Converting Grip Shift to Suicide

[irishexpat]

So i've been looking for options to turn my grip shift on my electra straight 8 into a suicide shift.

I just ordered a set of apes, and I really want to keep them clean and simple, so that means relocating the shifter. I looked around for vintage and NOS shifters (bendix, shimano, etc) but havent found one.


Right now I'm torn between 2 options. One will be time-intensive and likely expensive, and the other will be cheaper but may not work as well.


Option 1:

weld a cylinder on the left side of the top tube (across from the 8-ball decal) in such a way that the grip shifter will work out. Then get it painted (powdercoated?) to match and get a fun shifter.

Option 2:

buy this: http://www.chubbyscruisers.com/shop/cru ... esso-mount

mount it above the BB on the seat tube, jury-rig on a shifter, and away I go.




I'm thinking option 2 is the way to go, for now, but i still have a question. What is the best way to attach a shift handle to a grip shift? I have heard about using a conduit clamp, but Some better pictures may help me understand that. Other than that, fabbing up a metal cone sleeve that would slip over the shift part and clamp on somehow and was tapped to receive a threaded piece of roundbar with a knob on the end is my best guess. I feel like this second option would work the best, using small bolts to mate it to the shifter through tension.


Does anyone have any experiences trying to do this sort of conversion and any advice for me? I'm really enjoying the process of modifying my bike.....its a nice change from working on my jeep

 

[doshounds]

Keep an eye out on Ebay, a NOS Bendix shifter will show up. Heres a pic of mine on my Cruiser 1. Mounted it on the seat stay direct to the Nexus. Also Check out Shifty Shifters, completely awesome!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/.......-G ... 1225349884

 

[irishexpat]

Thanks for that facebook link!

I think i'd rather reuse the stock shifter....in my mind thats less things that could get messed up and less chance of getting a less functional shifter.


I just contacted a local fab shop, I'm gonna try get one machined as a half sphere and then paint an 8 ball on it myself....just have to figure out a shift knob now

 

[gcrank1]

Maybe one of those small dia. 8 Balls from a kids pool table (good luck, but it happens). There are all kinds of handles available for hydraulic implement controls, etc.; just go looking for industrial equip. supplies, or a tractor shop.
A small cutoff of 7/8" handlebar can let you do a bunch of mock-ups or prototypes; even a piece of broom handle or paint roller handle are often 7/8" . I like prototypes on the cheap so I can work out the bugs.

 

[kidgambit]

Im going through the same thing. I was going to get the chubby cruiser suicide shifter adapter. And take the handle and add a long one and mount it on the tube where the seat post goes in at.

 

[sensor]

you may want to pass on using the 8 ball for a shift knob.... i know some old timers that 'borrowed' a few cue balls for shift knobs back in the 60s and they were heavy and the cars wouldnt stay in 2nd so they got tossed(i dont know if a nexus would 'ghost' shift or not but something to think or ask about)...

 

[gcrank1]

Those little kids size pool balls are way lighter and about the size of a good sized car shift knob.
Some of us used to use beer tap handles on our suicide Harleys..........way back....... :roll:

 

[NLCTVWguy]

As for making a jockey shifter or suicide shifter, I will say the pool ball idea is both easy and a bit of a problem.

Here's mine from last year's BuildOff bike, Ground Zero:

It was for a 3- spd so obviously a different type of setup- I managed to (just barely) make the Sturmey shifter fit around the frame tube. After a bit of judicious grinding, I got the Sturmey shift lever to accept a 1/4"-20 die and threaded it. (Those are hard steel, and chrome plated, very tough metal.)

The shift rod itself was 1/4-20 threaded rod, covered with black heat-shrink tubing. The 3-ball I luckily got from a guy at work, who had it on his machinist bench for years. These are a phenolic plastic. The material drills super easily and is very easy to tap threads into it as well. It does like to loosen up on the rod, so I used Loctite and a lock nut to secure it from unscrewing.

Just some ideas if you decide to make it yourself. I bent the threaded rod using a tubing bender, but it could have been done around any round metal bar as well.

EDIT: I meant to add that the ball is quite heavy and I made the shifter long- about a foot long. That's a lot of leverage for a little handle and cable. I'm always gentle with it. It likes to bounce and once in a while will hop into another gear. It's bent so it clears the tank, frame, and fork but is tucked in nicely in 1st (forward) and back in 2nd or 3rd (close to the seat tube.) I'm sure it will take a couple of trial-and-error fittings to make one work correctly but it sounds really cool.

Good luck and have fun!
--Rob

 

[Windz619]

Awesome!. . .another question to cross of my own list from just looking around in the forums!

 

[gcrank1]

FYI:
New, 2 sizes of 8 ball shift knobs (and others)
See: http://www.flameball.com

 

[whoinphx]

Sorry I don't know which thread, but look around on "How To", just a couple weeks ago I was inspired by someone using a twist grip shifter as a suicide shifter. It was way cool...

Ok I found it...
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=53624&p=509331&hilit=Twist+grip+shifter#p509331

I felt lazy by just saying it was somewhere....

 

[Wesley Robins]

Has anyone converted a sram i3 grip shift to a suicide shifter? I can't find any that are compatible with the i3

 

[Wayne]

The Schwinn 3 speed Stik Shifter is by far the smoothest action stick shifter. With it's large detent ball each shift is spot on when adjusted correctly.

Schwinn designed this shifter to match the cable pull for an AW 3 speed hub. Looking at this chart the relaxed cable pull length to first gear is the same as the i3. The pull to second gear is close to the same.

Cable pull chart

The large indexing plate in the Stik Shifter could easily be reworked to match the cable pull requirement for second gear.

You would make the adjustment to the middle hole on part #10 (the three holes at the bottom in the curve)

Also any of the Sturmey Archer stick shifters could also be modified, but in my opinion are not as nice as the Schwinn.

 

[Wesley Robins]

this is what the result was. I spent some time but finally worked it out. I think it came out quite well considering I had to combine 3-4 different branded components to make it work lol. Let me know your thoughts guys.

 

[Wayne]

So if it's shift pull is good, then great job!

I also like stick shifters. This is what I added to my Stingray XL. Also modifications were needed.

I was working on this stick shift mod when I needed to box up all the parts to convert my workspace to a bedroom.