I went out for a ride on my Vision recumbent the other day, and discovered that the shifter for the front derailleur was broken. Strange-- different shifter, and it broke in exactly the same way.

I've not been happy with shifting on this bike. The combination of long cables and an even longer chain makes shifting sloppy, especially for contemporary index shifters. I longed for a non-index set. Shifting on the recumbent does not have to be very precise, and can be accomplished easily by feel and sound.

This leads me to a short rant about bicycle technology. Index shifting has a place. In competition, the advantage of hitting exactly the right gear when you need it can make a difference. It's also useful for new bicyclists who could care less about the intricacies of a bike. Click the shifter into the right gear number and pedal. No problem.

But for me, indexed shifting seems like a solution in search of a problem. Non-indexed systems never go out of adjustment; they work simply and effectively. It takes very little time to develop the skill to center a derailleur after a shift. Indexing adds needless complexity to a straightforward solution. Besides, it feels good whenever you find the gear perfectly.

Likewise for all of the conveniences of shifters that are placed at your fingertips. I can't think of a time when reaching down for a shift presented much of a problem-- at least for the way I ride-- both on the road and off. an inexpensive simple part has been replaced by expensive engineering marvels. While this may be exactly what a lot of people want, it's not what I do.

Years ago, this would have been a typical retro-grouch rant with an unhappy ending. I've had to search through catalogs and bike shops for new-old-stock parts whenever something wore out. When I couldn't find what I was looking for, I gave in to newer technology.

And so it was yesterday, when I began my new shifter quest for my recumbent. While I wasn't paying attention, several Chinese manufacturers have begun to sell inexpensive new components using new technology. "Trickle down" stuff that "serious" bicycle people wouldn't want anything to do with. I found the perfect non-indexed thumb shifters at Rivendell Bicycle for under twenty dollars. God bless the Chinese.