touring bike purchase help!

[cindysue]

not much of an update since the owner never responded to my email. It's an anonymous craigs list email and there is no other contact info. The post is still up so maybe the owner just hasn't checked their email yet.

First I must say THANK YOU very much for the most thorough and thoughtful email.

OK, let me try to address some of Bubba's comments:

- if/when owner emails me, I will make an appointment to see about fit. And I will definitely keep it in mind that the 56 may be very different than my current 56. Thanks for pointing that out!
- will keep the stem issue in mind as well
- not too concerned with freewheel weight
- I went to a used bike shop today (the infamous Karim) and saw an old Bianchi with the bar end shifters. I think it might be a bit awkward but guess I'd have to get on the bike and try it out to see how I really feel. The guy wanted me to go on a test ride but I opted out of that. The place kinda gave me the creeps.
- I'm fine with Shimano (lower end is OK) and know nothing about suntour index shifting - actually I don't know what indexing is but I can do a quick search
- as with indexing, I know nothing about friction shifters (google, here I come)
- I'm all for extra gears so thanks for telling me how I'd go about doing that
- spin and twiddle? that's a new one. Can't wait to see what google comes up with.
- if/when the guy/gal emails, I may call for more info on the drivetrain quirkiness issue.

Thanks again! I'll keep y'all posted!

[SadieKate]

Cindy, go to www.sheldonbrown.com and use his glossary. Look up index shifting there and also read the articles on old bikes, shifting and touring. Bubba says those would all be good info.

Indexing is essentially click shifting pre-integrated brake/shifter days.

First there was friction shifting (ok after Campy invented the derailleur, you wiseacres) - you move a lever and the derailleur moves. By the change in cadence and sound (or looking) you knew to what gear you had moved the derailleurs.

Then, the shifters became "indexed" or click. You move the lever a click and the derailleur moved to the appropriate position . Most modern day bar end shifters (on either drop bars or out on the end of a time trial bar) work this way.

STI shifters combined the indexed shifter lever into the brake levers and we have the "brifter" which is what you use.

[jobob]

Both of my bikes have bar-end shifters which are in friction mode for the front derailleur and either index or friction mode for the rear.

When the rear indexing gets a little out of whack, sometimes I'm too lazy to adjust it, so I change the rear shifter from index to friction. It's a simple turn of a knob on shift lever. Dusty (my pink Riv) is currently friction shifting front & rear.

Next time you see either me or V. (she has essentially the same setup on Fluffy), we'll show you what I'm talking about.

ed. to add: hey! I just noticed Bubba's comment about "Rivendell nuts" . Oh, OK, guilty as charged.