I wanted the top-mounted DT shifters that were still 5 years away when I was racing my Fuji Pro in the '70s. I had the SumTour Power Tatchets that I loved but climbing walls in my little "big" cog and hitting that left shifter with my knee go old. (I had to finish Boston's 20% Summit Road n the 42-13.)

It took 2 1/2 pages to finally see a top-mounted shifter. (Nice!! by the way.) 2 of my three geared bikes have top-mounted; My Ti Cycles with its SunTour Superbe and Pro Miyata with the Symmetric. (The Raleigh Competition has the Power Ratchets. Climbing that hard on it is pointless. That flexy frame goes all over the place and might not end up in the same county when you arrive at the hilltop.)

One of my backburner projects for the Ti Cycles - have Dave Levy make a mount to sit on the "braze-on" and take Power Ratchets instead of the Superbes. (And writing this, I am wondering if maybe the Superbe mount on there can take the Power Ratchets?) Because my old right hand with nearly as old injuries doesn't like the stiff friction on cold days. Symmetrics with their FD spring assisted rear shifting are far easier and kinder to me. Power Ratchets are pure joys. (Sadly, Symmetrics and Superbes don't talk to each other.)

If I come up with the top-mounted Power Ratchets, I'll have to join the (not so) new millennium and learn to take and post pics. Might not be the all-time pretty (hours of polishing, etc. has never been me) but for shifting and knee clearance, the cat's meow!

Something people might not know: SunTour Power Shifters can be found in all chrome.
It looks like it's original. I found some on Ebay a couple of years back.

Wow, I need these for my chromed Pro Tour build! I don't see any on the 'bay right now, were they pricey?

They were Ģ15+postage in October 2021, luckily Ebay remembers.

There are some NOS pricey ones on Ebay UK

I posted this on another downtube shifter thread a while back.
Dura Ace 7400 shifter with 11 speed barcon guts.

The Dura Ace shifters (I have the 7700s) are among the most nicely-sculpted shifters out there. They fit my thumb/fingers perfectly.

Not my shifters, but I love the weirdo 75 group!

Looks like a Suntour Power Ratchet mech in there.

Simplex LJ/Gipiemme:

I know this is a late reply but I would love to see a pic of what the "coke spoon" shifters look like. Sounds hilarious and also potentially useful for fueling up prior to a sprint hahaha

Maybe the Gipiemme "Crono Sprint" retrofriction levers? These were apparently made for Gipiemme by Simplex.

https://velobase.com/ViewComponent.a...m=104&AbsPos=4

Those wing nuts make me feel sad.

So many brands are just flat popsicle sticks; no attempt at ergonomics whatsoever.

Suntour Synchronized on Pro Miyata

These popsicle sticks are just as comfortable to pull on as any other shape. Do light switches also need to be ergonomic?

Nope. But then again, I’ve never used thumb and forefinger to operate a light switch. Do you??

My only pair of downtube shifters. Chrome-plated bronze. Classy.

Sometimes. But your statement about thumb and forefinger makes it clear how little handling DT shifters require.

WOW... Never seen those before! I used their brake sets for many years. Great Quality...

I had a set of those, branded as Simplex, their real maker. Gippiemme just re-branded them to sell in their product line. The levers were made from Delrin plastic, a material used extensively by Simplex on their components in the late 70's and early 80's. The levers are a bit chunkier than the aluminum versions, I guess, to make them strong enough to handle the bending stresses associated with their function. I gave my NOS set to a co-worker who rode a C&V Raleigh bike for touring around in northern CA, so I can introduce him ti retrofriction shifting. Unfortunately, he never bothered to install them on his bike, as maybe he found the Delrin construction suspect to breaking. I should have asked for them back from him....

Probably pretty common. They are the only D/T shifters I have here.
The red friction discs have shrunk quite a bit, but still work after 50 some odd years.
I think the tiny bit of color is sort of cool.

-D.S.

I love those kind of hacks. Please post more pictures.

There are a few Shimano 600 entries in this thread, but I didn't see these early ones, basically Arabesque without the lever engraving. They're a breeze to overhaul with only five pieces each: the lever (that only fits the Shimano A type boss), plastic washer, metal washer, toothed locknut, and bolt. I polished these with Mother's and painted in black the outside of the dull grey plastic piece.

Before, Suntour Superbe Pro early type (LD-4650) from early '80s.

After, nos Triomphe.