Round One: "The operation was a success, but the patient died."

In a previous thread, I discussed disassembling, cleaning, and reassembling SunTour LD-1100 stem-mounted shifters. Unfortunately, when shifting on a repair stand, the right/rear shifter failed to stay in-place, due to an aged and weak ratchet spring. With no replacement parts (new or cannibalized), Round One goes to the opponent.

Round Two: Grifters, Drifters, and Brifters

In another post, I asked about replacing the stem-mounted shifters with a pair of Shimano "Sora" 7-speed brifters. That's where the project stands, today. But I've never ridden a brifter-equipped bike. I've read the retro roadies- old frames with STI's or Ergos thread (fantastic!), but I'm not sure about "mixing-and-matching" components; to be honest, I'd like to stay with as many original, or period-correct components as possible. I could still do so, but it would entail either:

• Finding-and-buying set of used-or-NOS clamp-on shifters; or
• Finding-and-buying another Suntour LD-1100 stem-mounted shifter; or
• Buying this IRD Stem Quill Shifter Mount from Rivendell Bikes, AND finding-and-buying a pair of used-or-NOS braze-on downtube shifters; or
• Buying a pair of bar-end shifters.

The first option doesn't thrill me: I'm not particularly fond of downtube shifters. I like the second and third options, because the location is good for me and my type of riding; and, Suntour shifters are both plentiful and affordable; but "once burned, twice shy", and I'm wary of buying another pair of those Suntour LD-1100 shifters -- whether used, or NOS, they're going to be 30+ years old (OK, I'm 61), and I've already had my problem with a used one. As for the fourth option, bar-end shifters, I have them (7-speed Suntour, indexed) on my Bianchi Volpe, but I'm not crazy about them.

What to do? Whichever one I choose, more money!

The standard choice is the older friction only Suntour barcons. I have used a lot of them. Very reliable in my experience.

I just took a set of Shimano 7 speed indexed bar ends off a garage sale bike picked up last week. They are nice too, but hard to find, and only index with Shimano index compatible RD and freewheel/cassette (which I already had on my bike).

I avoid Suntour indexed anymore, as NOS freewheels have gotten silly high (and I am less confident on hoping a used freewheel is OK, about half of them flunk my "mash up a hill" skip test.

Brifter bikes are great, you will need a Shimano RD and cassette of course. On brifter bikes, I have settled in on 8 speed Shimano 600 and DA, rebuildable, reliable, and aesthetically pleasing (to me at least). Hoods are getting hard to find.

Bar end shifters are very, very easy to use, even in friction mode - and friction mode gets easier the lower the number of cassette sprockets. Therfore, they are a perfect sollution for your outdated 7 speed system. They are a great shifting option, especially for odd-spaced cassettes that don't lend themselves to modern integrated shift/brake levers. And for some, they are considered better anyway because they are so dead simple mechanically, lightweight, cheap and easy to use.

I would absolutely go with friction bar end shifters if that were my bike. Any bar end shifter will do, even indexed, as long as it has a friction setting.

I would never go with stem shifters (I just hate them!), and while I do fine with downtube shifters, I don't recommend them to anyone who doesn't really, well, love downtube shifters. They really don't hold any advantage to bar end shifters in practical use, and have the disadvantage of having to ride one handed and reach down to feel for the shifter and then feel for the correct adjustment. Same with stem shifters, but an even more awkward position, imho.