Thumbie set up

[Titiritero]

I got curious, and since the Stumpy above is from 1992, I went to check the Specialized catalogue for that year. All the bikes have the shifters parallel to the floor. This could well be for marketing purposes, so they can be seen in the pictures taken from the side, but still...

 

[Titiritero]

Thanks for the Bridgestone ad, saved to show my friends that don't understand me being a retrogrouch...!

I'm curious that, considering the patent for those shifters is probably long expired, and how easy is nowadays to copy a design, why no other brand or even startup has not decided to produce copies in Alixpress for like 10$ and sell thousands...

I know Dia Compe recently released a bar end shifter compatible with 12 speed, but at 150$ for one it won't be flooding the market...

 

[MattiThundrrr]

I guess we now have a new way to criticize builds.
"Your thumb angle is atrocious!"
"Actually, new studies show that my way is 86% better than your way"
Park Tools Thumb Shifter Anglesetter, available soon

 

[joglo]

one more, also Kona was not moving immediately to STIs


Again, also at this pic in their brochure I would question if both thumbis are aligned well and in same angel mounted.

 

[joglo]

I'm curious that, considering the patent for those shifters is probably long expired, and how easy is nowadays to copy a design, why no other brand or even startup has not decided to produce copies in Alixpress for like 10$ and sell thousands...

I know Dia Compe recently released a bar end shifter compatible with 12 speed, but at 150$ for one it won't be flooding the market...

There are a few but very limited ones available.

Sunrace SLM96, cheap but not very precise

Diacompe Ene, great looking but without index
http://www.diacompe.com.tw/product/ene-11s-thumb-shifter/
Microshift SL-T08, work nicely, look good, 8-speed are very hard to get meanwhile, 9-speed expensive,
https://www.microshift.com/models/sl-t08/
and also a crowed funded startup called FRXBL has very nice ones called Thumbsters
https://frxbl.com/
just expensive and without index, something I don't want to miss.

 

[Titiritero]

There are a few but very limited ones available.

just expensive

Thanks. Yes, that is the point, excluding the Sunrace/Sturmey Archer ones, that I have never tried, all other available versions are stupid money for what is basically a 35y old technology of a metal barrel moving a cable... For the price of the Microshift 10sp or some Paul mounts + Dura Ace bar ends I can get some brand new XTR trigger shifters, which at least have 10 times the amount of technology into them...

When I tour in very remote areas (and they have to be VERY remote), I carry a Shimano Tourney thumbie front shifter. They cost €5 and I know it will get me out of any emergency until the next bike shop. And since the holding bracket is cheap steel, it could also be adapted to a drop bar in case of need...

 

[PhillB]

I have both bases covered . Although the Kuwa is a recent build - I'll probably move them down as I dial the bike in

 

[Black_puma]

My recently acquired thumbies for my beloved GT Pantera, always inline with brake levers for me.

 

[Spanky22b]

My set up and when you get a puncture and flip the bike upside down to remove a wheel it's more stable resting on the shifter levers, for extra stability right hand lever pushed to 7th gear and left lever pushed to big chainring positions

 

[Black_puma]

My set up and when you get a puncture and flip the bike upside down to remove a wheel it's more stable resting on the shifter levers, for extra stability right hand lever pushed to 7th gear and left lever pushed to big chainring positions

That's an interesting point but I'd be worried about damaging the thumb shifters that way.