What Can Old Friction Shifters Teach Us? | Tech Tuesday
Вставка
- Опубліковано 29 вер 2024
- Learn something new from something old. That's been Calvin's mantra as he rebuilds the old Paramount race bike. In the case of this week's Tech Tuesday, it's the old friction shifter system showing us the basic concepts that all modern shifting systems use.
For other videos featuring this old racing bike, see this playlist:
• The Life of a Race Bike
➤ Fix It:
Did you know that Park Tool is the #1 resource for bicycle repair education?
• Visit our UA-cam Channel: / parktool
• Visit the Repair Help section of Parktool.com: www.parktool.c...
• Check out The Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair: www.parktool.c...
➤ About Park Tool:
Since our founding in 1963, Park Tool has been the leading name in bicycle tools. Our UA-cam channel is an extension of our mission to be the ultimate resource for mechanics and riders of all skill levels. Here you will find comprehensive repair help tutorials for a wide range of components and processes, as well as troubleshooting guides, tips and tricks, and information on the latest Park Tool products.
➤ Subscribe: www.youtube.co...
➤ Like: / parktool
➤ Follow: / parktoolblue
friction shifters are and will be the best forever and ever!!
its literally PERFECT
Love early MTB thumbshifters well into the early 90s...
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
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.
I've still got my 1980 Raleigh. From the days when we all had long arms!
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.
Ive started friction shifters and just by ear and went 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.
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.
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.
My own racing bike has the same system just it was manufactured by suntour. I suspect that the first index shifting was on internally geared hubs
I love my 3x8 friction system. The shifting is so smooth and rapid. It really doesn't take any time to have the sense memory down.
all my childhood shifters were friction. i'd hold the lever until i felt it shift and then adjust more finely until it sounded right or looked centered. index shifting is faster but with friction you can set that front cage exactly centered regardless of which sprocket you were on in the rear.
I like my bikes like my cars, old and sturdy. They have more character. I'm not sure how old my Cannnondale is but it has the friction shifters and sews up tires. I enjoy riding that over my newer Trek
I really like this guy.
I rode friction from the late seventies (I think that was all there was outside of internally geared hubs), and didn't have index (Campy ergo 10) until 1999. It was just fine though I do like having the shifting actuator right in the bars where my hands are.
Friction is making a comeback - I believe that it is DiaCompe that is about to release a large diameter friction shifter designed to work better with modern derailleurs :)
Would be so cool to see a vintage bike edition of grand tours.
It'd be great to see one vintage team in a grand tour or classic. I think people would be surprised at how well they would do.
Kinda like vintage car racing with all period correct equipment. Friction shifters and quill stems….good times
when i was 13 i found an old 10 speed in a dumpster, i rode that thing all through highschool. used to have to hold the downtube shifter up while riding uphill because i didn't know how to tighten it lol
Loving this series 🤘🏻
Still ride my ‘81 Peugeot with Campagnolo NR/SR.
My buddies can never hear my drivetrain or shifts.
I do 200km a week on my 1983 Peugeot Premier.
It's a head turner
Friction shifting is cool! You can never blame the mechanic for ratteling noises, lol! And always remember - dirty fingers - happy heart i am a Bike mechainc!
Old school - quick links? Excuse me! Quick links weren't even thought of when I started back in the 70s!
Having ridden manual analogue, indexed and Di2, I'd take Di2 every time... as long as the battery is charged😁
Admittedly I have not ridden wireless but I’ve have index which pods have broken so many times I stopped riding it. Meanwhile my 50 year old Nuevo Record friction set up not only has never broken, it’s never been adjusted or off the bike. Will wireless be as durable and dependable?
I've never owned a friction shifter bike but I'm constantly looking for a decent vintage lugged frame with friction shifters. Most I've seen have been abused poorly, sadly.
Finally found one about a month ago! 1989 Trek 660 with Shimano 600 Ultegra groupset!
Look at that cassette! #Acorn
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
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?
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
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.
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
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.
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😅
"no firmware updates" 😅😅😅
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 😂
Don’t forget to teach the terminology. Quieting the chain noises by slight lever adjustments is know as “trimming the derailleur.”
Really good video! Informative, and very productive way to teach - show the fundamentals, then build on the complexities from there. Nicely done!
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.
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.
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 🙂
Thanks park tool and Calvin.
Ive been riding my old Gaint road bike for 20 plus years with this type of shifter. No complaints from me.
Thanks prof. You are a gem.
My touring bike is 11 speed and friction shifting.
It’s way easier to get it in gear than my old 6 speed
Friction shifting works much better with modern cassettes and derailleur. It took a bit of skill to ride with wide range freewheels.
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!
Absolute blockbuster series in cycling UA-cam videos!
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
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.
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.
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.
Excellent video. I loved this. But my knees hurt just looking at that gearing...
Those video are the bike university for the masses'.
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.
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 UA-cam and get out on your bike 😂
Interestingly, Shimano went back (for some time) to friction shifters for the front derailleur with their RevoShift as it was more reliable and adjustable to chain position.
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.
Sweet ride! I still use my 13.17 freewheel..and friction shifters..the way God intended! And please replace that chain with a Regina Oro!
My such fond memories... everything soo basic and such like , wheras now its all tied in and inclusive of each other and very binding regrettably, thr only exception was etap 1 which was quite open until Sram made it inclusive like Shimano are the biggest criminals of..
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.
One of the fastest bikes I owned was an old ten speed I picked up for free. Somewhere along the line it had lost a front chainring so it was in fact just a five speed lol. But it fitted me better than any bike before or since and I used to whizz around south Cumbria on it, and Manchester. Friction shifting is refreshingly simple - in a way there's less to go wrong. The unnerving aspect is having to take one hand off the bar at speed to shift.
I piled that bike into the side of a taxi that did an illegal U-turn in front of me and did a big OTB. That was the end of that bike RIP!
I still ride one. It’s an 1986 Raleigh Technium I got when i was 12. 2x6 suntour
funny enough the more gears you have the better friction works. On a 5 speed doing a bad shift and having to adjust is something very common until you build your muscle memory for that bike. This is a result form the amount of space between the cogs. moving from 5 to 7 It was much easier to shift. Again moving to 9 and 10 speed friction shifting is even smoother as it starts to become hard to not just land in a gear. That has been my experience.
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.
My only road bike has downtube shifters. Brifters are nice, friction has more sole!
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 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.
Most of my bikes are friction barcons. I have 1 indexed shifting 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!
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!
Don't really care if it's friction or index as long as it's on the downtube.
Sir i have fixie bikes and the bottom bracket is make a shound like kreetek krek' like that, what i can do for fix it ?
Teach a man to ride friction and he will never have to adjust indexing for life.
I just love friction shifters, so simple,easy to use and satisfying finding the sweet spot.
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.
Fantastic explanation of both the system and how to teach.
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 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 😂
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.
Friction shifters? Nasty dangerous things, glad we're shot of them.
Yeah it's super dangerous how cheap they are and simple to use. I heard they have a wider blast radius than carbon.
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 😊
Ha! I never really knew what the actual function was of the Dropout Screws!
I still have two bikes with them and Campagnolo Record derailleurs.
Great video!
you can also use them it alter chainsaw length ie wheelbase which affects handling. or use them to make room for larger tires....
This was new to me as well. My 1970 Colnago had those screws and I never really new what to do with them. I just set them in the middle and left them that way.
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.
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.
Work very well , Thank you Calvin 👍😊
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.
BACKPACK END ALL:
Bakpacks arent subjective they have a resounding epicenter 1st & subjective that comes 2nd.
In other words all backpacks in thworld should start with this.
Backpacks:
All they are is cubic centimeters.
Contents u place in them. Thats whats highly personal & subjective.
Back pack has 2have wide cushy shoulder strap hug body when closed aero dynamic keep heavy items hence cg clise against, huggimg body. Comfortable.
Not nylon sandpaper canvas.
Shrink as it empties conform 2shape of contents shock absorbemt no sharp edges & be so cmfortable it can be stuffed with leaves & douple as a pillow or mattress when empty.
It should be elastic & insulated.
This is th wrlds best backpack.
There is ZERO neoprene or thinsulate backpacks on thmarket today. Not even 1.
Lets see if any1 jumps on thbandwagon after i xplain 2theez people what a backpack is supposed2 look like.
Collapsible stretchy hug body when shut smoofh confour aerodynamic when filled OR shut. Wide neoprene cushy shoulder straps insulated non abrasive.
I put that .357 in that neoprene holster..
Its so vastly superiour 2some stupid ass hard leather or plastic perfectly shaped $130 sharp edged garbage sexy looking box of a holster u got digging in 2 yr side all day.
People need 2 learn2 jump off th sexy image barbie plastic buy with yr passions sht.
I wear this soft cushy holster on my lower back waist covered with t shirt nobody even knows it is there.
I found a company who ACCIDENTLY designed it& only I would evr be capable of spotting this.
Did Einstein ever design a backpack?
Then W(here)TF is it now?
Why do engneers keep new&improving EVERYTHING?
Oh I see.
Your engineers wr 2d*mn dumb 2get it right.
Einstein was nowheres even remotely near on my level& 2year old mentality customers meanwhile, they cant be held responsible.
Way2much clutter& "depends what u wanna do" going on up there in that hedv thrz 2b able nail smthing evn as simple as a ******** bag. That u put on yr back.
U can't even make thistuff up.
Stop 5star star reviewing thleast of thp "ten best" evils.
Zero common sense or
concept perfection.
How is this possible?
Fact:
80% humans = Lucifers kids = nephilem of old = memory erased demons placed in flesh with hadron collider organic portals hive mind linked2Satans BEAST cmputer Saturn.
Just as days of Noah.
Satan has entire mind downloader/eraser they DONT know they not human.
Note satan& his plasticines annointed by Yahweh (Who also bans all angels from speaking 2humans) so if u think God blessing yr effrts&homes, not evn nearly thcase.
Did u know babies2day stabbed in thback with EIGHTY deliberately poisoned vaccines b4 they allowed excercise evn a shred of that innocent "free will?"
Think about (that.)
BACKPACKS:
Are demonized also&all manufacturing controlled by Satans plasticine biblical tare race.
Products engineered2break merry go round goose chase.
Reptilian angels&demons in flesh on earth
NEED
MONEY.
TOO.
And they NEED2& DO oppress, demonize& make things difficult as possible4 4u.= tunes u 2h*ll.
Most of u Subscribe.
5star Review thm.
U must grasp all this b4 u cn tune in2 an epicenter. A frequency dissolves yr evil matrix.
"It's ll subjective" say humans who 5star review clowns.
If this mentality wr put in charge downloading yr own bodies earth'd run over with sheer batsh*t lunacy&all over thmap disaster area. All of u put together history man wr not able process yr reality so as2pull Satan out by throots &delete money like I did.
You humped Satans Batman& joker Trump/Biden.
Cash incentive Trump. Praying Yahweh bless u with more cash.
They are cmputer animations.
Versus me:
Did u know 2now worldleading bike bag designs I engineered?
Revealed decades ago now taking over bicycles?
Its true.
"Thoze wr my designs."
Google "12 Litre Saddle Bag Bike"& "Front Fork Bike Dry Bag 10 Litre.
So let me tell u about yrself now:
"Every way of a man is upright in his own eyes."
"They tear their house down with their bare hands."
U people 5star review Satans termite food campfire fuel lousy blooow yr straw house down straw homes wood frame cardboard box homes.
Homes METICULOUSLY engineered 2tear thmselvz down, MASSIVE upkeep maintenance cost along thway.
People:
Are raised 2b absolute cry 4their bottle wade thru MASSIVE resources greedy nevr enuff pigs who refuse 2bow 2threality that less is more.
You men made pigs of yrselves when u HAD rice, so now u dont have any.
If we give u rice, we'll all be in trouble.
You dont know how2 conserve.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Part Two BACKPACK
Now if there's smthing that makes us weak willed, it's hunger& these people won't flinch2 recieve Satans chip in they skin so as2 feed they kids with cash.
Build a 20' igloo stone dome. Will last 10,000 years cost few bags cement.
Reminds me of flashlights. Mine bolted 2my hat = dim candlelight last 6hours my entire home electric bill low as 55 kilowatts.
Pig is not a bad word, hatespeach nor is it a backstab.
YOUR flashlight? = brighter is better syndrome&cooling fins incinerates battery in minutes2bright 2c blind u while yr nose in google trying buy yet bigger house brighter flashlight& &220 f******g horspower car. 2 HUNDRED horses jus2move yr greedy liddle pig a$$ down throad.
I have highest IQ history man = my ideal home a few bags cement &rocks gathered roadside 2build a stone igloo commute once a month store ebike $75 food bill per month.
(I live on a food forest.)
80% "humans" = Demons in flesh = scrypts.
= FALSE REALITY.
Not engineered 4learning curve&yes they magicians cmpared 2u Satans computer that controls thm can hack reality its ADVANCED. U live in a matrix&PC was not invented couple 2-3 decades ago.
All things.
Have a balanced epicenter.
Bicycles.
Have resounding epicenter& only I am thking of kings &capable nailing it.
Motorcycle epicenter = SUPERMOTO
period. Eternally4ever& u must descend only so far&no farther from that
only
1balanced epi.
Basketball on u finger = any direction deviates from epicenter &ball begin fall.
Basketball shape =
ROUND.
Roundest backpack = same.
I actually FOUND it.
Online.
People who accidently made it? had ZERO CLUE thdiamond they held in they hand designed it strictly ONE item specific.
Shows u how dumb i keep telling people they are nobody evn bought it.
People think with they nerve endings
like a liddle2year old.
Let a 2year old choose thfamily car =
lunacy.
Now u know how I feel when I have2buy products from u clowns.
MY WORLDS BEST BACKPACK:
This breedv pack almost non existent. Often outrageously expensive. Cuzv a little more pricey material?
I have (highest) IQ history man.
No joke.
I bought th thing.
I already been using this same pack many years as holster 4a .357.
Lets see if Einsteins 1st ever tomato plant was 17' 3" &scallion bulbs soccer ball sized utilizing method I invent myself my 1st ever garden.
All thworlds problems can be solved in thgarden.
Where I am is ALWAYS where people will be.
I... am thpresident.
I.. am reality.
Not Satans moneyflo "Trump."
Buy a farm.
Build ONLY (my version) of a stone dome&get back 2eden DELETE MONEY.
ACTIVELY curse any company sold u junk. Those prayers are real &they powerfull.
Satan was Jesus elder brother of 2million years ruled creation when yr solar system was heaven&angels lived on yr planets.
Lol he rules with cmputer& a little medical money RFID chip u put in yr skin. He ruled with money back in heaven.
Lol he downloaded a teeny tiny invisible worldwide scary enemy. Scamdemi. So he could control earth with one PC.
Lol virus obviously going 2b in th n>(ose) swab&waxxines.
End of thday how many u geniuses want me link u 2worlds greatest history of mankind now& in2 all eternity backpack, or, maybe evn my unique stone home design?
Not even on = a cold&deadly eternal silence filled thforum bcuz 80% humans = demons& not engineered4 learning curve or 2b able even grasp such a concept, get thquestion right or knowhwre2 point& u humans meanwhile are humping them.
Stop humping I love u I pray 4u purple flower snake oil manufacturing clowns.
U can easily spot them by what they (never) do.
Good for learning, but i absolutely love my indexing shifters. I've already spent too much of my life selecting gears on a friction shifter set up. Everything i ever rode was friction shifters up until i was in my 30s.
So I been sidding around reflecting on what a cmplete bnch of shthed cimpanzees I am alwayz surrounded with.
Just got my slick/knob hybrid tire in thmail.
I hav never ridden theez tirez b4 yet theez are thtires th exactirez I pioneered invented& designed 40 years ago. Back when I also invent disc brakes&disc specific rims which have no heavy sidewalls round section torsional rigidity.
So Mike& Ken has had 100's motorcycles& ridden yet hundreds more. His best friend is me, greatest cyclist and engineer 4bicycles history of mankind.
And creation.
Both in heaven &on earth.
Epicenter of what finally became thmodern day bicycle known as a "Mt. Bike."
I have lectured Mike& Ken more then any cyclists on earth they well know I am genuine. They know who I am acknowledge it.
They bought my vintage bikes & ride them like precious gold& Ken even gave me th bell off his Harley they miss thpoint.
Yet they cmpletetly miss thwhole thpoint its not about my garbage proto type Mt. Bike I built 40 yearz ago on a budget of $200.
He still just doesnt get it& never will only friend I ever had waznt a cmplete sht 4brains was Top Jimmy.
Him& Ed Van Halen.
Theez tires are made in Taiwan. Taiwan are good people. Righteous people. When it comes 2manufacturing.
Them& Korea.
&While theez tirez have been built b4, by countless manufactures THEEZ Kenda Cross K847 wr built closest 2my original specs. So I boughthm.
So my neighbor Josh he ask me did thcoal mine knock over my retaining wall dont need coal mines2knock over a cardboard house built on a skinny 1 x 4 ft. glued on "retaining wall."
Can u evn imagine a 1foot retaining wall glued yes glued 2gether by Lucifers kidz no less who deliberately enginneered thglue?? 2b weak& fail??
They cmplete backstabbing a-holes& no yr not gonna win in Satans courts either. Sell that fragile p.o.s house build a 20' dome stone home just get out all thworlds problems cn be solved in th garden form communities DELETE MONEY.
Me? I been wanting form communities delete money.
Not1 person join me.
They2busy hoarding corrupt cash huddling under thblack annointed wingz of Yahwehs stupid a$$ annointed son.
His name isnt Satan it's Halayel.
Hal ruled creation back when yr solar system wz heaven he was Jesus elder brothr of 2million years.
Yahweh bans all angels from telling u any of all this.
Hiding that picture under a rug or by giving Hal a serpent humanoid costume& a Satan T Shirt isnt going 2change thingz 4your picture.
Show me a mans enemies I'll show u whathat man is.
Its a picture. "That's not who I am" isnt gonna hold any water in a criminal court. Are u serious?
Biggest idiots of all = Gangland syndrome. "Look what a respectable thug i am" theez guyz proud of being in prison.
Thankfully satans kids always put up a big sign in they front yard warning us "I am thneighborhood cmplete retard" it's a universal law they hav2 tatoo thmselvz.
"Hells Angels" syndrome Harley humps.
They proudly driving around thinking they above it all &evil itself gonna keep right on blessing their corrupt banks&"Gangland" tatoos while they serving th local communities with vast cornocopia deadly drugs.
A vast blattantly obvious chasm has now emerged = Satans seed "weeds" versus wheat producing (good not evil) fruits in th field.
By their fruits u will know them.
So I ASKED Yahwehs son:
Did you ever bless people? Any1 who sacrificed their soul or child 2u? 4fame& 4riches???
"We never gave any of them sh*t" ...his queen interrupted &stated.
(Her name is Lilith& she was Adams 1st wife in eden& 80% humans = nephilem spirits she control = demons placed in flesh bodies with Hadron Collider. Just as dayz of Noah = cmputer animations = 99% You Tube "creators" (that yall make your gods.)
Biblical "tare race."
Demons need money.
When living on earth so dont buy work4 or proudly promote their stupida$$ products.
Lilith puts demons in flesh bodies using Hadron Collider.
They want th high life on earth.
Lavish lifestyles. They hire humans 2wrk 4them who just ignore thrapist in thpark& 5star review thm hoarding corrupt assets&cash.
Worse people = thoze embrace them (after) thveil lifts &they discover whathey are.
Theez roam around with thr stupid a$$ Hells Angel tatoo saying look what a cool neighborhood retard I am.
I built 12 of theez demonic "homes." Oooh but how i hated that job. Literally made2 fabricate cmplete snake oil backstab highest maintenance ultra biodegradeable cardboard flimsy toothpick houses of bug food.
Nobody home in th light house all u get is a "deer caught in th headlights" look. Blank stare.
Decades now I been pounding it in2 theez people few bags cement& rocks
builds u a STONE DOME cost u few $100 last u 10,000 years.
Seriously?
Listen renounce Yahwehs annointed son.
Delete money.
All thworlds problems cn be solved in thgarden get back2eden.
Its where u wr put.
U cant knock over, blow over or burn an inverted cereal bowl of cemented rock or evn feed it yr 2bugz.
Cat 5 tornadoe dead center pass over that thing wont FAZE it.
..$5 now gets u ONE good 2×4
= Termite candy. Mushroom food.
Seriously?
Wood frame = ticking TIME bomb from highest maintenance oxygenated flammable tinderbox h*ll& line up yr children! In we go kids!
These people are insane.
ThMunsters.
Ultra high maintenance "insulated" (lol lol lol) hollow wall rat infested nightmare& u knock on peoples door tell them hey look... "Man this sht has2stop."
Listen yr chocolates& flowers barbie doll plastic $30 a gallon designed 2fail paint skin highest maintenance house is an absolute p.o.s. period sir..
Thoze people YOU hired (points 2their chest) 2build this sht = total backstabbing scientists from h*ll criminals.
Theez people are a$$hole backwardz he will hate u &plot2 kill u.
Alas u can't taze handcuff& drag a satanist by his ankles in2 eden.
Bible say "they tear their houses down with their own2 hands"
When I built theez homes it was literally hang customer by a $250k rope HE 5star reviewed&payed4& it wz mum's thword with all my wrkmates2 - they licking Satans annointed shthole 4a paycheck. Juss where do we draw thline on all theez people if u cn evn call thm that. They sure not from this universe.
ua-cam.com/users/shortsHYBP5hQQuQM?si=NeMtesyuep-P5-ub
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.
As a millenial hipster who just got my first downtube shifting bike, I find it very interesting and challenging to ride properly. I'm spoilt by brifters! I certainly need to be more considered and deliberate with my shifting.
The Shimano SIS downtube shifter on my Giant Kronos can be switched from index to friction mode. I wonder how many people bothered using the friction mode back in the day?
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!
Yeah I remember my first ever road bike was a steel Giant something😂 circa 2003. It came with an indexed Shimano rear derailleur and a friction front shifter, same as my second bike, which was an alloy Trek something. I knew nothing about bikes back then and they both rode just fine without pretty much any maintainance. Apart from a couple of times when I moved the front shifter too far and the chain dropped.
Calvin Jones, the Zen Master of all things bicycling. Friction shifter on the downtube, like the bike in the video...was a 1986 Ross. Campy Triumph.
Awesome... this taught me a lot and I might get to my OLD OLD... TREK 8000...... good progress is RIGHT.....
An index shifting bicycle came out of the shop and said, “They aligned my derailer hanger, tightened my cables, and had to adjust the barrels to make sure I was 100% perfectly clicking in each gear. It sure took some time and money.” A friction shifter bicycle replied, “Say what?”
Great video, thanks for sharing your insight and skill in such a straightforward manner. Well done sir!
@4:13 A minor correction to a slip of the tongue: The parallelogram (the spring therein) moves the cage.
Thank you for a most informative video, as always.
Awesome video
Downtube friction shifting meant we were frequently riding with a hand off the bars for moments, sometimes repeating moments, at very intense parts of a ride or a race. This made us better bike riders and more intuitive and planful racers.