Clean AND Buttery Shifting?

[John Rinker]

Both my Hunqapillar and Atlantis shift cleanly and, given the state of the rider on a given day, precisely. The Hunq has buttery shifting all across the rear cogs- easy, smooth, and...buttery! The Atlantis, however, is smooth but a little more resistant to change, and requires a little more force. 

Both bikes have the same lengths of cable housing lined with a silicon spray and the cables are greased with Slick Honey. The Hunq sports Silver Shifters 1.0 and the Atlantis, Gran Compe. Both as bar ends.  Aren't these were basically the same shifters?

So, what gives?

Cheers, John

[Eliot Balogh]

Hey John,

It’s a little hard to tell over the internet but based on your description, a few thoughts come to mind. Are your cable runs clean with easy bends ? Is your housing contaminated ? Can you ease off the binding bolt on your shifter ?

I have always avoided lubing my cables out of fear of attracting dirt. 

Eliot 

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[Eliot Balogh]

Also, did you file your cut housing ends?

[John Rinker]

Thanks, Eliot. Yes, cable housings are filed and run in very smooth curves with no bends. I'll try easing off on the binding. 

Cheers,

John

[Piaw Na]

Consider the Shimano OT-SP41 coated shift cables: https://amzn.to/463eUM8

I haven't needed them yet, but I did try the brake cable version and it's very impressive.

[John Rinker]

Thank you Piaw. This sounds like a fine option for the future when cables need replacing. Right now everything is pretty new and in great shape.

I guess my question in this regard is more about why the shifting would be different given that all the variables appear to be identical. I'd love to replicate the way my Hunq shifts in my Atlantis, and so am curious as to which variables I might be overlooking. 

Cheers, John

[Piaw Na]

The differences for me usually come from type of shifter (downtube shifts faster than handlebar shifters), length of cable, how they're routed, lubrication, and age. Since what you have is all new, I'd suggest routing and length of cable. Post pictures and someone here might be able to tell you. And of course, there can be manufacturing defects in cable and housing.

[lconley]

I have had multiple sets of Silver1 and Silver2 shifters. There can be a lot of difference between "identical" shifters.

You can try swapping shifters between bicycles and see if the feel follows the shifter or stays with the bike.

Laing

[Brian Forsee]

What are the two derailleurs on the bikes? The strength of the derailleur spring also plays a part in how much force is needed to move the shift lever. Same would go for the condition of the derailleur's pivots.

Brian

[John Rinker]

Hey Brian. Both are Deore of the same vintage (ie. newish).

Thanks, Laing. I'll give that a try. Always fun to experiment!

Cheers, John

[John Rinker]

Solutions to problems often come from the strangest places; in this case, from the back of a Sonoran gopher snake. Biomimicry, I believe it's called. 

The puzzle of why my Hunq shifting is so much smoother than my Atlantis has been filed away into 'things to subconsciously ponder' for quite some time now.

I've been riding in the Sonoran desert a great deal over the past month, and the other day I came across another beautiful Sonoran gopher snake. This species is harmless (unless you're a gopher) and very docile. While I generally don't like to touch wildlife as it must stress them out, I made an exception on this day after Sonya (the snake) and I sat together under a palo verde tree for some time together. When it was time for her to slither away, I gently touched her back and let her skin slide under my fingertips: very smooth and surprisingly dry. And so slippery! 

I'm not completely sure why shifting popped into my head, but at that moment I realized the solution to the puzzle: snakeskin-lined derailleur cables! Faux snakeskin, of course!

A closer inspection of the cable routing on my Atlantis revealed that the primary difference between it and the Hunq is the absence of a plastic cable guide on the bottom bracket shell; on the Toyo Atlantis there are two steel fins between which the cable runs. 

So, taking a cue from Sonya's scaly back, I cut two plastic strips from a milk jug, placed them between the fins and under the cable, and voila! Buttery smooth shifting just like my Hunq.

While not necessarily an elegant solution, it certainly puts the 'fun' in functional!

Cheers, John

[J J]

I love this solution, and the story of what inspired it. I would run (or ride) in the opposite direction from any snake, much less touch it, but that sure is a beautiful creature.Thanks for the update and photos!

Jim