Q: I recently started riding my son's mountain bike - it's an 18-speed with twist grip gear change. Is it possible to change over to lever shifters and how do I go about it?
F Lord, Clitheroe
>A: The short answer to this is yes, although it might not be practical. It's difficult to find six-speed shifters today because most are eight- or nine-speed. Your best bet is to contact SJS Cycles (01278 441500, www.sjscycles.co.uk), who stock old components. But why not just upgrade the transmission (or the bike itself) to something more modern? You'd need to decide on either eight- or nine-speed then buy new shifters, mechs (front and rear derailleurs), a chainset, cassette and a compatible rear hub - a new wheel, basically. If you want to do this, ask for help at your local bike shop.
