Remind me, what was wrong with friction lever gears.

[Smokin Joe]

Most people who switched from friction to indexed commented on how much better they were, something I found too. However, no-one can change gear for you so whatever floats your boat, they all work.

 

[contadino]

I've never had a road bike with indexed gears so can't compare. However I can change gear swiftly and without looking down, I know which gear I'm in without looking down, and I don't really have issues making changes whilst climbing.

Some changes need trimming if there's rub somewhere. You should be able to feel it rather than hear it.

However when I change front and back at the same time with one hand and land in the sweet spot, that's a lovely feeling. Rare though it is.

I'm sure I'll end up getting a bike with brifters at some point, but for now I love non-indexed DT shifters.

I imagine brifters give competitive cyclists an edge, but that's not me.

 

[Bollo]

I heart my Di2 to the point where my wrists hurt when I use brifters. I am a flower.

(The sprint shifters are like heated seats in cars. You don't think you're bothered until you have them, but then you'll never do without.)

 

[Yellow Saddle]

My comment was an ironic nod to the thread title, really. That said, I do quite like the idea of the bicycle as an entirely mechanical entity. There's something quite satisfyingly pure about it. Of course that's just my preference and my attitude; there's nothing "wrong" with electronic shifting and I'm sure we'll see more and more of it as the technology progresses and becomes cheaper until your "average consumer" can afford it just as well as those who fancy themselves racers.
.

I know, I know....I'm just trying to be "with it" for once in my life. I've always wanted to be a "early adopter" and now, at least on paper, I can be one. Now where did I put that battery charger adapter plug thingy?

 

[Bollo]

I know, I know....I'm just trying to be "with it" for once in my life. I've always wanted to be a "early adopter" and now, at least on paper, I can be one. Now where did I put that battery charger adapter plug thingy?

"Shift anxiety" is all part of the experience.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I've never raced and somehow think I never will but I've got a newish tourer with bar-end shifters and, though it arrived perfectly indexed, when the cables stretched a little, I thought I'd try using them as friction shifters for a couple of miles. About 3,700 miles later, I still haven't got round to retuning it. A clean shift is my good shift, a clunky slippy chain is my bad shift, and, no, changing gear standing is difficult enough indexed or not. If the flappy paddles on my SRAM bike gave me the option to use it like a friction shifter on the lighter bike, I'd choose it.

Mind, I grew up on bikes before indexing was even a glint in its chainring's eye.

 

[tyred]

Throw the lot in the bin and ride fixed!

 

[jay clock]

it's a system I'm happy with as it's totally maintenance free, .

so are all my indexed systems over 60k km. Set them up and leave them.

 

[Brightski]

Yesterday, I spent the day on a road bike with friction lever gears, and they worked perfectly. These are the gears I used for years and years in the 1980's with few problems, I enjoy the new(ish) style gear lever on the brakes, but please remind me, what was the problem with friction lever gears.

I still use friction on my tri bar shifters on my TT bike, I can stick any wheels in it with out having to fart around with gears..
I use shimano on TT bike but can use campag as well

 

[Toshiba Boy]

Have "several" bikes, but the road bike I commute to work on, come rain or shine, is my "old faithful" 1980's Peugeot with friction down tube levers. Being an old git, I love them, never had any issues, but at same time have no problems with all my other bikes which are somewhat more "up to date".

 

[mustang1]

Is that one of the advantages or disadvantages?

Depends who's reading.

 

[mustang1]

In the old days maybe not, but modern ones and bar ends do.

I didn't know that. Eg the bar end ones. I thought they could either be friction type or indeed type but not both?

 

[Fab Foodie]

I didn't know that. Eg the bar end ones. I thought they could either be friction type or indeed type but not both?

I understand that the LH is always friction and the RH can be set as either for both the DA 9 and 10 speed.
My RH one is indexed and allied to a DA mech is peachy smooth.

I like the simplicity.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I like indexed better,especially on longer rides. But a convenience more than a necessity.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I understand that the LH is always friction and the RH can be set as either for both the DA 9 and 10 speed.
My RH one is indexed and allied to a DA mech is peachy smooth.

I like the simplicity.

That's the Shimano (Deore XT) arrangement that I have on a bike I've never bothered to reindex after cables stretched a wee bit.