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(More customer reviews)Anyone still using down tube shifters on an older bike know how unstable the ride can be when you take your hand off the handlebars to reach down to one of those shifters. In an effort to make my ride more comfortable I installed a quill (handlebar stem) that raised the bars about 4 1/2 inches.This made the reach to the handle bars better but exaggerated the shifting problem. This kit is the cure, and it will work on just about any classic design (my guess is 1955-1990) bike.
The surprise was that the kit comes with micro adjustable stops that mount in place of the down tube shifters. I thought I was going to have to fabricate something to do this job. If your bike has down tube shifter braze-ons, this is a straight bolt on application. My 30 year old Fuji Royale had Suntour down tube shifters on a bracket. I just removed the shifter bracket, took off the old levers, and did a little grinding to match the inside curve of the new micro adjustable stops. The bolts that came with the kit matched the threaded holes on my bracket. Then I installed the stops to the Suntour bracket and reinstalled the bracket on the down tube. Job done. Going slowly, using the old grind-a-little-trial/fit method, I was done with this part of the project in about 30 min.
The rest of the installation is straight forward. All cables and hardware are included in the kit. The entire project took 2 to 2 1/2 hours. A bicycle stand makes final adjustments a snap. I replaced the brake lever hoods, brake cables, and rewrapped the handle bars as well.
The shifters are designed to upgrade most older bikes. The left shifter is friction only, will work with any set-up. The right shifter is switchable index or friction. Indexed matched to 8 spd hub. I used the friction setting which should work for any old bike that has friction shifters to start with. My hud is a 6 speed. Works great. These shifters hold their position like they are perfectly matched to the spring tension of my derailleurs. Complete satisfaction.
My first ride was a dream come true. I've logged a lot of miles on this old Chrome Molly framed Fuji tour bike and like the ride and feel. Now she's back on the road with a new lease on life.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Shimano SL-BS64 Ultegra Bar End Shifter Set (8-Speed)
Bar-end Control (Bar-Con) shifters for road drop or aero type bars. Rear shifter convertible between index and friction action *(BS79 shifters only compatible with Dura-Ace 7900 front derailleur due to revised cable pull actuation). Includes cables and housing. Features: Friction-compatible right lever
Click here for more information about Shimano SL-BS64 Ultegra Bar End Shifter Set (8-Speed)
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