Can I Index Friction Shifter For 3 Sprocket Crankset?

[legrandefromage]

A lot of the early Shimano indexed MTB stuff had trim shifting at the front. And I loved the Campagnolo road shifters for their 'click click click' front shifting. Sachs Wavey also had multi shift adjustment for the front.

Heck Di2 adjusts the front mech as you shift the rear.

 

[woodbine]

New bikes dont have an indexed front end as they have gone daft with it all back to front

Yes, that is a 48t rear cassette and yes, the person that bought this will tell you that its better than anything else ever ever ever ever. But then they have just spent a lot of money as well and are not likely to say its shit (until the next thing comes along that really brings the trails alive)

Wouldn't cross-chaining be a problem on a bike like the one in your photo? I've always understood it's bad for the drivetrain, and should be avoided. No way of escaping it with a single chain ring.

This is one of the reasons I prefer to keep to 6 cogs out back, as I reckon it's the most you could get the chain across all rear sprockets without swapping front chain rings. As I'm on the road most of the time, my bike spends a lot of time in the outer/largest chain ring (48T).

 

[captaincowelly]

Re:

Never had a problem with indexed front mechs myself,my method being this; on say an 8 speed setup I only use the 4 smallest cassette sprockets with the big ring,the middle 4 with the middle ring and the largest 4 with the granny ring.Effectively only 12 speed.I'm sure many will find that wierd and restrictive but I've done this since 7 speed was the business.Unfortunately the change from 7 to 8 speed didn't technically bring me any extra gears!
For me it's more about chain wear than mech grating.The other gears are always there if needed but I favour a straight chainline and not stressing the chain at awkward angles.You'll be relieved to hear on 9 speed I occasionally stretch to 5 sprockets per chainring.What a maverick!
I guess I'm probably on my own here.Feel free to take the piss.
Can't remember which models but didn't some of the 90's thumbies have a lever to change between friction and indexed?Or was that just the rears?


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