Any non-indexed down tube shifter will work with any range of cassette if that's the way you want to go. The Dura Ace 7700 dt shifters are a good choice. Another good choice is the Suntour Superbe Pro which has a ratcheting power shift in friction mode, just like the Simplex levers.

Shifting however will take practice to get the shifts accurate & smooth because with 11 gears, its very easy to over shift & miss the gear that you actually wanted. Its just like driving a stick shift for the first time but with practice you will get more used to doing it.

 

I would be interested in hearing from someone who did this. Back in the day with 7s friction shifting, many were challenged by the need to slightly over-shift and then center the derailleur with a smooth motion. This technique would be additionally challenged with 11s spacing, though the addition of shifting ramps, improved chains, floating top pulleys, etc. may address some of this.

 

I was using my 7 speed Ultegra drivetrain on my trainer with 11 speed cassette (12-25) for awhile. The front was a pain but the rear was fine.

 

Bar-end shifters are downtube shifters mounted to handlebar plugs. If you want to run 9, 10 or 11 speed cassette and derailleur, just get a set of 9, 10 or 11 speed shifters. No need to run in friction mode unless you just really want to do that. Microshift makes good shifters at a reasonable price for this.

 

Thanks for everyone’s feedback! Took it to the shop today and the mechanic will see what they can do!

I’ll post my results.

Shimano Dura Ace 7700 Downtube shifters
SRAM Force 22 WiFli
SRAM 8 speed chain
SRAM 11-32 8 speed cassette


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It's going to be friction so it'll work fine, just don't try to use the indexing on the shifter.

 

Yeah, I’m actually assuming it’ll work especially in friction mode and only using 8 speeds which I believe is lower than the 9 the Dura Ace’s are rated for.


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Well you've also got a SRAM derailleur and Shimano shifters...no way that would work together, other than in friction mode.

 

Really? Because SRAM and Shimano have different cable pull : derailleur movement ratios. They always have. That and the fact there here has never been an 8 or 9 speed SRAM road derailleur so even if the ratio was compatible you'd have a 10 speed shifter and an 8 or 9 speed cassette. Friction is the only way to make this work.

 

Thats a great explanation! It nails why it works and how!! My question was more geared toward why would you run friction if you have the option of indexed short of a nice vintage ride?

 

If you're going to run friction, and Simplex Retrofriction levers pull enough cable to work with your derailleur of choice, I would recommend them. They are, IMO, the finest friction shifters on the planet. They haven't been made in years, and can get pricey for NOS, but some nice used ones can be found at fair prices, if you shop around a bit.

https://bikeretrogrouch.blogspot.com/2013/09/retro-friction-part-one.html

https://sportifbicycle.blogspot.com/2011/01/simplex-retro-friction-shifters-part-1.html

https://sportifbicycle.blogspot.com/2011/01/simplex-retro-friction-shifters-part-2.html

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Si...-SLJ-Retrofriction-shifters/303423498051?hash=item46a5732743:g:FTYAAOSw0gVeCJsa


I have a set mounted on an old Campagnolo equipped bike; and another set in the cabinet, just so I know I have them.

 

Before the new brake cables

 

Those of us who are tall and ride large frames (60 cm for myself), we do not miss having to reach all the way to the downtube every time we need to shift! Bar-ends or brifters!!

 

I've seen tall custom steel bikes built with down tube shifter bosses brazed to the top tube. Not my cup of tea, but at 6' I'm not dealing with that long a reach, and the brazed on bosses are more elegant than those shift levers clamped on to the stem that we've seen on Varsity level Schwinn's and such.

 

Wow, are those custom made? I’ve never seen shifters places on the top tube, those old stem mounted shifters, sure. Where are the cables routing for the brakes? Is the shifting as clean and consistent with mounting shorter cables on the downtube? I wonder how that might impact the standover height? I guess they are forward enough not to get in the way. I wonder why this design wasn’t more common?

 

Old school aftermarket downtube shifter mount/clamp? Tube diameter should be the same. Leverage? Don't fix what's not broken?! It also explain the popularity of bar ends. I remember they were very finicky to use and I hated to be in the drops.

 

Top tube is typically smaller diameter than the down tube.

 

I just installed an ultegra 8000 rear derailler on my 1983 Trek 770 frame with an 11-speed cassette and discovered that my vintage (i.e., old, but awesome...) Campy downtube shifters have to go the full 180 degrees to negotiate all those gears. It doesn't seem to be too much trouble, for now, since you tend to be in the 0-90 degree range or the 90-180 degree range depending on the front gear, but I do have my eye on these: Dia-Compe 11 Speed Downtube Shifters. Brake-lever shifters are too expensive to experiment with and I'm not too sure I like the idea of them: they seem too easy, somehow.

 

FD should be fine cause it does not move much. To run an older friction shifter with current 11 and 12 speed RD and cassette, cable pull is a key to be considered. also rear derailleur REAR SHIFT RATIO (Distance that rear derailleur moves laterally per 1 mm of cable movement) should also be considered. Many downtube shifters can not do 180 swing.

 

Thought I would give my 2 cents.. I have a 85 Peugeot psn10, I mounted a SRAM Red 11speed derailleur and a 10 speed chain onto the existing Campagnolo Victory crankset, with Campagnolo non-indexed downtube shifters, works as smooth as a top tier drivetrain does, aside from having to reach down and shift between your legs.. very soon it will have a SRAM 1x crankset with a 42 tooth ring. I just do booze-cruises mainly, just get non- indexed downshifters and call it a day.

 

I know I’m a bit late to this post but was doing some research for a better derailleur than the set up I’m currently running but I felt like adding so it may help anyone else who finds this post. I have a sunrace M90 RD brand new paired with a Suntour cyclone Mark 2 FD I’m using late 70s Suntour superbe downtube shifters and my wheel set is shimano WH-RS 10 with a 10 speed cassette. I have this set up on my 1987 centurion lemans RS and I have had 0 issues with just shy of 500 road miles. I haven’t had any big climbs but as long as your downtube shifters can throw the cable the derailleur will respond. Stay safe!