Downtime friction shifters for SRAM 10 or 11 speed

[sowestport]

I was looking for recommendations.

Rivendell's shifters are not recommended for SRAM 10 or 11 speed.

I have a quasi retro build in the works.

[AngryScientist]

why does it have to be sram?

friction shifting after 9 speeds is finicky, but doable, but if you're set on 10sp, get dura ace 10 speed indexed shifters and any shimano RD...

i'm using the riv shifters with no problems on campy and shimano 9 sp rear with a shimano RD.

friction shifting 11-sp cassette would probably be too tedious.

[dave thompson]

I would say Shimano 9 or 10 speed shifters with the rear set in friction mode. The overall top to bottom rear cluster space is the same so the Shimano in friction mode should work well.

[stien]

I was thinking about 11 friction today. I've done 10 and while it works well enough, I found that even with the right lever tightened down it would try to pop out of the biggest cog on a standing climb. I guess the BB flex was enough to pull the cable and then release it.

For that reason I have a hard time trusting friction while standing in any gear. Even had one slip out from under you? Terrifying. Even worse with say a non-ramped 6s cassette. Big old bang.

[sowestport]

why does it have to be sram?

friction shifting after 9 speeds is finicky, but doable, but if you're set on 10sp, get dura ace 10 speed indexed shifters and any shimano RD...

i'm using the riv shifters with no problems on campy and shimano 9 sp rear with a shimano RD.

friction shifting 11-sp cassette would probably be too tedious.

Thanks for the feedback. Now I'm getting a sense of the problem with the higher numbered clustered cassettes.

[echelon_john]

Shimano 10sp DT shifters work GREAT. Plus you can use an XT/XTR derailleur if you want to run bigger cogs and look badass.

[sowestport]

Shimano 10sp DT shifters work GREAT. Plus you can use an XT/XTR derailleur if you want to run bigger cogs and look badass.

Do they work well as frictionless on the 10sp cassettes?

Also, I'm ignorant about all this. I've seen hints that they can be indexed or setup frictionless. Is that true?

[sowestport]

Do they work well as frictionless on the 10sp cassettes?

Also, I'm ignorant about all this. I've seen hints that they can be indexed or setup frictionless. Is that true?

I just read on from a google page that they got rid of the frictionless option on 10 speed shimano downtimes.

[dave thompson]

The spacing on SRAM and Shimano 10-speed cassettes are the same so Shimano 10-speed down tube shifters will work properly in either friction or index mode. Shimano 9-speed DT shifters will shift 10-speed in friction mode only.

[AngryScientist]

I just read on from a google page that they got rid of the frictionless option on 10 speed shimano downtimes.

just to help you out with terminology:

they're downtube shifters, not downtime.

if they are not indexed - they are friction mode, not frictionless.

[sparky33]

Shimano 10sp DT shifters work GREAT. Plus you can use an XT/XTR derailleur if you want to run bigger cogs and look badass.

Agree here, it is hard to improve on Shimano 10s DT shifters plus any Shimano derailleur - works everytimeallthetime. As much as I really like SRAM bits, friction is the only option for downtube SRAM shifting, and I found it difficult to reliably locate the middle of any gear using friction DT on a SRAM 10s derailleur....not sure why, don't bother.

I tried this SRAM plus Silver dt friction:
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5068/5644352361_2cffee45ff_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/9ALMj2)front end (https://flic.kr/p/9ALMj2) by stevep33 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/27988383@N06/), on Flickr

and soon changed to Dura Ace shifting, and all was better.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7144/6648441543_1fcc42c1fe_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/b8v13t)#11 Boulder Brevet v3.0 (https://flic.kr/p/b8v13t) by stevep33 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/27988383@N06/), on Flickr

[Hindmost]

For friction shifting the spacing of 10 speed cogs is a little too close to be practical. I tried it found that I had to spend a lot of time and frustration centering the derailleur--and I rode friction shifters of over 20 years. 8 speed friction works fine as cog spacing is the same as old 7 speed.

[sowestport]

For friction shifting the spacing of 10 speed cogs is a little too close to be practical. I tried it found that I had to spend a lot of time and frustration centering the derailleur--and I rode friction shifters of over 20 years. 8 speed friction works fine as cog spacing is the same as old 7 speed.

Thanks for the response. Your vote has me deciding against frictionless 10 speed down tubes.

[sowestport]

Agree here, it is hard to improve on Shimano 10s DT shifters plus any Shimano derailleur - works everytimeallthetime. As much as I really like SRAM bits, friction is the only option for downtube SRAM shifting, and I found it difficult to reliably locate the middle of any gear using friction DT on a SRAM 10s derailleur....not sure why, don't bother.

I tried this SRAM plus Silver dt friction:



Thanks for the comparison! And beautiful bike!!

[sparky33]

Thanks for the comparison! And beautiful bike!!


Thanks. That was a great rando bike...has since found another home somewhere around this forum.

I kind of miss the downtube shifters. They work so well and look great.

[oldpotatoe]

I just read on from a google page that they got rid of the frictionless option on 10 speed shimano downtimes.

7800 10s DT and Barend shifters do have a friction option, 7900 do not.

[phutterman]

Also, while the cassette distance/spacing is the same for Shimano as SRAM, their shifters/derailleurs pull more cable for a given amount of travel (though I don't know the difference in actuation ratios off the top of my head) so I'd imagine a friction DT shifter could run out of travel (or at least have to use more range of motion than you'd want) if made for Shimano and paired with a SRAM RD.

Though I'd intuit that it ought to be easier to shift precisely since the lever movements per shift would be bigger, but I dunno. Just speculating aloud, really.