How long before 9 speed is obselete?/ choosing a new bike

[LollyKat]

What about the STI shifters, though? I recently bought a Thorn Audax Mk3 which has Tiagra levers. They are very nice to use but my understanding is that they don't last (nearly) as long as the old down-tube friction levers that I am used to. It is not much use being able to get the cassettes if there are going to be problems with STI.

[Ayesha]

What about the STI shifters, though? I recently bought a Thorn Audax Mk3 which has Tiagra levers. They are very nice to use but my understanding is that they don't last (nearly) as long as the old down-tube friction levers that I am used to. It is not much use being able to get the cassettes if there are going to be problems with STI.

Hmmmm... I'd better throw the SWorks away then

I'll go out and buy a 10 speed unreliable heap of junk that will fall apart in four years....

Had Tiagra shifters on my Audax bike for over three years with no problems. Both sides have hit the tarmac quite hard in that time. Just some surface scratches.
The secret is NOT to over tighten the clamp band on the handlebars. The shifters slide round and don't shatter.

The SWorks has Ultegra. The left hand shifter hit the tarmac in 2006. Still works fine.

Mind you, I'm not one of these cycling gorillas who thumps the change lever and expects the thing to stay in one piece.
Any component is as reliable as it is treated.

[Tonyf33]

What about the STI shifters, though? I recently bought a Thorn Audax Mk3 which has Tiagra levers. They are very nice to use but my understanding is that they don't last (nearly) as long as the old down-tube friction levers that I am used to. It is not much use being able to get the cassettes if there are going to be problems with STI.

My 8 speed dura Ace sti are still shifting perfectly after been through at least 3 pairs of hands and 10K+, I always got the impression that the Shimano 9 speed shifters were pretty average for longevity and virtually impossible (read also damn expensive ) to service.
However my everyday bikes for the last 10 years have had flat bar shifters (LX & previously SL-R440s) and these take the brunt of everything including some shoddy shifting on my part. Comparative even to newer drop bar STIs I'd say they are much harder/longer wearing AND a darn sight cheaper too seeing as most are seperate gears to the brake levers for flat bar bikes. Shimano have recently released new 8 speed combo versions too and the dual use (for Vs and Cantis/calipers) 7 speed variants haven't been out that long either.

Down tube friction and retro friction shifters should/could last a lifetime hence why people like to take a pair (or the top bar mounted variants) if they go on an expedition tour just in case of failure and are not left stranded in one gear.

At the end of the day when it does seem apparent that certain kit is coming to an end then cyclists just move on up to the next level or stick and pay a higher premium for scarce products.

[meic]

We cant really ever get caught out by swapping from down-tube levers to Sti's because the very worse thing that can happen is that I have to wire up the down tube levers again.

[iviehoff]

I honestly can't think of a situation in which a bicycle would have to be upgraded because of parts going out of production. Can anyone else?

Many years ago I had the cantilever brake brazings on a high quality 27" bike upgraded to 700C dimensions. If I hadn't done that, that bike would now be scrap. I have a couple of other cheapish 27" bikes, bought second hand as commuters. But I've given up trying to buy 27" touring rims for them. Last time I tried the bike shop that previously got them for me couldn't get them any more. I found some on ebay, but when they arrived they were hybrid dimensions and no way they could go on the bike. One bike is now scrapped. The other 27" bike might follow when my last decent 27" touring rim wears out.

[reohn2]

What about the STI shifters, though? I recently bought a Thorn Audax Mk3 which has Tiagra levers. They are very nice to use but my understanding is that they don't last (nearly) as long as the old down-tube friction levers that I am used to. It is not much use being able to get the cassettes if there are going to be problems with STI.

I have a pair of 7speed RSX units that have now done in excess of 70,000mls bought in 1997 they never miss a change.In that time the only thing I've ever doen to them is flood them with aerosol grease when one began to act up missing down changes now and again.
I also have three other sets of 9sp units(one 105 and two Ultegras) ranging from 7,000mmls to 25,000mls without trouble.
I recently bought a S/hand Cannondale T800 with 9speed Tiagra units which is ten years old,I can't say what the mileage is but they've seen a bit of work.
The right one changed OK but had a bit of a quirk(it ghost shifted occasionally),I changed the inner and outer cables and gave it the aerosol grease treatment,now all is well

[hubgearfreak]

If I hadn't done that, that bike would now be scrap. One bike is now scrapped. The other 27" bike might follow when my last decent 27" touring rim wears out.

or just ask the forum. there's plenty of 630 rims and tyres available.....
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/rims-27-%286 ... pt170_pg1/
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tyres-27-%28 ... pt203_pg1/

[BigG]

I honestly can't think of a situation in which a bicycle would have to be upgraded because of parts going out of production. Can anyone else?

Many years ago I had the cantilever brake brazings on a high quality 27" bike upgraded to 700C dimensions. If I hadn't done that, that bike would now be scrap. I have a couple of other cheapish 27" bikes, bought second hand as commuters. But I've given up trying to buy 27" touring rims for them. Last time I tried the bike shop that previously got them for me couldn't get them any more. I found some on ebay, but when they arrived they were hybrid dimensions and no way they could go on the bike. One bike is now scrapped. The other 27" bike might follow when my last decent 27" touring rim wears out.

I managed to replace my old 27" rims last year witha pair of NOS Sun CR16II's (622-17) bought on eBay. I run two 27"bikes and decided to get another spare rim set. I bought a pair of Jalco rims also on eBay as a back-up. All of these were 36 hole. Getting 40/32 27" rims is more difficult. Don't throw away the old frames yet. Incidentally, some modern cantilevers have enough aadjustment to allow either 27" or 700C rims to be used. Check for some with long slots for the pad mounting.

[Tonyf33]

I honestly can't think of a situation in which a bicycle would have to be upgraded because of parts going out of production. Can anyone else?

Many years ago I had the cantilever brake brazings on a high quality 27" bike upgraded to 700C dimensions. If I hadn't done that, that bike would now be scrap. I have a couple of other cheapish 27" bikes, bought second hand as commuters. But I've given up trying to buy 27" touring rims for them. Last time I tried the bike shop that previously got them for me couldn't get them any more. I found some on ebay, but when they arrived they were hybrid dimensions and no way they could go on the bike. One bike is now scrapped. The other 27" bike might follow when my last decent 27" touring rim wears out.

There's always good 2nd hand 27" rims/wheels on ebay, I've even got 2 sets of Wolber 58s, thinking of getting a pair mated to some modern hubs. In fact SJS do new 48 hole variants.

[uphillbothways]

What about the STI shifters, though? I recently bought a Thorn Audax Mk3 which has Tiagra levers. They are very nice to use but my understanding is that they don't last (nearly) as long as the old down-tube friction levers that I am used to. It is not much use being able to get the cassettes if there are going to be problems with STI.

A good reason to consider not using STIs for a tourer - they're impossible to service and once broken are basically scrap. Thanks to all the people upgrading, the second-hand market is full of very tidy STI shifters. 8-speed STIs are still in production for the 2300 groupset. If for some reason you absolutely couldn't get hold a replacement pair of STI shifters, you could go back to bar-end or downtube shifters, or use Modolo Morphos shifters which will index with 7/8/9sp Shimano or 8/9sp Campag.

[CyberKnight]

So i have no problems if i bought a bike a 9 speed cassette as they will be available for years to come.

The reason i ask is beacuse the bikes i have decided on either have shimano sora or sram apex shifters, the wife says i should get the best bike i can as it will be through C2W ans the last bike for a long time as mini CK #2 is on the way so the choices i have narrowed it down to based on geometry /cost etc are below , opinions please .



or

[Tonyf33]

Sure the Comp is better specced but you could spend the difference plus what you can get for the CXPs on a decent set of handbuilt wheels and some nice shiny mudguards etc.

[mr riff raff]

I'm not far behind, 49, and I go on 50 mile rides fixed/ss no problem, when I try my first century it'll be fixed or ss.

Yeah, but will it be on 100"? That'll do them in nicely!

[BigFoz]

I've just gone back to Campag 9 from 10. Easier to set up, more reliable and robust and works better in cr4p weather. I'm slowly building a stock of parts to keep me going for many years!

[WrightsW5]

Is that gear inches? I never learnt that, only ratios, 48x16 etc.