Brifter setup for my Sam: looking for options

[Neil Doran]

I love how my Sam is set up right now: Shimano Sora 3x9 brifters on 44 cm Salsa Cowchipper. Haven't had a hankering to change this in over a year, so I think I am sold.

However, I purchased the Sora brifters used, and they are worn. Time for an upgrade.

When I last looked, Sora and I think Micro Shift were the only 3 x 9 brifters on the market. Should I be thinking about other options, such as 10 sp?

My modest requirements...

- Must be indexed, don't wanna go back to friction.

- Need to use existing rear wheel (standard LX hub).

- Need at least a double up front, cuz of hills and I frequently bike-camp and otherwise load the bike up.

- Need to be compatible with sidepull brakes.

- Would prefer to reuse the crank (standard RIv Sugino triple) but not necessary.

What I'm thinking is a wide-low double (28 x 46 ish) and an expanded rear cassette (likely 10 sp) (11 x 38 ish)...has anybody done a setup like this before?

Kinda looking for an integrated solution that plays well together and delivers very good shifting performance. Thanks all!

[ted]

I’d suggest you consider a downtube or bar end friction front shifter combined with an indexed brifter for the rear.

[Christopher Cote]

Check out the shifters available from Genevalle. Never used them, but they look like a really interesting solution.

Chris

[Christopher Cote]

Sorry, it's Gevenalle.

[Joe Bernard]

IRD has one as well, Analog Cycles sells them. This is the setup that came on my Atlantis from them: Shimano 9-speed bar-ends on the levers, Nitto flare bar, Analog (w)Right 0° stem.

On Thursday, May 2, 2019 at 11:34:02 AM UTC-7, Christopher Cote wrote:
> Sorry, it's Gevenalle.

[Philip Williamson]

Oh thanks for the tip/link. 

Those look good, and I'd consider them for a future project if I want to relocate my 9sp bar-end shifters to the levers like that. 

Philip 

Santa Rosa, CA 

[Nick Payne]

The last few bikes I've setup I've used 2x11 with SRAM road shifters and MTB RD, as SRAM, unlike Shimano, still retain compatibility between road and MTB components - see https://www.sram.com/sram/mountain/technologies/exact-actuation for a list of the components that can be used with each other. I have Force 22 brifters with X9 FD and RD, a pair of fairly small chainrings, and an 11s 11-40 cassette (which doesn't need an 11-speed cassette body, it fits on 9- or 10-speed cassette body). For less cost you can use Rival rather than Force shifters and one of the lower level derailleurs.

Here's an image of the setup on one bike. The chainrings here are 38-26, which with the 11-40 cassette gives me gears from 92 inches down to 17 inches:

Nick

[Joe Bernard]

Philip, I'll be interested to see how you get on with those bar-ends on your new Fitz. They're wayyyy out there in the weeds!

[Neil Doran]

Nick, thanks, this is excellent! What crank is that? I see the Colnago label, but looks like Sugino. Also, it looks like you are using 10sp derailleurs with 11sp brifters and cassette, is that correct? And how is the shifting? 

[Adam in Indiana]

That SRAM setup Nick posted sounds like an awesome solution, I may try that in the future.

On my Sam I currently have Shimano's 11 speed SLX mountain cassette (11-40) and derailleur with a single ring up front. I use Microshift's bar-end shifter made especially for them, since Shimano doesn't make a drop bar shifter for that derailleur. This is the same shifter Gevenalle uses on some of their brake levers.

Though it's 11 speed, as mentioned, it fits on an 8-10 speed hub, since the largest gears can fit out over the lip of the hub on the spoke side.

As a side note, I use mine in friction mode...feels much better than indexed, and I've never had problems finding a gear.

[phil k]

If you ride predominantly on the hoods, I'd look at gevenalle. They are indexed, but also have a friction mode should you ever need it. Super comfortable and convenient. Also allows you to dump your cassette when shifting, instead of shifting each gear one by one.

On Tuesday, April 30, 2019 at 4:20:42 PM UTC-4, Neil Doran wrote: