The 'Growth' Of STI Levers

[Richard A Thackeray]

I've been re-fettling an old bike, that's just been hanging in the garage, for at least 10 years, as SWMBO has suggested that I have a sort out
And, I've offered this one, to someone 'free'/'gratis', if he collects

Particularly, as we've moved things around to get her new car in
Damn silent these hybrids!!!


Bit of background...…………………...
It's my old commuter, a Tange 'chro-mo' (cantilevered) frame from St John Cycles
I changed all the componentry from my (of the time) Raleigh Ultima, onto it
(mainly, as the Ultima wouldn't take proper mudguards as a commuter)


As happens, after years of no use, the STIs had got sticky, it would change down (lower gear) the cassette, but not up to a higher gear
Putting it at an angle on the workstand, and spraying liberal quantities of red diesel into the 'brifters' got a result (after a bit of soaking in)


I did notice how short the levers were, compared to modern STIs
Granted my CGR has rather long bodied 'brifters', but it is on hydraulic discs
The 2013 'blue' Ribble 'Audax' (as they advertised it) still has rather long lever bodies


So.…………. like a sad git, I had a look at my other bikes, to compare/contrast


The missing one, is the 1994 Dyna-Tech , with Ultgra 8-speed, as that's a bit unaccessible, at the moment, at the very rear of the garage


'Yellow'
RX100, 8-speed



2009 CX bike
105, 10-speed


2010 Ridley Orion
Ultegra, 10-speed


2013 Ribble 'blue'/'winter'/'audax'
Tiagra, 10-speed



2015 Ribble Gran Fondo
Ultegra 11-speed (mechanical)



2017 Ribble CGR
Tiagra, 10-speed (hydraulic discs)




Yours in geekiness

 

[winjim]

You should see the teeny tiny first and second generation Ergopowers. It felt like you were going to lose your grip and slip forwards off the bike. Never did of course but the third generation are comfy comfy comfy.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Yes, I remember them
Mindst you, back when I first got STI (on that '94 Dyna-Tech), normal Shimano levers weren't that big either

 

[si_c]

I much prefer the chunkier STIs of today, they actually fit my hands instead of feeling like they should be on a kids bike. I've always found the older style brake levers too small for my hands too.

 

[smutchin]

2017 Ribble CGR
Tiagra, 10-speed (hydraulic discs)
View attachment 419631

Can't say I'm a fan of the latest 105/Tiagra hydraulic levers - long, low and broad. They don't feel at all natural in the hand, too bulky.

SRAM hydraulics are very tall by comparison. I like them.

 

[Racing roadkill]

It’s progress. It means we no longer live in caves, and hunt deer ( or whatever ) with spears.

 

[DaveReading]

As happens, after years of no use, the STIs had got sticky, it would change down (lower gear) the cassette, but not up to a higher gear
Putting it at an angle on the workstand, and spraying liberal quantities of red diesel into the 'brifters' got a result (after a bit of soaking in)

Forgive me asking, but do you mean it would change easily to a smaller cog, but not to a bigger one ?

I ask because I'm having similar issues (though not as extreme) where changes onto a bigger cog (ie against the return spring) are iffy, and in fact got worse after I'd sprayed loads of GT85 into the shifter (though it may be a result of other things I did at the same time ).

 

[freiston]

But as well as the hoods getting longer, at the same time the reach/ramps of the handlebars have been getting shorter - possibly because the shifters are built into the brake lever, then people are spending more time on the hoods than they used to and want to be closer to the shifters than they would be on the ramps. Drops have been getting shallower too - but nowadays, many non-racing cyclists seem to have the tops a lot lower than a few years ago.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I like the big fat ST-RS505 hydraulics on my bike.

I have biggish hands and find them really comfy, much more so than my 'normal' 105's on my old bike.

Some people say they are ugly. I don't think they are but if I did I can't see that being something that would bother me. They're just a shifting and braking device at the end of the day.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I wouldn't like to go back to the old brake only hoods. I always found them a bit too narrow and uncomfortable to ride on for very long. I know people with small hands may struggle with the bulkier brifters, but they are a big improvement for me.

 

[si_c]

Some people say they are ugly. I don't think they are but if I did I can't see that being something that would bother me. They're just a shifting and braking device at the end of the day.

They are pretty ugly with that bulbous head but I get the feeling I wouldn't notice it when riding.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Forgive me asking, but do you mean it would change easily to a smaller cog, but not to a bigger one ?

I ask because I'm having similar issues (though not as extreme) where changes onto a bigger cog (ie against the return spring) are iffy, and in fact got worse after I'd sprayed loads of GT85 into the shifter (though it may be a result of other things I did at the same time ).

It was problematic/'hit & miss' changing up the cassette, I use the expression for a higher gear (numerically lower; 19 >17 > 15 > 13. etc...)

I like the big fat ST-RS505 hydraulics on my bike.
I have biggish hands and find them really comfy, much more so than my 'normal' 105's on my old bike.
Some people say they are ugly. I don't think they are but if I did I can't see that being something that would bother me. They're just a shifting and braking device at the end of the day.

RS505 on my CGR too

 

[MichaelW2]

Why dont STi levers come in s/m/l sizes rhen you can pick the right size for your hands.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Why dont STi levers come in s/m/l sizes rhen you can pick the right size for your hands.

Costs??

Some have reach adjustment

 

[vickster]

Why dont STi levers come in s/m/l sizes rhen you can pick the right size for your hands.

They do...just not for the same brand