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What to do with shifter bosses

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Old 07-08-08 | 04:20 AM
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What to do with shifter bosses

I have a really nice Schwinn Traveler that I want to SS for the wife. What to do with those pesky DT shifter bosses is the problem. I can cut them off or heat them but then it will make the frame look all chopped up. Anyone have a secret fix for the shifter boss blues?
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Old 07-08-08 | 06:46 AM
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I didn't want to cut the bosses off my wife's frame bc its a handbuilt frame and we may want to convert it back from SS to geared one day so I used screw protectors. A pack of 3 from the hardware store goes for less than $1. They fit perfectly and come in assorted colors. I can't remember the size though...maybe 5/16"? Now your bike can have some nipples to play with.

Last edited by sluglug; 07-08-08 at 07:06 AM.
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Old 07-08-08 | 07:33 AM
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That's what I was thinking about. They look nice. Thanks

Tim
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Old 07-08-08 | 06:25 PM
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My daughter's 1974 Peugeot PA10. They onlly have a boss on the right side.



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Old 07-08-08 | 08:24 PM
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DT cable stops (for STI/Ergo levers) look a little less nipple-ish...
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Old 07-08-08 | 08:25 PM
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Old 07-08-08 | 08:49 PM
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I took a right angle grinder to the conversion I'm making for a friend and it's not AS ugly as you would imagine. It just leaves a nice silver square on the tube.
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Old 07-08-08 | 09:37 PM
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I don't like to cut off the shifter bosses because I never know what I might use the frame for in the future. Downtube cable stops work well....but they are $10 a pair or something. Sometimes I use heat shrink tubing (comes in any colour you could want) and a short hex bolt, see the attached pics for an example.
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Old 07-08-08 | 10:01 PM
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Old 07-09-08 | 11:48 AM
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some good ideas here... I left mine bare and it's an eye sore.

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Old 07-09-08 | 12:06 PM
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MIN can you post a full shot? that bike looks so clean.
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Old 10-07-08 | 06:59 PM
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I was thinking of putting these on...

seriously though thanks for the ideas, I'm going to have to figure out something to do with the bosses on a frame I'm working on pretty soon and the screw protectors seems like a pretty dope and cheap solution.
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Old 10-07-08 | 07:01 PM
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Originally Posted by KrisPistofferson
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Old 10-07-08 | 09:26 PM
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This is seriously the most useful thread I've ever read on here.

Not joking.
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Old 10-08-08 | 09:11 AM
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I think it'd be cool to rig up your rear brake to an old downtube shifter.
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Old 10-08-08 | 09:18 AM
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Originally Posted by sneaky viking
This is seriously the most useful thread I've ever read on here.

Not joking.

Originally Posted by fivehoursfree
I think it'd be cool to rig up your rear brake to an old downtube shifter.

lol.
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Old 10-08-08 | 09:48 AM
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It just leaves a nice silver square on the tube.
You could then touch up the squares with etching primer and Testors enamel. Looks okay dokey on my conversion.
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Old 10-08-08 | 12:19 PM
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Does anyone make little propellors that would fit?
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Old 10-08-08 | 12:27 PM
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lego ones maybe?
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Old 10-08-08 | 12:30 PM
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Someone should make a light that mounts to the DT shifter boss
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Old 10-08-08 | 01:26 PM
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I mount my light near the rear axle using one of the fender eyelets. Most lights made to clamp onto a handlebar or seatpost are really 2 pieces one part being the clamp, the other part holding the light. They are normally bolted or screwed together. I just take off the clamp part and find a bolt that threads into whatever hole I need. Tighten it and the friction keeps it in place. If you have a bolt that threads into the shifter boss, then you are set.
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Old 10-08-08 | 01:34 PM
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Originally Posted by clink83
Someone should make a light that mounts to the DT shifter boss
I thought about doing this. It wouldn't make a good primary light but because a lot of the light would shine on the front wheel it would aid in identifying you as a bike rider to cars coming from the side.

Never got around to it, though. I just put some old cap head hex bolts on to keep water out and to cover the hard edge.
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Old 10-08-08 | 01:40 PM
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At one local bike shop they had some cable stops for converting to STI shifters that actually screws onto the shifter bosses. Now I have a couple little chrome nubs that actually look pretty slick. They gave them to me for free since nobody ever has need of them anymore. Check around and you might come up with something. Not just at the places with a bunch of restorations and used bikes, either. The place that game me mine is known for multi-thousand dollar carbon rigs.
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Old 02-23-09 | 02:05 AM
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-Put the shifters back on and hook them up to lights to make turn signals

-Rig the shifters to a box of thumbtacks or banana peel to lose the baddies
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Old 02-23-09 | 02:10 AM
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Well. My girlfriend's bike only had one to deal with and i attached a bell. Go with two bells. Something nice, brass bells or something.
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