Cycling UK Forum

I've seen a few threads on these shifters. My left hand triple 105 triple sti lever has developed a problem when changing from the outer ring down it misses the middle ring and goes straight to the inner ring. I can then change back to the middle ring, by which time I've lost some momentum on the climb! Have been advised that it is an issue with the lever. They seem to be few and far between now and having looked on that popular auction site prices for what there are available are in the mid £200's. Are there any alternatives? Would a lower spec (eg Sora) Shimano lever work with the 105 set up? I have seen Chinese copies of these levers on the aforementioned auction site for significantly less money - anyone used these? Another alternative would be to have a bar end lever just for the front mech. Or would it better to forget having a triple and convert it to a double set up. I do like having a triple because it means you can have a closer ratio cassette and not a "dinner plate" one which would be required with a 50/34 double set up. Thanks in advance!

I have built a hybrid bike with striaght bars and downtube levers. I want to fit Shimano indexed thumbshifters however I have a double chainset with 36/46 rings and a 7 speed cassette - 13 to 26T. I am using road mechs.
The shifters I have seen are designed for a triple but I have been told that they will work with a double chainset but I would need to change the front mech to a triple one.
Has anyone tried this set up? Does anyone know for definite whether this will work? I don't really want to change the front mech if I don't have to!
Many thanks.

Please could someone give me some advice on which is better: a carbon fibre frame or titanium. I have been looking at the former however I notice that a titanium is not much dearer (and looks nicer!) - however what are they like to ride? I am looking ideally for a frame that will take guards and 25 or even 28mm tyres. Thanks.

I am looking to fit Shimano Sora 7 speed STi levers. However, I am using a 7 speed freewheel as opposed to a cassette. Does anyone know whether the levers will work with a freewheel ie is the spacing between the sprockets the same on the freewheel as it is on a cassette
Many thanks