Shimano 6 spd to ?

[moonstation2000]

I bought an old Vitus 979 with shimano 600 6 speed from ebay for about $230 to see if I wanted to get back into road cycling. Years of office work means that I get a sore neck and don't much like the position vs a mountain bike. Anyway, turns out I like the bike more than I thought, bought a new saddle and a computer, slapped on some wheels with a 7 speed cassette and started riding.

But I'm tired of always reaching down to shift, I live in hilly PA so I'm always changing gears and would prefer to shift from the handlebars. I have too many hobbies and can't invest much in this one, so I'm looking for a cheap handlebar shifter upgrade (plus I'm just cheap). Saw the Microshift Nashbar shifters but think I read somewhere that I can't fit a 10 spd cassette in my frame? What can I fit, an 8? or a 9? I don't care about the extra gears, just want to be able to shift more easily...

 

[Bustedknuckle]

I bought an old Vitus 979 with shimano 600 6 speed from ebay for about $230 to see if I wanted to get back into road cycling. Years of office work means that I get a sore neck and don't much like the position vs a mountain bike. Anyway, turns out I like the bike more than I thought, bought a new saddle and a computer, slapped on some wheels with a 7 speed cassette and started riding.

But I'm tired of always reaching down to shift, I live in hilly PA so I'm always changing gears and would prefer to shift from the handlebars. I have too many hobbies and can't invest much in this one, so I'm looking for a cheap handlebar shifter upgrade (plus I'm just cheap). Saw the Microshift Nashbar shifters but think I read somewhere that I can't fit a 10 spd cassette in my frame? What can I fit, an 8? or a 9? I don't care about the extra gears, just want to be able to shift more easily...

Depends on the rear hub. You mentioned '7s' so if it's hyperglide(uses a lockring) you can either put on a 7s cogset or 8 cogs of a 9s cogset or 9 of a 10s cogset, then get appropriate shifters for the spacing-8s shifters for a 7s cogset(same ctr cog to ctr cog spacing) or 9s or 120s shifters..just use the Rder limit screw to have one less 'click'. Rear spacing is 126mm so you can only use a 126mm spaced rear hub(basically 7s).

 

[MR_Sarcastic]

Your bike has 126mm rear spacing. Bikes that will accept an 8, 9 or 10 speed cassette have 130mm spacing.
Are you sure that you don't have a threaded rear hub, for 6 and 7 speed freewheels? There were, at that time, hubs that had freehub bodies, but they were all Shimano "uniglide" type, that only took "uniglide" cassettes, with a thread-on outer cog. (no lock ring)
Shimano used to make a 7 speed Sora STI, but that was quite a few years ago. I don't believe that Shimano makes a 7 speed STI anymore.
You may be stuck with downtube shifters, until you progress to the point where you really need a better bike, and decide to buy something more modern.
Doesn't sound like the bike is worth upgrading (if it is even possible)

PS. 8 speed shimano shifters will work real crappy on a Shimano 7 speed cassette or freewheel, but a Campy 8 speed Ergo lever, when combined with an 8 speed Campy derailleur will work just fine. (Campy 8 speed kept the same spacing when they went from 7 to 8 speed, Shimano didn't)

 

[Bustedknuckle]

Your bike has 126mm rear spacing. Bikes that will accept an 8, 9 or 10 speed cassette have 130mm spacing.
Are you sure that you don't have a threaded rear hub, for 6 and 7 speed freewheels? There were, at that time, hubs that had freehub bodies, but they were all Shimano "uniglide" type, that only took "uniglide" cassettes, with a thread-on outer cog. (no lock ring)
Shimano used to make a 7 speed Sora STI, but that was quite a few years ago. I don't believe that Shimano makes a 7 speed STI anymore.
You may be stuck with downtube shifters, until you progress to the point where you really need a better bike, and decide to buy something more modern.
Doesn't sound like the bike is worth upgrading (if it is even possible)

PS. 8 speed shimano shifters will work real crappy on a Shimano 7 speed cassette or freewheel, but a Campy 8 speed Ergo lever, when combined with an 8 speed Campy derailleur will work just fine. (Campy 8 speed kept the same spacing when they went from 7 to 8 speed, Shimano didn't)

.2mm differences ctr cog to ctr cog, shimano 8s shifters and shimano 7s freewheel or cogset(4.8mm vs 5mm). If Campagnolo 10s can shift a shimano 9s cogset and chain, a shimano 8s STI will shift a shimano 7s cogset or freewheel...just did this BTW, do it all the time for 126mm frames.

 

[MR_Sarcastic]

Even if you set your center on a middle cog, you'll be off by .6mm on either end.
This will shift, but with questionable accuracy. It's the same when you throw a 8 speed Shimano wheel into an 8 speed Campy bike. You get marginal shifting. It's the same for 10 speed.
(for some strange reason, Campy 9 speed and Shimano wheels can be interchanged with reasonable success)

 

[krebs303]

friction bar end shifters should be inexpensive

 

[MR_Sarcastic]

Can new Shimano bar ends still be set for friction?
I think that. somewhere along the line, Shimano probably made a 7 speed bar end shifter. Ebay would be the place to look. Don't think that a bar end indexed shifter would wear out like a STI shifter.

 

[andrew_s]

Kelly Take Offs would allow you to mount your down tube levers by the brake levers

http://www.kellybike.com/2nd_xtra_takeoff.html

 

[Bustedknuckle]

Kelly Take Offs would allow you to mount your down tube levers by the brake levers

http://www.kellybike.com/2nd_xtra_takeoff.html

Yeegads..pretty complicated answer to a simple, DT shifter, 'problem'.

 

[titan_90]

The OP already has the DT shifters(set them to friction and it doesn't matter how many gears you have). To switch to bar-ends he just needs some bar-end shifter pods(RivBike sells them but are out of stock atm), new cables and housing, bar tape and some DT cable stops.

Or just keep using the DT shifters there is nothing wrong with them. I have DT shifters on my bad weather bike.

Bar-end shifter pods
DT cable stops
LONG Shifter cable and housing kit

 

[moonstation2000]

Thanks to everyone for all the help on this subject. I looked at the bar-ends and Kelly Take-Offs but am thinking brifters are the way to go for me...

I'm looking at 8 spd shifters on ebay. If I can keep my cassette, rear wheel, cain and derailleurs,and just upgrade the shifters then it's worth it to me, otherwise I'd just stick with what I have for now...

Looks like I can get Microshift for less than $100, used Ultegra/600 for a little more.