[Chris Harrison]

Hi all,
Apologies – I originally posted this in ‘Technical topics’.
I bought an standard AM7 last year and thoroughly enjoy the ride apart from one thing, I can’t get on with the gear shift being mounted on the frame. I do a lot of miles on my ‘conventional’ road bike and I find it hard to make the transition. Please can anyone tell me the best way to change to modern shifters, I understand the pitch of the chain rings on the cassette might be an issue? Also, is it possible to fit a front mech and two chain rings to the AM7, I do feel under geared with the standard set up and would like to fit a bigger ring if possible.
I dare this this has be asked many times before but I can’t find any clues on the site.
Thank you in advance,
Chris.

[Pandora]

I am considering the same change, for the dame reason, intending to relocate the shifters to the handlebars on my flat- bar AM14.
The rear mechanism is a Shimano SC105 short cage. I believe the cable pull values for most 7 speed changers are fairly universal, but I am not ” Sheldon Brown”

There are plenty of 7 speed shifters at modest cost available on the market, 9/10 speed block technology is so prevalent and our 7 speeds is (wrongly) associated with utility and budget cycles.
I have ordered a Shimano SiS changer from Decathlon, it is used on one of their B-fold folding bicycles and the quality and ease of use proved tp be satisfactory well on a test ride of the folder.
The shifter has a lever to change up the block (gears 1 towards 7) and a push button to increment down the block, the price? £10.

[Chris Harrison]

In a moment of inspiration, I remembered I had removed the gripship from my son’s mountain bike and replaced it with finger/thumb shifters about 20 years ago. I’d replaced his handle bars for some ‘trendy ones’ at the same time. Being a hoarder the gripshift and handle bars were still tucked away in the garage. It turned out the shifter was seven speed and the bars fitted the stem on my AM7. I always found the standard AM7 bars a little too narrow so the new bars and grip shift have been fitted. The bike has been transformed, so much easier to ride :o)

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