# Question about Sram DoubleTap 3X9 Flat-Bar shifters



## getagrip (Feb 16, 2012)

I just got a great deal on a set of Sram Double Tap Flat Bar shifters...picked them up on a clearance sale at a bike store. The original retail price on the packaging was about $160...I got them for much less than that and may use them to convert my cyclocross to a flat bar setup. One question: which Sram road derailleur would work with them? Would it be necessary to switch out my front derailleur as well?


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## Jett (Mar 21, 2004)

getagrip said:


> I just got a great deal on a set of Sram Double Tap Flat Bar shifters...picked them up on a clearance sale at a bike store. The original retail price on the packaging was about $160...I got them for much less than that and may use them to convert my cyclocross to a flat bar setup. One question: which Sram road derailleur would work with them? Would it be necessary to switch out my front derailleur as well?


FYI, 3x9 shifters are designed for a 9 speed triple mtn drivetrain. Don't know if you can jury rig them to work with a 10 speed double road drivetrain. You might want to post this question in the Components, Wrenching group. Maybe one of the gearheads over there can answer your question. 

BTW, If you can't get 3x9 shifters to work, SRAM does make a road version of the double tap flat bar shifter that will work with a SRAM road drivetrain.


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## getagrip (Feb 16, 2012)

Thanks. I have a 3x9 triple cyclocross Shimano Sora front / Tiagra rear drive train. I made the assumption that they were for road bikes because they said "flat bar" on them, implying that they were for road bikes with flat bars. But I guess its easy to look into things...


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

According to SRAM, the shifters are only compatible with SRAM MTB RD's, so that appears to answer half of your question. 
DoubleTap® 9 Flat-Bar Road Shifters | SRAM

On a slightly different topic, before investing in this conversion, I suggest taking some time to study your CX's geo. Depending on a number of factors (HTA, fork rake, trail, among others), the results of some conversions (namely handling) are better than others.


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## getagrip (Feb 16, 2012)

Thanks PJ352 for pointing that out to me. I've tested the cross out on a 30mm riser bar, but haven't yet tested out with a flat bar...was planning to test out the cyclocross with a flat bar tomorrow. As far as the Sram flat bar shifters are concerned, I had actually picked those up to resell (along with some other parts since the prices were so good), but thought that perhaps I could just use them on my own bike since I had been thinking about doing the conversion. I'm glad you pointed out that they are mountain bike shifters, though because otherwise, I would have listed them as road bike shifters had I put them up for sale, and ended up really bumbed out had I ordered a Sram road derailleur which wasn't compatible with them.


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## Jett (Mar 21, 2004)

getagrip said:


> Thanks. I have a 3x9 triple cyclocross Shimano Sora front / Tiagra rear drive train. I made the assumption that they were for road bikes because they said "flat bar" on them, implying that they were for road bikes with flat bars. But I guess its easy to look into things...


The big giveaway that these were mountain shifters was the 3x9, cause none of SRAM's road stufff is 3x9. It's all 2x10. SRAM does not make triple road gruppo and most likely never will.


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## getagrip (Feb 16, 2012)

Jett said:


> The big giveaway that these were mountain shifters was the 3x9, cause none of SRAM's road stufff is 3x9. It's all 2x10. SRAM does not make triple road gruppo and most likely never will.


That makes sense. I wonder if Sram will go that route as Shimano has. My guess is the 3X9 setup is more popular with the lower end road bikes than the higher end road bikes. Most higher end road bikes don't even come with the 3rd ring, right?

On an unrelated note, I was testing out the Sram shifters by clicking through the gears without installing them. They are actually pretty cool shifters, but I could not click past number 5 to go up from gears 6 through 9. Is this because of lack of cable tension or does that sound like a manufacturer defect? Any advice would be appreciated - I'm looking to sell them to make a few bucks, but I may need to take them back to the shop if there is a potential defect.


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## Jett (Mar 21, 2004)

getagrip said:


> That makes sense. I wonder if Sram will go that route as Shimano has. My guess is the 3X9 setup is more popular with the lower end road bikes than the higher end road bikes. Most higher end road bikes don't even come with the 3rd ring, right?


Not true you can get a triple gruppo from Shimano all the way up to Ultegra. Only DuraAce is double only. 

SRAM pretty much wants to do way with triples altogether (I think they would do that on mtn side if they could). Recently, they introduced their WiFLi system as an alternative to the triple grupoo on the road side. It’s a compact crank with a long cage derailleur and modified mtn bike cassette. It suppose to give a wider range of gears in a double set up. Haven't try it myself to see how well it works. 





getagrip said:


> On an unrelated note, I was testing out the Sram shifters by clicking through the gears without installing them. They are actually pretty cool shifters, but I could not click past number 5 to go up from gears 6 through 9. Is this because of lack of cable tension or does that sound like a manufacturer defect? Any advice would be appreciated - I'm looking to sell them to make a few bucks, but I may need to take them back to the shop if there is a potential defect.


Double tap does allow to downshift up three clogs at time. So it possible on some of the throw you were doing multiple shifts. Upshift is only one clog at a time. So downshift all way, then start upshifting and see if you hit all nine clogs.


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## getagrip (Feb 16, 2012)

Jett said:


> Double tap does allow to downshift up three clogs at time. So it possible on some of the throw you were doing multiple shifts. Upshift is only one clog at a time. So downshift all way, then start upshifting and see if you hit all nine clogs.


Thanks. I was going from 1 to 9, one at a time, and getting stuck at 5.


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