Hi,
Just wanted to provide some more examples or work arounds as I simply do not like STI "Brifters" at all.
Magura and Shogun had plastic "perches" especially the latter show up every now and then and not so expensive.
Magura
Kleiderbügel Magura Schaltadapter Shimano STI Schnellfeuer Plus Teilenummer 0321872 USA, alte Lagerware Kompatibel mit LX DX XT bis 1993 und XTR M900 Transport durch Agentur GLS entweder dpd ...... Vereinigtes Königreich, Frankreich, Deutschland, Italien, Belgien, Niederlande, Irland, Luxemburg...
www.ebay.de
Shogun
- ermöglicht die Nutzung von älteren Shimano-Shiftern mit beliebigen Bremshebeln - passend z B für Deore XT M730, M735, Deore DX - für reguläre MTB/ATB-Lenk
www.mtb-kult.de
Here Shogun with Trigger from LX65x series
Grafton had lovely aluminum perches.
Here a link to the german forum where some managed to re-produce a small number.
Ich hätte ggf. einen Kontakt ,wo die in Wunschfarbe und hochwertig eloxiert werden könnten. Wenn Interesse besteht, würde ich das mal in die Hand nehmen.
www.mtb-news.de
Gorilla Precision had socalled Billet Shifter Pods
Just the strange thing they do fit only? with ST-M008 shifter, anyhow standalone.
Those ST-M008 are anyhow next to the M739 or M740 trigger mentioned from
@ishaw a good choice for decent but unobtrusive Shimano shifters (without optical gear display)
The lower one in the pic is the right hand 008 shifter
The upper one from this picture is much easier to find and cheaper, my clear recommendation, STX (RC) SL-MC38, 40, etc. shifters.
They are available with polished, silver or black aluminum clamp, with or without gear display and with 7 or 8 speed.
Some more
Even if one doesn't like the shifter itself, those are a good source for a nice aluminum clamp.
With a very small hack (4 small holes) those clamps fit also to the trigger of earlier XT73x or XTRM900 STIs.
Here some
I hope this helps.