Fwd: Bar End Question

On Sun, Feb 20, 2011 at 9:31 AM, omnigrid <[email protected]> wrote:
> besides the pieces you mention, I doubt one would find all the other piec=
es
> that make up the shifter...there are a couple pieces I doubt you'd find
> anywhere or be able to fabricate yourself. all the pieces are shown on the
> rivendell website if anyone wants to see. the shimano shifters, on the ot=
her
> hand, are still in production, have an exploded diagram with piece numbers
> on the shimano website...so all you'd need to do is call shimano up and
> order what you'd need...for the time being, of course.

The 'other pieces' in the Suntour power ratchet system are the power
ratchet mechanism. It is very simple, very elegant, and very durable.
I've never heard of one wearing out, but of course that could happen.
It just isn't likely to happen in my lifetime ;-}.

One of my friends owned a, very good, bike shop. He had started as a
bike mechanic and, over decades, worked his way up to owning his own
business. I asked him about servicing Shimano barcons. He said: "Maybe
you could get some oil in there." I tried, and, without destructive
disassembly, I couldn't even do that.

I''ve never seen a rebuildable Shimano road shifter. I've read that is
one of the reason folks who need to use brifters while touring prefer
Ergo. They are rebuildable. I have rebuilt Shimano =A0wheels and pedals.
The wheels were easy to rebuilt. The pedals were not. Noting else
Shimano seems to be rebiuildable.

You are kidding about ordering Shimano parts for shifters that aren't
rebuildable? As far as I know, and I did try, you can't even order the
levers without the mounts. You can order mounts without levers from
Rivendell and you can order new levers with or without mounts from
Rivendell. Shimano will happily sell me new levers with mounts every
few years ;-{. I've saved a lot of money and frustration by getting
barcons from Rivendell and NOS Suntour levers from a fellow on the
touring list..

It isn't a 'marketing meme' that makes Suntour and Rivendell barcons
better, it is Shimanos marketing strategy that makes their barcons not
rebuildable. =A0Like all Shimano road shifters, they are fine shifters
if you don't use them in the rain and replace them ever few years, but
that just doesn't work for me.

Shimano's patent on switching barcons, or downtube shifters which are
really the same thing, between indexed and friction, makes Shimano
barcons the only choice if you think you need indexing but want the
backup of having friction shifting when something goes wrong. If you
use Shimano brifters, and do long tours, you should carry a
replacement thumb shifter and know how to mount it when a brifter dies
or the rear derailleur is damaged.

=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0=A0 Mark

PS both Suntour and Rivendell barcons are available - right now - on eBay.