Dear god, please save friction shifting! Part 2

A look and step back

 

Lets talk about "retro" bicycle components for a moment; particularly those being drivetrain related and the merits that such products can wield.  Although the lack of product support for pre existing components may be a difficult aspect to look past when considering an outfit for a new(er) bicycle build, in terms of economy, serviceability, reliability and ease of replacement, the "retro" bicycle parts are often the way to go for one willing to piece together their idea of a perfect machine while simultaneously attempting to evade the landmine like traps that are strategically placed at every corner by bicycle profiteers.

 

When talking again about shifters with no indexing whatsoever in the mechanism, a friction style shifter opens up the door for users to mix and match nearly any combination of drivetrain systems imaginable.  Take a Sachs derailleur set, Campagnolo cassette, Shimano wheel set and Suntour shifters and you have yourself a perfectly compatible hybrid drive train system.  To try and fathom such a setup in modern times with equally modern components would quite literally be impossible. 

The only major wildcard variables in the equation are the amount of travel in the parallelogram of the derailleur, and the size of the larger cogs on the cassette or freewheel.  Being able to mix and match 5,6,7 and 8 speed components is god send to the DIY home mechanic who loves the idea of using all that old gear that has been accumulating in boxes over the seasons.  Not only is this approach economically more feasible being that many of these components are literally given away at bike swaps and garage sales, but it is just as much a way of repurposing supposedly outdated products that usually serve their task as well they did when were made granted they was taken care of.  An aspect that seems to be gaining just as much momentum in this discussion as the mechanical merits are the sustainable aspects of building a bike in such a way.  With throwaway "dumpster bikes" becoming ever so prevalent, its always refreshing to see that old dusty garage bike get tuned up, modified if necessary and made road ready for what are usually many more years worth of riding.  With components becoming superseded nearly every season (suspension technology much?) it makes perfect sense to work with a platform that is rooted in commonly used standards, allows for interchangeability and can be replaced with easily accessible components. 



An elegant, practical, road ready bicycle equipped with accessories for day to day use.  Light, pump, saddle bag and fenders for what must be semi-wet weather conditions. 

 

Are 6,7 or 8 gears enough? 

 

With modern gearing componentry climbing in number from 8 and 9 gears in the early to late 90's to 10 and 11 gears in the 00's, one has to wonder when enough is enough, and at what cost.  To compare a 7 speed gear cluster from the late 80's with a modern 11 speed cluster of today you will immediately notice two differences, the first being the overall width of the cluster and the second being the width variation of the cogs.  The trade off when squeezing more cogs into an almost equal in size package equates to one thing; compromise.  The compromise is longevity, and it increases exponentially as you continue to shrink products such as cogs and chains to achieve a wider range in gearing as well as increasing dish in the wheel build to accommodate a wider cassette.  A few important question to ask yourself follow.

• Is the cost-benefit ratio of having a "higher end" gearing setup such as 2 x 10/11 speeds truly rational? 
• How often do you find yourself needing to gain more speed when riding at 35+ miles per hour (think giant front ring and super small rear for insanely fast descending)?
• Does the weight penalty of having an older and slightly heavier gearing setup make much of a difference in the scheme of the bike build? 
• Do the marginal differences in incremental cog steps and overall gearing spectrum justify the massive difference experienced in cog and chain life between say an 8 speed vs 11 speed setup?
• How expensive is it to replace a drivetrain related component as opposed to something of the retro varietal.

Although these are clearly all personal questions that can only be answered by each individual depending on various circumstance, there is certainly a bit of rhetoric here.  I can confidently say that I myself, all of my close friends and even cycling acquaintances would answer no to all of the above. 

The reality of the matter is that 99.999..% of us are not and will never become professional road, mountain or cyclocross racers needing to benefit from the marginal gains derived from such product selection.  Most of us enjoy riding for the sake of it and look for our dollar to go as far as it can when it comes to commuting, recreational or sportive cycling.  We wont be in contention for this years Tour De France and certainly won't benefit by pretending as if that's the case when making purchases such as those of super high end, fully modern grupos from fill in the blank manufacturer.


Equally elegant as the bike posted above, but a completely different breed.  A thoroughbred designed race steed geared with electronic shifting for the most competitive of the competitive. Carbon fiber everything here with enough proprietary componentry to drive you insane; this is not your commuter grocery getter by any stretch and will set you back a cool $10,000 u.s.d



Your local bike shop is your best friend

 

When it comes to practically outfitting your bicycle with retro-ish componentry there is no better or closer place to look than your local bike shop.  When approaching the neighborhood shop about purchasing older second hand bits you will usually be greeted with smiles as typically the owners are more than happy to liquidate mass accumulation of old stock and bulk.  Old discarded and replaced parts in particular can be had for a song if your smart enough to bring in your town's preferred local craft beer (Yes, I will make it black and white; all bike shop employees, mechanics and owners drink beer; an empirically observable fact, period).  With not much more than a few 10's in your pocket you can walk out more times than not with a very large step in the direction of completing or retrofitting that project that has been needing your TLC.