Tiagra shifters with 7 speed cassette

BobScarle
BobScarle Posts: 282
edited May 2010 in Workshop
As I have been doing a few time trials lately I thought I would try to get my Saracen back on the road. It is set up on the turbo at the moment with bar end shifters, which I would like to replace.

I thought about getting Tiagra levers but I am not sure about the cassette, it is a 7 speed Hypeglide. I suspect that standard levers (9 or 10 speed) will be indexed differently and will not work. Am I correct in that assumption? I would be happy with downtube shifters except there is no braze-on for them and the tube is oversize.

I guess if that is correct I am faced with trying to find an old pair of 7 speed 105's or similar or replacing the back wheel, neither of which I wanted to do. Does anybody have any thoughts on the matter, or even have a pair of compatible levers to sell?

Bob

Comments

  • markmod
    markmod Posts: 501
    Hi Bob,

    I recently had just the sane question. I was given a Donnay carbon and alloy lugged bike (actually a rebadged Alan carbonio frame) with downtube shifters and a seven cog rear shimano 'cassette' I say cassette but I believe it's actually not a cassette but is a screw on type.

    I rode it once or twice in the downtube shifter set up and I felt like I was 14 again, riding my heavy bike to school. After chorus 11 it comes as a real strange feeling, and I found myself looking down too much at the shifters, it didn't really feel that safe... As I look up to see the backs of stopped cars!!!

    Now to cut a long story short I decided to bite the bullet and upgrade to sti shifters on the bars. I looked high and low, tried to get some 7 speed second hand of eBay but they were going for stupid money and were mostly trash. I then noticed that chainreaction had some Shimano 7 Speed Soras half price at £45... Result ordered, fitted easily even for a first timer like me, and with help of LBS, shift a dream, and the thumb shift of the sora is very campag like to boot. I notice they only now have the rear shifter in stock now http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=45708 but that's half the job done you just need to find the front shifter and you will be good to go.
  • John.T
    John.T Posts: 3,698
    You do need 7sp shifters.
    If you only intend to use the bike for TTs them fit clip on tri-bars and use the bar end controls in them. If just using drop bars then the bar end controls are nearly as good as STIs for a TT.
    My Fleet.
  • BobScarle
    BobScarle Posts: 282
    Thanks for the responses. I guess you have pretty much confirmed what I had thought (feared).

    I really wanted to steer clear of Sora as they use a different action to the Ultegra's that I have fitted on my Audax bike. That's why I was looking at Tiagra. However, I realise that these are not going to be available for, or compatible with, a 7 speed cassette.

    I hadn't thought about using tri-bars, that's not a bad idea. I will give that one some consideration.

    Bob
  • markmod
    markmod Posts: 501
    Yes tri bars is the way to go with bar end shifters, the cheapest, easiest and optional choice for TTs!!
  • markmod
    markmod Posts: 501
    Yes tri bars is the way to go with bar end shifters, the cheapest, easiest and optional choice for TTs!!

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