Components help

[Beninwales]

Hello everyone, my first post.
After 60+ years of cycling I've bought a StreetMachine GT. So, all sorts of new learning on the go !
My machine has 3 up front and 7 at the back (shimano) operated by bar end friction shifters. With all the strangeness I'm dealing with the changers are just a bit too much faff.
Is there some sort of indexed or trigger shifter that will work for me on my underseat bars?
Also I have a hardshell seat with a new Ventisit pad I've bought. Think it'll work but I need a head/neck support. 'Cos I'm a short buttock the back of my head is just below the top of the seat.
Anyone got any pointers.
Thanks in advance.
Ben

[squeaker]

Firstly, welcome to the dark side!

Regarding the shifters, are you sure that there's not a switchable indexing mode on the rear shifter? Personally I much prefer bar ends for USS set ups (and twist shifters for OSS - definitely not for USS!), but I've not tried an on-bar thumb/finger shifter on a 'bent in a long while. Given the strangeness I'd persevere with what you've got, but if you fancy a punt these might work? (Note where they are coming from, and the time to deliver etc..) Hopefully someone with a similar 3 x 7 will come along shortly with better informed advice,,, IME the front shifter will 'always' be friction and is easy to manage as you can see what's happening

If the lower part of your head is contacting the upper part of the seat, then try making up a foam roll and taping it to the seat temporarily as a neck rest. Once you find what works it can be tidied up.

HTH

[yostumpy]

''hello, good evening, and welcome'' As said the bar end shifters will (Should) have an index mode , operated by twisting the semi circle ring on the side of the lever. I have a GTE, and trust me, these shifters are just perfect for the job, and I would suggest you get used to them.

[a.twiddler]

It'll all be a bit strange at first, but from my own experience with bar end shifters and USS it's a good option. Mine are friction only but with 7 gears at the back it didn't take long for me to adapt to them. They are right where your thumbs are, and you can see from the position of the levers what gear the rear changer is in. You can see what the front rings are doing as you can see them too. My original underseat bars were just that -under the seat and out of sight, so it took a bit of time to learn where everything was by feel.

Once I'd fitted longish bar ends with bar end shifters instead of the original thumb shifters everything felt much more natural. I assume that your SMGT has upward or forward facing bar ends with the shifters on the ends of them. A drawback with USS is that twistgrip and standard bike shifters are oriented upside down compared with conventional bike handlebars so for most people, the bar end shifters are the most natural way to go. However, as you will soon find out, an awful lot of recumbent riders like to tinker and maybe come up with their own ideas, or even build their own. It's certainly worth persevering with the current set up until you're more familiar with the bike. USS takes a bit of getting used to but it's a very relaxed set up, and for myself, I've grown to like it a lot.

Welcome to the Dark side!

[squeaker]

Azub do use thumb shifters - looks ugly to me, but whatever floats yer boat https://azub.eu/

[Beninwales]

Thanks guys. The rear changer is the one that bothers me most, also I wanted to get a bar end mirror in there. Changer's a bit scuffed up (not me honest, I haven't come off.........yet) and it's hard to see any markings on it. I'll have another look at utube.
What mirrors does anyone use? I'm used to a nice big Mirrycle bar end mirror.

[Stradageek]

All my recumbents run gripshifters but with USS I've swapped the L&R shifters over to make the wrist twist more natural/easier. That said I can see that bar-end are probably best on USS and they should have an index mode.

As for the seat, I've never needed a neck support at any seat angle. I'd be surprised if you really need one once you've adapted to regular recumbent riding.

Just my experience

Enjoy! I've done 40,000 trouble free miles on my SpeedMachine

[UpWrong]

Enjoy! I've done 40,000 trouble free miles on my SpeedMachine

That's impressive, especially since you are a Strada geek

[Stradageek]

The SM was my first recumbent, I've had it for nearly 20yrs, still love it. The Strada comes out in the summer

[Beninwales]

Anyone got any mirror recommendations?
My uss bars are the bull horn type. There was a little mirror on there bt it was too small to be useful
I live in Wales and, on the narrower lanes, people a pretty considerate. But it does mean that they can sneak up behind you or sit some way back so as not to put pressure on, meaning you don't always hear them or know they're there (unless it's a tractor). A 12mph bike apparently ignoring pulloffs is frustrating for anyone.

[Beninwales]

Firstly, welcome to the dark side!

but if you fancy a punt these might work?

For the price I was going to give these a go. However my wife has them on her dutch style bike and I can see they would interfere with the cylinders in the hydraulic brakes.
Thanks anyway.

[a.twiddler]

Mirrors and USS bars. Over the years I've had a good relationship with the Mirrycle both on drop bar bikes and the bar end variety. I've collected a few bits and pieces over the years which has allowed me to fit them in ways that the manufacturer never intended. I've also got various plastic handlebar clamps for lights etc in my bits box. Probably most cyclists of long standing have these too.

Since the obvious location for a Mountain Mirrycle is the bar end, which in this case is taken up by a thumb shifter, a bit of ingenuity is needed. If the handlebar grip can be slid down an inch or so and a suitably thin clamp fitted, something like the Mirrycle (minus the part that fits into the bar) can be attached. The clamp would need to be fitted by trial and error so it interferes least with your hand, and so you can still see the mirror. You might find a suitable mirror that will clamp on from a local bike shop that will do the job without the bodgery. I favour the Mirrycle due to its quality and versatility, but other brands are available.

On my LWB recumbent I have found that a mirror attached to the accessory bar at the front of the bike works for me so I don't have one on the USS bars. I've also found a "Take-a-Look" mirror which clips onto my glasses to be useful, too. I don't regularly use a helmet, but it would clip onto that too, though a version which uses adhesive pads is available if you have a helmet that you use regularly. It takes a bit of getting used to, but saves having a mirror adding to the clutter on your bike. Be aware though that there are many different helmet mirrors about, some are universal, others are left -or -right side specific.

Since it's not easy to look behind on a recumbent a mirror is an important accessory. I was quite paranoid about what was behind me when I first started recumbenting and was very concerned about having a decent mirror. Once I became more used to it my hearing became attuned to whatever was behind me, and having a mirror became a useful accessory rather than a vital necessity, though still important. It might well be that with familiarity and adjustment you find that your existing mirror is adequate, though it's a very personal thing.

If your bars are a one piece type you might be able to to clamp a long stemmed mirror lower down so there is no interference with what's on the bars. I'm currently looking at such a mirror which I bought from Aldi as they've been doing bike stuff this week. It has a chunky clamp with a thumb screw, a flexible stem which is 18 or 19 cm long and a convex mirror 8cm across. Total length 37cm. Could be useful for one of my bikes and worth a punt for £4.99. It's fairly light but feels quite solid.

On reflection (if you'll pardon the pun) I prefer a flatter lens as it makes it easier to judge the speed of an approaching vehicle but as an early warning device this still has its uses..

[Cowsham]

Hello everyone, my first post.
After 60+ years of cycling I've bought a StreetMachine GT.

[yostumpy]

Mirror?........................................

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/190554408933 ... 0021499259


I have one of these, LONG version, clamps onto bars.

[a.twiddler]

The link shows only the bar end version. I have one of those on the trike, the long curved version with the bar end fitting. I didn't know they did it in clamp on too. Possibly a little small, but once adjusted, works well enough. Could be a solution for the OP.

Edit -I see they now provide options for clamp on or bar end fittings with the mirror, as well as spare fitting kits. Cool.