Are down-tube shifters any good?
 

I am looking at this road bike. I already have one, but this will be a second sort of back up one. It's second hand and it's really nice, but I have noticed it has down-tube shifters. I am used to grip-shifts and bar-end ones, so, I'm hoping you guys can tell me the advantages and dis-advantages with down-tubes.
Thnx :)

Super simple, cheap and reliable is about all they have going for them.
I guess if you're a luddite, they're what has been used for years and years until intergrated shift/brake levers came along.

What does this mean - Im still quiet new to cycling :P

"Luddite" is actually a historical term. It denotes people who don't like new technology. You can look up the industrial revolution background if you want more.

I rode downtubes for years and don't disparage them but modern brifters are much easier to use.

BTW, since you're new. "Brifter" is a term coined by the late Sheldon Brown (look him up, definitely worth your time) for the "new" gear shift and brake lever integrated unit.

Shimano calls theirs "STI," Campagnolo uses the term "Ergo." I don't know if SRAM has a specific TM generic name for their shifters.

If you're getting a good price for the bike, don't let downtube shifters be a show stopper. They are very reliable and functional despite being "old school" traditional. They're just not as convenient to shift with as brifters . . . you have to lean forward and reach down to change gears.

From Wikipedia: "The Luddites were a social movement of British textile artisans in the early nineteenth century who protested—often by destroying mechanized looms—against the changes produced by the Industrial Revolution, which they felt were leaving them without work and changing their entire way of life."

It's not an Irish thing, at all.

I like DT shifters.
They are very simple, reliable, don't really break, aren't likely to get mucked up in a crash, and just in case you find a way to break them, they are very very easy and very cheap to replace.

Brifters are significantly heavier than DT shifters, more complicated to tune and adjust, much more expensive, and much more likely to get broken if you crash because of their position. The real advantage here is the ergonomics. I love brifters because I can shift without having to move my hands to another position. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but if you've ever had to shift while moving down hill at 50+mph, in a strong crosswind, or while sprinting out of the saddle, you know just how big of a deal this is.

One of my favorite shifting methods is bar-end shifters. Kinda like DT shifters, but on the ends of the bars. 95% as easy and functional as brifters, but at the same time, they retain all the advantages of DT shifters.

In the end, my road/race bike uses brifters. My touring bike and commuting bike have bar end shifters, and I could not be happier with the set-ups.

We used them for years without problems, well, except for sticking my finger into the front wheel a couple times.

They aren't good for racing - they'll put you at a disadvantage to people using brifters. This could also hold true for group rides. I've done group rides on my downtube bike and it isn't as convenient during sprints.

I always liked the DT shifters. Before there were any other styles, nobody thought twice about DT functionality. IMO the drawback comes when you need to shift while out of the saddle. Not sure I need to shift while going 50+ mph because I'm spun out, but the point is well taken regarding leaving handlebars to shift under less-than-ideal conditions. I also believe DT shifters are superior when it comes to trimming deraillers.

And if it is REALLY a good price, you can always look for some good condition used "Brifters" down the road.

Pictures when/if you get it!

Chris

Yeah..For an older bike I bet you could get some Shimano 600 for cheap.

Red light at the bottom of a looooooong hill on my route. I like to downshift on the way up to the light so I can get through the intersection faster, so even if I'm spun out, I'll still downshift in preparation.

Yeah, removing hands while in hairy conditions is asking for it. At least when you are an uncoordinated Fred like me.

if you rides are steep rolling hills and twisty roads, DT shifters are a very big inconvenience. But on the flats, long uphills, and long downhils, reaching them is no problem. A ride where you don't have to shift as much as normal is definitely reccommended, but if you have to shift suddenly, they will still work... barely.

Thnx guys, so many good inputs here I can't quote them all :P. In regard to me racing the bike - I won't be. I'm going to use this a second sort of errand-bike - so I wouldn't mind about the shifting problems while racing :D. I'll try and get some pics when I get it so you can criticise ( constructively I hope!! :))

I used DT shifters for 20-years before going to the 1st-gen DA 8-spd STI levers 5-years into racing. In all-out conditions, they do provide some benefits; like the difference between 1st & 2nd or 5th and 3rd. But they won't turn pack-fodder into winners.

If it's just a commuter, then you won't notice any major functional differences between DT shifters versus brifters. I actually removed them from my race bike and went back to DT shifters because the additional weight on the handlebars slowed down my handling too much.

If you prefer bar-end shifters, they are still available and replacing the downtube shifters with bar-end shifters is fairly easy to do and not very expensive.

My commuter has a mid-80's 105 groupo with DT shifters. When you mix them with a wonky headset it's actually kind of fun... Fun in a suicidal way that is.

... But seriously I don't mind it that much compared to brifters. I keep threatening to do a crit with my commuter.

With DTs you can shift both the front and back der with one hand.

I think with enough practice its possible.

With right hand, pull down on the left shifter to get on the big ring.
at the same time use middle/index finger to throw the right shifter forward a gear or so.

But if the rider likes his/her face, then not a good idea.

Yes they're good. More races have been won with DT shifters than any other type of mechanism. Just none in the last 10 years.

I've ridden DT since the late 80's until this spring when I bought a new Kona with a 105 10sp group. I love STI/brifters. Shifting while turning and out of the saddle is great. That being said I rode my old Specialized w/ 7sp DT yesterday over 60km. I had to think a little more about gear selection and no matter how hard I pushed my break levers I couldn't get my derailleur to shift (coincidently this is now considered a benefit of the new DA 7950 electric shifting).

As a secondary bike DT's are fine. They last nearly forever. At least mine are going on 17 years. Easy maintenance. I looked at the STI's when I needed a cable replaced and threw the bike in the back of the car and took it to the shop.

If it is a classy bike with a good group I'd say rock on. You'll get lotsa bang for the buck and when you watch 'Quicksilver', 'Breaking Away', and TdF pre-90s you'll know what they're doing with their hands.

He strenuously denied this claim.

Double Tap.

I might look into this - I'll see first how the DT's are going.
How would I go about this; would I do it myself or go to a shop?

Easy to do yourself. I replaced RSX DT shifters on my c-dale touring bike with Ultegra bar-end shifters. $56 from Jenson for Ultegra level. I set up the bar-end shifters in about one hour. Even then, it was my first time and I was going slowly.

Here's a pic just so you get an idea.

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/i...s/DSC00134.jpg