Hi,

I'm after some help installing some Shimano 600 arabesque downtube shifters to my girlfriend's 80s Gitane mixte frame.

The bike once had stem shifters (an old and not very nice Sachs-Huret group set).

The thing I don't understand is, as the shifters move with the stem, doesn't that mean the gears could change or cable could stretch when turning?!

Cheers in advance!

Chromeracer

I'm not sure what your question is. Are you asking if downtube clamp-style shifters can be mounded on the quill portion of a stem? It's possible, but the easiest solution is to have the smaller clamp diameter (22.2 or 22.0 mm). The downtube clamp will be larger (28.6mm, I think offhand), so will spin loosely when mounted on the stem.

Is that what you're experiencing? Why not bar end shifters on that mixte?

Thanks Phil,

I've got around that issue already with a smaller clamp as you suggest and I'm not going for bar end shifters as want a complete shimano 600 arabesque groupset on this bike.

I'll rephrase, when steering right or left the stem obviously rotates and the tension on the gear cable alters. How do you stop the gears changing as a result of this change in tension? Or is it not normally a problem?

Cheers

No, because there was a generous loop of cable and housing between the shifters and the downtubes. Consider how far bar end shifters move without ghost shifting. Its the large loops of cable and housing that allow you to be able to even turn the handlebars.

a google image showing the cable housings and cable stop needed for stem shifters.

Thank you both! Exactly what I needed. Guess I need to lengthen the cable housing at the front then. Thanks!