Why This "Dangerous" Shifter is Actually Awesome!

Trying an old school shifter mount for a new purpose.
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[@XR4turbo]

My weekly dose of obscure ways to shift gears on a bike. You never disappoint Rus.

[@stefhirsch6922]

Look up old gripshift road shifters or the Kelly “take-off”

[@PetervandaRita]

You made my day. Even you postet it 11 month ago 😂

[@hw5533]

A refreshing KZbin channel that's not afraid to experiment with ideas and older tech. Too many people are sucked into the world of following the expensive trends.

[@rollinrat4850]

New overpriced junk and 'upgrades' are simply job security for me. I'm a high end shop mechanic. My personal 'good old junk' still works fine after decades. I get lots of it really cheap or even free as well. Not even half used by dummies who needed to 'upgrade'. I truly appreciate Eddy Merxck' quote regarding up grades. "Ride up grades, don't buy 'em.

[@eamonwakefield9463]

I think the term “suicide shifter” comes from motorcycles where the reach would probably be more dangerous

[@jamesenloe2791]

It is The shifter would be left hand operated while depressing the clutch with the left foot. It was dangerous because it was difficult depressing the clutch while stopped. Your shifting game has to be on point while riding especially while stopping quickly

[@greggschwabauer6241]

With a foot clutch and no front brake you had to run every red light that was on a hill, no way to get things back in gear once stopped without sliding back into the vehicle behind you. Thus the “suicide clutch” name.

[@paulbetts1810]

"Suicide shifter or changer" on bicycles was originally derived from the old rod operated front mechs of the 50's, such as Cyclo, Huret and Simplex

[@rollinrat4850]

@@paulbetts1810 My dad's old Raliegh road racer from the late '50s (my 1st roadie) had the Simplex version. It finally broke, I removed it and shifted by hand. With practice, it's easy on the road. Downshifting with your foot is easy as long as you can plan ahead. Now that I'm sorta old though, my flexibility isn't quite the same. Haha, Getting off to shift gives me an excuse to catch my breath and smell the flowers! I just might do one of these oddball front shifter setups though. I love these funky old school ideas. Function>form. I've been hand shifting my monstercross bike since I built it a few months ago. The 'big ring' is a narrow wide 1x and a 22t granny. Ive got more 'low range' gears than I usually need, a 100" high gear for road descents and no huge gaps in my cassette. I'm not a fan of modern 1x set ups at all. If I want to be in the wrong gear all the time, I just ride one of my singlespeeds! Which are my daily rides anyways. You still may be able to source a rod type derailleur from Rene Herse. (Jan Heine still uses 'em) An old custom builder (CS Hirose) in Japan used to make these sorts of things from scratch and 'rinko' travel bikes. Really, really nice handmade stuff! He passed away recently. Bicycle Quarterly (Jan's magazine) did a memorial for him.

[@joeottsoulbikes415]

@@CalmoOmlac its because when stopped on a hill you have your left hand off the bar to shift 1st and 2nd but you I urge right hand is operating a hand brake and on a moto that means no fingers on the actual handlebars. When you take off the torque of the motor pulls the front wheel to the right pretty hard and with only your right thumb 👍 😕 to keep it straight 💯 👌 you end up with the wheel flopping sideways and falling over if it doesn't all work out right.

[@johndef5075]

I like the old 10 speeds that had the shifters up by the stem.

[@-MacCat-]

You're always finding, rehashing or coming up with interesting hacks, gear and info! Thanks for all your work for the "great unwashed" bicycle riders Russ.

[@RatFink5912]

I "represent" that remark

[@underbikedoverconfident1142]

This video made me realise I love geeking out over old bike designs. I actually think putting a shifter there just looks cool. Less cable equals cooler.

[@M.F.Hafizhan]

You'd like those old rod actuated Campy shifters, no cables at all! They're legit cool, it's interesting to see those wild early derailleurs coexisting with each other.

[@rollinrat4850]

I had one on my dads ancient Raleigh racer. It broke sometime in the late '70s. Haha, being a broke kid, I started hand shifting!

[@bmxadv]

I'm all for that style. I've been riding a 29er bmx with a suicide brake for last 7 years. I recently started biking in the mountains with it, mostly green and blue trails, but it's a wild ride every time. 😜

[@monetary_episode494]

I'm sorry, what is a suicide brake

[@bmxadv]

@@monetary_episode494 A term I use to describe my brake setup, where I put my rear brake lever on the seat tube.

[@Jackplumz]

Like it: it can be used to get rid of annoying through frame cables which are hard to get to if they fail on a long tour. But also great for fine tuning one of those front mechs that rubs annoyingly at the top and bottom.

[@BodyKnight]

It's practically my setup. It's also what i've been suggesting to everybody who complain that they don't like 1x, but they want something simple. Yet, nobody wants to do this. It's such an easy, low maintenance, effective solution... yet people don't like it.

[@larryd9068]

I like it!! Converted my touring bike from a 3x to a 1x a few years back and ride mostly on gravel trails ( the C&O Canal Trail and Great Alegeheny Passage from Washington DC to Pittsburgh). But I was just contemplating conversion to a 2x for road trip touring. You're demonstration of the "suicide shifter" has me sold. This set up will be out of the way on my Albatross handlebar giving more hand positions options. Thanks.....I'm gonna do it👴👍🚴‍♂️💨

[@kimberleemodel7182]

Your frame might already have downtube shifter bosses, might be a little more conventional while filling the same set of requirements which Russ outlined.

[@markholm7050]

Doesn’t matter if it looks odd or “hipster”. Only matters that it works. Really, it doesn’t look bad either, just not what we’re used to seeing. I have seen, in a museum, bikes with rod actuated front derailers. This is pretty much the same idea, but with a cable.

[@themoodyteam]

‘hipster’ is no defence to a federal violation… 😐

[@rollinrat4850]

Function>form. Haha, look at INFERNAL routing and integrated bikes. There's a sucker born every minute. Rod actuated derailleurs work fine IF you know how to shift. My dad's (my first road bike) bike had one. It shifted fine. I'd try one again if I could find one. Modern roadies are probably afraid to take their hands off the freakin hoods. How would they ever learn to shift without the clicky bits? They hardly even know what those hooks are for or how much better a bike corners when you use them.

[@basilkinsey6011]

Thank you, Russ. I have S&S couplers to split my bike's frame and I have been pondering this eccentric idea for a while. I'd only ever seen it in pictures.

[@chazwarpdrive5171]

I dig it. I have a very similar gearing on my Rockhopper: 38/28t Deore crank with 11-42t cassette w/ friction shifters. Love the Mtn double gearing. I almost never use the 28t ring, but I'm glad it's there. I don't think I would mind reaching for it. I like the idea of decluttering the cockpit. I ride retro-mod bikes mostly, and not having to worry about routing and cable stops is a big plus in my book.

[@robinheil]

I love the idea of having low range crawler gears. I'm gonna have to find a way to run 2x on my Evasion

[@8draco8]

Is it single speed in the back? It's fairly simple, just put chain tensioner on it. There are available tensioners with one and two tiny chain rings, they looks similarly to the arm of rear derailleur, you mount them on your back wheel axle, than you can have 2x in front.

[@rollinrat4850]

Haha, have you got a 4wd? My 'Yota crawler has gears even lower than my MTBs. Dual t cases. The compound low granny gear idles so slow I can walk outside my truck while it's running and walk circles around it. I can practically stand on the brake and there's so much multipled torque the motor is hard to stall! My friend in Minnesota has a 2wd full suspension bike I want to try out. He uses it for riding all winter with studded tires!

[@kstoeb]

I like your „unconventional“ shifter approach, because it enhances the realm of possible. I have a pretty decent idea, wich gears I want and need and the limiting factor is always „well, the shifter may not be capable“. But when you free yourself of the coffin of the brake-lever-shift there are a bunch of new opportunities. Thanks for all your work 🙏

[@rollinrat4850]

That's right. Modern brifters are like clockwork inside and they won't last long in dirty conditions or maybe even an innocent little crash/get off. Indexed shifting suffers badly if your hanger is bent or your derailleur is tweaked. Simple friction shifters solve all those problems. Problem is few folks every learned how to shift without all the clicky bits, but it's not exactly impossible.

[@no_Ray_bang]

Love it! I have been considering this sort of bail out gear option (having some 1x purchase regrets) I think this is THE solution.

[@briancarroll1078]

Same here, i am going to be switching my 1x next week. I bought a used 2x crank from ebay.

[@rollinrat4850]

1x is great for aggressive rough terrain mtb and 'cross racing. May even crit racing. I used a 1x for 'cross in the '80s. We used double chain guards so the chain didn't fall off. Even with doubles and clutchless derailleurs my chains very rarely fall off simply because I know how to shift (still mostly friction) and what gears tension the chain best. For many people (non racers) who spend long hours on a bike and or those who haul lots of extra weight (especially in big mtns) , 2 or even 3 chainrings are preferable. 1x is just a compromise. It can't offer a very wide gear range with a suitable low and high gear, along with useful smaller gaps between gears. Staying with 7-9 gears in the rear is much more affordable in the long run also. Many of us actually ride everyday and need suitable gears for road to get to the off-road.

[@no_Ray_bang]

@@rollinrat4850 is the tone in your response on purpose? If you didn't intend to come across condescending, that's a thing you might consider working on. If you did intend it, well that's a bigger list. Cheers

[@rollinrat4850]

@@no_Ray_bang What did I say? I put 1x on my bike and many of my friends because we were tired of dropping chains on a 'cross course in the '80s. It's nothing new here! I've never had 'purchase regrets'. I DIY'd my 1x because I needed it. Now it doesn't work for long rides and loaded touring. I don't race much anymore I'm also a pro mechanic. I know what works me and many of my customers from my 50+ years of riding and wrenching experience. How about a rational argument? This is my experience over 50 years of hard riding and racing. Just my opinion. I hardly need your advice. My customers continue coming for my expertise. I didn't hurt your feeling over mere inanimate machines did I? If so, I'm not sure what else to say. I will say this: Peace to you, enjoy your holidays and ride lots more. That's how I relieve my stress.

[@no_Ray_bang]

@@rollinrat4850 glad it was the former not the latter, but it's clear from your response that the habits are deeply embedded. We all have things we can get better at, it's all good. Cheers.

[@johnbrann75]

Genius! I love it, doubt that I would do it. But customizing your bike to suit your particular style or use is what its all about. Kudos for thinking out of the box. The reason I probably wouldn't do it is because I live in Saskatchewan, very flat. I don't need climbing gears.

[@philwyeth]

Great idea Russ, I love it. This channel keeps real cycling alive! And by that I mean, own your bike, tailor your bicycle for your needs and have fun!

[@scottconlon5124]

I probably didn't hear you correctly however I always hear what I want and I hear "OREGON 8"I'm adopting it❣️

[@grobbosixtyone]

Brilliant. I love how you try all these alternative approaches

[@noelbrown6771]

I like it. I've been needing more space on my left handlebar, this could solve that.

[@nmcheese]

This placement seems like an interesting idea to make use of the pile of inexpensive top pull mountain bike front derailleurs in any co-op/bike-shop parts bin now that all the MTBers are going 1x. And it continues the narrative that gravel bikes are just 90's mountain bikes. Seems like a win win here.

[@JeffOehlsen]

This is the content I love. I grew up with friction shifters on the down tube. Knowing people move shifters like this helps get my brain out of it's "This is the way it is" box.

[@rollinrat4850]

I wrench in a shop. All the new overpriced junk is simply job security for me. Its low quality, doesn't last long and always 'requires upgrades'. Haha! I'm happy to take 'know it all's' money. I appreciate 'old school junk'. Its still working fine after decades and I often get it for cheap or free!

[@laryeparkins]

Haven't seen one of those seat post shifters for a long time: my first commuter bike (1976-77) was a Sears break-apart with 20" wheels, a Sturmey-Archer 3-speed hub with rear coaster brake and front caliper brake, shift lever on the seat tube, no cables to disconnect: unscrew three captive wing-bolts on a plate on the double down-tube and toss the pieces in the car boot. Perfectly natural shifting.

[@sagehiker]

i like the whole momentum of "why not, with a dose of history and practicality. Would I do it? No, in immediate future but there is a bit of nerdery that is filing it away. I had a Schwinn World Sport (87) that had the shifters literally in my face on the crown, or top of the stem, that was an ergo nightmare for me. And that was mainstream racing bike of its time. This is at the natural drop of the arm.

[@deusexaethera]

I have the exact same gearing setup on both of my MTBs -- essentially a 1x drivetrain but with a low range small chainring that I can bail into instantly if I encounter sudden difficulty. Everyone who runs a 1x drivetrain should strongly consider doing the same.

[@scotterbrains]

I'm so gonna steal this hack for the "manual" 2 x 10 I've loved for years. Thx Russ!

[@edwardmccall8219]

I like the shifter there. The advantages of shorter cables. I would be tempted to put both shifters there.

[@stefhirsch6922]

A downtube shifter has similar amounts of housing, less acute angle under the bb shell and a closer easier reach from the handlebars (for the rear)

[@seanraming5136]

This is awesome, I was snooping around the internet trying to see if anyone has done this, so a pleasant find and thanks so much for posting. (P.S., my partner recently bought the Soma Grand Randonneur you had and reviewed, she loves it!, a super lucky find). Thank's for all the great content.

[@nthonyholden]

I love the efficiency of this SO MUCH. And if you ever wanna get crazy with your granny gear, you can always sub in a 24 or 22. I think this is brilliant.

[@kowman1]

I've done this for years (50 or so). It works for me!

[@3496coolairplanes]

Nice! My Dad actually had an old road bike that had the shifters exactly like this! It was how i leaned to ride a road bike and served as a great introduction to the sport. I had no idea that they were so unusual, I always just thought it was the way it used to be done for weight/mechanical simplicity

[@michaelaiello9525]

PLP bike Hipster creativity . All for you playing around 🤘🏽🤘🏽

[@steveforst7149]

Eagerly waiting to hear more about your handlebar swapping experience - what bars, what stems, what effects on handling. All of that! Pedal on 🖖

[@paullucas7570]

I like it!! Simple. Easy. Efficient. Effective. Excellent hack, Russ!

[@rickgantz6745]

Suicide shifter is a motorcycle term. Mainly on old choppers with a foot operated clutch and hand shifted from a shift lever either at the transmission directly or with a linkage and lever by the tank. Suicide comes from removing the spring assistance from the clutch pedal.

[@MSUTri]

I really love how you've 2x'ed a 1x specific frame. 2x all the things! I may have to do this for my next build. It's really elegant to not have any bends or guides at all on the cable. Your 'big ring most of the time with small ring bailout gear' setup is perfect. I have similar on my all road bike (44/30x11-34), and it's lovely to use. Most rides here in Michigan I never even touch the front shifter, even on decent (for here) sized hills. Only the really steep ones (and on very long rides) do I need to shift down. One of the best things of the current gravel trend I think is the availability of super compact double cranksets, like the now common 46/30 size. Prior to 2017, if you wanted anything less than a 34t small ring in a road crankset, you had extremely limited options, and mostly expensive with proprietary rings. I built my own in 2016 out of a 105 triple (with an underrated for road bikes bash ring), but now it's easy to find them.

[@Fixingeverthingwithaengine567]

I might have to put something like that on my trek. My trek marlin 7 is my every thing bike. Mtb,gravel,commute bike,and bike packing. It goes from suspension to rigid quite often. Since I smashed my elbow on the container wall at work. The suspension fork definitely helps a lot. I still ride with my arm hurt. I believe that the only way to get better is not to baby it. I am not going to lie but it does hurt but all well. Pain is only temporary. 👍

[@charlessmith5924]

I like the simplification of front ring shifting and what a great talking point for the coffee & cake stop

[@jamese8508]

Cool idea. Maybe you could use it in a 1x setup hooked up to the RD. Just don't shift often. There is an enjoyable minimalism in not searching for the "optimal" gear.

[@kbd13-n9c]

Just ride single speed? You're never in the wrong or right gear, just a gear.

[@thomasbrown1150]

I just bought and old Schwinn with broken grip shifters in Kalispell. Your short shifter is a good solution to avoid the old shifters so I wIll search my large box of spare parts for a useful setup.

[@RatFink5912]

That's genius -- love the old ancient tech. Really like your thinking out-side of the BIG-bike box.

[@breth8159]

In 1980 I took a 1940 chromoli Schwinn diamond frame training bike put a 50s campanello set up under the seat & a three speed cog on the rear wheel 16 -19 -23 it was a great setup I rode for years at least five or six thousand miles . . .

[@hippynurd]

I make fun chopper bikes, and running cables from ape hangers down the length of 2 bikes is rather difficult and impractical, but running them to the bike seat is relatively easy. Who needs back brakes, and the front brake cable is a reasonable length, so, moving the shifting cables is very sensible and practical way to deal with chopper weirdness. The suicide shift is from them old bikes that they used to run on flat tracks, crazy old timey dudes racing around oval tracks at like 100mph taking one hand off the handle bars to shift, has to be terrifying.

[@TheProjectsimpson]

I dig it! I have been looking for a way to do this on my dingle speed bike.

[@Robert-zn9ub]

I like it. Innovative and unique. More importantly Functional

[@rollinrat4850]

Ive been thinking about a set up similar to this for awhile. Ive been doing the handshift thing off and on for quite a number of years. Getting off the bike to shift is a good excuse to take a break and catch my breath. I'm used to this with my 'dinglespeed', 2 gears fixed, 2 free. I really like the idea of short cables and simple smooth cable routing on drop bars. My rear thumb shifter is modified to mount under my brake lever hoods. There's no shifter housing under my bar tape. Its perfect if you ride dirt drop bars the way they were designed to be ridden. Now I just want modern large brake levers with the cables that come out the top like the ancient ones.

[@georgepepperman4584]

Love it, smart, functional, and it works for you!

[@rogervancleave8670]

Love this! I saw a preview and couldn’t wait to see it. I have a 1x12 that I use for bikepacking but planning a road tour and need a higher gear option. I considered a handlebar thumb shifter but really like how clean that is for what will be minimal use.

[@scottconlon5124]

I have never seen seat tube shifter. Down tube I raised on. I often have a susaside shift on front chain ring by removing the front derailer and shift with hand lol it's greedy lol👍 thank you I learned something new today lol like every day.

[@sqd8r]

I think the suicide shifter name came from motorcycles. It resembles the suicide shifter on motorcycles, which at the speeds motorcycles can make, does make a suicide shifter unsafe compared to conventional motorcycle shifters. Neat review. Thanks.

[@markholm7050]

If you are changing handlebars using a removable faceplate stem, you could mount one or both shifters on the stem. Riv had a shifter stem mount for sale. Don’t know if they still have it.

[@rsb62rsb]

Nice one! Neat and efficient when you have the “one by + low range box” set up 👍🏽

[@justinhall2426]

Love that idea. I may try it out!

[@elbotho]

Thank you for kinda legitimizing my own hacks :) I just love my super low gears.

[@laurentitolledo1838]

I used to have a shifter like that mounted on my seat post.... to activate a secondary rear caliper brake (a sort of hand brake for bikes).

[@PghPA81]

Not ugly. Elegant!

[@aceprater5397]

I was just thinking about how cool it would be to have a shifter mounted there. like a lever style like Jan. I mean you kind of know when your gonna need the big or little ring, so less wires on the bars = simplicity. I like it hope it works out well.

[@glennpettersson9002]

I think it's right up there with Dingle speed but it would be a great hack if you had a broken cable and no spares.

[@billmaidment5623]

I love this idea. I’ve wanted a rod shifter for a while so hopefully you can find a kit.

[@haemstah]

Simplex Competition look sweet, but soooo exxy.

[@georgemacheel2039]

Russ, I appreciate the information on your choice of gears.

[@BrianWilliamsPhotography]

KISS, keeping It simple. I ran my road bike like that when I switched to riser bars. left the dt shifter for the front and put a clicky shifter for the rear on the bars.

[@mikefule330]

I used to like my old 5 speed and my old "10 speed" (2 x 5) which had friction shifters on the down tube: no messing about adjusting the indexing every few weeks. Those modern combined gear and brake levers are all well and good when they work. However, I'm not sure I'd want to be reaching down to a lever at the top of the seat tube if changing gear in difficult riding conditions off road. Probably good for occasional use (as in your case) or road use. Nice to see someone using simple components instead of buying into the latest must-have.

[@event4216]

Your unorthodox bike bit demos work like first reading Sheldon Brown who loved to set up bikes combining needs and tech - at same time eliminating clutter.

[@leendeen8745]

This downtube shifter mount is good if you are trying to use a top-pull derailleur, esp if bike doesn’t have suitable cable stops. Downtube front shifter needs a front derailleur that can accept bottom-pull cable routing.

[@PathLessPedaledTV]

You can use a cable pulley and pull from the bottom as well.

[@Spacek531]

My bicycle is a retired Triathalon bike. It has these same style of shifters on the down tube. Probably very convenient if you're hunched over a bicycle going fast, but since I ride it more upright, having them in the "suicide" position would be somewhat nicer.

[@mtbeyker9404]

In MTB it has sense too, because in slopeduro you would like to have ability ro ride uphill/ downhill and do tricks like tailwhips or barspins on the same bike.

[@Saxtoo]

In the early 1980s, I had a racer with double brake levers. They were just called "the brakes"! 37 years later, I rebuilt it, but found the net now calls them suicide levers. I have no idea why. It certainly never said "fitted with added suicide levers" when I bought it in 1982!

[@thecbaum5154]

Boom! I’m subscribed now. :) I’ve been watching your videos for a while. I find them insightful and enjoy your opinions. You open my mind to new ideas about cycling and I love this party pace mindset. This Suicide shifter seems really practical and is not something I’d ever considered. I think the discussion of actuating techniques at the beginning opened my mind to a new world of possibility, Thank you.

[@laingconley5316]

I have a seat post mounted 3 speed shifter on my Guv'nor. Standard Sturmey-Archer part for 27.2 seatposts. Bare cable direct to the hub.

[@joeottsoulbikes415]

Going back years ago the Slopestyle riders would do this with the rear derailleur. They would spin the handlebars off of jumps and drop-offs. They ran an MRP single ring chain guide on the front. The cable for the front brakes went down the steerer tube so it was out of the way. If they ran an extra long rear cable the Bara would spin one and a half rotations without binding. They would rebuild an XTR cassette using parts from a Dura Ace so they ended up with a 12 13 15 18 23 28 30 32 cassette mated to an 8spd 105, Ultegra or Dura Ace shifter mounted in the same place. That way they could ride all the way from the highest chairlift drop-off down to the village. Having the 32 meant everything that required any up hill climbing along the way was handled 👏 They were pretty crazy 🤪. Not as much as the guys who knew the trails so well they could remove all the derailleurs, cassette, chainrings and chain entirely. Those guys just coasted and pumped the bike like a skateboard 🛹 😳 all the way down.

[@Duettoholger]

Great - a reinvention! I love it! I love the the idea of calling them suicide shifters. Great example for "thinking outside the box" - even if you jump back into a very old box - love it!

[@carlosolmos8035]

I have a suicide shifter also on my bike, but I used it for my rear derailleur, which is 1x9 and I did it, because I didn't had a long enough cable on one occasion.

[@dr.terrible]

I have an stylish old collapsible bike (splits into 2 pieces) with 20" wheels. You've inspired me to take it out of retirement and slap a Shimano internal gearhub on the back

[@brams3120]

this is dope asf bro i like the 1 gear bail out idea

[@brams3120]

i would definitely enjoy to mess around with a "suicide" shifter

[@tomreingold4024]

It makes sense to me. In fact, it makes more sense than having shifters on the down tube. I had down tube shifters in the 1970s and changed to bar-end shifters as soon as I could. I'm sure it would be easy to use shifters on the seat tube.

[@jaimeisreal]

@Path Less Pedaled I've never heard of this and I love & know bikes well. But after watching your video, I know why I've never heard of this -- I do not travel. In regards to bicycle shifters, I have a background in RC cars as a hobby and I know how to work with RC cervo motors to the point where I can custom fit them on almost anything. I've recently made my own D.I.Y. Di2 rear mech. It's not wireless. Still using a normal 105 r7000 rear derailleur but with a small motor (cervo) attached to it. At the rear shifter, I have two buttons attached to the normal r7000 rear shifter. Works alright, still needs some tweaking. Not making a front one lol. This rear setup was a long project and I'm still working on it. Very time-consuming but fun. Enjoyed your video. Peace!

[@danielpittman889]

Used to have a Bontrager Race Lite with just three cogs from an XT 8 speed cassette, single chainring, 105 derailleurs (the front derailleur locked in one position as a chain guide) and a 105 downtube shifter mounted on the seat tube. Was pretty fun for a while, but eventually just went single speed.

[@rollinrat4850]

You should try a 'dinglespeed'. My 'Crossafix' is a fixed/free steel cross bike 4-5 gears (depending on chain wear) All single speed, two fixed gears. I stop to change gear which is incentive to hammer harder as not to stop. I ride it regularly on rocky singletrack. I use two chainrings, a flip flop track hub, double fixed cog and double White Industries freewheel. Dingle speeds can be built in several configurations with or without chain tensioning devices. I've used just a derailleur as chain tensioner and used the cable tensioning barrel to shift. If your Bonty is like my old one, the horizontal dropouts are perfect for the purest (no tensioner) DS set up.

[@RosaHernandez-ql8nu]

This is great, might actually do something like this on my brompton for a front deraileur

[@pierrehenri2297]

Makes a lot of sense when you explain it- i would definitely try it if I had your technical know-how! What a great looking bike!! 👍🏻🤘🏼

[@lovethug8702]

I love it! Suits my riding style perfectly! I’m totally doing this.

[@catalinaoutfitters]

I LOVE this. Can't wait to try it out!

[@anielyantra1]

thanks! I love these hacks you come up with. I would never have guessed you could do this.

[@thatbmxguy]

I was mounting my 3 speed shifters on my seatpost with the older tnt frames I used as single speed mini road bikes. Less cable mess and more precise shifts IMO too.

[@jeffandersen6233]

Quite an interesting concept for shifting. Makes me rethink all the things we just take for granted on the bikes we buy. Love the gearing set up. I did a 46/36 back when most bikes were 52/40 and with a 13 or 14 small cog I got the same high gear. It wasn't too cool then but it sure made longer rides easier. I'm also a proponent of cross over front gearing (10) tooth front ring difference like you're running. Lastly I'm excited to get my new rear (cool) fender soon.

[@jamesconnolly5634]

Would be a super clean look for a three speed nexus with coaster brake. No cables up on the bars at all.

[@johngrossbohlin7582]

Maybe locate a 1950s Campagnolo “Sport” lever front derailleur and do away with the cable and separate lever all together!

[@jimbrittain402]

"Aspirational gears"! HAH! That's marvellous. And as for the shifter: if it's dumb, but it works, then it's not dumb.

[@bradleyschmidt2075]

I love it! Simplest solutions are often best solutions long term. Could you go through your full setup and how you are able to switch bars so easily? I’m imagining cable actuated everything instead of hydraulic brakes?

[@mattdrange4219]

also, amen to a true wide-step double. can't get anything more practical!

[@JakeLuke308]

This what happens when you have a box full of spare parts. You start thinking "what could I do with this stuff?" Oppenheimer had the same issue, different box of parts admittedly.

[@kjaarda1]

On motorcycles they were called Jockey shifters because reaching back and down behind your leg looked like you are whipping a horse like a jockey and suicide clutches because it was a foot clutch and if you were at a light or a stop sign your foot could slip off the clutch and launch you into the intersection.

[@bikewales3431]

Brilliant! Great job.

[@joelungaidon]

With that configuration you have space on your handle bars for a dropper post lever

[@dougnevitt2257]

That’s a great option!

[@donttouchthisatall]

This really made me want to own a bike with a dissasembleable frame - soo cool!

[@JohnGarrish]

Love the bailout gear 👍👍👍

[@jeffreyrule8143]

Great video. Interesting idea and the history behind it.

[@mgrif737]

I am going to try this to alleviate ghost shifting in the front derailleur! I have been using friction shifting again for a commuter/gravel bike that I have several wheelsets for, all with different "incompatible" cogsets. The only problem I have had is front derailleur creep when I'm out of the saddle. The rear is fine with no movement, but every time I sit back down I have to adjust the front or it will eventually ghost shift. This should fix it!

[@gratstagram]

Jeez Russel, CALF CITY over here.