Question on Shimano Bar End Shifters

[ccrider]

Just got a set of these. The box says they are 9 speed, but I can only hear/feel 8 distinct positions (excluding pushing the lever to it's extremes where it bumps into the housing). What am I missing? The enclosed manual also say it should only be used with a Dura Ace rear deraileur. I assume this is marketing to sell more Dura Ace, and not a hard requirement. My plan is to use it with a Deore XT rear (RD-M750 SGS).

[USEnfield]

I've always heard it called a "fence post error", from the classic problem:
"how many fence posts does a 100' fence need if they're 10' apart?"

[Szeliga98]

rosco-<< However, I still only feel 8 distinct positions that click in (you are correct - the starting position and then 7 clicks for a total of 8). If I start in what would be the low gear, and click away to the highest gear, the last "click" I get is the 8th position. >>

Make sure the notched piece that goes against the inside of the shifter is placed correctly when the shifter is on the 'smallest cog' or first position.

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302 (303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

[Darnn]

Same setup as my touring/commuting bike, except I had it run on 8 and 9 speed (8 speed HG-30 11/32 (ALivio)) and now (9 speed HG-50 (Deore)
11/32) and both cogs shifted perfect using SRAM PC-48 chain. I can't understand why it worked, but apparently the standard requirement for rear changers and cogs are near the bottom feeder range.. Never trust whatever they say in the manual, which can be easily contradicted in their bible that the dealers have. This year's issue has the Shimano
10 speed crank printed on it.

[Szeliga98]

David-<< What he did not say is that he was using a DA 8s rear derailleur.

Whatever, i am leaving this discussion after I say that using any DA 8s shifter, even when using a non-DA8s rear der, will not shift 8s spacing....that's all.

Why shimano states and I have used, a 9s(same dimension as all shimano 8s rear ders) rear der with DA 8s shifters of any kind, will still shift 8s spacing.

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302 (303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

[Szeliga98]

James-<< 9-speed shifters have identical cable pull to Dura Ace 8 >>

Perhaps but the dimension of the rear ders are different.

<< You've frequently said as much yourself when recommending 9-speed shifters as a direct replacement for DA8. >>

9s shifters, using a DA 8s rear der will indeed shift 8s spacing. But 8s spacing is different than 9s spacing and no shimano 8s shifter will shift 9s spacing.

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302 (303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

[yoda]

The last gear don't click like the others. Don't know why. If you get things right, you should be able to run one more gear than stated on the levers. (At least you used to when I had my 7sp barcons running 8sp cassettes)

6 clicks = 7 sp
7 clicks = 8 sp
8 clicks = 9 sp

Unless you don't have the washer in the right spot like someone else said.

[Darnn]

The starting position is when the lever is pushed all the way down with the lever grip pointing away from you. As you shift, the 8th last click is when the lever grip is pointing towards you and depending on the placement of shifter, higher than the drop bar anchor point. It has 8 clicks.

There are 2 posibilities that you get 7 clicks.

1, You assembled the unit by itself without attaching to anything and thus will give just 7 clicks. I tried this and thought I got an 8 speed. Keep in mind that this thing can work as an 8 speed shifter as well, so it is no surprise that it shifts 7 clicks quite well.

2, You assembled the side round plate incorrectly. You did not align the SIS Mark to the red mark on the lever grip to match with this round plate with its projection faces downward (check instruction no #3 on your manual!). I, again, did this by mistake and got only 7 clicks.
Apparently, the last click comes probably from this alignment??

Otherwise, the SL-BS77 shifters does shift 7 or 8 clicks depending on what mode speed you want to run on (8 or 9).

[Darnn]

If someone can explain to me why these shifters would shift both 8 and
9 speed cogs fine, I would be grateful. The fact that it worked with my old HG-30 cog, PC-48 chain and Deore 9 speed was bizarre enough.
And that, 2 bike mechanics here said that it will work and they had installed many of these shifters for randonneurs.

I know it works because I used it for a few months of hard riding and it does shift fine. And it's not an 8 speed bar end shifter either as
I am now running a Deore HG-50 11-32 9 speed with the same 8 speed
PC-48 chain and it shifted this one fine too..

[Darnn]

That's odd. When I first got my SL-BS77 shifters, I was running a
Shimano HG-30 11-32 8 speed cassette and a SRAM 8 speed PC-48 chain and it shifts all 8 cogs just fine with a Shimano Deore Mega 9 derailleur.
In fact, that was the reason I got these... 2 bike mechanics assured me that it will work when in fact, the thing said you need a DA RD7400 to do 8s.

I am now running a 9 speed cog HG-50 quality with these shifters and it shifts just as well as when I had 8. I can't simply explain why it worked when it shouldn't, but appreciate it nonetheless.