Taking apart early grip shift (tandem 1990-ish)

LongBike

New Member
I have an old tandem with SunTour componentry and we cannot figure out how to get the cable out of the grip shift or if it is possible to take it apart. It is a barend/barcon 7 speed shifter which only seems to be shifting 6 speed right now in the rear. Also, if not user serviceable is there any replacement shifter that makes sense? Would prefer to keep it index shifted and also not to have to replace the whole drivetrain.
 

black lightning 1987

Moderator
Staff member
Once the cable is disconnected from the derailleur you should be able to slide the barrel that you twist off the end of the bar, pulling the cable with it. Once the cable is pulled far enough the barrel will come off and you can replace the cable. It's a standard 1.2 mm cable on this type of GripShift but later ones use 1.1 mm cables. SunTour made indexed bar cons, they work very well and can still be found. Should work with any 7 speed Accushift rear derailleur. They also made them for 6 speed. There's one ebay seller listing a pair as 6/7 speed but I think his are 6 speed only. The ones I've used for 7 speed are clearly marked that way. I don't read French so I'm not sure the linked listing is for a pair but the 7 speed rear is clearly there.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/LEVIER-DE-...993290?hash=item2f4428e38a:g:EFMAAOSw7Bde0gq~

GripShift.jpg
 

LongBike

New Member
WOW! Thank you so much. Easy as pie. We'll see if it will shift better now once we replace the cables. Thanks for the ebay link, too.
 

black lightning 1987

Moderator
Staff member
You might want to replace the housing. Guessing that it's been on the bike a while. Inner liner can get full of gummy crud which can prevent the derailleur from easily moving from larger to smaller cogs, just from drag on the cable.
 
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