# Shimano SL-M700 Deerhead shifter compatibility



## WickedPhatChance (May 28, 2011)

As some of you may know, I dig these old shifters, but have only every used them with older 5/6speed cassettes. Question: does anyone know their compatibility with modern cassettes running 8/9 speeds in back? 

thanks


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## CS2 (Jul 24, 2007)

WickedPhatChance said:


> As some of you may know, I dig these old shifters, but have only every used them with older 5/6speed cassettes. Question: does anyone know their compatibility with modern cassettes running 8/9 speeds in back?
> 
> thanks


Somebody stole my picture that I stole. I guess that makes me guilty too. Seriously, Someone here said there's enough pull to do at least 7 sp. Personally, all of mine are on 6 sp bikes.


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

They should do a 9 speed cassette. My old boss used to use them with a 7 speed freewheel and he'd run lots of slack in the cable because he didn't like the small cog to point the shifter at 6 o'clock. So, in other words, there's room for plenty more pull. Semi-related, I had a front M700 shifter running 4 front chainrings (quadtamer).

The M700s have a nice, overbuilt look, but I think the Suntours from that day work (and look) better. Suntour had a better and smoother ratchet mechanism I think.


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## mechagouki (Nov 30, 2007)

I cant speak with authority on M700 shifters, but I have used an M730 6 speed shifter in friction mode with a 9 speed cassette, there is some cable-pull difference between Deerhead and apres Deerhead XT derailleurs though so I can't say for sure you're okay. I agree they're aesthetically very pleasing shifters (M700), though the unfortunate prevalence of the SunRace knock offs on the cheapest of the cheap dept. store bikes has lessened my liking of them.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Fillet-brazed said:


> Semi-related, I had a front M700 shifter running 4 front chainrings (quadtamer).


Wuss.


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

Rumpfy said:


> Wuss.


It was for pulling a trail a bike up steep trails.  My 2 yr old son would never pull his own weight up those climbs!


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## jeff (Jan 13, 2004)

I took a Suntour shifter of the same era as a spare on The White Rim last year. I figured it could pull duty on any bike, front or rear. Low and behold my XO rear shifter took a powder on me 15 miles in. 30 minutes later I was back in action. It shifted a 9 speed with cable to spare.


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## ong (Jun 26, 2006)

Huh, was that replacing one of the 1:1 (long pull) shifters, Jeff? That's a lot of cable to wrap up!

Maybe I should think about "upgrading" my remaining modern shifters... I can't ever seem to get indexing to work worth a damn anyway.


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

I love indexed shifters. *click click click* makes me so happy!


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## WickedPhatChance (May 28, 2011)

Love them friction shifters
.
.


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## Shogun700 (Jun 15, 2009)

WickedPhatChance said:


> Love them friction shifters
> .
> .


I don't necessarily share the sentiment, but that was wicked freaking funny, almost spit coffee all over the keyboard!


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## dexterrexter (Sep 16, 2009)

*Suntour Not Reversible*

"The M700s have a nice, overbuilt look, but I think the Suntours from that day work (and look) better. Suntour had a better and smoother ratchet mechanism I think."

The Suntours unfortunately aren't reversible to the best of my knowledge. The beauty of the M700's is that they can be mounted under bar. We were riding with under bar shifting this way for years before it was put on the market and I still commute that way everyday. And yes to 8 speed at least.


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

dexterrexter said:


> "The M700s have a nice, overbuilt look, but I think the Suntours from that day work (and look) better. Suntour had a better and smoother ratchet mechanism I think."
> 
> The Suntours unfortunately aren't reversible to the best of my knowledge. The beauty of the M700's is that they can be mounted under bar. We were riding with under bar shifting this way for years before it was put on the market and I still commute that way everyday. And yes to 8 speed at least.


Suntours will work under the bar.


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## dexterrexter (Sep 16, 2009)

Do you have to run the front shifter on the right and the rear on the left with the suntours or are they truly reversible? I agree they are more elegant and would be happy to try a pair on my new Burley 'runabout' just bought this week and am just getting ready to convert to friction. I'm sitting on a pair of the Shimano's but they are a spare pair for a different bike I'd rather keep sitting on.


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

dexterrexter said:


> Do you have to run the front shifter on the right and the rear on the left with the suntours or are they truly reversible? I agree they are more elegant and would be happy to try a pair on my new Burley 'runabout' just bought this week and am just getting ready to convert to friction. I'm sitting on a pair of the Shimano's but they are a spare pair for a different bike I'd rather keep sitting on.


oh, I see what you're saying. Yeah, the M700 has the reversible cable routing internally. The Suntour does not have this, but they are symmetrical and the rear can go on the left and vise versa. This goes for the M700 as well - no need to change the routing, just run them reversed.


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