Help pick out 3x7 Shifters for road bike
- Thread starter grandamn
- Start date
Here's my bikes info Frame: Strong, lightweight aluminum frame with aerodynamic tubing Frame size: 22.5" (57.5cm) Handlebars: Road race-style drop handlebars Gearing: 21-speed Shimano drive-train with easy twist shifting Brakes: Powerful alloy side-pull caliper brakes Wheels: High profile aero alloy wheels with machined braking surface Tires: 700 x 32c tires for smooth ride and low-rolling resistance Seat: Comfortable Vitesse seat and secure twin bolt seat post collar on the GMC Denali men's 26" road bike Please help me. I want to order the new shifters ASAP. Are all shimano shifters compatable?
GMC Denali is a low-end bike. Whatever you do to it quickly ends up in the "pearls before swine", or "good money after bad" scenario.
Downtube (DT) shifters isn't the norm for road bikes any more. These days most "serious" road bikes are sold with what's called "Brifters", that's brake levers and shift levers integrated into the same housing.
All Shimano shifters aren't compatible. Road front shifters only work with road front derailers. Most rear shifters work, as long as the number of speeds are the same. There's an oddball among the old Dura-Ace, and I think they've added another incompatibility in the some of the newer MTB stuff. Here's a link to more info: http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3946#Shimergo&foo=shimano%20+%20campagnolo%2011-24-2005
If you have a 8-9-10 speed compatible freehub your best bet is probably to try to get hold of some Shimano Sora in either 8 or 9 speed. Install those and then swap your cassette out accordingly. If your rear wheel has a freewheel instead(possible, seeing it's 7-speed) then replace it with a freehub one that can take 8/9/10 speed cassettes straight off.
Unfortunately the Sora Brifters alone can cost you as much as half of what the store price for the Denali is...
Downtube (DT) shifters isn't the norm for road bikes any more. These days most "serious" road bikes are sold with what's called "Brifters", that's brake levers and shift levers integrated into the same housing.
All Shimano shifters aren't compatible. Road front shifters only work with road front derailers. Most rear shifters work, as long as the number of speeds are the same. There's an oddball among the old Dura-Ace, and I think they've added another incompatibility in the some of the newer MTB stuff. Here's a link to more info: http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3946#Shimergo&foo=shimano%20+%20campagnolo%2011-24-2005
If you have a 8-9-10 speed compatible freehub your best bet is probably to try to get hold of some Shimano Sora in either 8 or 9 speed. Install those and then swap your cassette out accordingly. If your rear wheel has a freewheel instead(possible, seeing it's 7-speed) then replace it with a freehub one that can take 8/9/10 speed cassettes straight off.
Unfortunately the Sora Brifters alone can cost you as much as half of what the store price for the Denali is...
Your least expensive option would be to change your shifters to bar end shifters. Unfortunately I don't believe that Shimano ever made indexing 7-speed shifters so you woulod probably have to go with friction shifters, in which case you could use any manufacturers shifters. Down tube shifters wouldn't work with your Denali as the tubes are too big for the clamps.
Another option for you to easily accomplish your objective is to locate a pre-owned GMC Denali PRO which does have integrated shift/brake levers from microshift. If the bike is in good condition and the frame fits, use that bike. If not, transfer the components (including new rear wheel) to your existing bike. Used Denali Pros are on CraigsList and eBay for around $200. The triple miroshift lever set alone lists at $250+, and are not 7-speed indexed, so you have more components to buy. The same for Shimano SIS shifters.
Your decision is whether to spend additional money that you will not be able to recover on the GMC or save it toward the Pinny. Of course, you're talking about $2,500+ more for the Pinny. So $200 for the GMC swapout is "pennies" in comparison.
If you can do your own swap work to move components, you're in good shape. If not, add another $100 or so for a shop to do it. Unless you're really attached to having a GMC bicycle, there are probably other more financially sound alternatives ... i.e other pre-owned bikes.
Your decision is whether to spend additional money that you will not be able to recover on the GMC or save it toward the Pinny. Of course, you're talking about $2,500+ more for the Pinny. So $200 for the GMC swapout is "pennies" in comparison.
If you can do your own swap work to move components, you're in good shape. If not, add another $100 or so for a shop to do it. Unless you're really attached to having a GMC bicycle, there are probably other more financially sound alternatives ... i.e other pre-owned bikes.
You could look on Ebay for Shimano RSX "brifters." These are 3 speed on the left and 7 on the right. There are other old Shimano models that are 3 and 7 that should work too. I think that and longer cables is all you'd need. I bought a set that didn't work at a swap meet for $20. I sprayed WD 40 into them and let them sit a day and they worked fine. I have an old Giant Kronus that uses these levers and they work quite well. I'm probably going to put these up for sale one day if I decide I won't use them.
I found these:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Shimano-STI-Shifters-RSX-Triple-3x7-Seven-Speed-ST-A410-/120722252765?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c1b9b63dd
There used to be a whole lot of NOS 3x7 brifters on ebay a year back, but they appear to be gone now.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Shimano-STI-Shifters-RSX-Triple-3x7-Seven-Speed-ST-A410-/120722252765?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c1b9b63dd
There used to be a whole lot of NOS 3x7 brifters on ebay a year back, but they appear to be gone now.
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