Suntour Command Style Shifters

[dirttorpedo]

Hi there. I'm wondering if anyone is using those suntour command shifter inspired friction shifters that Soma Fabrication is selling? I'm tempted to get a pair to get my shifters on my handle bars and off my down tube - I'm not as flexible or as co-ordinated as I used to be. Wondering if they are worth it or if I should just get some Gevenalle Audax and mount my friction shifters to them.

 

[mdvineng]

I have them on my Frank Herety. Love em but hard to find now and pricey.

 

[half cog]

Got the suntour ones on three bikes.They are seven speed but you can run eight using the mech stop screw as the inner index point.They have about a quarter of a turn on friction past the last index point.Most I have ever paid is around £38.00 for a pair but they are now silly money. I much prefer them to brifters.They are very popular on the cyclo cross scene as you can change gear whilst being bounced about without false braking. There are plenty on e bay but as said they are pricy

 

[mdvineng]

Plenty, equals 5 at the moment! Cheapest £104 plus lots of pp

 

[half cog]

Seen comments that you can make them ten speed but dont think so as the spacing changes after eight.Of course on friction you could but eventually the lever would be so far over it would be very difficult to handle

 

[dirttorpedo]

This is modern Diacompe version that is friction only. I don't understand why running 10 speed in friction would be any different than 7 speed as the range of motion to go through the gears should be the same.

https://everydaycyclesupplyco.com/products/ene-command-wing-shifter

 

[half cog]

You may well be right with that. 10 speed is a different world from where I am. I can say though that eight speed on a seven shifter is about as far as you would want to go with the lever

 

[half cog]

The ene ones are still around the £140 mark so not cheap.The good thing about them is that they are going to put more of this style of shifter on the market.The more used ones come up for sale the more the downward pressure on prices.Its the fact that the suntour ones are scarce that allows them to become so expensive.As said I bought mine for below £40.00 a pair.Sadly at one time I sold a couple for around the same price.

 

[dirttorpedo]

The ene ones are still around the £140 mark so not cheap.The good thing about them is that they are going to put more of this style of shifter on the market.The more used ones come up for sale the more the downward pressure on prices.Its the fact that the suntour ones are scarce that allows them to become so expensive.As said I bought mine for below £40.00 a pair.Sadly at one time I sold a couple for around the same price.

If I could get a pair of originals for 20quid I'd definitely go that way. Cheapest pair on eBay is 140 USD plus shipping. For that I might as well wait til the ENE ones go on sale.

 

[half cog]

You would be more than lucky to get any at £20.00. You may be in with a chance at 40 plus. What about stem mounted shifters .I also think I have seen gripshift used in the centre section of drop bars but could be wrong on that one