Problem with Down-tube shifter conversion

Hey everyone.

I recently got my hands on a nice vintagey bike with down tube shifters.

I moved the shifters up to the quill stem and attached a double band-on cable stop where the shifters used to be to make shifting less of a hassle.

At first all seemed well but when I began the process of 'stretching' the cables I discovered that the cable housing for the front mech cable was being stripped apart by the cable stop attached to the shifters. The hole on the stop was just large enough to grip the polymer outer on the housing and strip it away from the metal casing within. Here are a couple of pictures to illustrate the problem:

Seems to be isolated on the front mech shifter.

Here you can see that the cable on the left has substantially less room to maneuver as a result.

I placed a small square washer between the cable and the stop on the shifter to try and remedy this but it doesn't seem to have helped. Does this seem like a logical idea? Do I just need something smaller to make this work?

You need little plastic ends like these
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cycle-Gear-outer-cable-END-CAPS-plastic-4mm-JAGWIRE-x4-/370428897443

Wow BQ, thanks! Didn't know there was such a thing!

except your outer looks like 5 mm (those caps are 4 mm) If you can, get metal ones, and if you go to a bike shop they might find the right ones which have a little stepped bit which fits into the hole in the shifter mount.

the Suntour Power shifter cable guide holes are 4mm across so as adroit says you'd need the stepped ferrules for it to function perfectly.
these might be the ones you want,
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bike-Cycle-Gear-Brake-Inner-Wire-Outer-Cable-Nipples-Ends-Tidies-Vintage-modern-/160800234715?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&var=&hash=item257070dcdb

There's a number of problems with that setup and I think you need to address all (or at least most) of them before you'll see much improvement.

1. I've never seen a downtube shifter that had outer cable run right up to it. In my experience the only outer cable on a bike with downtube shifters would be to go from the stop at the end of the chainstay to the rear mech. As such, solving the following problems might have little effect on how well your gears function.

2. You need ferules on the outer cable.

3. You appear to be using brake outer which is coiled rather than woven. Having a coiled outer might not have as much adverse effect on non-indexed gears as indexed but it certainly won't have a positive effect.

4. Your current setup means the outer cables are running from a shifter to which they cannot be anchored (as opposed to modern sti shifter which has deep sockets for cable ends and/or cabling running under bar tape)and which moves with steering to a stop on the frame. This will put a lot of stress on the cables and while stepped ferrules might help alleviate this, I doubt it'll be by much.

Considering your current set up can't bring the shifters much more than 6 inches closer and puts them in a position that still requires removing a hand from the bars to operate, personally, I'd put them back on the downtube.

Many older frames had outer gear cables running under the bottom bracket shell but yeah those brake cables create a compression effect you don't actually want, sort out some straight strand gear outers and bang on some ferules
Given the retro friction action the power shifters are perfect in a way as they'll shift any amount of gears so small imperfections in set up shouldn't cause any problem.
Also if there is room and you can handle the reverse action shifting the gears revolve the band 180 degrees, not sure it'll help but it's a thought.

as mech-van + you need at least 1 or 2" more on the outer running to those shifters as it'll be effecting steering, and if the bars are turned right around will bend/deform the cable housing/inner

you need to fit ferrules like this :

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-SUNTOUR-ALLOY-BICYCLE-QUILL-STEM-POWER-SHIFTERS-/160850491085?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item25736fb6cd#ht_1593wt_905

(there were plenty of downtube shifters that ran outer cable up to the downtube shifter - all the way past BB and on to the mech, cable clipped all the way along - mainly on older and cheaper bikes as it was way quicker and easier to build them up - and with less braze ons for frame builder
brake cable outer is normally fine for the friction if you've no gear cable- but might not fit in ferrules - although often stripping a bit of the outer plastic will allow it in)

a dedicated stem shifter will have the right band-on size and the stops and normally have longer arms for ease of pull plus clearance over top of stem (this one is WELL over priced):

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ViNTAGE-Suntour-Power-Shift-PowerShift-Stem-Shifters-Deraileur-Gear-JAPAN-MAEDA-/221097906166?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item337a764ff6#ht_477wt_1160

I think you are doing this all wrong but I undertsand what you are trying to do,

Those are down tube shifters, rather nice suntour ratchet ones, which should be on the down tube.

There were shifters sold to do what you are trying to do, but I think there were specifically designed for that purpose. As I remember, it was not a popular or fashionable option. I am also not sure how well they worked.

Try ebay, Hilary Stone, or SJS for them ..

A bar end lever might be a better choice?

1. I've never seen a downtube shifter that had outer cable run right up to it. In my experience the only outer cable on a bike with downtube shifters would be to go from the stop at the end of the chainstay to the rear mech. As such, solving the following problems might have little effect on how well your gears function.
   
   
   

This is the most important thing, those shifters were not meant to be used with outer cables and cannot push against the outers correctly. on downtube shifters the bare cables usually go from the downtube to the BB directly. The stem mounted shifters were quite common, but they were mostly found on cheaper bikes because it was more convenient for the casual cyclist to shit from the stem. As mostly low-end parts, not many of them survived to this day.