Friction shifting Vs Index

I have bikes that have both.
Often an index shifter will be vauge or ratchet, whereas with
my friction shifter I can always get it just right.
Might sound crazy but does anyone PREFER friction??

In article ,
(Fx199) writes:
I have bikes that have both.
Often an index shifter will be vauge or ratchet, whereas with
my friction shifter I can always get it just right.
Might sound crazy but does anyone PREFER friction??

I like shifters that just plain work well.

That said, one of my old bikes has a nice set of
friction stem shifters that I'm quite taken with.


cheers,
Tom

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Tom Keats wrote:

In article ,
(Fx199) writes:

I have bikes that have both.
Often an index shifter will be vauge or ratchet, whereas with
my friction shifter I can always get it just right.
Might sound crazy but does anyone PREFER friction??


I like shifters that just plain work well.
I agree. My friction shifters worked perfectly and shifted well all of
the time. I should have moved them to the bar ends for better access.
However, my index shifters kick ass when they're properly tensioned and
the cables are clean.

That said, one of my old bikes has a nice set of
friction stem shifters that I'm quite taken with.


cheers,
Tom

Have also used both...

When properly adjusted "click" shifters are accurate, fast, and require no
"back shifting"

However,

I have broken three sets of index shifters of various makes and models...and
I have never broken a plain 'ol friction setup...

28 Sep 2004 01:16:27 GMT,
,
(Fx199) wrote:

Might sound crazy but does anyone PREFER friction??

My Shimanot thumb shifters can go either way. But, after trying
indexed shifting for a few months, I left them in friction mode.
And I don't much like my SRAM twist grips either.
OTOH, I love my Campagnolo bar cons.
--
zk

brian said:
When properly adjusted "click" shifters are accurate, fast, and require no
"back shifting"
i agree, if they are properly adjusted index shifters work great. if,
however, they are not, it is my experience that they do not. i've never had
a particularly long bicycle commute (30 minutes or so) and the most of the
rest of my riding tends to be (or rather tended to be until recently when i
moved out of seattle) in-city riding with not a whole lot of shifting
anyways.
i feel that, with a bit of practice most people are capable of shifting more
quickly and effeciently than an index shifter can shift for them. i will
say, however, that reaching between your legs to shift at 20mph in traffic
is pretty scary.

"Fx199" wrote in message
...
I have bikes that have both.
Often an index shifter will be vauge or ratchet, whereas with
my friction shifter I can always get it just right.
Might sound crazy but does anyone PREFER friction??

I've recently purchased 2, virtually unused, old bikes, both with friction
shifters. I rode both for a while, as they were, just to reacquaint myself
with 25 year old technology. It was OK, but not really fun. I think a bike
should "disappear beneath you", and these drivetrains didn't do that at
all. Some index shifting gets a bit balky and vague, but I've found bar-end
shifters to be always crisp and precise. After converting these old bikes
they were a joy to ride, before that, they were a bit of a chore.

I prefer friction for the front and index for the rear.


--
ad6mj

On 28 Sep 2004 01:16:27 GMT, Fx199 wrote:

I have bikes that have both.
Often an index shifter will be vauge or ratchet, whereas with
my friction shifter I can always get it just right.
Might sound crazy but does anyone PREFER friction??

It's ok when you're sitting down and have plenty of time to
fiddle around, but try it when you're standing or sprinting.
Indexing makes it possible to shift whenever you like.

--
bpo gallery at http://www4.tpgi.com.au/users/mvw1/bpo

On Tue, 28 Sep 2004 01:16:27 +0000, Fx199 wrote:

I have bikes that have both.
Often an index shifter will be vauge or ratchet, whereas with my friction
shifter I can always get it just right. Might sound crazy but does anyone
PREFER friction??

Index is great, I'm especially taken with bikes that have internal hub
gearing and indexing--totally lets you focus on the road.

My road bike is friction because I like the simplicity of it and the
virtually silent shifting. The reliability is a huge plus. I do use a
modern cassette and chain, which helps shifting enormously. Being able to
get replacement parts for a couple bucks is nice. I ride alone and do ride
fast, but if I miss one out of a hundred shifts, it's not going to kill me
to adjust the lever--I'm not in that much of a hurry. I've ridden friction
so long that it pretty much feels "indexed" anyway. I just know exactly
how far to move the lever--it's no different than playing an instrument.

Perhaps my next bike will have indexing, I've always disabled it in the
past because I hate the the sound of it. LOL Maybe somebody can come up
with clack-free indexing for me?

Both types of gearing can be enjoyable for different reasons, just keep
them adjusted and lubricated.