UKC

Hi,
 

Following the demise of my gear shifters I was thinking of promoting my old bike to permanent turbo duty. 
It would be nice to get it out of top gear at the back though, so wondered about getting a down tube shifter to replace the handlebar lever unit. 

I've not seen any down tube shifters in action since my dad hung up his road bike in the eighties so wondered if the great and the good if this parish had any advice, or had done similar etc.

It had shimano tiagra 10 speed gears.  Front shifter is currently fine. 

Thanks , GTE

Try St John Street Cycles, or eBay.

You have a few options, depending on how much you want to spend and what groupset you currently have. I'm assuming you're talking a road bike with drop bars.

For downtube shifters, that will depend on whether your down tube has mounting points. If not, you "may" be able to get a band-on shifter, if it will go round the tube - these tend to only fit old narrow steel frames, though. If you can't get an exact match, some can be switched from indexed to friction, which should work ok, although you might not quite get the last gear or 2.

Better option might be to get a bar-end shifter to match your groupset - often found on older touring bikes.

Another option might be an older mountain bike thumb shifter. If you can't get one to match your groupset, then some can be switched to friction shift - see above.

Obvious one is to just get a replacement for your current shifter from eBay, or NOS from a bike shop, although it's probably the most faff to change, due to messing with bar tape

Do you actually need to change gear? Is it some sort of smart turbo? I really only use one gear on my old skool turbo. As it happens the old bike I use has a downtube friction shifter, but by tensioning the cable you could move the chain on to another sprocket if as you say the small cog isn’t suitable.

Alternatively: https://bankruptbikeparts.co.uk/products/shimano-top-shifter-friction-5-6-o...

Thanks for all the advice - useful as ever.

Spoke to my local bike shop while there for something else and the recommended bar end shifters. Who knew that they were a thing?

Got some ordered, so fingers crossed all will be well.

Gte

Thanks for all the advice - useful as ever.

Spoke to my local bike shop while there for something else and the recommended bar end shifters. Who knew that they were a thing?

Got some ordered, so fingers crossed all will be well.

Gte