How can I change components on my bike?

[Becky]

ok, ok, I hear ya, but she never did say that, everyone was just extrapolating. I hardly ever did shift from the drops on my campy.

Then it is unfortunate (not to use the r word) and only another 9-speed shifter will do the trick. Aren't there any? like this one?
http://www.silentsports.com/store/pr...pd-STI-Levers/

Sorry...I was typing and didn't see Catriona's similar post. Didn't mean to come on so strong.

A shifter like that would do nicely. However, 8-speed shifters like that are hard to find anymore, and the price of new shifters could be $250-$400USD.

Greta- you might ask a bike shop who their distributor(s) is/area and ask to flip through the catalogs. Sometimes, you can order just right-hand shifters and certain distributors may still have some 8-speed stuff. I'll try to remember to check our distributors' catalogs next time I work at the shop.

Another possibility is to look on Ebay for older Shimano RSX shifters. Mine were 8 speed and just recently gave up the ghost , after many years of excellent performance.

[DebW]

Another option would be bar end shifters. Continue to use the Sora levers for the brakes, but add bar end shifters for the gears. The price of bar end shifters is around $80 I believe. Would probably need new gear cables and housing and have to rewrap the bars, but total cost <$100.

[alpinerabbit]

yeah but she'd have to let go of her drops to use the barends in those end-stage sprints or whatever other moment she assumedly intends to downshift from the drop bar position. Mightaswell let go and shift from the old STIs.

[lunacycles]

BTI (wholesaler) lists the Shimano R500, which is an 8-speed brifter that allows shifting from the drops. They aren't in stock, but they are still listed, meaning they can probably be ordered via another wholesaler.

I'd also recommend checking ebay. Old 8-speed STI shifters were great, smaller than the current varieties that are more bulbous.

I find it hard to believe a 9-speed version works well on a 7-speed drivetrain. Regardless, it wouldn't run well on 8 if that is the case, as the spacing is different.

[Triskeliongirl]

I find it hard to believe a 9-speed version works well on a 7-speed drivetrain. Regardless, it wouldn't run well on 8 if that is the case, as the spacing is different.

My husband and I were on cape cod, and he had a bike friday with an old shimano 7 speed set up. His sti rear shifter failed, and we couldn't find anything in the local bike shops, and had a trip to P-town planned. I happened to have a set of new 9 speed brifters I had just picked up for another bike I was planning to build when I got home, so we decided to try it. We were also surprised, but it really did work fine. Perhaps it doesn't matter if the spacing is different, since you use the limit screws to tell the derailleur how far to move with each shift.

[greta]

yeah but she'd have to let go of her drops to use the barends in those end-stage sprints or whatever other moment she assumedly intends to downshift from the drop bar position. Mightaswell let go and shift from the old STIs.

Alpinerabbit, I am sorry if I didn't make it clear enough for you. I thought everyone knew what sora shifter's were and that it was impossible to shift from the drops. I did mean that it seems stupid to put them on drop handlebars. I would like to ride on the drops. I would have clarified things for you earlier but I posted and then left the house for awhile. Thanks for all your help.

I don't think I'll try the bar end shifters because you do have to move your hands for that too. I'll try to find the other ones if possible

[greta]

BTI (wholesaler) lists the Shimano R500, which is an 8-speed brifter that allows shifting from the drops. They aren't in stock, but they are still listed, meaning they can probably be ordered via another wholesaler.

I'd also recommend checking ebay. Old 8-speed STI shifters were great, smaller than the current varieties that are more bulbous.

I find it hard to believe a 9-speed version works well on a 7-speed drivetrain. Regardless, it wouldn't run well on 8 if that is the case, as the spacing is different.

Thank you I will check around.

[lunacycles]

My husband and I were on cape cod, and he had a bike friday with an old shimano 7 speed set up. His sti rear shifter failed, and we couldn't find anything in the local bike shops, and had a trip to P-town planned. I happened to have a set of new 9 speed brifters I had just picked up for another bike I was planning to build when I got home, so we decided to try it. We were also surprised, but it really did work fine. Perhaps it doesn't matter if the spacing is different, since you use the limit screws to tell the derailleur how far to move with each shift.

I think it is fabulous that it works, really! I am just saying it is not common for it to work, nor will it likely work on an 8-speed cassette. The issue is the amount of spacing between the cogs, which is different for 8 or 9 speeds,and the shifters are designed to work with one kind of spacing, tho sometimes you get lucky if you play with cable tension enough.
Limit screws actually only control how far outboard or inboard the derailleur travels. They have no effect on how far the derailleur moves with each shift.

[Triskeliongirl]

I think it is fabulous that it works, really! I am just saying it is not common for it to work, nor will it likely work on an 8-speed cassette. The issue is the amount of spacing between the cogs, which is different for 8 or 9 speeds,and the shifters are designed to work with one kind of spacing, tho sometimes you get lucky if you play with cable tension enough.
Limit screws actually only control how far outboard or inboard the derailleur travels. They have no effect on how far the derailleur moves with each shift.

Wow, thanks for the info. I guess it wasn't the limit screws. I just know that there was a screw we fiddled with until the derailleur threw the chain just the right amount to smoothly move to the next cog. If that's not called the limit screw maybe it is something that adjusts the cable tension (sorry but I am all self-taught so I don't know what its called, I just look at the bike and try to figure out what I have to adjust to make things do what I want them to).

I guess we did get lucky, which is good since our trip would have been ruined if we couldn't make it work. It also surprised the local bike shop guys that couldn't locate a 7 speed shifter for us.