# Alfine 8 with drop bars?



## theycallmeE (Aug 21, 2007)

Hi All, thinking about racing some cyclocross this winter with my Alfine 8-equipped hardtail mtb. Has anyone tried mounting the thumb shifter on these things on a drop bar?

I'm thinking it will work on the right drop somewhere below the brake lever, so I can use my right hand thumb/index finger to make shifts while in the drops, but I can see some possible problems, such as the shifter getting stuck on the curve of the bars, not being large enough in diameter to get on the bar at all, etc. Just hoping someone has made this work before I buy some new bars.

Thanks for any info or suggestions,

E


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## scooby214 (Oct 15, 2011)

The shifter will probably not fit on the bars. You have a couple of options available. Perhaps the best option is to get a Jtek barend shifter. They get great reviews and shift the Alfine perfectly. You can also get a standard 8-speed barend shifter and use it with a travel agent on the Alfine. I've not tried it, but I've heard it works pretty well. There are also brifters available that will shift the Alfine, but I think the Jtek barend shifter is a better buy for the money. 

I am running a Sturmey hub with a barend shifter, and like it for my foul weather commuter bike.


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## dru (Sep 4, 2006)

You could do what I did: buy an extra shifter and take a Dremel to the mounting clamp. You'll need to take off about1 mm. I mounted the shifter up on the flats and it worked fine in that location.

An Alfine equipped MTB is a real pig compared to a 'cross bike; you'll be suffering on the running and carry sections.

Drew


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## theycallmeE (Aug 21, 2007)

*Thanks!*

Thanks scooby and dru for your input - it's very helpful.

I'll probably give up on the cyclocross-conversion project and just borrow a bike to try out the race scene. If I get 'cross fever, it's probably worth buying a decent used-bike designed for that purpose.

FYI, turns out Versa makes a brake/shifter combo for both the Alfine 8 and 11, but at over $220, I'm not biting. Cheers,

E


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## BjornS (Feb 5, 2010)

*Versa brake and shifter lever*

I guess you already considered the Versa drop bar lever for Alfine? From On-One...

But still I tought I would provide the info. On-one also provide Alfine 11 shifter, both in drop bar style and trad way.

Bjorn


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## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

Don't bother with the Versa levers anyway. The large lever shift throw distance is long enough to be awkward during riding.

I've ridden briefly on the Jtek shifters, they're awesome! Ryan G is also a cool guy.

I just generally don't like drop bars. I'm going to put some Jteks on some bullhorns in the future.


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## Leopold Porkstacker (Apr 21, 2010)

theycallmeE said:


> FYI, turns out Versa makes a brake/shifter combo for both the Alfine 8 and 11, but at over $220, I'm not biting. Cheers,
> 
> E


Yeah, I bought a set, and used them on one ride. Sure, it was a 75 mile ride, but that is still more dollars per mile than I am comfortable spending. :madman: They're for sale, by the way, if anyone is interested please PM me.


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