifts and then usually back off a tiny bit. You'll get the hang of it in no time at all. One nice thing about it, in addition to easy maintenance, is that you can mix and match whatever components you want. It's not an "integrated" system. Nothing better for effective transportation on the cheap. I wish I had never specified Ergo shifters on my bike.

+1, Some of those early 80's bikes with chromoly frames or a Fuji with a double butted Valite frame offer a very nice ride with good Suntour components for a bargain. I'm not a big fan of friction, but I have to admit, my beater Raleigh Record is friction and it's easy to shift.

I have full Ultegra with some old downtube friction shifters and it's smooth. I'd never ridden a bike with friction shifters before either, but it only takes about 5 miles and you're shifting like a pro (well, not really like a pro, but pretty good).

I have friction shifters and simply can't see any reason to "upgrade" to more finicky indexed.
I can switch to a different rear wheel having a different number of cogs and only have to adjust the limit screws. That made for a relatively inexpensive upgrade from a 7 to 8 speed rear. If I wanted to go to 9 speed, it's just a matter of a new cassette and a chain. My shifters would still work fine!

Alright. Thanks for all the advice. I think I'll probably try friction shifters. It seems pretty simple. I'll be looking at bikes some time soon, so is there anything I should look for when I look at bikes. Any trouble areas I should be looking at? Tell tale signs of abuse or a poor quality bike? I don't want to get stuck with a bike with too many issues. Any way to get an idea of the quality of a bike, or about how reliable/well built it is? Are there any things that should be replaced on the bike right away, or need to be replaced often? Sorry for all the questions.

Mostly look for dents in the frame or serious rust on frame or other components. Don't worry about rust on a chain, though, chains are easily replaced, and they may clean up and work fine after being lubed.

Try to get alloy wheels rather than steel wheels - take a magnet to check if you're not sure.

Check that the wheels spin smoothly without any grinding sound in the bearings, ditto for the cranks (bottom bracket). Other than that, just check that the shift levers move smoothly. It's pretty common for an old bike to need a little cleaning, oiling and adjusting, so don't worry too much if everything isn't perfect, just make sure it appears to work. The best buys may have been sitting in a garage or basement for years and just need a little attention get back on the road.

Oh, and I wouldn't worry too much about a specific brand, frame tubing or component level. Even low level Suntour or Shimano shifters and derailers will work fine for basic transportation. In fact I'd tend to avoid exotic and collectable European bikes as replacement parts would likely be more expensive and/or harder to find.

U can't retrofit a non-SIS bike to a SIS on the cheap, it's a "system."

The only thing I'd hate to go non-SIS is on the hard uphills. On the steep ascents, there is just not a whole lot of room to make "adjustment." If your commute have only gentle hills, it should be OK.

Just to sound a note of caution, I've got a friction / downtube shifter bike and I'm struggling to learn the gears - ot the art of changing gear cleanly, to the right gear, and without distracting myself. Having said that, I've been off bikes for <cough> years, and I'm riding something which really is a fraction too big, I think, so can't reach the shifters comfortably and easily.

I'd think bar shifters would be better, and I think it will come, just don't be put off if you don't get it in 5 minutes.

I'll have to say upgrading to indexed shifting on an older bike is a great way to go. I changed my Schwinn LeTour from friction to bar end shifters for about $100. I found a set of shifters(Shimano Ultegra) on E-bay brand new in the box for $65.00, a 7 spd.Shimano freewheel (most older bikes have freewheels instead of cassettes) for $20, and a Shimano Tiagra rear derailleur for $15. The bar ends still use friction on the front so you don't have to change the front der. It works great and very comfortable to shift. And since I only paid $50 for the bike at a thrift store, I've got a great shifting,reliable,comfortable and fairly light bike for under $200. So if your thrifty and fairly mechanically inclined it can be done.

If it was me, I would pass on anything that has steel rims, unless you plan on changing the wheels. They are just too dangerous because of extremely poor braking when wet.

I have used friction shifters exclusively since I was 12 and have yet to understand any significant benefit to indexed systems. Take the time to practice shifting on a quiet road or in an empty parking lot, and you will quickly get the hang of it -- it is far easier to learn than, say, driving a car with a manual gearbox.

I wonder if the problem is more poorly functioning components rather than a lack of touch on your part. I recall having such problems back when I was a teenager riding a $99 department store 10 speed in the 70s. No matter how much I rode that thing I always experienced unwanted multiple shifts, thrown chains and generally crappy, unresponsive shifting. I don't know what kind of crappy components were on that bike but they certainly were worse than the early 80s Suntour or Shimano components. If these are in decent shape they simply work better and I rarely experience such problems.

Thanks for all the advice! Right now I'm riding a used Walmart brand 7 speed beach cruiser with a grip twist shifter, and in a very strange turn of events the shifter is falling apart, and I no longer feel the clicks for the gears, and it basically acts like I think a friction shifter would. I've basically got the knack of it. This will also be the first bike I have with drop bars, so I have a lot of things to get used to. Thanks for all the advice, I'll keep you guys updated!

I only have one bike (of 13) that has indexed shifting and that is my hardtail mountain bike... it can actually use this to it's full potential and mountain bikes are what indexed systems were originally designed for.

I was weaned on friction systems and once you learn how to shift properly there is nothing better although it seems many folks have lost or never gained the ability to use a non indexed shifter system.

Once you fingers develop the memory of where the shift points are you also have to be able to soft pedal during shifts to make the transitions as smooth as butter and this carries over to using indexed systems as well.

It's like the difference between driving a car with an automatic to one with a standard tranny and a clutch.

A good friction system will also be more reliable, long lasting, and require far less upkeep and tuning than an indexed one.

Suntour probably made some of the best non indexed shifters ever and a conversion the other way does not have to cost and arm and a leg... the shifter has to match the freewheel / cassette you are using and the derailer should not matter.

You cannot mix Suntour indexed shifters with Shimano drives (very well) since the cassette spacings are slightly different between them.

Ai also prefer friction controlled front derailers over indexed as they work far better this way.

I never rode anything but friction shifters until this year. There's nothing to it really, it just becomes a matter of feel, which you get better at with use.

That said, if what you want is a cheap bike for transportation, and would like indexed shifting, go with an older mountain bike from the early 90s. They have indexed shifting, cantilever brakes, bombproof frames, and are dirt cheap because nobody wants them. I've got two of them now-- one a Trek 830 that my landlord gave to me, and the other a GT Karakoram that is almost showroom pristine that I bought for $50. Swap out the knobbies for some commuter slicks, add a rack if it doesn't already have one, and you've got the perfect city bike/commuter...With indexed shifting.

I actually ENJOY "the elegant simplicity of downtube friction shifters."

TysonB
Cushing, OK

I've never used anything except friction shifters. The few times I've fooled around with indexed shifters in shops, it felt very unnatural; I don't know if I could ever get used to them.

When considering a used bike, here are some of the things I look for: Check the frame for cracks, especially around the joints between tubes, and around the bottom bracket. If it's a brazed steel frame, look along the edges of the brazing lugs for gaps that might indicate the brazing has been damaged. Look also for any bends or dents, and for places where the paint looks stretched or bubbled up, because that could indicate damage below the paint. From the side of the bike, push and pull the cranks back and forth to be sure there's no sideways movement that could mean worn bearings. Do the same with the wheels to be sure the hubs are tight, and check for any looseness of the fork in the head tube. Look for frayed or rusted brake and shifter cables, and kinks or cracks in the cable housings; see that the brake levers move smoothly and that the brake pads meet on opposite sides of the wheel at the same time. Also see if the brake pads are wearing evenly. Spin the wheels and watch them where they pass between the brake pads; look for wobbling side-to-side or up-and-down. Operate the shifters and watch the derailleurs; they should remain parallel to the chainwheels and gears throughout their full range of motion. The friction shift levers should move smoothly and should stay exactly where you put them, without creeping forward or backward. (You may need to tighten them if they're loose, but work them back and forth to make sure they stay tight.)

Friction shifters are fine, the only problem I have with a friction system is that I go down a huge hill on the biggest ring/smallest cog and then have to get down to the small ring/middle-big cog to climb again without losing the 40mph advantage I just got.

That's why they're not raced much anymore, I guess. ;-)

But a set of indexed downtube shifters would be cool...

Enough of me, though. Get a bike with friction shifters, they are also easier to maintain.

Maybe I don't really know how to shift properly with indexed shifting, so correct me if I'm wrong...

But I find it easier to get to the gear I need with friction than with indexed, because I don't have to step through all the gears I don't need before I get to the gear I do need.

In theory, but the fine-tuning gets me every time. My ocd tendency to get rid of chain noise before charging uphill ends up killing me.

Although I smile a little inside every time one of my friends' indexed shifters won't shift down on an uphill, for whatever reason.

True. I also need to get the gear "just right." But the more you use it, the more I think that you develop a "feel" for it. Sometimes you might be off a bit, but often you get it right on the first try.

Well, they're mid range Sachs-Huret. I think it is feel rather than the components though, partly me getting the feel for it and partly because the reach to the gear selectors is just that bit too far.

It's not a big deal, I'm sure it'll come, but I was really just saying to the OP don't be put off if you don't get it in 5 minutes.