Why is replacing 9 speed shifter such a PITA?
Discussion
My right hand 9 speed Shimano shifter has suffered from a broken spring. Ideally I'd by a new one for a few pounds and replace it, however individual parts are not available. Next option is to buy a new right hand shifter, but they only seem to be available in pairs and rarely in 9 speed despite being reasonably recent tech.
When I wanted to replace a flat bar shifter it was 10 minutes and £25 to sort out, whereas this should be £50 or so for a new one, not £100+ or more if I end up having to go to 10 speed.
Obviously I'm doing the decent and proper thing and looking at the new 105 groupset, but neither 11 speeds nor doubles suit my usage.
So is it eBay or nothing? I'm not familiar with SRAM or other options that are compatible but would happily accept any that would work. Suggestions welcome.
When I wanted to replace a flat bar shifter it was 10 minutes and £25 to sort out, whereas this should be £50 or so for a new one, not £100+ or more if I end up having to go to 10 speed.
Obviously I'm doing the decent and proper thing and looking at the new 105 groupset, but neither 11 speeds nor doubles suit my usage.
So is it eBay or nothing? I'm not familiar with SRAM or other options that are compatible but would happily accept any that would work. Suggestions welcome.
Shimano are proper 
s and won't sell any spare parts for STI levers, unlike Campganolo whose levers you can dismantle into a thousand pieces and obtain spares - I replaced the springs in mine last year and they are like new. There is rumour that Yoshi Shimano has a dim and distant relative living beneath Mount Fuji who is able to rebuild Shimano levers but he has never been sighted by mortal man.
In answer to your question you have four choices:
1) A used RH Shimano lever on Ebay. They come up frequently enough.
2) A SRAM lever will work fine. Provided it is 9 speed it is a straight swap.
3) A Campagnolo 10 spd lever is an adequate replacement and will work with Shimano 9 speed. It's not perfect but it's ok
4) Get a JTek shiftmate. and you can mix and match pretty much any lever with any rear mech.
Hope this helps.
s and won't sell any spare parts for STI levers, unlike Campganolo whose levers you can dismantle into a thousand pieces and obtain spares - I replaced the springs in mine last year and they are like new. There is rumour that Yoshi Shimano has a dim and distant relative living beneath Mount Fuji who is able to rebuild Shimano levers but he has never been sighted by mortal man. In answer to your question you have four choices:
1) A used RH Shimano lever on Ebay. They come up frequently enough.
2) A SRAM lever will work fine. Provided it is 9 speed it is a straight swap.
3) A Campagnolo 10 spd lever is an adequate replacement and will work with Shimano 9 speed. It's not perfect but it's ok
4) Get a JTek shiftmate. and you can mix and match pretty much any lever with any rear mech.
Hope this helps.
Rocksteadyeddie said:
Shimano are proper s and won't sell any spare parts for STI levers, unlike Campganolo whose levers you can dismantle into a thousand pieces and obtain spares - I replaced the springs in mine last year and they are like new. There is rumour that Yoshi Shimano has a dim and distant relative living beneath Mount Fuji who is able to rebuild Shimano levers but he has never been sighted by mortal man.
In answer to your question you have four choices:
1) A used RH Shimano lever on Ebay. They come up frequently enough.
2) A SRAM lever will work fine. Provided it is 9 speed it is a straight swap.
3) A Campagnolo 10 spd lever is an adequate replacement and will work with Shimano 9 speed. It's not perfect but it's ok
4) Get a JTek shiftmate. and you can mix and match pretty much any lever with any rear mech.
Hope this helps.
Hang on..s and won't sell any spare parts for STI levers, unlike Campganolo whose levers you can dismantle into a thousand pieces and obtain spares - I replaced the springs in mine last year and they are like new. There is rumour that Yoshi Shimano has a dim and distant relative living beneath Mount Fuji who is able to rebuild Shimano levers but he has never been sighted by mortal man. In answer to your question you have four choices:
1) A used RH Shimano lever on Ebay. They come up frequently enough.
2) A SRAM lever will work fine. Provided it is 9 speed it is a straight swap.
3) A Campagnolo 10 spd lever is an adequate replacement and will work with Shimano 9 speed. It's not perfect but it's ok
4) Get a JTek shiftmate. and you can mix and match pretty much any lever with any rear mech.
Hope this helps.
2) is not a straight swap - a SRAM lever will work, but I'm 99% certain only if it's paired with a SRAM mech. They're compatible in the sense that a SRAM mech with a SRAM lever will move the same amount as a shimano mech with a shimano lever, but the cable pull is different - if you put a shimano mech on a sram lever it won't move the correct amount to index.
option 5) is your aforementioned 9 speed shimano thumb shifter...
option 6) is that a bike shop can probably order you an identical 9speed RH shifter - the internet shops tend to list new stuff. Doesn't mean that replacements aren't available (but they will probably cost) - you can definitely get singles tho.
Thanks for the info. Still frustrated that such a small failure can require such a massive overhaul.
Despite Shimano's irritating tactics it seems that I can either buy a new pair of Sora shifters for £90, or replace the right hand shifter with a 10 speed 105 and do the cassette, derailleur and chain for £150. Those parts removed would then 'trickle down' to another bike which would be upgraded from 8 speed.
In keeping with the theme and to make myself feel no better at all I watched The Men Who Made Us Spend. bds.
Despite Shimano's irritating tactics it seems that I can either buy a new pair of Sora shifters for £90, or replace the right hand shifter with a 10 speed 105 and do the cassette, derailleur and chain for £150. Those parts removed would then 'trickle down' to another bike which would be upgraded from 8 speed.
In keeping with the theme and to make myself feel no better at all I watched The Men Who Made Us Spend. b
ds.Another small bit of info - you can hang on to the rear mech - 9/10speed mechs use the same cable pull, and swing through the same distance. The only bit that knows the difference is the lever.
Been running the same old mech on my roadbike for 5 years, in which time it's gone from 9sp tiagra to 10sp ultegra.
Been running the same old mech on my roadbike for 5 years, in which time it's gone from 9sp tiagra to 10sp ultegra.
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