Finding a bottom bar shifter collar.

[Andy in Germany]

I'm working (very, very, slowly) to build another retro styled touring bike from bits and scrap, and currently I'm trying to find a collar for some bottom bar levers. occasionally we get an elderly bike with a collar/lever combo on the bottom bar, but they're usually old, unreliable and not indexed.

How "standardised" are the lugs on these collars? If I find a Suntour or Sram collar and lever set, can I take the levers off and fit Shimano levers on instead?

 

[Punkawallah]

Hi, is this the sort of.thing you mean?
IIRC there were ’indexed ‘down tube shifters’, but they were short lived. I have never seen a set, and would not know if the levers were interchangeable. Good luck with the search, and let me know if you want a set of the ‘friction’ shifters - I can usually lay my hands on a set.

 

[southcoast]

You can get new down tube shifters for not much money.
see link for 8 speed.

Just to an internet search for the type you want, friction or indexed etc

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/gear-shifters/sunrace-r80-8-spd-down-tube-shifters-band-on-pair/

 

[biggs682]

@Dogtrousers thanks
@Andy in Germany as far as I can say there can be some variation between brands so trial and error.
The ones linked by @southcoast look ideal to me

 

[T4tomo]

If I find a Suntour or Sram collar and lever set, can I take the levers off and fit Shimano levers on instead?

If you find a band on collar with shifters, why would you want to remove the shifters and put a different pair of shifters on it?
The shifters without band you have found are possibly for those frames that came with built in lugs.

Very very few downtube shifters were indexed, as once indexing became popular STI levers / Brifters soon followed. (there will be some and no doubt someone will post that their Dawes galaxy has indexed DT shifters )

Friction shifters are better anyway, as you are then free to pair a 5/6/7/8 speed cassette / freewheel with it of your choice.

Suntour did, in both, down-tube and Bar con version, a ratchet/ friction shifter which shifts with tiny clicks one way and friction the other, which are the roll-royce of friction shifting