wtd: friction thumb shifters

[afkt]

Hi,
I'm after a set of thumb shifters, needent be anything too fancy, I just don't like the look of a lot of the plastic tat on ebay!
cheers

 

[Archemist]

have a look for some suntour (accushift or before) late 80's / early nineties

you'll find a pair for around a tenner.

think there were some xc ltd (friction / click option) in the for sale for about £15.

cheers
And

 

[afkt]

Thanks, I shall keep my eye open for those. My lbs found some suntour xc shifters somewhere, but he wants £20 for them which seems a little steep to me, however I may well go in and have a haggle next week

 

[Groundoggy]

Shimano XT m732 thumbies and Suntour XC Pro are top notch but you'll probably pay for it. Both are well beyond £15-£20 range. They will work for either 7 or 8 speed.

Suntour XC Expert feel pretty smooth. Just picked up a set (under $20 USD) to replace my XC-9000 (smooth shifting but a stamped steel clamp rather than alloy like Pro, Expert or LTD). XC Expert works with 7 or 8 speed.

Suntour XC LTD I haven't tried but they look similar to the Expert. Not sure of the speeds. I think just 7 speed - but in friction mode you could probably do 8.

Suntour XC Comp I bought a pair NOS and didn't like them at all. Stamped steel clamp and just a cheap feel. Re-sold without mounting.

Many people say you can mix & match Shimano/Suntour thumbies and cassettes and I imagine that is true in the friction option. I don't think you will get maximum performance mixing Shimano and Suntour if you are index shifting. Others may disagree. Some people also say Shimano was really kicking butt on parts around the time thumbies died off. I don't think either of these should exactly scare you off from Suntour if you are looking for a bargain set of thumbies - just relaying some general thoughts on thumbies.

Look around here to find more ideas:

http://mombat.org/Shimano.htm
http://mombat.org/Suntour.htm

 

[afkt]

Thanks for the tips! how do you go about distinguishing the different xc models? these are the ones I am looking at

 

[Groundoggy]

I think they are the 1985 version:

http://mombat.org/SuntourXC1.jpg

That might make it a 6 speed - and I sure don't like how they attach to the bar. Seems WAY too flimsy.

 

[afkt]

Not worth the £20 he wants for them then? Thought so. just seen some xc pro's go for £20 in the for sale section, looks like I'm going to have to spend more even more time on the internet rather than doing something productive :roll:

 

[Groundoggy]

If you are looking for a 6/7 speed these would work well:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shimano-X...Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2c63410cd1

There might be a little discoloration on the right mount. Notice where it clamps to the bar is a big thick alloy clamp. That is going to last. That little steel band on the ones you listed may not. The stamped steel on my XC-9000 didn't last and other Suntour/Shimano with a stamped steel clamp I am now wary of. Probably still going to last most riders for years though.

An example of a stamped steel mount:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suntour-A...sure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item2ebbc3bc99

That was a deal you missed on XC Pro. I'd expect to pay about twice that for XC Pro or m732 in good shape.

 

[Groundoggy]

Shimano XT m732

XC Pro is all black with metal D-rings on top

XC Expert has a black alloy clamp, silver shift lever and a raised plastic slot on top

XC LTD looks similar to Expert but no 8 speed option. 7 speed only (maybe 8 in friction mode)

 

[afkt]

Thanks for all of your help groundoggy, you certainly know your thumb shifters! I'll keep an eye open on this board and see what comes up!