i have a peugeot Ao- 8 series bike and want to change it from the post mounted shifters to ones on the handle bar, if anyone knows a shifter that works well with either a bull horn or drop down handle bar would be preferable.

p.s. my bike has 5 speeds on the back rim and 2 on the crankset. i was thinking for the 2 speed to keep it on the post shifter

thank you for any help

You may want to ask the classic vintage forums.

www.sheldonbrown.com is a good source. You'll have to get a new freewheel to add gears in the back. But then you may have to get a new chain and shifter.

In my opinion it wouldn't be worth it. I would stick a better freewheel on there as long as it works with the shifter and be done.

Your best bet will be to get downtube shifters.

barcons or bar end shifters would also work.

if you want one of those brake lever and shifter in one levers, then you'd have to at least upgrade the rear wheel, since the STI and Ergo levers came around with the advent of 8sp.

Another vote for the "Not Worth It" category.

Actually, I'd say hit up eBay for some leftover SunTour BarCons (AKA bar end shifters). Will get your shifters off the stem and on to the bars. Another alternative would be to see if Kelly Take-Offs are still around. Those are pretty smooth.

Updating to a modern drivetrain for that bike will require some frame modification and an entire new drivetrain. Big $ and while old Peugeots are good bikes and have some retro coolness to them they ain't worth that sort of $, IMHO.

hmm thanks for the advice do you know if the bar end shifters have a set number of speeds?

Most will operate in friction mode, If they are indexed.

That's what I think too.

What you have now is a cheap old mediocre bike. The fact that it has survived for this long, however, gives it a measure of cachet.

What you are proposing is converting it into a expensive old mediocre bike that doesn't have any cachet.

barcons in friction mode, not AS convenient as sti style shifters, but not bad either, and a much cheaper option.

You would be better off putting some fenders on that Peugeot and using it as your rain/bad weather training bike, keeping it as a ghetto cruzer or selling it to someone who is really crazy for Peugeots. The French bikes have allot of French parts in non-standard sizes that will be hard to come by not to mention expensive.

Have a look at what Performance bike has to offer. Their "Scattante" models offer big value. You'll end up spending less and getting more. imho