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Yestertech Weekly #6 |
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Written by Wally Wallace
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Monday, 29 January 2007 |
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Back from the Past
Inside this edition of Yestertech weekly Bikeman takes a look at current versions of "old" technology (thumbies & down tube shifters). Also inside is a look at very neat Harry Hall bicycle that one of our customers recently brought by the shop. The best part is that you could own it. The resurrected "Catalogs of the Past" section opens the pages of the 1989 Shimano Deore XT II / Deore II catalog. Plus a random Attic Item that we just pulled from the rafters.
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Other than a few Retro-Geeks (myself included) using Thumbshifters long after their time, the official end of the Thumbie can be traced back to 1990 when Shimano began to spec the STI push button shifting. The thumbie was doomed for part bin once it was time to upgrade to the evil 8-speed drivetrain. Some played with the phantom extra click on the Shimano thumbie for a while but it was only a matter of time till even that got old. Even the Suntour 7/8-speed thumbies ended up on the scrap pile once the 9-speed drivetrain was introduced. The thumbie was destined to die. ...until
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With their infinite wisdom of niche marketing and ingenious uses of existing parts, Paul Components, brought the thumbie back to life in 2003. Paul's version of the thumb shifter had everything we liked about the old version (friction option, no slip shifting in wet conditions, durability - simplicity.....) and added the possibility to use 8, 9, or even 10-speed drivetrain with a single mount. Because that is all it is, a mount. On the little CNC'ed mount you would add the Shimano Barcon of your choice and you had yourself a set of Thumbies. While the market for the Paul Components Thumbies is limited, Bikeman has found it to be a viable niche. I recently installed a pair of thumbies and can't say enough about them. It has been 12-years since the XT 7-speeds hit the bottom of the parts bin but after all that time, riding with thumbies seems oddly natural.
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Another technology that never went away but has been relegated to occasional use is the down tube road shifter. We have all seen Lance, Marco, and many other Tour de France riders equipping their bikes with a front down tube shifter for climbing stages. Why? For front shifting nothing beats either a down tube or thumb shifter. Friction is the way to go for precise adjustment and no chain rub. It is also the way to go if you want to lighten up your already light road bike, a must for gaining an edge on the competition.
The Paul Thumbies should be around for a while as the barcon / barend shifter market is not likely to dry up any time soon. The touring crowd relies on these shifters for their unsurpassed durability and ease of use. The downtube shifters on the other hand, should have gone the route of the thumbie at least a decade ago. Strangely enough, Shimano, a company who has built a business on innovative new products while discarding the obsolete, have continued production of the downtube road shifter. They even introduced a new 10-speed version a couple of years ago... So the question needs to be asked - Why not keep the thumbies around?
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| Shimano Dura-Ace: SL-7700 9-speed Braze-on Shifters. The ultimate in light weight shifting at a mere 76grams per set. The shifters are feature a friction front shifter. The trick set up would be to have the front braze-on shifter with a rear STI shifter.... |
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| Shimano Dura-Ace: SL-BS77 9-speed Barend Shifters. Touring cyclist, Cyclo-crossers, and anyone wanting a no fuss, durable shifter will love the Dura-Ace 9-spd barend shifters. Featuring a friction front shifter to take the rub off any gear combination. 176grams. |
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| Paul Components Thumbie 8/9/10-spd Thumb Shifter Mount: One of Bikeman's coolest new items for 2004. We have been waiting for someone to create this product and final the good folks at Paul Components steped up. These are designed to be used with S... |
ATTIC FINDS:
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Harry Hall Bicycle:
This weeks Attic Find was brought in for consignment sale recently by a good customer of ours. The Harry Hall bicycle was built in the mid 80's and equipped with mostly Campagnolo parts. It is for sale and last we knew the owner was asking $800 for it. Drop us a line if this is of interest to you.
  
CATALOGS OF THE PAST:
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Shimano Deore XT II / Deore II:
A perfect catalog review coinciding with our look at retro shifters. The 1989 Shimano Deore XT II / Deore II catalog offers a look back at the latest and greatest technology of the day. The days of SIS Thumbshifters, BioPace Chainrings, U-Brakes, and Sharkfins may be over but it is fun to take a ride back in time. Read More...
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RANDOM ATTIC ITEM:
The Dirt Research sign was resigned to the Attic almost a decade ago. A little dusty but still works great!
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