# Sunrace SLR-90 downtube shifters - anyone use 'em?



## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

I'm having a problem with my fancypants SRAM integrated shifters. If I've killed them, I don't really want to replace them with something else that expensive or complex.

It looks like my options in downtube shifters (which I think will fit on my bike...) are these things and NOS Dura-Ace for a lot more money, if I also want to de-evolve my bike to 9-speed. Which I kinda do. 10-speed stuff is expensive, for a bike that's supposed to save me money.

Anyway. Has anyone used these shifters?


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

I guess not. Weren't you the one giving me a hard time when I was looking at the Sunrace STR-80 brifters? Yeah, you were. (I've got the sarcasm font on, no worries) Did you end up with the Sunrace shifters? How's the quality? I'm still thinking of getting the STR-80s. I'm actually getting used to my bar end shifters but I'd rather be able to shift without moving my hands and my break levers are too short.

I've actually got an extra pair of 7 speed downtube shifters that I was using on my 6-speed bike until I finally found a pair of 6-speed index ones. Those are getting really hard to find!


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

I did. Actually made my first two round trips to school with them (forgot lunch and pencils!) yesterday. Aside from a gasket, construction is all metal. The little base thing that goes next to the down tube is aluminum, which was good because I needed to remove some material to make them fit - they're curved for a much smaller down tube. The right-hand shifter has a lighter touch than I'd prefer, it'll take a little getting used to. The detentes seem to be in the right places, though, it indexes fine. We'll see how these things do over time, but between it being a simple mechanism and the materials selection, I'm feeling pretty positive. I guess I could magnet test the bigger lever. It's probably a big enough object subject to little enough force that aluminum and steel would both be fine.

I couldn't find a way to switch the right shifter to friction mode, though. The little clip thing that turns on most downtube shifters seems not to turn. I bought them with the intention of staying with 9-speed, so that's probably not going to be a problem for me in practice. But I know some people shuffle their cassettes around a lot more than I do.

And I now believe there are only two companies one should buy integrated shifters from. Shimano and Campagnolo. Not Sunrace, not SRAM. There's way too much going on in way too small a space to try to go cheap and get a good result. So I stand by giving you a hard time.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

Have you had a specific bad experience with Sunrace integrated shifters? I've had Shimano ones crap the bed (left and right) but I'm not writing them off.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

No. It's more that it's a complicated system with a ton of pieces, and I'd rather stick with products that have been on the market for a while.

What problems have you had with Shimano shifters? I've had them eventually quit working, but never in a dramatic way and it takes me years.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

All metal? Impressive.
I think 


AndrwSwitch said:


> I couldn't find a way to switch the right shifter to friction mode, though. The little clip thing that turns on most downtube shifters seems not to turn.


I had some trouble figuring out Suntour bar ends (yeah, different critter in more than one way, but it might help) because they don`t work like Shimanos. In place of the wire bail, they just had a screw, but it turns out they were selectable after all. For those, you had to slightly loosen the mounting screw, rotate a big ring around the base, then retighten the screw- just might be the same for your Sunrace DTs.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

^^^
Interesting. I wonder if the thing I think is the gasket is that ring.

I commented on the metal construction because I bumped into some Shimano downtube shifters a while ago for my commute bike and the bases were plastic. I ended up damaging one in pretty short order. It wasn't in a critical way, but it was still annoying.

Incidentally, I hadn't realized Sunrace was the Taiwanese company that Sheldon Brown alluded to buying Sturmey Archer and realizing that the company's equipment could no longer make hubs to the tolerances they consider appropriate.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

AndrwSwitch said:


> No. It's more that it's a complicated system with a ton of pieces, and I'd rather stick with products that have been on the market for a while.
> 
> What problems have you had with Shimano shifters? I've had them eventually quit working, but never in a dramatic way and it takes me years.


I've had the hair-like springs that hold the pawls back break off. I know how complicated they are. I actually took one apart and glued the spring in place with JB Weld on one of them. There must be 30 different parts inside one shifter. These were about 1997 vintage after several years of use.

I still may have to try the STR-80s. They're shiny.  And for $150 it's worth a try. I can justify that in 10 round trip commutes.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

Well, I'll be curious to know how they work out for you. I'm always looking for ways to throw less money at my bikes.


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## wschruba (Apr 13, 2012)

I found these on amazon, and while they are not quite what you are looking for, there are a couple of reviews available, and from experience working with downtube/stem mount friction shifters, they are pretty idiot proof. Not much to break/go wrong. For $14, if they're crap, give them to a friend.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

Thanks for the link. I already have the SLR90s installed and working, however.


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## wschruba (Apr 13, 2012)

Ah, didn't catch that. Last horse crosses the finish line, I guess.


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