Mixed feelings about this as for my (heavy traffic) commute an indexed system is nice but for leisure the down to earth reach down friction is nice as well. With one of my bikes I appreciate that it can be changed from one to the other as it is from the era where indexing was deeply distrusted.
@@LasseGreiner It is nice to switch from index to friction every now and again to appreciate the benefits of each. However I will say that I ride in traffic all the time and seldom feel the need to shift gear in an emergency. It’s generally steering or braking that gets me out of a jam! And when you do need to change gear fast friction allows you to dump a load of gears in one smooth, fluid movement.
@@eddieallen6401 i have an old mint giant 980c that has friction+index settings, the friction shifting is a delight. you just can't beat a jump of 5 gears in one smooth lever move :)
I ride both contemporary bikes as well as vintage. One thing I’ve noticed, using a modern chain and late generation freewheel like a Shimano HG, friction shifters work much better and are more forgiving. Riding with those old chains and full profile teeth on vintage freewheels makes it more fussy. Remember the old days every shift was, tickity, tickity tickity tick, chunk chunk……..
I used to do some racing back in the late 70's and early 80's. Only recently have I gotten back into cycling. I find it so funny how people are now looking back at friction shifters, as it's all I've really known. To me, the action of reaching to the downtube and expertly grabbing a gear was a talent well worth learning. I've never actually used an index shifter. I'm building a bike now that has them, so I will be my first experience soon. lol
I do think the slant parallelogram read derailleur from Suntour was an improvement. If not, then why did everyone copy the design when the patent expired. 😉
@@christopheroliver148indeed it was a Great Leap Forward in derailleur design…. that being said I was still riding a Campy friction vertical kinda’ derailleur in the early 90’s….
Oh yeah. Friction is analogue, like the bike, bearings, rider, movement down the road. The Campy short cage derailleurs took up less chain wrap and together with short down tube cables, friction shifted quickly. The down tube shifters never wear out. Unscrew the thumb tensioner, slide out the lever, and clean out the teflon bearings once a year. When the cable frays at the shifter, rider feels it before it breaks.
In 1996 I took off my Suntour friction shifters and tried the Shimano intergraded shift and brake levers. In 2006 I took the shift/brake levers off and put on my Suntour friction shifters. I am now 71 years and will keep these on until I can no longer ride.
In 1996, I bought my first NEW bike ever and it came with indexed sti brifters. Funnily enough, in 2006, I came into possession of a nice set of shimano downtube shifters, which I use in friction mode. Just like you, I'll be using them for the rest of my cycling days, though I'm a bit younger than you.
I sold recently my 1971 Columbus-tubing Campagnolo-Nuovo-Record bicycle. I had put it together myself under my uncle's supervision. I have many bicycles now and a piece of my heart went away with that bike.... We believe things nowadays are way better than in the past. They are better, however past things were working very, very fine. In addition they had one thing: simplicity.
You'll think that until you ride a bike with a Pinion gearbox and suddenly that 12 or 16 speed set of gears with such beautifully spaced and such an incredible range of gears, kinda makes even the 11 and 12 speed rear derailleur clusters seem antiquated.
@@tauncfester3022 I have a Bianchi full carbon 2x12. I take around some of the smaller sprockets because they look good not because I use them. The price to pay is the constant need for a super fine adjustment of the rear shifter. For me 2x10 was the optimum
At 73, I grew up on friction shifters. When I got a bike with index shifters about 15 years ago I thought I had died and gone to heaven. The only problem I’ve had with index shifters is when I unknowingly bent the rear derailleur hanger. When I fixed that, all was right in heaven again. You actually get very good with friction shifters; on a ten speed. A lot of room for error.
@@reidflemingworldstoughestm1394 🤷♂️ brain farts happen when you get to be 73, now 74. One forgets to be precise in one’s speech - and writing. Plus one doesn’t give a rat’s ass.
Imagine telling someone in the 1970s that you would in the future have indexed shifters ( SRAM Grip Shifters or Shimano Rapid Fire or Shimano EZ Fire Shifters on Mountain bikes ) I'm spoiled rotten with my Indexed shifters
@@seniorcajun I have an indexed rear derailleur from the 70's--yes, the derailleur, not the shifter, contains the indexing--it's a Shimano Positron. Weird system but it works fine.
@@mattgiesISTR they were rather basic steel devices usually found on ladies' town bikes, the ones with a basket on the front; some used music wire for a push-pull cable, others two cables, no spring in the derailleur. I suppose Shimano did get it right eventually.
Over 35 years ago, I acquired a Fuji road bike, used. It had friction shifters. It was a great machine. I rode it most some years later while attending college. You had to feather the shifters to the quietest place for each shift. Familiarity, use and persistence were the key. Thanks for sharing..........
Thank you Calvin. I've just converted my old Gios Torino back to Campagnolo super Record as at some time in its life it was fitted with Dura Ace 7400. This video has been extremely helpful and now my bike is back to factory spec.👍
With my first Summer job, I bought a Bottecchia Campione del Mondo with Campagnolo friction shifters. Such a beautiful bike, with the hand painted pinstripes, and that shade of red that the Italians do so well.
I'm using friction lever shifters since I changed my Shimano SIS system from a 6 speed to a 7 speed freewheel. I'm using the levers in friction mode instead of indexed, using my ears to tweak the gear changes. I'm running a Shimano MF-TZ500-7 14-34 freewheel and I'm loving that 34 teeth gear to climb steep hills. Brazed-on shifter on the frame is more convenient as I'm using clip-on aero bars. It's a better all around solution using one bike to do the hills and the flats.
Yeah, I have an old 80s race bike, but it had old non-aero wheels with a corncob, and I happened to have a set of 90s aero wheels on a cheap parts bike that had a nice 11-32 freewheel. Guess which wheels and freewheel went on the race bike, and the corncob works just fine with the triple crank on that parts bike. Fortunately both were 7 speed so I was able to keep the indexing, which I do like. On a similar note, I've heard that the modern ramped cogs on the 9+ speed stuff work beautifully in friction mode. At some point I need to put some more modern wheels on that bike and try it out.
The bar-end shifters on my ‘93 Bridgestone have switch-defeatable indexing, which is great if things get wonky when riding. It’s easy enough to find the right spot, but indexing is soooo much better. I used friction shifters on my 10-speeds in the late seventies and early eighties…and they were fine at the time.
Just getting into bike commuting and dping my own maintenance/upgrades. This was EXACTLY what i needed as a primer on how shifters and derailers work. Thank you!
Still have my Campagnolo/Suntour Superbe 1st generation ‘groupset’ on my 1988 steel columbus sl frame. Friction shifting is easy….now using 9speed campa 12-21 cassette with nuovo record rear derailleur. Simple, elegant and it works 😂
I love how this video is about training the trainer. I also really liked the subtle additional animation and highlighting right on top of the physical components.
I rode indexed bikes for a few years. I started with friction shifters and have returned to friction shifters. They feel smooth and I can instantly jump seven or more cogs. I love them.
Front derailleurs would be easier to use if indexing was simply removed. Why implement indexing only then to add a "trim" feature? Indexing on the rear works fine and is valuable. But on the front? More pain than it's worth IMO. Notably, Shimano's cheap TX30 shifter set uses indexing on the rear and friction on the front and works perfectly fine for what they are.
Thanks for the tip. I have both type of shift système. My problème and I see most people have the same problema. I have ridden in the same gear my whole life because I do not know when and why to change gears. I rode beside a guy yester day. He was commuting on a cheap 28 speed without brakes. He within two miles stopped due to cramps. No cadence, no shifting, no brake....he was so happy his truck was finally fixed. We do not spend enough time on a bike even in a life time these days to know what they are good for, how to ride them and how they work. Last...I go to the bike shop I tell the guy who owns the shop that we go into a bike shop and walk out with one bike when we need three at least. He asks three why? I tell him people who do not plan on riding all year round no matter the course, the time, the traffic, and environnemental condtions buy on bike and hang it on the wall in the garage. You need in the least sell stands and hooks with the one bike one système you sell. He was not even motivated by more potental sales and repair volume to see that at least three beats one.
@@peterwillson1355 It is generalized note - with which I am tending to agree: tuning front derailleur recently, it was necessary to have multiple takes, before cable tension preset, index, two limit screws and shifter limits all came together to acceptable result (and yet with marginally apparent rubbing against the cage). There is no sense in orchestrating several positions this way.
@@peterwillson1355 I believe that either Shimano or Suntour had a twin lever/single body shifter boss/casting that bolted to the top of the downtube type of shifter that adjusted the front derailleur incrementally with the indexed rear shifter on the the first indexed high end road bikes from Nishiki and Norco, sometime in 1987-ish...? Seemed to be something limited to high end Japanese bikes. It worked really well.
Very clear video and as an Italian I cannot thank enough Calvin for pronouncing Campagnolo correctly!!!! After thirty years riding indexed I recently came back to friction on all my bikes and cannot be more happy. Thumb shifters on my alt bar bikes and bar ends on my drop bar bikes. I don't depend anymore on the brand of the rear derailleur or the number of the sprockets and every change of gear that come out silently and smoothly increase my self esteem.
I am so thankful for your tools and your viedos. They do not tell us that our bikes do not go out of alinement etcetra right out in front of our bike shop. One must know how to service one's bike on road or trail. I had to watch you 20 times just to learn how to change a flat. It took two years of practice to be able to change a flat with in compleate darkness. Bikes no matter how expensive neither quit in front of shops nor in perfect conditions. Thanks.
Yes I did run one of those old bikes,and it was a lots fun, tears sweat and pain,it gave me more life,it would fly down the road,and I felt like I had wings,but the only bad point,it was not easy to climb hills,but I did love it,it took away momentary emotional pain,I still remember those days they where magical 😊
I love my Microshift thumb shifters. The left one already has micro-fiction shifting for the front derailer. It has an option to change the right shifter to friction, which I did. Rides like a dream.
I'm using friction shifting on all my bikes now. Thanks to a 31.8mm down tube shifter clamp it's also really easy to convert almost any current and new steel bike to friction down tube shifting. Muscle memory is very good at indexing gears 😊.
We are bombarded with media saying we *need* a lot of gears. 18 (3x6) is already a challenge to learn with friction shifters. That is why people prefer more and indexed gears. The reality is most of us could make due with far fewer and simpler (friction) gears.
I have many miles and years with this system. I bought my first “10 speed”, a Peugeot in 1970. I don’t call it friction shifting but finesse shifting, because it took a little bit of finesse to get it on the gears and centered. After a while with muscle memory, you could shift between gears and get centered without having to monkey around. Back then we did our own maintenance, the way most guys did with all their machines, we figured out how to keep things running on our own. There weren’t any other sources out there. But as you’re showing in this video, having the basics, it made it easy for us to transition to the newer systems.
I got myself a Kona Sutra with bar end friction shifters earlier this year. The last time I used friction shifters was on cheap kids' bikes back in the '90s. I got my Kona second hand, and the indexed shifting on the rear derailleur was beautifully set up. Last week I noticed a couple of broken strands on the rear gear cable and decided to replace it, in the run-up to a multi-day trip. And although I understand and have some experience with setting up the tension and limits, I just cannot get it to shift as cleanly as before. I wish Calvin was there to talk me through it!
Excellent instruction! All my bikes are still old school, and I'm always learning something as I did from this presentation. This tradesman is an excellent teacher!
During the pandemic lockdown I wasn't able to do my usual stuff, I bought an old yellow Concord Freedom Deluxe from like '76. Mint condition. Friction shifters on the stem were a joy to use. I loved that bike but I had to set it free. I'm pretty sure I found a good forever home for it though.
The first bike I bought new, and I still own that bike, is a 1968 Raliegh SuperCourse which came with friction shifters. That's all we had. It's amazing how well your muscle memory works when shifting gears to exactly position the lever. Even today after riding index shifting bikes for years, I can pump up the tires on my old Raliegh and within minutes be shifting fast and accurately between the gears, albeit there's only five in back. It's incredibly satisfying.
As an "older" cyclist from the UK with some 50 + years cycling under my belt I've always used friction levers on the downtube to change gear, however with advancing years I'm finding it more awkward to reach the levers and change gear safely, so I'm contemplating changing to bar end shifters rather than going down the index route as I love my old campagnolo record system and have no wish to change it. I find I get something of a perverse pleasure out of making slight adjustments to the shifters to get the derailleur to run as smoothly as possible, I'm a new viewer to your channel , I enjoyed my first taster immensely 😊.
I’ve trained and raced for 40+ years ( I started at age 13) and have ridden bikes with a wide variety of shifting systems…friction, indexed down-tube, 9spd STI and 10spd STI. (At my age, I don’t think I’ll ever make the move to electronic!). Every system has its pros and cons, but the beauty of friction is that those shift levers will work with anything from a 5-speed corncob freewheel to a wide range 10 (or 11!) speed cassette with nothing more than (perhaps) a tweak of the limit screws on the derailleur. After that little tweak, they’ll never be out of adjustment again!
Raced Cat. 2 in the mid eighties, extended touring in the late eighties/early nineties, and one item I could not function without were my Modolo carbon shifters, and my Maressi shoes. Now I ride one of two Trek Domanes (one analog, one electronic) and I'm sure the art of cycling has diminished.
@@ChuckD59I think that being able to shift while doing a standing climb is one of those things modern systems do better, but I suspect that you could put ramped cogs into a friction system and get much the same benefit. Maybe you'd want barcons so you didn't need to reach to the down tube while stomping.
Never rode a friction-shifted bike before. Although the front derailleur on my old city bike didn't have a really indexed system, you just clicked a few notches forward or back to shift and trim. I do plan on buying/making/repairing an old race bike and trying out the friction shifters.
I've done this many times. I used to race in the late 70's - I still have vintage friction shifters (one Campy Nuovo Record, one Shimano Crane) and use them almost daily!
Another great video. I started working on bikes in the early 70's. I guess all that info certainly has helped me over the years trouble shooting, setting up and teaching friends the same info.
Just purchased a Bianchi after recycling my Puegot 😢 and I am tuning things up . Thanks for the lesson 🎉🎉 Sure wish I had this lesson back in the day!!!
One of my bikes is a Raleigh Competition made in Japan with Reynolds 531 tubes. SunTour Superbe derailleurs, New Winner 6spd cluster, 42/52 SunTour Sprint 170mm crank. Cinelli bar and stem. Campy Record hubs laced to Mavic tubular rims. Continental Sprinters. Brooks Swallow saddle. SR fluted seat post. Bike weighs in at 21.3lbs and is an absolute joy to ride!
I had an old Huffy mountain bike in high school back in the day that had friction shifting. You could down/up shift multiple gears very fast, and once you got the hang of it you got very little chain rubbing.
Excellent explanation for everyone. I really enjoy your video’s. My first serious bike (at least for me) I purchased 40 years ago. It was a Schwinn Traveler equipped with friction shifters.
Had this same Campag spec 1978 to maybe late 80's, no issues, easy to maintain, lots of spares. Suntour Powershift was a great reliable lever to work with any 90's gear set up, sadly no longer available.
I done a lot of cycling in the 70s and 80s with friction shifters. It just seemed so normal to adjust your levers on the go, you just developed a particular feel for each bike. And maintenance adjustments were pretty straightforward to do. Index systems make gear changing easier, but simple maintenance and adjustments harder. I still have one lightweight road bike with friction shift. It's in perfect condition and makes for a nice simple old school ride.
Thanks for this straightforward, informative lesson. It's like having a virtual page in a shop manual. I bought an 80's Schwinn from a guy yesterday & didn't even know shifters like this existed until he pointed them out. Pretty cool, especially now that I have a better understanding of their function & how to adjust if necessary.
When I first started riding friction shifters on a quality bicycle (1981) I shifted by ear, trimming the gear to remove chatter. After a while, I could feel the vibration from chatter in the shift lever and trim it out even in high noise. I still have a 1994 Klein with indexed down tube shifters that had the option to work as friction shifters. That is the way I ride it--more fun.
don't they have fewer front teeth? I was on one by 7 and front was 52, it took quite a bit to get it started to say the least, now with a 48 in the front I can't even tell I'm moving
@@griffon2-6 you can change fully from hardest to easiest gear in one sweep of the hand instead of having to click 10 times. love the feeling of cranking into the easiest gear on friction shifters when coming up to a hill, its very intuitive and fast
Another great video from Calvin. I have a 1982 Schwinn Voyageur with friction shifters that I restored last winter. Index shifters are great when they work, but only when they are in perfect adjustment. Friction shifters require some technique (like when you have to change both forward and rear sprockets going up a hill) but from a maintenance standpoint they are much better.
I switched back to friction shifting in 2010 and have never gone back to my old index systems. I still have three bikes with index shifting but I have not ridden them in years, I need to sell them one day. The friction systems are super reliable and very cheap to buy. Crazy easy to set up too. Plus almost any deraileurs will work, you do not have to worry about keeping a matched group, Suntour, Shimano or even Microshift can all work together. If you are an old guy like me, and have some of your old stuff from way back, they will still work too. Just change your cables every year and check the derailleur stops and you are good to go.
I love my old road bike, first decent bike. Hand built 531c frame, I watched the builder brazing it. Then use a Campagnolo Tipo groupset with Mavic rims to finish. It’s my “nice dry day” bike and the old skool gear works as slick as day one after thousands of miles. There’s definitely a “feel” needed to set everything up and in its use, like gear changes under pressure. I do like my modern carbon flyer, the refined engineering is lovely. Enjoying both is better than comparing negatively. Now stop watching TH-cam and get out on your bike 😂
I started on friction and loved it. I have tried to revert, but I have settled on an 11-speed drivetrain and find the much-more precise spacing between gears makes friction very fussy and unworkable. I have also found that modern clutch mechanisms compound the problem considerably. I still use thumbies on many of my bikes, brifters on others, as my thumbs are worn out from repetitive stress (oddly enough thumbies don't require thumbs!!). An interesting side note would be Rapid Rise technology from Shimano, which reversed the spring in the rear derailleur. Grant Peterson is currently reviving this technology under his Silver brand of components, I believe!
That was a fabulous presentation. Today's young people seem to be lost and incapable of understanding such simple processes. I hope this has enlightened those that would have interest in growing.
Like someone mentioned the best way to think about it is it's like you're playing an instrument. Up to this point I never actually thought about the fact that there are no set indexes. Trimming is a new concept to me that has really helped me shift better. With friction shifting you have to go by feel and sound. I love vintage steel road bikes and I prefer friction shifters over indexed systems.
So great to see a flat block once again. So elegant. The friction shifters were beautiful to ride with and although not as convenient as the handle bar shifters, we raced them and a well tuned bike, with an in-tuned rider was quick enough.
In the early '70's I bought (new) and raced a Paramount like this. Mine was red, with the same half chromed front forks and rear stays. As I recall, Schwinn made them to order (at a loss). Initially Weinmann side pull brakes, later Campy side pulls, everything else Campy. 5-speed clusters, 14-18 for flatter routes, 13-21 (2-tooth jumps) for hillier ones. Smallest chainring that would fit the spider was a 42. Don't know how we managed to climb with a 42-21 but we did. For one race I was loaned a wheel with a 6-speed cluster, which seemed SO high-tech at the time!
What a great video. Thrilled with the visual quality. You can really see how wonderfully this old bike has aged. Great looking bike and a good looking mechanic too! They don't make them like they used to!
Yes on the friction shifting here. A bit slower and of course impossible to shift from the hoods while out of the saddle, but much less sensitive to cable stretch and any minor alignment issues since you just handled that on the fly.
I would say faster, not slower. You can jump from smallest to largest sprocket in one pedal rotation. Try doing that on indexed, or even Di2. No chance.
I have come to prefer bar end friction shifters on all of my bikes. I can alway trim the lever to get a quiet and smooth drivetrain and I can throw the chain from smallest cog to biggest cog in one quick motion when I hit a short steep pitch I didn't see coming. Thanks for the years of wisdom and information, Calvin!
Four years ago, I returned to friction shifters for the first time since about 1994. The simplicity is something that I didn't know I missed. I have no intention to ever use indexed shifters again.
Thanks for the vid I still ride my friction shift occasionally, and I learn something from this video About why the rear stays have those long slots and screws. They’re basically the B tension screw And the way you explained how to adjust the internal cogs is exactly right. Out on the road when you shift into the middle cogs, you need to shift and then tweak the leaver to set it in place It takes a couple of seconds. But you soon get the knack. When climbing, you have to relax the load on the pedal while you shift. Again a little awkward but with practice you improve your skill for smooth shifting.
I love these old bikes ! they are a real pleasure ! Simple and intuitive to set up and fix. Your presentation was super especially for new high Tech riders or mechanics! You have to anticipate your gear changes as your ride terrain changes up or down Great bikes if you have a chance to lay your hands on one - there is a good bit of NOS stuff available online ! Great video! BTW they will shift better if the ratios are narrow - 6 and 7 speed freewheel are the norm and 42/ 52 up front! I have got old Shimano Mountain bike freewheels to work- Finally you can buy brand new chain rings from French company TA - they are fab ! I have an old 1980's Tommasini with a Campag Simplex Cinelli Mavic mix - lovingly restored and used a good bit but only in dry conditions ! Thanks
Have I ever adjusted a friction drive train? That was called "riding a bike" when I started. And I'd be adjusting friction now if they'd let me. Hint for the younger folks: index shifting is on that long list of "upgrades" you don't need that increase the hassle and expense of bicycling without adding much for the great majority of riders. It takes about 20 minutes to internalise the physical motions required to shift friction and then do it without thinking for the rest of your life. And once you've set the limit screws, you're good literally until you take the bike apart -- or have to mount a new chain. Then you set the screws again and... you get it. So there's no futzing with every single shift position at the start of the season, and especially -- no moment on a long ride where the transition from one cog to the next suddenly gets balky, or it shifts without asking. As the cable stretches, your hand naturally compensates. When the it stretches to the point that the hand movement becomes ridiculous, you tighten up the cable (or replace it), set your limit screws, and... never think about it again. I now have a very nice bike built in 2017, and I like it, but I really wish I hadn't sold my old 1974 Gitane. It, like, worked.
I pulled an early 80s Panasonic out of the dump earlier this year and restored it, mostly with 80s components and a few modern parts at the points of contact. Friction is quite fun and I totally get why people love it.
I’ve had friction on 4/5 of the multi-gear bikes I’ve owned, with 2 of them having bar end shifters that could toggle between index/friction. I’ve gotten used to indexing, but friction worked fine. I remember knowing EXACTLY where to place the lever for any gear on the bike I rode in my early 20’s. I think it was good to have this experience. Figuring out the how & why if it did promote a better understanding and a sense of being ‘in tune’ with the machine. There is beauty in simple analog things that are human operated, like friction shifters & antique hand-crank operated coffee grinders.
For commuting, I go for my friction shifting bike from the 1970s first. I can change bucket loads of gears for stop/start traffic and on bike paths with pedestrians, dogs and joggers. And I can change cables and adjust all the mechanical components myself unlike my internally routed mechanical gear cables and my electronic shifting bikes.
I still have a Sun Tour Winner six speed 13-18 freewheel. I also have a seven speed Sachs 12-18, and a Shimano 7 speed 12-19. For training, I would use a Sachs 13-21 7 speed freewheel. Back in the day, I never had a problem with quick friction shifting.
I have two vintage road bikes with downtube shifters, and it takes practice to know how much to move them for a gear change; it also takes practice tweaking in each gear so it's quiet.
I started on Friction Shifting back in 1980! I raced a Raleigh Super Course MKii with Huret Jubilee shifters and derailluers! Had the Nervar Star 40/52 crank, and as a USCF Junior I was limited to 15 as a high gear. So I ran a 15,16,17, 19, 21 Suntour freewheel! All of this on Ambrosio rims running Clement sew-ups! Those were the days! I now have 11 friction shift bikes with Campagnolo, Huret, Suntour and Shimano groupsets!
This is the best series on TH-cam currently. Thank you Calvin. Friction shifting is great, and is currently my front shifter on my cyclocross bike due to a broken internal system in the front brifter. It broke during the parts shortage, and it was easier to go friction. I've not found a reason to replace it yet. It looks good (bar end), it feels good (it's clicky), and it's simple and holds up to the grime and crud of off roading (especially around the bottom bracket area)
I loved my downtube shifters on my trek 720 (531 tubing). The thing i liked about them was you just flexed your arm downward and they were there. This also relieved stress that built up in the elbow. When they came out with index shifting i grieved. I knew we lost something.
I started with a _SunTour_ friction system on a steel 1985 _Fuji Team_ and it seemed easy to adjust. The friction shifters make the system very forgiving. I still have that bike today and use it when I need to pedal into town. When I got my first indexed system (SRAM Force) on a carbon 2008 _Fuji Team,_ I noticed it was much more difficult to adjust. Then I discovered the "Achilles heal" of indexed systems: rear derailleur hanger alignment. If your rear hanger is significantly misaligned, you may never get the indexed system to operate as intended. Nowadays, the first thing I do before adjusting an indexed system is check the rear derailleur hanger alignment. Once it is aligned, the system is predictable and easy to adjust. I've simplified my system today. I'm still using the 2008 carbon _Fuji Team_ frame, but I converted it to a 1x using a _SRAM Red WiFLi_ rear derailleur with a long cage and an oval _Rotor QX1 Aero_ 1x 52t chainring on the front. It works very well for the low rolling hills that I usually travel when training. *Tip:* The hanger is intentionally made of a soft metal so, if your bike is in an accident, the hanger should bend or break instead of your expensive rear derailleur. This is why hangers go out of alignment, they are malleable. Therefore, be careful when you manually pull/push your rear derailleur by hand. If you pull or push it with too much force, you may bend your hanger without realizing it and it will no longer be aligned. What do you align it to? _Answer:_ The rim of your rear wheel. Naturally, I use a Park Tool DAG-2.2 for the job.
Oh yeah, I learned about the hangar alignment issue the hard way. Now I take extra care never to accidentally bang the rear derailleur against anything or even lay the bike down on that side 😂
Yes I have a Carlton 531 frame I bought in 81 and built with 6 speed block and Campag rear mech.Lovely bronze bushes in the jockey wheels much better than skimpy modern stuff. A simple foolproof winter bike with mudguards.Brooks pro saddle too.
I still have an old Favorit steel bike from Czechia with Sachs friction system and six speed freewheel at the back. Riding this bike (with strapped shoes!) was exactly how you described it - my hand was indexing gears 😊. The biggest problem was not a drivetrain but tubes - it was a nightmare when I got a puncture to change a tyre 😂. Thank you for your anither fantastic video!
i got back into cycling this January after almost 30years away, re-purposed a late 1980's Jamis dakota mountain bike with some old road 105 cranks and new drive train, friction thumb shifters and it works great, still wanting to buy a new road/endurance bike this winter, my first 2 road bikes back in the day had friction shifters on the downtube, many miles were ridden that way :)
The simplicity is elegant, and never leaves you stranded. And all friction shifters work with other brands. That's why Merry Sales and Rivendell have brought back friction shifters that will work on 5 speed to 10 with the Rivendells, and all the way up to 13 for the Merry Sales (Soma Fab) shifters. My old Suntour shifters work great up to 8 speeds, which BTW was and is the best ever.
believe it or not I still use friction down tube shifters today on my Surly Crosscheck. I have more modern bikes and systems too, but I do love the simplicity and human interaction with the friction hardware. My firmware never needs updating except for the occasional read. It's called learning ;)
Friction shifting was never a problem until I tried a tandem. That's when I realized a quick glance had been helpful for fine tuning, and the rear derailleur was now a lot further back.
I am 35 and I ride a 4130 steel bicycle with down tube friction shifters from the 1990's. There's something beautiful about something that just works and doesn't need constant attention. The only thing I had to do to bike was get new spoke nipples for both wheels and 1 new spoke.
My Fuji Tour uses a friction bar end shifter to move the front derailer and an index shifter to move the rear one. The index bar end shifter can be easily turned into a friction shifter if need be. Brakes and shifting kept separate, kept simple and easy to fix.
And it’s not just good for teaching people how gears work. Riding a friction shifting bike is an everyday pleasure.
Mixed feelings about this as for my (heavy traffic) commute an indexed system is nice but for leisure the down to earth reach down friction is nice as well. With one of my bikes I appreciate that it can be changed from one to the other as it is from the era where indexing was deeply distrusted.
@@LasseGreiner It is nice to switch from index to friction every now and again to appreciate the benefits of each. However I will say that I ride in traffic all the time and seldom feel the need to shift gear in an emergency. It’s generally steering or braking that gets me out of a jam! And when you do need to change gear fast friction allows you to dump a load of gears in one smooth, fluid movement.
@@eddieallen6401 i have an old mint giant 980c that has friction+index settings, the friction shifting is a delight. you just can't beat a jump of 5 gears in one smooth lever move :)
I ride both contemporary bikes as well as vintage. One thing I’ve noticed, using a modern chain and late generation freewheel like a Shimano HG, friction shifters work much better and are more forgiving. Riding with those old chains and full profile teeth on vintage freewheels makes it more fussy. Remember the old days every shift was, tickity, tickity tickity tick, chunk chunk……..
I used to do some racing back in the late 70's and early 80's. Only recently have I gotten back into cycling. I find it so funny how people are now looking back at friction shifters, as it's all I've really known. To me, the action of reaching to the downtube and expertly grabbing a gear was a talent well worth learning. I've never actually used an index shifter. I'm building a bike now that has them, so I will be my first experience soon. lol
Friction shifting was like playing a musical instrument. You just get better with practice. The old Campag stuff was SUCH a joy to work on btw.
I do think the slant parallelogram read derailleur from Suntour was an improvement. If not, then why did everyone copy the design when the patent expired. 😉
@@christopheroliver148indeed it was a Great Leap Forward in derailleur design…. that being said I was still riding a Campy friction vertical kinda’ derailleur in the early 90’s….
Oh yeah. Friction is analogue, like the bike, bearings, rider, movement down the road. The Campy short cage derailleurs took up less chain wrap and together with short down tube cables, friction shifted quickly. The down tube shifters never wear out. Unscrew the thumb tensioner, slide out the lever, and clean out the teflon bearings once a year. When the cable frays at the shifter, rider feels it before it breaks.
Perfect comparison! I loved my friction shifters. I was one with the bicycle every time I shifted.
It is the Suntour Superbe for me, best friction shifter ever.
In 1996 I took off my Suntour friction shifters and tried the Shimano intergraded shift and brake levers. In 2006 I took the shift/brake levers off and put on my Suntour friction shifters. I am now 71 years and will keep these on until I can no longer ride.
In 1996, I bought my first NEW bike ever and it came with indexed sti brifters. Funnily enough, in 2006, I came into possession of a nice set of shimano downtube shifters, which I use in friction mode. Just like you, I'll be using them for the rest of my cycling days, though I'm a bit younger than you.
ya, lesson learned....keep the friction❤
I still run bar end shifters myself.
Im 73😅
I sold recently my 1971 Columbus-tubing Campagnolo-Nuovo-Record bicycle. I had put it together myself under my uncle's supervision. I have many bicycles now and a piece of my heart went away with that bike....
We believe things nowadays are way better than in the past. They are better, however past things were working very, very fine. In addition they had one thing: simplicity.
that's right. simplicity. our lives are quite complicated already, to ride complicated bikes
You'll think that until you ride a bike with a Pinion gearbox and suddenly that 12 or 16 speed set of gears with such beautifully spaced and such an incredible range of gears, kinda makes even the 11 and 12 speed rear derailleur clusters seem antiquated.
@@tauncfester3022 I have a Bianchi full carbon 2x12. I take around some of the smaller sprockets because they look good not because I use them. The price to pay is the constant need for a super fine adjustment of the rear shifter. For me 2x10 was the optimum
Haven’t been watching Park Tool videos for a while - but learning the “how it works” mentality helps a lot in other aspects of life too 🙂
At 73, I grew up on friction shifters. When I got a bike with index shifters about 15 years ago I thought I had died and gone to heaven. The only problem I’ve had with index shifters is when I unknowingly bent the rear derailleur hanger. When I fixed that, all was right in heaven again. You actually get very good with friction shifters; on a ten speed. A lot of room for error.
You were 73 when you grew up? Man, you must be like 110 by now.
@@reidflemingworldstoughestm1394 🤷♂️ brain farts happen when you get to be 73, now 74. One forgets to be precise in one’s speech - and writing. Plus one doesn’t give a rat’s ass.
@@subtropicalken1362 Well, good for one.
Absolute blockbuster series in cycling TH-cam videos!
Imagine having to explain to a cyclist from the ‘50s that in the future one would need to “update the firmware” of their shifters
Imagine telling someone in the 1970s that you would in the future have indexed shifters ( SRAM
Grip Shifters or Shimano Rapid Fire or Shimano EZ Fire Shifters on Mountain bikes ) I'm spoiled rotten with my Indexed shifters
@@seniorcajun I have an indexed rear derailleur from the 70's--yes, the derailleur, not the shifter, contains the indexing--it's a Shimano Positron. Weird system but it works fine.
"wait, they can vote now??!"
@@mattgiesISTR they were rather basic steel devices usually found on ladies' town bikes, the ones with a basket on the front; some used music wire for a push-pull cable, others two cables, no spring in the derailleur. I suppose Shimano did get it right eventually.
imagine telling a cyclist from the 50’s that they can even shift gears as they ride lol
I just love friction shifters, so simple,easy to use and satisfying finding the sweet spot.
Over 35 years ago, I acquired a Fuji road bike, used. It had friction shifters. It was a great machine. I rode it most some years later while attending college. You had to feather the shifters to the quietest place for each shift. Familiarity, use and persistence were the key. Thanks for sharing..........
Thanks for this tip. With friction shifters you have to go by feel and sound. It's like playing an instrument.
Thank you Calvin. I've just converted my old Gios Torino back to Campagnolo super Record as at some time in its life it was fitted with Dura Ace 7400. This video has been extremely helpful and now my bike is back to factory spec.👍
With my first Summer job, I bought a Bottecchia Campione del Mondo with Campagnolo friction shifters. Such a beautiful bike, with the hand painted pinstripes, and that shade of red that the Italians do so well.
Ive been riding my old Gaint road bike for 20 plus years with this type of shifter. No complaints from me.
Thanks park tool and Calvin.
I'm using friction lever shifters since I changed my Shimano SIS system from a 6 speed to a 7 speed freewheel. I'm using the levers in friction mode instead of indexed, using my ears to tweak the gear changes. I'm running a Shimano MF-TZ500-7 14-34 freewheel and I'm loving that 34 teeth gear to climb steep hills. Brazed-on shifter on the frame is more convenient as I'm using clip-on aero bars. It's a better all around solution using one bike to do the hills and the flats.
Yeah, I have an old 80s race bike, but it had old non-aero wheels with a corncob, and I happened to have a set of 90s aero wheels on a cheap parts bike that had a nice 11-32 freewheel. Guess which wheels and freewheel went on the race bike, and the corncob works just fine with the triple crank on that parts bike. Fortunately both were 7 speed so I was able to keep the indexing, which I do like.
On a similar note, I've heard that the modern ramped cogs on the 9+ speed stuff work beautifully in friction mode. At some point I need to put some more modern wheels on that bike and try it out.
The bar-end shifters on my ‘93 Bridgestone have switch-defeatable indexing, which is great if things get wonky when riding. It’s easy enough to find the right spot, but indexing is soooo much better. I used friction shifters on my 10-speeds in the late seventies and early eighties…and they were fine at the time.
It’s so nice to have indexing you can turn off on the fly.
Really good video! Informative, and very productive way to teach - show the fundamentals, then build on the complexities from there. Nicely done!
Just getting into bike commuting and dping my own maintenance/upgrades. This was EXACTLY what i needed as a primer on how shifters and derailers work. Thank you!
Still have my Campagnolo/Suntour Superbe 1st generation ‘groupset’ on my 1988 steel columbus sl frame.
Friction shifting is easy….now using 9speed campa 12-21 cassette with nuovo record rear derailleur.
Simple, elegant and it works 😂
friction shifters are and will be the best forever and ever!!
its literally PERFECT
Love early MTB thumbshifters well into the early 90s...
I love how this video is about training the trainer. I also really liked the subtle additional animation and highlighting right on top of the physical components.
I rode indexed bikes for a few years. I started with friction shifters and have returned to friction shifters. They feel smooth and I can instantly jump seven or more cogs. I love them.
Front derailleurs would be easier to use if indexing was simply removed. Why implement indexing only then to add a "trim" feature? Indexing on the rear works fine and is valuable. But on the front? More pain than it's worth IMO. Notably, Shimano's cheap TX30 shifter set uses indexing on the rear and friction on the front and works perfectly fine for what they are.
Thanks for the tip. I have both type of shift système. My problème and I see most people have the same problema. I have ridden in the same gear my whole life because I do not know when and why to change gears. I rode beside a guy yester day. He was commuting on a cheap 28 speed without brakes. He within two miles stopped due to cramps. No cadence, no shifting, no brake....he was so happy his truck was finally fixed. We do not spend enough time on a bike even in a life time these days to know what they are good for, how to ride them and how they work. Last...I go to the bike shop I tell the guy who owns the shop that we go into a bike shop and walk out with one bike when we need three at least. He asks three why? I tell him people who do not plan on riding all year round no matter the course, the time, the traffic, and environnemental condtions buy on bike and hang it on the wall in the garage. You need in the least sell stands and hooks with the one bike one système you sell. He was not even motivated by more potental sales and repair volume to see that at least three beats one.
I have never seen down tube shifters which indexed movement of the front derailleur.
@@peterwillson1355 It is generalized note - with which I am tending to agree: tuning front derailleur recently, it was necessary to have multiple takes, before cable tension preset, index, two limit screws and shifter limits all came together to acceptable result (and yet with marginally apparent rubbing against the cage). There is no sense in orchestrating several positions this way.
@@peterwillson1355 I believe that either Shimano or Suntour had a twin lever/single body shifter boss/casting that bolted to the top of the downtube type of shifter that adjusted the front derailleur incrementally with the indexed rear shifter on the the first indexed high end road bikes from Nishiki and Norco, sometime in 1987-ish...? Seemed to be something limited to high end Japanese bikes. It worked really well.
@@seksualusis so you're saying front derailleur index shifting would be GOOD?
Very clear video and as an Italian I cannot thank enough Calvin for pronouncing Campagnolo correctly!!!!
After thirty years riding indexed I recently came back to friction on all my bikes and cannot be more happy. Thumb shifters on my alt bar bikes and bar ends on my drop bar bikes. I don't depend anymore on the brand of the rear derailleur or the number of the sprockets and every change of gear that come out silently and smoothly increase my self esteem.
I am so thankful for your tools and your viedos. They do not tell us that our bikes do not go out of alinement etcetra right out in front of our bike shop. One must know how to service one's bike on road or trail. I had to watch you 20 times just to learn how to change a flat. It took two years of practice to be able to change a flat with in compleate darkness. Bikes no matter how expensive neither quit in front of shops nor in perfect conditions. Thanks.
Learned almost as much from riding old bikes as i have from watching these videos. Thanks!
Yes I did run one of those old bikes,and it was a lots fun, tears sweat and pain,it gave me more life,it would fly down the road,and I felt like I had wings,but the only bad point,it was not easy to climb hills,but I did love it,it took away momentary emotional pain,I still remember those days they where magical 😊
I love my Microshift thumb shifters. The left one already has micro-fiction shifting for the front derailer. It has an option to change the right shifter to friction, which I did. Rides like a dream.
The Suntour barends on my 1980 Fuji that has been sitting in the barn for 25 years are going on my gravel build. Love those shifters.
I've still got my 1980 Raleigh. From the days when we all had long arms!
I'm using friction shifting on all my bikes now. Thanks to a 31.8mm down tube shifter clamp it's also really easy to convert almost any current and new steel bike to friction down tube shifting.
Muscle memory is very good at indexing gears 😊.
I'm surprised more people don't use them, they're so simple to maintain, more reliable, all you need for everyday riding.
We are bombarded with media saying we *need* a lot of gears. 18 (3x6) is already a challenge to learn with friction shifters. That is why people prefer more and indexed gears. The reality is most of us could make due with far fewer and simpler (friction) gears.
So true. Once used to it you can almost slap the lever into perfect trim most of the time.
I have seen break shifter combo for road bikes with friction shifting. That is something I'm very much keen on trying one day
I have many miles and years with this system. I bought my first “10 speed”, a Peugeot in 1970. I don’t call it friction shifting but finesse shifting, because it took a little bit of finesse to get it on the gears and centered.
After a while with muscle memory, you could shift between gears and get centered without having to monkey around.
Back then we did our own maintenance, the way most guys did with all their machines, we figured out how to keep things running on our own. There weren’t any other sources out there.
But as you’re showing in this video, having the basics, it made it easy for us to transition to the newer systems.
I got myself a Kona Sutra with bar end friction shifters earlier this year. The last time I used friction shifters was on cheap kids' bikes back in the '90s. I got my Kona second hand, and the indexed shifting on the rear derailleur was beautifully set up. Last week I noticed a couple of broken strands on the rear gear cable and decided to replace it, in the run-up to a multi-day trip. And although I understand and have some experience with setting up the tension and limits, I just cannot get it to shift as cleanly as before. I wish Calvin was there to talk me through it!
Excellent instruction! All my bikes are still old school, and I'm always learning something as I did from this presentation. This tradesman is an excellent teacher!
During the pandemic lockdown I wasn't able to do my usual stuff, I bought an old yellow Concord Freedom Deluxe from like '76. Mint condition. Friction shifters on the stem were a joy to use. I loved that bike but I had to set it free. I'm pretty sure I found a good forever home for it though.
The first bike I bought new, and I still own that bike, is a 1968 Raliegh SuperCourse which came with friction shifters. That's all we had. It's amazing how well your muscle memory works when shifting gears to exactly position the lever. Even today after riding index shifting bikes for years, I can pump up the tires on my old Raliegh and within minutes be shifting fast and accurately between the gears, albeit there's only five in back. It's incredibly satisfying.
As an "older" cyclist from the UK with some 50 + years cycling under my belt I've always used friction levers on the downtube to change gear, however with advancing years I'm finding it more awkward to reach the levers and change gear safely, so I'm contemplating changing to bar end shifters rather than going down the index route as I love my old campagnolo record system and have no wish to change it.
I find I get something of a perverse pleasure out of making slight adjustments to the shifters to get the derailleur to run as smoothly as possible, I'm a new viewer to your channel , I enjoyed my first taster immensely 😊.
I’ve trained and raced for 40+ years ( I started at age 13) and have ridden bikes with a wide variety of shifting systems…friction, indexed down-tube, 9spd STI and 10spd STI. (At my age, I don’t think I’ll ever make the move to electronic!). Every system has its pros and cons, but the beauty of friction is that those shift levers will work with anything from a 5-speed corncob freewheel to a wide range 10 (or 11!) speed cassette with nothing more than (perhaps) a tweak of the limit screws on the derailleur. After that little tweak, they’ll never be out of adjustment again!
Raced Cat. 2 in the mid eighties, extended touring in the late eighties/early nineties, and one item I could not function without were my Modolo carbon shifters, and my Maressi shoes. Now I ride one of two Trek Domanes (one analog, one electronic) and I'm sure the art of cycling has diminished.
@@ChuckD59I think that being able to shift while doing a standing climb is one of those things modern systems do better, but I suspect that you could put ramped cogs into a friction system and get much the same benefit. Maybe you'd want barcons so you didn't need to reach to the down tube while stomping.
@@christopheroliver148 Barcons? No, thanks. I'll never do barcons.
Thanks prof. You are a gem.
Never rode a friction-shifted bike before. Although the front derailleur on my old city bike didn't have a really indexed system, you just clicked a few notches forward or back to shift and trim. I do plan on buying/making/repairing an old race bike and trying out the friction shifters.
I've done this many times. I used to race in the late 70's - I still have vintage friction shifters (one Campy Nuovo Record, one Shimano Crane) and use them almost daily!
Another great video. I started working on bikes in the early 70's. I guess all that info certainly has helped me over the years trouble shooting, setting up and teaching friends the same info.
Just purchased a Bianchi after recycling my Puegot 😢 and I am tuning things up .
Thanks for the lesson 🎉🎉 Sure wish I had this lesson back in the day!!!
One of my bikes is a Raleigh Competition made in Japan with Reynolds 531 tubes. SunTour Superbe derailleurs, New Winner 6spd cluster, 42/52 SunTour Sprint 170mm crank. Cinelli bar and stem. Campy Record hubs laced to Mavic tubular rims. Continental Sprinters. Brooks Swallow saddle. SR fluted seat post. Bike weighs in at 21.3lbs and is an absolute joy to ride!
I had an old Huffy mountain bike in high school back in the day that had friction shifting. You could down/up shift multiple gears very fast, and once you got the hang of it you got very little chain rubbing.
Excellent explanation for everyone. I really enjoy your video’s. My first serious bike (at least for me) I purchased 40 years ago. It was a Schwinn Traveler equipped with friction shifters.
Another outstanding video…Park Tool Company is a class act!
Had this same Campag spec 1978 to maybe late 80's, no issues, easy to maintain, lots of spares. Suntour Powershift was a great reliable lever to work with any 90's gear set up, sadly no longer available.
I done a lot of cycling in the 70s and 80s with friction shifters. It just seemed so normal to adjust your levers on the go, you just developed a particular feel for each bike. And maintenance adjustments were pretty straightforward to do.
Index systems make gear changing easier, but simple maintenance and adjustments harder.
I still have one lightweight road bike with friction shift. It's in perfect condition and makes for a nice simple old school ride.
Thanks for this straightforward, informative lesson. It's like having a virtual page in a shop manual. I bought an 80's Schwinn from a guy yesterday & didn't even know shifters like this existed until he pointed them out. Pretty cool, especially now that I have a better understanding of their function & how to adjust if necessary.
When I first started riding friction shifters on a quality bicycle (1981) I shifted by ear, trimming the gear to remove chatter. After a while, I could feel the vibration from chatter in the shift lever and trim it out even in high noise. I still have a 1994 Klein with indexed down tube shifters that had the option to work as friction shifters. That is the way I ride it--more fun.
Could you ever imagine going up hills with this rear cog?? 😮 Those men were beasts! Hemocrat 60+ for sure!
don't they have fewer front teeth? I was on one by 7 and front was 52, it took quite a bit to get it started to say the least, now with a 48 in the front I can't even tell I'm moving
This straight block was for criteriums. It would’ve been normal to have a different freewheel with 13-21 or even 13-23 for hilly riding and racing.
@@westsidewheelmen Funny. I spent many years riding for the Eastside Wheelmen. I never knew there was a Westside. Kudos!
I ride a friction shift almost daily and it is a little squirrely. When I first started I thought it would be a problem, but now I really enjoy it.
The only shifter you really need.
on a road sure, good luck in the mountains with constant changes in terrain
@@griffon2-6 you can change fully from hardest to easiest gear in one sweep of the hand instead of having to click 10 times. love the feeling of cranking into the easiest gear on friction shifters when coming up to a hill, its very intuitive and fast
remember when Campy had an off road gruppo in the 90s? Total fail there.@@griffon2-6
@@griffon2-6 you could use those twist shifters
Another great video from Calvin. I have a 1982 Schwinn Voyageur with friction shifters that I restored last winter. Index shifters are great when they work, but only when they are in perfect adjustment. Friction shifters require some technique (like when you have to change both forward and rear sprockets going up a hill) but from a maintenance standpoint they are much better.
I switched back to friction shifting in 2010 and have never gone back to my old index systems. I still have three bikes with index shifting but I have not ridden them in years, I need to sell them one day. The friction systems are super reliable and very cheap to buy. Crazy easy to set up too. Plus almost any deraileurs will work, you do not have to worry about keeping a matched group, Suntour, Shimano or even Microshift can all work together. If you are an old guy like me, and have some of your old stuff from way back, they will still work too. Just change your cables every year and check the derailleur stops and you are good to go.
this video is really useful. my dad has one of these old road bikes and now I am learning how to get it back on the road. thanks Calvin!
I love my old road bike, first decent bike. Hand built 531c frame, I watched the builder brazing it. Then use a Campagnolo Tipo groupset with Mavic rims to finish. It’s my “nice dry day” bike and the old skool gear works as slick as day one after thousands of miles. There’s definitely a “feel” needed to set everything up and in its use, like gear changes under pressure. I do like my modern carbon flyer, the refined engineering is lovely. Enjoying both is better than comparing negatively. Now stop watching TH-cam and get out on your bike 😂
Fantastic explanation of both the system and how to teach.
I started on friction and loved it. I have tried to revert, but I have settled on an 11-speed drivetrain and find the much-more precise spacing between gears makes friction very fussy and unworkable. I have also found that modern clutch mechanisms compound the problem considerably. I still use thumbies on many of my bikes, brifters on others, as my thumbs are worn out from repetitive stress (oddly enough thumbies don't require thumbs!!). An interesting side note would be Rapid Rise technology from Shimano, which reversed the spring in the rear derailleur. Grant Peterson is currently reviving this technology under his Silver brand of components, I believe!
Back in the day my Raleigh Gran Prix 10-speed was fairly easy to shift and keep quiet.
Appreciate your fine videos 😎
That was a fabulous presentation.
Today's young people seem to be lost and incapable of understanding such simple processes. I hope this has enlightened those that would have interest in growing.
sorry, but i’m too young and lost to be capable of understanding your comment 😔
Like someone mentioned the best way to think about it is it's like you're playing an instrument. Up to this point I never actually thought about the fact that there are no set indexes. Trimming is a new concept to me that has really helped me shift better. With friction shifting you have to go by feel and sound. I love vintage steel road bikes and I prefer friction shifters over indexed systems.
So great to see a flat block once again. So elegant. The friction shifters were beautiful to ride with and although not as convenient as the handle bar shifters, we raced them and a well tuned bike, with an in-tuned rider was quick enough.
In the early '70's I bought (new) and raced a Paramount like this. Mine was red, with the same half chromed front forks and rear stays. As I recall, Schwinn made them to order (at a loss). Initially Weinmann side pull brakes, later Campy side pulls, everything else Campy. 5-speed clusters, 14-18 for flatter routes, 13-21 (2-tooth jumps) for hillier ones. Smallest chainring that would fit the spider was a 42. Don't know how we managed to climb with a 42-21 but we did. For one race I was loaned a wheel with a 6-speed cluster, which seemed SO high-tech at the time!
What a great video. Thrilled with the visual quality. You can really see how wonderfully this old bike has aged. Great looking bike and a good looking mechanic too! They don't make them like they used to!
Yes on the friction shifting here. A bit slower and of course impossible to shift from the hoods while out of the saddle, but much less sensitive to cable stretch and any minor alignment issues since you just handled that on the fly.
I would say faster, not slower. You can jump from smallest to largest sprocket in one pedal rotation. Try doing that on indexed, or even Di2. No chance.
@@mikekelly1771 Slower if you want perfect shifts. Yes quicker for big changes but I don't know any fast rider or racer that wants that.
I have come to prefer bar end friction shifters on all of my bikes. I can alway trim the lever to get a quiet and smooth drivetrain and I can throw the chain from smallest cog to biggest cog in one quick motion when I hit a short steep pitch I didn't see coming. Thanks for the years of wisdom and information, Calvin!
Excellent video. I loved this. But my knees hurt just looking at that gearing...
Four years ago, I returned to friction shifters for the first time since about 1994. The simplicity is something that I didn't know I missed. I have no intention to ever use indexed shifters again.
Thanks for the vid
I still ride my friction shift occasionally, and I learn something from this video
About why the rear stays have those long slots and screws. They’re basically the B tension screw
And the way you explained how to adjust the internal cogs is exactly right. Out on the road when you shift into the middle cogs, you need to shift and then tweak the leaver to set it in place It takes a couple of seconds. But you soon get the knack.
When climbing, you have to relax the load on the pedal while you shift. Again a little awkward but with practice you improve your skill for smooth shifting.
Loved simplicity of Friction. A couple of tools to do all maintenance except overhauls.
Putting together an older Paramount with Campy myself. The different method of sizing the chain was not something I was aware of. Thanks Calvin!
I bought your park tool book and was happy to see you were the author. Brilliant book and brilliant videos.
I love these old bikes ! they are a real pleasure ! Simple and intuitive to set up and fix.
Your presentation was super especially for new high Tech riders or mechanics!
You have to anticipate your gear changes as your ride terrain changes up or down Great bikes if you have a chance to lay your hands on one - there is a good bit of NOS stuff available online !
Great video!
BTW they will shift better if the ratios are narrow - 6 and 7 speed freewheel are the norm and 42/ 52 up front! I have got old Shimano Mountain bike
freewheels to work- Finally you can buy brand new chain rings from French company TA - they are fab !
I have an old 1980's Tommasini with a Campag Simplex Cinelli Mavic mix - lovingly restored and used a good bit but only in dry conditions !
Thanks
Don’t forget to teach the terminology. Quieting the chain noises by slight lever adjustments is know as “trimming the derailleur.”
Those video are the bike university for the masses'.
Have I ever adjusted a friction drive train? That was called "riding a bike" when I started. And I'd be adjusting friction now if they'd let me. Hint for the younger folks: index shifting is on that long list of "upgrades" you don't need that increase the hassle and expense of bicycling without adding much for the great majority of riders.
It takes about 20 minutes to internalise the physical motions required to shift friction and then do it without thinking for the rest of your life. And once you've set the limit screws, you're good literally until you take the bike apart -- or have to mount a new chain. Then you set the screws again and... you get it.
So there's no futzing with every single shift position at the start of the season, and especially -- no moment on a long ride where the transition from one cog to the next suddenly gets balky, or it shifts without asking. As the cable stretches, your hand naturally compensates. When the it stretches to the point that the hand movement becomes ridiculous, you tighten up the cable (or replace it), set your limit screws, and... never think about it again.
I now have a very nice bike built in 2017, and I like it, but I really wish I hadn't sold my old 1974 Gitane. It, like, worked.
I pulled an early 80s Panasonic out of the dump earlier this year and restored it, mostly with 80s components and a few modern parts at the points of contact. Friction is quite fun and I totally get why people love it.
I’ve had friction on 4/5 of the multi-gear bikes I’ve owned, with 2 of them having bar end shifters that could toggle between index/friction. I’ve gotten used to indexing, but friction worked fine. I remember knowing EXACTLY where to place the lever for any gear on the bike I rode in my early 20’s. I think it was good to have this experience. Figuring out the how & why if it did promote a better understanding and a sense of being ‘in tune’ with the machine.
There is beauty in simple analog things that are human operated, like friction shifters & antique hand-crank operated coffee grinders.
Yup, my 81' Gios... that was a good tip re: cable tension taking away limit adjustment!
For commuting, I go for my friction shifting bike from the 1970s first. I can change bucket loads of gears for stop/start traffic and on bike paths with pedestrians, dogs and joggers. And I can change cables and adjust all the mechanical components myself unlike my internally routed mechanical gear cables and my electronic shifting bikes.
I still have a Sun Tour Winner six speed 13-18 freewheel. I also have a seven speed Sachs 12-18, and a Shimano 7 speed 12-19. For training, I would use a Sachs 13-21 7 speed freewheel.
Back in the day, I never had a problem with quick friction shifting.
I have two vintage road bikes with downtube shifters, and it takes practice to know how much to move them for a gear change; it also takes practice tweaking in each gear so it's quiet.
Good job of explaining how it works, I learned a thing or two about making adjustments, thank you.
I started on Friction Shifting back in 1980!
I raced a Raleigh Super Course MKii with Huret Jubilee shifters and derailluers!
Had the Nervar Star 40/52 crank, and as a USCF Junior I was limited to 15 as a high gear.
So I ran a 15,16,17, 19, 21 Suntour freewheel!
All of this on Ambrosio rims running Clement sew-ups!
Those were the days!
I now have 11 friction shift bikes with Campagnolo, Huret, Suntour and Shimano groupsets!
This is the best series on TH-cam currently. Thank you Calvin. Friction shifting is great, and is currently my front shifter on my cyclocross bike due to a broken internal system in the front brifter. It broke during the parts shortage, and it was easier to go friction. I've not found a reason to replace it yet. It looks good (bar end), it feels good (it's clicky), and it's simple and holds up to the grime and crud of off roading (especially around the bottom bracket area)
Great video, thanks for sharing your insight and skill in such a straightforward manner. Well done sir!
I loved my downtube shifters on my trek 720 (531 tubing). The thing i liked about them was you just flexed your arm downward and they were there. This also relieved stress that built up in the elbow. When they came out with index shifting i grieved.
I knew we lost something.
I started with a _SunTour_ friction system on a steel 1985 _Fuji Team_ and it seemed easy to adjust. The friction shifters make the system very forgiving. I still have that bike today and use it when I need to pedal into town. When I got my first indexed system (SRAM Force) on a carbon 2008 _Fuji Team,_ I noticed it was much more difficult to adjust. Then I discovered the "Achilles heal" of indexed systems: rear derailleur hanger alignment. If your rear hanger is significantly misaligned, you may never get the indexed system to operate as intended. Nowadays, the first thing I do before adjusting an indexed system is check the rear derailleur hanger alignment. Once it is aligned, the system is predictable and easy to adjust.
I've simplified my system today. I'm still using the 2008 carbon _Fuji Team_ frame, but I converted it to a 1x using a _SRAM Red WiFLi_ rear derailleur with a long cage and an oval _Rotor QX1 Aero_ 1x 52t chainring on the front. It works very well for the low rolling hills that I usually travel when training.
*Tip:* The hanger is intentionally made of a soft metal so, if your bike is in an accident, the hanger should bend or break instead of your expensive rear derailleur. This is why hangers go out of alignment, they are malleable. Therefore, be careful when you manually pull/push your rear derailleur by hand. If you pull or push it with too much force, you may bend your hanger without realizing it and it will no longer be aligned. What do you align it to? _Answer:_ The rim of your rear wheel. Naturally, I use a Park Tool DAG-2.2 for the job.
Oh yeah, I learned about the hangar alignment issue the hard way. Now I take extra care never to accidentally bang the rear derailleur against anything or even lay the bike down on that side 😂
Yes I have a Carlton 531 frame I bought in 81 and built with 6 speed block and Campag rear mech.Lovely bronze bushes in the jockey wheels much better than skimpy modern stuff.
A simple foolproof winter bike with mudguards.Brooks pro saddle too.
I still have an old Favorit steel bike from Czechia with Sachs friction system and six speed freewheel at the back. Riding this bike (with strapped shoes!) was exactly how you described it - my hand was indexing gears 😊.
The biggest problem was not a drivetrain but tubes - it was a nightmare when I got a puncture to change a tyre 😂.
Thank you for your anither fantastic video!
Great video, Calvin. I grew up on friction shifting. But all those bikes have been upgraded to 9 or 10 speed STI .Thanks.
i got back into cycling this January after almost 30years away, re-purposed a late 1980's Jamis dakota mountain bike with some old road 105 cranks and new drive train, friction thumb shifters and it works great, still wanting to buy a new road/endurance bike this winter, my first 2 road bikes back in the day had friction shifters on the downtube, many miles were ridden that way :)
The simplicity is elegant, and never leaves you stranded. And all friction shifters work with other brands. That's why Merry Sales and Rivendell have brought back friction shifters that will work on 5 speed to 10 with the Rivendells, and all the way up to 13 for the Merry Sales (Soma Fab) shifters. My old Suntour shifters work great up to 8 speeds, which BTW was and is the best ever.
believe it or not I still use friction down tube shifters today on my Surly Crosscheck. I have more modern bikes and systems too, but I do love the simplicity and human interaction with the friction hardware. My firmware never needs updating except for the occasional read. It's called learning ;)
Friction shifting was never a problem until I tried a tandem. That's when I realized a quick glance had been helpful for fine tuning, and the rear derailleur was now a lot further back.
I am 35 and I ride a 4130 steel bicycle with down tube friction shifters from the 1990's. There's something beautiful about something that just works and doesn't need constant attention. The only thing I had to do to bike was get new spoke nipples for both wheels and 1 new spoke.
My Fuji Tour uses a friction bar end shifter to move the front derailer and an index shifter to move the rear one. The index bar end shifter can be easily turned into a friction shifter if need be. Brakes and shifting kept separate, kept simple and easy to fix.
Awesome... this taught me a lot and I might get to my OLD OLD... TREK 8000...... good progress is RIGHT.....