Seeking Advice - Shimano 9 Speed Downtube Shifters

[Corwin Zechar]

Greetings -

About 18 months ago, my house was burglarized. Among the items stolen was my Rivendell custom. I am now trying to replace the custom. The frame is now at Joe Bell's waiting for paint.

I have been trying to find Shimano 9 speed downtube shift levers for a while. I missed out on a couple huge batches offered on EBay. I have seen three options recently:

1) A set of Dura Ace 9 speed downtube levers mated to Paul thumbies on EBay for 150 GBP. This seems like a potential win. Buy the levers (possibly at something below the asking price), sell the Paul Thumbies and come out with a considerable savings.

2) There is a set of Dura Ace 9 speed downtube shifters in Albuquerque for sale at $160. The shop will only deliver locally. I am willing to pay someone local to the shop to facilitate delivery and send the shifters to me.

3) Use Dura Ace 7900 10 speed downtube shifters in place of the 7700 9 speed. According to Sheldon (AASHTA), Dura Ace 10 speed will shift 9 speed fine.

A few criteria of interest ... I already have a set of Shimano 9 speed bar ends slated for another bike. Not interested in putting them on the custom. I do indexed only, and I don't do brifters. I have several wheelsets with 9 speed cassettes and associated [rapid rise] derailers for the custom and on other bikes.

I am concerned about the following: Will the Paul Thumbie/Shimano downtube lever combo have sufficient parts for install as downtube levers on the custom? Will the thumbie combo have sufficient parts to be able to sell to someone who wants Paul Thumbies? Will the 10 speed levers throw the chain off the smallest cog (given I am using rapid rise with a 9 speed cassette)?

Which is the best option? The 10 speed downtube levers appear to be available for approximately $80 sans tax and shipping.

Thanks in advance for your opinions, advice, etc.

Regards,

Corwin

[iamkeith]

Just thinking out loud and clarifying before I suggest something wrong:

If you use 10 speed shifters and want indexing, you'd have to use the alternate cable attachment hack, right?

9 speed era and later, the dura ace cable pull was the same as other shimano products, so you don't necessarily "need" dura ace, right?

You don't care if you have a friction option, right?

You've ruled out 10 or 11 speed altogether?  I understand if you have.  I kerp doing the same thing but, honestly, it's often easier and cheaper to find good 10 and 11 speed stuff these days.  It's just not as pretty.

[Mr. Ray]

I was not able to locate 9 spd Shimano DS so I bought Microshift 9 spd DS instead.  Like you, I only require index shifting and having used them for over 3000 miles, the Microshift have worked very very well.  They are also cheaper than Dura Ace.

https://www.microshift.com/models/sl-d09/

   

[MCT]

There is a gentleman in the group who lives in Albuquerque.  I don't want to name him and call him out as may not be able to pick up the shifters.  He is quite active on the board, so I will not be surprised if he posts on this thread soon.

Matt in OKC

[Corwin Zechar]

Hi Keith -

I've ruled out 10 and 11 speed as I want to be able to swap wheels between bikes and have several bikes with 9 speed setups.

And I don't care if I have a friction option. Not sure how that impacts things unless I was interested in brifters (which I am not).

Thanks,

Corwin

[iamkeith]

I was first going to say  what mr ray did:  I'm happy with the quality of the microshift shifters that I have.  They're thumbie mounts, but the lever shape really seems to be intended as bar ends, so they probably work ok in downtube mode too.  Easiiest thing though would just be to get dura ace bar end shifter from Rivendell.  They're in stock and bolt right on as downtube shifters.

[Mr. Ray]

Keith, the Dura Ace bar end shifters bolt right on and look identical BUT the rear shifter pods are different.  The rear bar end shifters cable track begins further away from the shifter cable vs a down tube shifter pod.  What this means is after the 5th or 6th gear, the shifter cable is no longer guided by the groove.  If one is handy with a Dremel or file, you could extend the groove closer to where the shifter cable enters the pod. 

[iamkeith]

Ah, interesting - amd I didn't know.  Here's  a set of concave baseplates that would presumably be missing from the used thumby/lever combo, which could hopefully complete that option.  (The Pauls have the "square" milled -in.

Longer levers are nicer than bar end levers anyway, which would be an issue with the microshift option I guess.  

There appears to be a Sunrace-branded option available, but I have no idea about quality.

Concave plates on ebay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/324819072038?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=324819072038&targetid=1263104806006&device=m&mktype=&googleloc=9029376&poi=&campaignid=14859008593&mkgroupid=130497710760&rlsatarget=pla-1263104806006&abcId=9300678&merchantid=116345380&gclid=Cj0KCQjwy5maBhDdARIsAMxrkw0q0Dhcv0k34aQiah-q4Qeknx178WIqYsV5rHL0qlA8P4Zyyj_2oUgaAsr8EALw_wcB

[Ian A]

Re the Sunrace option. I noticed SjS Cycles in the UK carry these. They also have a good selection of square taper bottom brackets.

I have always found SJS to be completely honest about what they carry, so you could email them and request an opinion. Reviews on the SJS site for the 8 and 9 speed shifters seem positive. The 8 speed version are particularly low priced.

IanA Alberta Canada

[William Lindsay]

I have a set of used 9sp down tube Dura Ace shifters 

I bought them when it seemed like a good idea because they were getting more rare and expensive. 

Corwin, if you still don’t have a solution in place next to week, I’ll be near my stash and can work something out with you. 

Bill Lindsay 

El Cerrito Ca 

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[Corwin Zechar]

Hi Bill -

I will gladly take those 9 speed down tube shifters off your hands.

Let me know whenever it's convenient for you. I am in no hurry.

Regards,

Corwin

[Corwin Zechar]

I agree. Using 10 speed shift levers requires the cable routing hack on the rear derailer.

Regards,

Corwin

On Tuesday, October 11, 2022 at 6:18:13 PM UTC-7 iamkeith wrote:

[Corwin Zechar]

Hi Matt -

I am familiar with the gentleman in Albuquerque. We have traded several times (both directions).

I now have options on two sets of 9 speed Dura Ace levers. And both are local. So hopefully - no shenanigans required in Albuqurque.

Regards,

Corwin

[Jim Bronson]

The Microshifts are not just cheaper than Dura-Ace, they're cheaper than anything Shimano.  They're also more sweat resistant than anything Shimano, I have a history of gumming up Shimano bar-ends.  Never had this problem with the Microshifts.  I've had them on my Custom for 8 years and will put them on my Redwood if I ever ride it enough to wear out or gum up the 9 speed 105s that are on there.

Jim

austin suburbs, tx

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[William Lindsay]

Corwin

I'm back from my travels and have located these SL-7700 shifters.  They are pretty lovely, aren't they?  I presume you still need them.  I think I'll test fit them onto a steel frameset in my stable and confirm they feel as good mechanically as they look.  

Assuming that's the case, I'd ask $80 for them.  

Bill

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[Bill Lindsay]

Sorry for spamming the group there.  That one was meant just for Corwin.  OOOPSIE!

BL in EC

[John Dewey]

Have any of you Shimano Dura Ace 9-speed folks ever 'worn out' either bar-end or DT shift levers? 

It must take years. And you can just replace the guts...DA bar ends & DT share internals.

Jock

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[John Dewey]

"And you can just replace the guts...DA bar ends & DT share internals..."

Or, maybe not.