Change come hard in the cycling community

[Rhythm Thief]

I bought some myself a few years ago as I still use them. They are definitely rare on new bikes and while "hard to find" may be a bit of an overstatement I did have to search around a bit. Same would probably apply if I wanted a 5 speed freewheel block or a threaded headset. They are a bit exotic/unusual.

I still use threaded headsets on most of my bikes: I think I have one bike with an aheadset. Where threaded headsets score is that they're easily rebuildable with no more than some new bearings. In fact, that also goes for freewheels, although I don't have those on many bikes these days.

 

[markharry66]

I am from southeast London all of this beyond me we have just worked out how to make fire with two bits of stick

 

[Ming the Merciless]

They are definitely rare on new bikes

Oh sure, but new bikes has always been about marketing the new. Why otherwise would you buy one if they are just the same as you already have?

 

[Profpointy]

Only if it’s reliable and non faff. Technology is one of those things that’s great when it works, and an exercise in frustration when it doesn’t.

It's a bit of a generalisation but not wildly off the mark to say that new tech is more reliable but less fixable. It's certainly true of cars: (arguably) fewer breakdowns but if it does go wrong, you are going home on a truck; computer says " no" vs giving the carb adjuster a twiddle. Likewise fixie vs gears, downtube friction shifters vs STI and so on

 

[Dogtrousers]

I still use threaded headsets on most of my bikes: I think I have one bike with an aheadset. Where threaded headsets score is that they're easily rebuildable with no more than some new bearings. In fact, that also goes for freewheels, although I don't have those on many bikes these days.

True, and they are more easily adjustable up/down. But my point was that they are fairly uncommon on new bikes these days.

I don't have a clue how to service my threadless headset. It's a newfangled mystery that's too hard for an old git like me to learn. I get my LBS to do it.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Likewise fixie vs gears, downtube friction shifters vs STI and so on

In these cases the former older tech designs are more reliable and more easily fixed in both cases.

 

[mjr]

Indeed, and with a mechanical mech this is normally top gear. Unless you have a long way to go and are prepared to do a time consuming bodge that involves reversing the cable and seating the nipple against the cable stop on the frame. I've read about that but never done it. I imagine it woul be tricky with a frayed broken cable.

I'm not sure why you'd need to do that. I've had a rear gear cable snap unexpectedly twice, once with about 20 miles to ride. The fix was to tie the broken cable ends up (or pull them out... I forget) and use the rear mech high limit screw to select third-from-top gear.

On second thoughts, it's actually 2 (or 3) gears if your front mech is still ok.

Yep, that's a saving grace of a 2x whatever. You don't get home as quickly but you only have to walk the steepest hills.

With hub gears, most I've seen fail "high" if the cable breaks, which is tough. I think Shimano Nexus 3 fails low which is slower but less walking, but it's been a few years.

 

[Dogtrousers]

downtube friction shifters vs STI

In the past 12 or so years I've completely broken two expensive brifters - one SRAM Apex that just disintegrated, one 105 that jammed solid. I also broke a cable in a 105 one and couldn't extract it, but my LBS could and rescued it. I also detest changing cables in them because it's such a fiddle (another job for the LBS)

Sometime in the next few years I think I might have a major review of the gearing on my bike, and switch to a subcompact up front. While doing this I'm tempted to move away from brifters. Which way shall I go? Super-high-tech electronic? or back-to-basics friction? I've got plenty of time to ponder as I have to wait for my current stuff to wear out.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I'm not sure why you'd need to do that. I've had a rear gear cable snap unexpectedly twice, once with about 20 miles to ride. The fix was to tie the broken cable ends up (or pull them out... I forget) and use the rear mech high limit screw to select third-from-top gear.

My own experience of this was that the limit screw wouldn't take it lower than top but one. Others may differ.

I've read about reversing the cable so you can put real tension into it enabling you to select an even lower gear and tighten up the pinch bolt then use the limit screw to fine tune it. Theoretically sounds feasible but I've never tried it. I suppose it might be worth a shot if you had a lot of hills between you and your destination.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Oh sure, but new bikes has always been about marketing the new. Why otherwise would you buy one if they are just the same as you already have?

I think the days when indexed gears and brifters were a new feature to be marketed to people who have not yet tried them are long gone.

The reason new bikes aren't offered with a friction shift option is not marketing but demand. It's because nobody, aside from a few perverse old farts like you and me, wants them.

 

[matticus]

I think the days when indexed gears and brifters were a new feature to be marketed to people who have not yet tried them are long gone.

What about people who have never had a "proper" bike? (e.g. new to cycling, or only have a 50yo bike in the shed, or a kid's bike)

There are a lot of hints to them that brifters are the more modern tech, and thus better.

 

[Dogtrousers]

What about people who have never had a "proper" bike? (e.g. new to cycling, or only have a 50yo bike in the shed, or a kid's bike)

There are a lot of hints to them that brifters are the more modern tech, and thus better.

If there was demand, they'd still be selling them.

I sometimes think we give a bit too much credit to the magical powers of "marketing".

Do you really think that newcomers to cycling need to be hoodwinked by evil marketeers to choose a product that can easily be used with both hands on the bars over one that requires a distinct knack to use and needs one-handed riding?

I use them on my ratty old bike, and I like them. I have the knack. But I wouldn't invest if someone came to me with a business proposition to sell replica 1980 bikes as ideal starter bikes* tapping in to the enormous unmet demand that Big Brifter is ignoring.

* With cotter pins, naturally. People want cotter pins.

 

[Jameshow]

My own experience of this was that the limit screw wouldn't take it lower than top but one. Others may differ.

I've read about reversing the cable so you can put real tension into it enabling you to select an even lower gear and tighten up the pinch bolt then use the limit screw to fine tune it. Theoretically sounds feasible but I've never tried it. I suppose it might be worth a shot if you had a lot of hills between you and your destination.

I'd pull it up enough to select a middle gear and the tighten off using a bottle cage screw to nip it off?

 

[Dogtrousers]

I'd pull it up enough to select a middle gear and the tighten off using a bottle cage screw to nip it off?

After it happened to me the first time I came up with an even more cunning plan. Don't ride the bike if there is any fraying at all on any of the cables. Replace immediately. That sorted it.

 

[matticus]

* With cotter pins, naturally. People want cotter pins.

If you can't separate the issue of cotter pins from other (unrelated) parts, I can see why you're struggling to understand this debate.

My commiserations! 🫂