Down tube shifter deviancy

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/handlebars/black-humpert-lady-town-handlebars-318mm-clamp-600mm/

they are ace. very similar to the on one mary but no forward sweep and less rise.

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Ideal thanks!

Never rode with that lot again

I think that group were absurdly rude to you - actually I'm a bit surprised you would consider riding with them even once, since they were obviously so incompetent that they couldn't control their bikes without keeping both hands firmly on the bars!

Actually downtube levers are a bit modern for me:

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So a toptube shifter wouldn't have been as bonkers as I first thought.

Hmmm, I've painted the frame and bought a friction thumbie now so it'll have to wait for now.

Absolutely lovely Disc Trucker you got there.

thank you muchly!

Mad Max when the fuel runs out.

Its pretty standard, I'm a mountainbiker that has a road bike, love road biking + touring and just messing about. Theres a lot more 'roadies' who's bikes just don't work and should have never left the house in the morning, every group ride I end up fixing stuff/bodging things for them.

You're not wrong, one of my co-riders wondered why his gears weren't shifting like they use to? I suggested a clean, and when did he last change the cables, he hadn't, he bought the bike in 2012!

@clubman Has someone filed down a Campag lever and stamped Alan leer on it?

Here's my Vitus 992 build. Its great fun for racing against the S Works crowd at Regents. ;)

Modolo Kronos friction levers - they call themselves 'carbon fiber' ...but I think 'plasticy' is more accurate. Super light anyway!

Modolo Kronos friction levers - they call themselves 'carbon fiber' ...but I think 'plasticy' is more accurate. Super light anyway!

Did they call themselves CF? I for some reason remember “composite”.

Yep, mine do! I think there a few different versions. I imagine they used some kind of chopped/ground carbon as a filler for the plastic maybe?

I recently sold a set of brake levers from the Kronos groupset. They do feel a bit plasticy, but apparently they're strong. The brake calipers from that groupset, which are a Campag delta copy, are apparently quite valuable as the only made a few thousand sets as experimental time-trial gear.

Yeah I've heard they have a reputation (and I think Modolo even marketed them) as 'speed modulaters' rather than brakes as they don't actually slow you down much! :D I would like a set for a future build for sure.

That is basically what it is. Similar stuff to what the chunky Mike Burrows spokes were made of.

It does end up stronger than the underlying plastic though, if that's any comfort.

Yeah I've heard they have a reputation (and I think Modolo even marketed them) as 'speed modulaters' rather than brakes as they don't actually slow you down much!

They're for time-trial bikes. You're not meant to be slowing down much!

@clubman Has someone filed down a Campag lever and stamped Alan leer on it?

Yes, clever of you to know that. Are you Mr. Leer, and if so, do you want it back?

I cringe at what a black and Decker plus a file did to my Campag down tube levers back in the mid 70's lol. Could change my name by deed pole to Alan Leer :)

Has anyone tried Campagnolo retro-friction with a 9 speed cassette? I’m thinking of converting my road bike back to downtube shifting and friction from Ergos.

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Retrofriction is fine on 9-speed Shimano, so I can't see why it wouldn't work on 9-speed Campagnolo. (IIRC the spacing is fractionally different, but with friction shifting that shouldn't matter.)

Great stuff, thank you.

Friction always works.

Yeah, it was the amount of cable pull that I’m concerned about to cover the range of the cassette.

I’ve used all sorts of thumbies meant for 6 & 7 sp with 9s. You’ll be fine.