Converting Shifters on Old Avanti

More than the bike is worth, at least $350 for Sora Sti's

warday said:

Hi

My daughter bought an old Avanti Kona road bike with 8 speed shifters on the tube. The gear is all Shimano 105 but about 10 years old. She would really like to convert the tube shifters to modern shifters on the bars. Any ideas what is involved and how much is it likely to cost?

Thanks
Peter

Regardless of the actual cost, the upgrade will be less than the cost of a new bike AND the shifters can be used on a different bike in the future, if you so choose.

Now, if I were local to you (which I'm not), I could probably help you upgrade your daughter's bike for about $100AU ...

You will need a pair of Campagnolo XENON shifters (that's the bulk of the cost, and I think that if you can't get a new pair off of eBay for about $80AU-or-less, then an LBS will probably charge about $100AU).

You will need downtube stops (Shimano's are BETTER than Campagnolo's because the Campagnolo stops have very small adjuster barrels which are uncomfortable to use) + new/additional cable housing + new derailleur cables ... often, these are bundled with both Campagnolo & Shimano shifters, but sometimes the shifters are sold separately.

By my reckoning, the 9-speed Campagnolo shifters can readily index a Shimano ROAD rear derailleur with 8-speed Shimano OR Campagnolo cassettes. You may need to use Shimano's alternate anchor at 9 o'clock OR the hubbub.com anchoring (204.2.107.172articles ergopower.htmlOpen ↗) whereby the rear derailleur cable is anchored at 3 o'clock, but perhaps not ... the slight difference in the geometry amongst the various Shimano rear derailleurs (particularly, between the 8-speed & 9-speed Shimano ROAD rear derailleurs which are otherwise interchangeable with Shimano shifters) becomes evident when mixing-and-matching them with the various (i.e., 9-speed & 10-speed) Campagnolo shifters.

FWIW. There are several reasons why Campagnolo shifters are better; but, the main reason in your case is that the difference between least expensive and most expensive Campagnolo shifter is break-in time & bling factor; so, take advantage of the fact that a pair of XENON shifters will satisfy your current needs.

There are some reasons why Shimano's shifters are good, too ... it depends on riding style.

BTW. With regard to tools, you will need a 5mm (T-handle is better) Allen wrench to mount the shifters (Campagnolo OR Shimano) ... and, a 2mm (?) Allen wrench for the downtube stops ... a VERY GOOD pair of dikes (diagonal cutters) or cable cutters (OR, silver solder the ends before snipping) + flat file for the cable housing ends (OR, a grinding wheel).

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Shimano-Ultegra-9sp-STI-Lever_W0QQitemZ130035216287QQihZ003QQcategoryZ36140QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/9-SPEED-DURA-ACE-LEVERS_W0QQitemZ170036689919QQihZ007QQcategoryZ36140QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Keep an eye on these. I am not sure if you can use these with the derailleur cable anchored at B position - you might need to get 9spd chain and cassette as well (<$50-60 for the total on ebay). With a 9 speed cassette, you simply remove one of the sprockets to fit it on an 8spd freehub.
(Sorry, I just noticed that the Ultegra brifter is left only - not much use to you).

artemidorus said:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Shimano-Ultegra-9sp-STI-Lever_W0QQitemZ130035216287QQihZ003QQcategoryZ36140QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/9-SPEED-DURA-ACE-LEVERS_W0QQitemZ170036689919QQihZ007QQcategoryZ36140QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Keep an eye on these. I am not sure if you can use these with the derailleur cable anchored at B position - you might need to get 9spd chain and cassette as well (<$50-60 for the total on ebay). With a 9 speed cassette, you simply remove one of the sprockets to fit it on an 8spd freehub.
(Sorry, I just noticed that the Ultegra brifter is left only - not much use to you).

Wrong, you can remove one of a 9 speed sprockets to fit it onto a 7 speed freehub and run it as 8 speed.

8, 9 and 10 speed use the same freehub.

To convert the 8 speed downtube shifter to STI, you need to buy any Shimano 8 speed STIs - Sora (if wanting new only) or any second hand 8 speed STI like Tiagra, 105, Ultegra/600, Dura Ace etc.

Or you can do the Campy shifter thing as suggested.

You may be lucky and find a shop with some old stock they want to unload. I upgraded an old 7 speed system to STI when my LBS had a set of RSX shifters at a reasonable price.

62vette said:

Wrong, you can remove one of a 9 speed sprockets to fit it onto a 7 speed freehub and run it as 8 speed.

8, 9 and 10 speed use the same freehub.

To convert the 8 speed downtube shifter to STI, you need to buy any Shimano 8 speed STIs - Sora (if wanting new only) or any second hand 8 speed STI like Tiagra, 105, Ultegra/600, Dura Ace etc.

Or you can do the Campy shifter thing as suggested.

You may be lucky and find a shop with some old stock they want to unload. I upgraded an old 7 speed system to STI when my LBS had a set of RSX shifters at a reasonable price.

You've corrected me appropriately - the 8spd freehub will fit a 9spd cassette in full.
You will struggle, however, to find 8spd STI for sale. So my advice still stands, except that you won't need to take one of the sprockets out if you go to 9spd🙂 .

Shimano currently has stocks of the new 8 speed short reach (ladies) "Ultegra level" STI lever kits: ST-R500
http://www.shimano.com.au/publish/content/australia/en/cycling/customer_support/service_diagrams/Road_SI_2006.MainContentPar.0018.Schematic.0026.File.tmp/SI-6J40B-ST-R500-En.pdf

These are a better lever than the current Sora 8 speed STI levers for a smaller rider.

gclark8 said:

Shimano currently has stocks of the new 8 speed short reach (ladies) "Ultegra level" STI lever kits: ST-R500
http://www.shimano.com.au/publish/content/australia/en/cycling/customer_support/service_diagrams/Road_SI_2006.MainContentPar.0018.Schematic.0026.File.tmp/SI-6J40B-ST-R500-En.pdf

These are a better lever than the current Sora 8 speed STI levers for a smaller rider.

It'd be a bit exy, wouldn't it, for this kind of project?

artemidorus said:

It'd be a bit exy, wouldn't it, for this kind of project?

No WAY!

Check post#1, Daddy's buying them! 😄

gclark8 said:

No WAY!

Check post#1, Daddy's buying them! 😄

Thanks everyone for there advise.

Daddy was not paying for this one! It was designed to be a lesson in saving! Anyway, before I had a chance the bike was back from the bike shop with the gears adjusted and a new pair of cycling shoes.

So the conversion project is on the back burner. Anyway, being a generation Y, I think she would rather "save" for a shiny new one!!

Thanks again
Peter