{"id":262926,"date":"2026-09-16T13:54:10","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T13:54:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/16\/its-all-clicking-into-place\/"},"modified":"2026-09-16T13:54:10","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T13:54:10","slug":"its-all-clicking-into-place","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/16\/its-all-clicking-into-place\/","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s All Clicking Into Place"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n

With the Meh-roica bike now running smoothly<\/a>\u2026<\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n

\u2026it was now time for me to turn my attention to the A. Honus Hildegaard<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

All of the above is true, especially the mac and cheese part, and it\u2019s for this reason that since taking delivery of it in March of 2020<\/a> it has become perhaps my most important bicycle. Yes, that\u2019s right, I said \u201cimportant.\u201d That\u2019s because the Hooper has evolved into the bike I depend on most and the one I ride consistently all year round:<\/p>\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Though for that reason it was badly in need of maintenance\u2013and when even I, the world\u2019s worst and laziest mechanic, acknowledge that a bike needs attention then you know it\u2019s in bad shape:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n

Though I will point out it was still shifting into all the gears just fine, thanks to the twin miracles of friction<\/a> and Dumonde<\/a> lubricants.<\/p>\n

To this end, I\u2019d acquired and set aside what I needed in order to properly tune it up, though admittedly I was procrastinating until these<\/a> arrived and I got all excited to try them out:<\/p>\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

I mentioned them recently<\/a> but here\u2019s the description from Rivendell once again:<\/p>\n

\n

These two new RBW-branded shifters have both a friction and index mode, and are made for us by Microshift specifically for the OM-1 rear derailer. Some customers have found that the OM-1 indexes fine with existing Shimano and Microshift shifters, but Microshift\u2019s standards are higher still, and they monkeyed with the internal click-stops until the indexing was perfect by their higher standards. Solidly built, reasonably light, nicely finished, and comfortably similar to other thumbies and BES (bar-end shifters).<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

And here\u2019s how they compare to the Silver and Shimano bar-end shifters:<\/p>\n

\n

The friction mode lacks the light magical superfaint tick-tick of the power ratchet in the Silver shifters, but\u00a0works perfectly, and is smoother than Shimano\u2019s muffled crunchy friction mode. Even though it indexes perfectly, we still encourage you to try the friction, and flip the lever to index if the clicks make life better for you. These are great shifters. We\u2019re thrilled to have them.<\/em><\/p>\n

The left side shifter is friction only, but it ratchets. The right side is \u201cpure friction\u201d, meaning no ratchet, but in return you get the index option. If you want both sides to ratchet, get our Silver shifters instead.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

By the way, according to Rivendell, Shimano is discontinuing the venerable 9-speed bar-end shifter<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

In their defense, it was simple and it was reliable and it was versatile, so obviously it was a misguided product that was doomed from the start.<\/p>\n

Anyway, Rivendell promotes friction shifting, which not only frees you from the tyranny of proprietary indexed systems, but is also smooth and satisfying to operate. To that end they created the low-normal (or \u201cLoNo,\u201d as I will refer to it going forward just to annoy you) OM-1 rear derailleur<\/a>, specifically because LoNo works so well with friction:<\/p>\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

So basically, while everyone else is making battery-powered drivetrains, Rivendell have created the ultimate in friction refinement.<\/p>\n

So isn\u2019t offering an indexed 9-speed shifter designed specifically for this derailleur just a little bit ironic?<\/p>\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Well, maybe, but consider the following:<\/p>\n