What Shifters Are Best For Converting From Down Tube Shifters? Reynolds 1983 531 Double Butted

[Alasdair Geddes]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and to road bikes. I'm upgrading a 1983 Reynolds 531 double butted bike that was recently given to me. It currently has down tube shifters. I want to upgrade the shifters to put them on the drops where they are more accessible because I don't like down tube shifters. I can't decide what setup would be best.

I think the gears are 2 x 5 friction.

One option is bar end shifters. I have never used bar end shifters so don't know what they're like.

Another option is something like this:
http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x309/ascendingsmoke/Schwinn Tempo 2B/0706121556.jpg
Where thumb shifters are put on the drops. This seems like a nice idea but I don't know how good it would really be.

What do you think?

What other options are there?

I don't want to spend loads more money on it. I've already got a new handlebar, a new stem, stem adapter, new brake leavers, new saddle, new tires, new inner tubes, new clips, new rim tape, bar tape and a few other things. It should be nice when it's finished. I'm trying to replace about half of the bike as cheaply as possible.

 

[grumpyoldgit]

I hate bar end shifters,got them on 2 bikes,very rarely take them out.

 

[Alasdair Geddes]

so thumb shifters on the drops would be good?

 

[Davidc]

I used to like down tube shifters, but I'm just getting old.

There aren't many 5 gear indexed shifters around*, less still integrated ones (combined with brake levers). Even then it depends on the make and type of gear mech. Friction bar end shifters will of course work with any, if you like them.

To change to modern derailleurs needs new wheels and increasing the width at the back. Not cheap or something to be taken lightly.

*Even then they're bodged 7 speed ones

 

[smokeysmoo]

Those thumb shifters are a mash up using some old friction MTB style shifters, and IMO look a mess and they can't be pleasant to use.

You can't get 5 speed STI shifters. They came in at 7 speed with ones like this style,

Although these are like rocking horse droppings nowadays, so you'd need to go up to 8 speed with something like Shimano Sora, but I don't know how compatible they would be with a 5 speed block, not very I suspect.

It might be a case of N+1 time as it would probably not be economically viable to convert this bike without spending a lot of ££'s on it to get it upto at least an 8 speed set up, IMO anyway.

FWIW, I recently restored a 1993 Dawes Stratos. Someone had converted that to early STI's at some stage, and the first thing I did was convert it back to downtube shifters. I honestly didn't think I'd like them but TBH in some ways I prefer riding the Dawes to riding my Cannondale that has a full 10 speed DA groupset!

Downtube shifters are great. They just work and they are simply reliable, fit and forget as they say.

 

[Alasdair Geddes]

I guess I'll keep the down tube shifters. Maybe I can get used to them. Can bar end shifters be fitted once the rest of the bar is all taped up? If I decide to try bar end shifters later once I've rebuilt the bike would that be easy to do?

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

I guess I'll keep the down tube shifters. Maybe I can get used to them. Can bar end shifters be fitted once the rest of the bar is all taped up? If I decide to try bar end shifters later once I've rebuilt the bike would that be easy to do?

Depends on how you route the cables, ok like below. Or you can consider these.

 

[sidevalve]

+ 1 for the downtube shifters [although maybe as an old git I just got used to them "as a lad"]. To make life easier though you may be able to upgrade to an indexed system if the current ones are friction. It would be cheaper and simpler. My Dawes has a seven speed rear block and indexed downtube shifters and works a treat. Downtube shifters are as said above very direct and simple and if damaged while out on a run give the option of going back to friction. A pretty bullet proof setup and not that hard to get used to.

 

[avalon]

Unlike grumpyoldgit I like bar end shifters so as usual all the advice given here can be taken with a pinch of salt.

 

[grumpyoldgit]

Unlike grumpyoldgit I like bar end shifters so as usual all the advice given here can be taken with a pinch of salt.

It is a personal thing,my bikes that have them were like that from new,so they will stay like that.Likewise I like Di2 ,but I wont be fitting that to every bike I own.

 

[Teuchter]

Persevere with the downtube friction shifters, they're not that hard to get used to really. Simple to maintain, easy to set up, simple to trim for quiet gears in all combinations of front and rear rings, cleaner look (no extra gear cables coming off the bars like with STIs and some bar-end setups), little to go wrong and cheap to replace if they do.

Oh and they look right on an old 531 frame. My bike was described as "proper old school" partly thanks to the downtube shifters at the weekend. I'm old enough to like that.

I've never used bar-end shifters but have done a few thousand miles using STIs and while they're not bad, I still prefer my downtube friction shifters. Then again I've been riding bikes with downtube shifters since I was 13.

 

[Cycleops]

I agree with sidevalve, downtube indexed shifter would be you best option. I too have an old Dawes which has an 8 speed cassette with indexing and it works great. You should be able to pick up the shifters for little money. Bar end shifters are favoured by tourists mainly.

On another point it sounds like your bike would be a lot older than '83 as quality bikes were no longer being produced with five speeds at that time, it is likely about fifteen years earlier, but it is possible it was made up from parts. If you are interested in dating it please post a pic. If five speed it will have a freewheel threaded onto the hub, rather than the later cassette system so if you want to change to 7 or 8 speed you will have to change the hub. I know you haven't asked but I was pre-empting you.

 

[gilespargiter]

Assuming you have a quill stem which is not right down in the steerer tube. I have been putting a cable stop on the down tube and using a shim, fitting the levers to the stem since the seventies. You need to be careful they cannot catch the top tube at any point.

Personally I prefer friction shifters.

 

[youngoldbloke]

If you ride on the hoods/tops it is almost as far to reach for bar end shifters as down tube ones. You can also do one handed double shifts with DT shifters! The biggest problem for me comes when I swap bikes and find I'm reaching for shifters on the down tube when I have STIs, and vice versa. Persevere with the down tube shifters!

 

[Davidc]

If you ride on the hoods/tops it is almost as far to reach for bar end shifters as down tube ones. You can also do one handed double shifts with DT shifters! The biggest problem for me comes when I swap bikes and find I'm reaching for shifters on the down tube when I have STIs, and vice versa. Persevere with the down tube shifters!

Agree with all of this, though sadly I don't have a bike with DT shifters at present.

WIth friction DT shifters, once you get in practice you can move straight to any gear at the back precisely, in one go, and on the front you can trim out any slight difference in position when moving from large to small sprockets at the rear to achieve silence. I haven't used more than an 8 gear rear setup with friction shifters but that would probably apply just as much to more.