Thumbshifters on drop bars

[andrew_s]

SJSC & Paul do mounts to use bar end levers as thumbshifters

[Nonsteeler]

Interesting stuff, I have been contemplating this drop-bar/thump shifter combination for a while.

So it is possible slip those shifters over drop bars - anything particular to consider (eg are there problems with 'ergo drops')?
Would it also work with one of those Shimano shifter/brake lever combos (I have one lying around)?
This also would allow to fit hydraulic disk brake levers with drop bars, right?

I'm thinking of investing in the medium term future in a Alfine-11 hub; combining it with drops would make the hub even more attractive...

[donpedro]

Over the years I've used every kind of mtb and road shifters. But lately I've grown fond of my bar end shifters as my hands get numb from the static position that often comes from using modern brifters. The short distance one have to move the arm is enough to get the blood circulating on long brevés or while touring. If the road is uneven I just rest my hand on the ends a while before I move them back, so I don't experience any loss of control.

But I recently met an old chap that still used his 70's sports tourer that came with stem shifters and he liked them a lot for the same reason. The added bonus is that they are well out of way for the knee or bags that I sometimes carry while shopping. It's also possible to shift with either arm which could be important if one suffers a injury during long distance events. So I'm now thinking of converting one of my bikes just to give it a go. If anyone have a set gathering dust and would like to sell please drop me a note!  

[mattc]

So it is possible slip those shifters over drop bars - anything particular to consider (eg are there problems with 'ergo drops')?
Would it also work with one of those Shimano shifter/brake lever combos (I have one lying around)?
This also would allow to fit hydraulic disk brake levers with drop bars, right?

You can probably splay them out quite a lot if there are fitting difficulties.

I ruled out the shifter/brake combo as I'd FAR rather do my braking from the hoods/drops positions. YMMV

[Fab Foodie]

Would normal Shimano thumbies work upside down if you also swapped them left-right? I can't picture whether the levers would end up in a usable  position ...

Oops, forgot to 'quote'.
I think that's what I have on my Evans/saracen MTB hack-bike, old Shimano friction thummies upside down and L/R swapped.  They work just fine.

[Euan Uzami]

...

But I recently met an old chap that still used his 70's sports tourer that came with stem shifters and he liked them a lot for the same reason. The added bonus is that they are well out of way for the knee or bags that I sometimes carry while shopping. It's also possible to shift with either arm which could be important if one suffers a injury during long distance events. So I'm now thinking of converting one of my bikes just to give it a go. If anyone have a set gathering dust and would like to sell please drop me a note!  

...

my bike originally had them, binned them though i'm afraid

can get them here for £20: Shimano Stem Mount Friction Double Gear Levers

[Fab Foodie]

...

But I recently met an old chap that still used his 70's sports tourer that came with stem shifters and he liked them a lot for the same reason. The added bonus is that they are well out of way for the knee or bags that I sometimes carry while shopping. It's also possible to shift with either arm which could be important if one suffers a injury during long distance events. So I'm now thinking of converting one of my bikes just to give it a go. If anyone have a set gathering dust and would like to sell please drop me a note!  

...

my bike originally had them, binned them though i'm afraid

can get them here for £20: Shimano Stem Mount Friction Double Gear Levers

I seem to recall they were great for chest injuries back when we used to fall off our 'racing' bikes a lot as kids.

[fmackay]

One of the neatest solutions I've seen is bar end friction shifters on bullhorns.

But that wouldn't work with the SRAM Dualdrive.

I have seen a suggestion that the new SA 3-speed barend shifter might shift a Dualdrive hub, but this is not confirmed.

[MacB]

I've done a few weird setups, they've all worked but aesthetics may lack at times:-

twist shifters - tried a Thorn accessory bar, a gadget that mounted it to DT bosses, a reamed out bar end wangled to the tops of drop bars and a home made bar end adaptor like the hubbub one - favourite is the bar end adaptor but the twist shift is for hub gears so don't change gear a lot

trigger shifters - fitted in all sorts of positions of butterfly bars and again reamed out internal clamp area on a set to fit round the angles on to the tops of drops. I found it got a bit crowded on the tops and these were sold on to someone here. Am now using dura ace bar end shifters on the same bike and pretty happy. But am tempted by the Pauls thumb mounts especially if I ever get round to installing crosstop levers. Worried that this might prove a bit crowded again though, maybe I need an accessory bar for lights etc to make space.