Friction over Index
 

Elected to keep the stem friction shifters in place as I built up my Schwinn Traveler for commuting duty. I actually have the 8 speed 2200 shifters from my other bike mounted as well as an 8 speed cassette... but after a year of battling with those things I gotta say its so far the simplicity of the friction system is very refreshing. The 2200 shifters are only there for their comfortable hoods, and I do not foresee ever hooking them up for commuting duty ever again.

Has anyone else here dropped index for friction on their commuter bike?

I run bar end shifters on one of my bikes, and a few months ago it ended up on friction a few weeks went by til I noticed and I've just left it on friction for the last couple of months. It is nice being able to trim it to my liking and not a preset.

The ability to trim is really nice, I imagine it'll be yet more useful as things get grimy/wet - this is where my 2200 setup would start getting very unpredictable. I do have my concerns of being stuck crosschained in the lil ring/11t as the friction is all gone in a cold rain but the tightness is easily adjustable right at the shifter to the point of it being locked it place so I imagine it should be ok.

Single speed was an option, but as I experimented with staying in one gear for long periods I really didn't like it... there are times I want a big gear, times I want the easiest gear I have and couldn't get with staying in the middle.

Retro shifters mounted on road bike brakes? Have a link to this I'm not sure what you mean?

Jesus.

If anyone is "battling" with index shifting, it's their own ineptitude at fault, not index shifting. This question was settled long ago by competent minds.

On my smooth hound I have indexed bar end shifters, and when it first went a bit out of whack, I set it to be friction-shifting only* as I figured I'd adjust it when the weekend came. I know I can make it index properly again, but I honestly don't miss it on that bike. The friction shifting on that works absolutely great.

Now, since I got my Bullitt with Alfine 11s, I don't use the smooth hound much, and on the Bullitt, I use the normal index shifting which I rather like too.

Even if I like the friction shifting on the smooth hound, I very much doubt I would like friction shifters on the down tube or anything like that, and if I were to choose between the two bikes, the IGH and indexed shifter will win the game.




*It's just a miniature bail handle one has to twist to select between friction/index shifting

Not so fast. I "downgraded" to friction shifters in my previous winter bike after a particularly frustrating winter. The indexed shifters would freeze (shifters, not cables) like nobody's business, partly because I had to keep the bike outdoors for extended periods. Friction shifters solved that problem.

--J

Friction over Index
 

I have stem friction shifters on my commuter and bar end index on tourer.

Love the shifting on both, but the friction is a lovely smooth hand action.

Tried friction on the bar ends, but found the shorter lever movement less good than the longer stem shifters.

fwiw, I have fallen numerous times and never injured myself on stem (suicide) levers, and think their dangerous reputation is very exaggerated.

My new locale is reasonably flat so I dropped all gears and shifting equipment. I went from a 27-speed MTB in a very hilly area to a single-speed faux pista.

I must say that I like it as there's almost no sound while riding. It's also been great training about learning to learn to spin over a much wider range of cadences.

In CPH, I run a tired 3-speed that's 20+ years old and half rusted away. It's stuck in the largest gear, so I guess that's single-speed as well. But it's much more noisy.

3 gears is perfect for flats. One can be problematic when riding tired, against the wind.

I agree. But, I find that I get a much better workout when forced out of the comfort zone. I really noticed when riding the MTB in Germany that I was much more hesitant to shift than before and I rode the same trails in a much larger gear than before.

Also, the FGSS in England in preconfigured for a Nexus 3 ... so when the rear wheel wears out ... I'll replace it with a Nexus 3-equipped wheel from the same company for £100 ... plug and play!

Worked before 30 years old for me. Now, I hate working hard without getting warmed up first. Also, after playing a football match, I use all my strength and riding 10-15 km home hard after that is just asking for an injury at my age of 34 now. I like speeds and take it easy.

You're young. I'm turning 37 next month :)

Someone's in a bad mood, you don't have to insult people to prove a point.

I removed everyone from my 'Ignore List' at the start of 2014 and the user you refer to is the only person that I am considered returning to that list. All of the others were ignored due to my haste in being dismissive.

I'm OK with arrogance, it's commonly place among faculty members at top universities, but only if the arrogant individual delivers something of value ... hmmm ...

While I don't agree with the inelegant phrasing:rolleyes:, I agree that indexing is simple to set up and maintain.

To be fair, "battling" suggests an extent of bellicosity that was inadvertently hyperbolic.

Generally easy to set up if you have compatible components. However when components start to show their age, particularly shifters, friction starts to look good.

I use friction on all my bikes right. Most of my rides are on flat terrain and I pretty much just dial in one gear. If I were in hilly terrain, I'd be tempted to revert to indexed.

I suppose this leaves me open for someone to comment, "Only the inept or technically inferior have trouble friction shifting on hills".

well, I have a bike with indexed stem shifters and I do prefer them to friction... with friction, my shifts are too quiet and there were some times where I thought I was on the gear when it would "skip" due to being on the edge of the gear... I hated that... also you can get indexed / friction bar end shifters which always work (just don't make the mistake of getting anything "dura-ace")...

That's not been my experience. As long as you don't do something silly like trying to mix brands, index shifting isn't hard to maintain. I volunteer at a local coop as a bike mechanic every Saturday and see dozens of different systems per day. If the shifter still clicks or can be made to click, the indexing can be made to work like it did from the factory. Even Grip Shifters...which are universally hated by every mechanic I've ever talked to...can be coaxed into working properly. They can usually even be coaxed into working well.

About the only system that can be made to work well are Suntour shifters but those didn't do a good job from the get-go. That's the reason Suntour went out of business.

I like my Shimano downtube shifters for their ability to switch between index and friction mode as mood and conditions permit. The friction mode holds its position a lot better than "true" friction shifters, too. :)

Yes... I mostly agree with what you say. I believe the world "coax" should be "drown liberally with WD-40 and cross fingers".

However, I was thinking more of the situation where an STI shifter craps out after 5 or 6 seasons, WD40 no longer works and $200 for replacement is the only option.

Indexing works beautifully for me and has for about 50,000+ miles. I have recently switched to friction and simply like the smoothness of the shifts. I did ride my Vaya recently with the indexing and it was SUPER convenient to shift, as compared to my bar-end friction shifters. So they both have their advantages. For me I would rather ride in a not so perfect gear some of the time instead of shifting every time I get a few revolutions from perfect. This allows me to enjoy the ride more. YMWill Likely V.

My back-up ride is a Co-Mo with down tube friction shifters.... is a true pleasure to ride. I feel that it's elegant in it's simplicity... dependable, comfortable, and sure-footed with the 27" wheels. I have replaced the brake levers with ones that give me soft rubber hoods and also conceal much of the brake cables. I love the clean lines. I think the old 10 speeds are more than just bicycles. I thought even in 1963... that my brand new Varsity was on the verge of being art.

But.... I am also very attached to my everyday ride... a modern alloy with indexed brifters. It is the bicycle I ride nearly everyday.... because I want to ride it.

But... I am looking, thinking, dreaming of a new bicycle. An ultralight plastic framed wonder with disc brakes and maybe.... "buttons" of sorts to change gears... instead of any old fashioned shifters. I think I could love all the different ways to change gears.

Maybe our curse - we are always trying new things and creating variety. I too at one time eyed the Varsity as THE bike to have back in the late 60s. The Collegiate was up there as well.