I Replaced Friction Shifters with a Cheap 1x Drivetrain – Was It a Mistake?

I took a smooth-shifting 1987 mountain bike with friction thumb shifters and a 3x drivetrain… and swapped it for the cheapest 1x setup I could find on Amazon. Was it a mistake? Or is modern simplicity worth the downgrade? In this video, I tear down a classic mid-tier drivetrain—including the original friction shifters, front and rear derailleurs, and triple crank—and replace it with a basic Shimano Tourney rear derailleur, twist shifter, and a Megarange 7-speed freewheel. ✅ What you’ll see: 🚴‍♂️Close-up comparison: Friction shifters vs indexed shifting 🚴‍♂️Full teardown of vintage components 🚴‍♂️Installing a 1x drivetrain on a vintage MTB 🚴‍♂️Real-world ride test and honest opinion from a bike mechanic This is part one in a 3-part series modernizing a 1987 Takara Highlander. If you love retro bikes, budget upgrades, or controversial builds, you’re in the right place. Would you have made the same call? Let me know in the comments. 🛠️ Parts Used in This Video: (affiliate links – earn a small commission at no cost to you) • Shimano Tourney Rear Derailleur – [Amazon link] 👉 https://amzn.to/3SCBfe1 • MegaRange 7-Speed Freewheel – [Amazon link] 👉 https://amzn.to/43u9TwV • Twist Shifter – [Amazon link] 👉 https://amzn.to/45bqAP4 🔔 Subscribe for more DIY bike builds, vintage MTB restorations, and real-world upgrade tests. 🔍 Hashtags #FrictionShifters, #1xDrivetrain, #MTBUpgrade, #VintageMTB, #BikeMechanic, #BudgetBikeBuild, #ModernVsVintage Links to the stuff I actually use: 🚲 Crank Brothers M19 multi-tool https://amzn.to/2SHxNnd 🚲 High rise MTB Handle Bars https://amzn.to/3xkkE1O 🚲 Shorter MTB Stem to reduce reach https://amzn.to/2RT9JNG 🚲 Comfy mountain bike grips that come in cool colors https://amzn.to/2Tv1nfp 🚲 A great cost effective bike stand is the Bikehand https://amzn.to/2Tpayy3 🚲Tools Bikehand sells a 37 pcs Bike Repair Tool Kit https://amzn.to/3pTncl1 🚲 I love my Quad Lock Phone Holder get the Mount https://amzn.to/3wpweJc 🚲 You'll also need a phone case lots to pick from https://amzn.to/3wn3d0r 🚲 You can also check out the UPGRADED machined aluminum Quad Lock mount https://amzn.to/3wnCIYK 🚲 Quad Lock also sells an adhesive mount to hold your phone in the car https://amzn.to/3wnCIYK ************************************************************************* I only recommend items I actually OWN and use. The links above may provide a small advertising commission at no added cost to you.