What is your favorite friction shifter?
09-10-13, 03:16 PM
#26
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09-10-13, 03:32 PM
#27
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chapel---- I've used alloy Simplex Criterium (VG), Shimano friction(G), Huret Jubilee (VG), Simplex Prestige plastic (Poor - flex), Suntour barcons (G), Suntour Cyclones (VG), Campy N. Record (Poor - slippage), Shimano ratcheted (G) and Simplex alloy Retrofriction (E). Retrofrictions are better by a considerable margin.
09-10-13, 03:32 PM
#28
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Normally with a friction lever you're pulling against the spring in the derailleur as you pull the lever back but that spring works with you when you push the lever forward. So the lever will be much harder to pull back than to push forward. The Suntour ratchet mechanism lets you pull the lever back without any friction but you'll feel little clicks of the ratchet as you do so. When pushing forward the ratchet locks and you push against the friction. If you set the friction level to be about equal to the spring tension then the effort will be the same in both directions.
09-10-13, 03:36 PM
#29
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The Suntour barends/bar cons. I have them on my drop bar mountain bike and they are my favorite type of friction shifter.
I'm too big to use downtube shifters so I don't use them on any of my bikes.
I'm too big to use downtube shifters so I don't use them on any of my bikes.
09-10-13, 03:43 PM
#31
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
Simplex retrofriction are by far, the nicest friction shifters ever produced. After that Suntour's ratcheting and non ratcheting shifters are all very good... Barcons are a favourite here.
09-10-13, 03:55 PM
#32
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My preferred friction shifters from pesonal experience would be:
1) Simplex retrofriction
2) Zeus retrofriction
3) SunTour "Power" shifters (downtube or bar-end)
My main gripe with the SunTour "Power" shifters is that the downtube model does not fit on any braze-on bosses.
Last edited by JohnDThompson; 09-10-13 at 03:59 PM.
09-10-13, 04:19 PM
#33
What's this lever do?
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what do you guys think about the Dia Compe ENE levers?
09-10-13, 04:46 PM
#35
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09-10-13, 05:40 PM
#37
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I really like the ofmega carbon levers. If it needs to be vintagie I go for anything campy.
09-10-13, 06:23 PM
#38
~>~
My favorite ( sorry no pic ) the Shimano DA friction bar-cons from the 70's.
Light precise action that was way better than DT for Criterium action for me.
Have a set in the parts box.
-Bandera
Light precise action that was way better than DT for Criterium action for me.
Have a set in the parts box.
-Bandera
09-10-13, 06:25 PM
#39
Still learning
I was testing out an S12-S Fuji tonight. Those ratcheting downtube Suntours are very nice! But I love the Suntour bar cons on my Trek 520 Cirrus and my Miyata Terra Runner more.
09-10-13, 06:44 PM
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Normally with a friction lever you're pulling against the spring in the derailleur as you pull the lever back but that spring works with you when you push the lever forward. So the lever will be much harder to pull back than to push forward. The Suntour ratchet mechanism lets you pull the lever back without any friction but you'll feel little clicks of the ratchet as you do so. When pushing forward the ratchet locks and you push against the friction. If you set the friction level to be about equal to the spring tension then the effort will be the same in both directions.
09-10-13, 07:35 PM
#41
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I'm also a fan of the Suntour Power/Bar-con ratcheting shifters. I've heard they had a later version with a finer ratchet - Sprint maybe? Anyone had experience with them, and what Suntour lines were they in?
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09-10-13, 07:53 PM
#42
What's this lever do?
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What about the Suntour Microratchets? Apparently those dia compes are replicas of them. https://store.velo-orange.com/index.p...-shifters.html
09-10-13, 08:13 PM
#43
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What about the Suntour Microratchets? Apparently those dia compes are replicas of them. https://store.velo-orange.com/index.p...-shifters.html
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09-10-13, 08:24 PM
#44
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I have the Suntour power shifters on one bike and Simplex retrofrictions on my Raleigh, which is otherwise full Campy (they replaced the NR shifters on it). The NRs aren't bad, and I never had a problem with them slipping. Nice of them to put the "D" rings on them so you can adjust them while you ride. Mine are the '70s ones with metal internals. The later plastic gut ones don't seem to be as good.
The Suntour power shifters are nice, though the ratchet seems to lull me into thinking they are indexed. RD is a Suntour Cyclone on that bike, so probably close but not exact.
The Simplex retrofrictions are IMHO in a different league from these however. I've heard that the Campy doppler shifters are just as good, but I've never used them.
The Suntour power shifters are nice, though the ratchet seems to lull me into thinking they are indexed. RD is a Suntour Cyclone on that bike, so probably close but not exact.
The Simplex retrofrictions are IMHO in a different league from these however. I've heard that the Campy doppler shifters are just as good, but I've never used them.
09-10-13, 08:42 PM
#45
What's this lever do?
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Seems like theses retrofriction levers cost a pretty penny on ebay
09-11-13, 02:00 AM
#46
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Watch out for them long enough at eBay and prices should go through their usual up and down cycles every year. At certain times when many are being sold at eBay, I've seen them sell for as low as 35 bucks for good, "serviceable" condition... usually only needing a good cleaning and maybe the replacement of the mounting screws, the head and slots on which usually gets bunged up and rusty, which you can find much better (stainless steel) replacements for in good hardware stores, to look new again.
I don't bother with NOS ones anymore when I need them for projects as there are enough used ones in very good condition out there left to buy.
I don't bother with NOS ones anymore when I need them for projects as there are enough used ones in very good condition out there left to buy.
09-11-13, 04:53 AM
#47
What's this lever do?
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I may give these Diacompe ENE bar cons a try. They're not too expensive and I do need a new FD mount. The single stem shift on mine looks dopey and I hate using it.
09-11-13, 02:31 PM
#48
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Now that I have them on my drop bar mountain bike, Suntour barcons for me. The modern Shimano bar end shifters work well in friction mode although they don't have that satisfying click-click-click. Actually, those cheapo Falcon microratchet thumb shifters that VO sells are quite nice, shame that they aren't more robustly made.
09-11-13, 02:47 PM
#49
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How does the "granularity" of the Dia-Compe/ENE shifters compare with the micro-ratching "friction" mode of Shimano's SIS/Friction downtube shifters (such as SL-1050/A550)?
Not having tried the vaunted Simplex Retrofrictions (and a little afraid to), I'm pretty happy with the way my 105/RX100 shifters work in friction mode (the SunTour Accushifts aren't horrible either.) But I wonder if they have fine enough adjustment for 9 or more speeds, should I upgrade wheels someday.
Not having tried the vaunted Simplex Retrofrictions (and a little afraid to), I'm pretty happy with the way my 105/RX100 shifters work in friction mode (the SunTour Accushifts aren't horrible either.) But I wonder if they have fine enough adjustment for 9 or more speeds, should I upgrade wheels someday.
09-11-13, 03:05 PM
#50
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Yeah- that happened with me and Command Shifters.
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