ergo/sti recommendations for small hands?

Quoted message said:

Is there a decent shifter out there that is designed or easily modified for small hands?

As I remember one of the Shimano brifters (Sora?) has a reach adjustment. Phil Brown

In article <BBAB3125.13F8B%seng@*junk*visi*filter*dot*.com>, Keeper of the Mighty Macaulay

seng@*junk*visi*filter*dot*.com said:

Is there a decent shifter out there that is designed or easily modified for small hands?

Shimano makes the ST-R600 levers, which have a little block to limit the travel of the lever.

Keeper of the Mighty Macaulay said:

Is there a decent shifter out there that is designed or easily modified for small hands? I've seen
D/A levers with some kind of shim placed in them to tilt the lever closer to the bar- is this
possible with Campy? How does one do it? I'm researching for a friend who doesn't like her current
Ultegra 8sp STI (said the reach is too long) and liked the hood position of my old point Campy
levers but still has problems with grabbing the levers while in the drops. How is the
durability/functionality of the Sora with the reach adjustment?

The Sora brifters have proven quite reliable. If she's happy with 8 speeds, and if she isn't
bothered by the stigma of low price, I would highly recommend them.

When installing drop-bar brake levers on bikes for smaller riders, I often angle the levers outward
slightly to make the reach a bit easier.

Also, make sure the tape isn't too thick in the area just below the brake levers. Some people
wrap the tape excessively in a figure "8" around the lever, and this can reduce reach ability in
some cases.

That's also a waste of tape. I tend to use very little overlap below the brake levers, partly
for brake reach, and partly 'cause when folks are riding in the drops, they don't generally need
much padding.

I wind with a lot more overlap along the top of the bar, making the tape thicker up there, 'cause
that's the part of the bar people use when they're tired and sore.

Sheldon "Soraphile" Brown +-------------------------------------------------------+
| A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually | on sympathy, education, and social ties
| and needs; | no religious basis is necessary. | Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be
| | restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward | after death. --Albert Einstein |
+-------------------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗ sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

on 03.10.09 19:38, Sheldon Brown asserted:

Quoted message said:

The Sora brifters have proven quite reliable. If she's happy with 8 speeds, and if she isn't
bothered by the stigma of low price, I would highly recommend them.

I think she might more turned off by the stigma of a not-very-attractive lever, though she'd
probably live with it for comfort and safety. How are the ST-600s? Do they look like the ultegra
(not so bad looking, IMO)?

Thanks for the tape advice, too.

Seng

The 600"s look a lot like tiagra to me. Dont forget bars, Shallow drop non-ergonomic bars can get
those fingertips a little closer. A difference between Camp and Shim. is that some petite hand
customers can use the lateral rigididy of Camp. to use fingertip friction to bring the brake lever
closer in the early stage of braking. The Shimano lever does not permit this technique as it moves
sideways when all you have is a tip and not a knucle at the lever. Tom

--
Bruni Bicycles "Where art meets science" brunibicycles.com
410.426.3420 Keeper of the Mighty Macaulay <seng@*junk*visi*filter*dot*.com> wrote in message
news:BBAB7ECE.1403E%seng@*junk*visi*filter*dot*.com...

Quoted message said:

on 03.10.09 19:38, Sheldon Brown asserted:

Quoted message said:

The Sora brifters have proven quite reliable. If she's happy with 8 speeds, and if she isn't
bothered by the stigma of low price, I would highly recommend them.

I think she might more turned off by the stigma of a not-very-attractive lever, though she'd
probably live with it for comfort and safety. How are the ST-600s? Do they look like the ultegra
(not so bad looking, IMO)?

Thanks for the tape advice, too.

Seng

I have a pair of Sora brifters on my old Trek and I think they feel better than my Ultegras that I
have on my other bike. They are a little bigger around and that makes them more comfortable. They
also have shift levers on the inside like the Dayton shifters IIRC. So if a rider has small hands
the Soras will be more accommodating. and they have that adjustment screw (as was mentioned in the
thread before) that limits lever travel. Cheers! Dominick
--
Dominick Fiumare Email: [email hidden] Facilities & Services Voice: 505-646-2529 New Mexico State
Univ., Box 30001, MSC 3545 Fax: 505-646-1269 Las Cruces, NM 88003

Shimano has a new STI lever out with adjustable reach. It is probably the one mentioned as the ST600
by other people. Pictures show it looking like the Ultegra. Priced about the same too. $170 or so.

But maybe the most important thing is to have a good handlebar. Some bars allow a shorter reach to
the brake levers than others. Shallow drop handlebars also seem to put your hand closer to the
lever. I know the TTT Forma and Morphe are very shallow drop. The Forma also has short reach. There
are other bars advertised as having a cutout to allow the hands to get closer. Don't know if they
work as advertised or not.

And of course dual pivot brakes are needed. It takes very little hand strength or grip to apply
the full force of the brakes. All you need is your finger tips on the brake levers and you can
brake easily.

Keeper of the Mighty Macaulay <seng@*junk*visi*filter*dot*.com> wrote in message
news:<BBAB3125.13F8B%seng@*junk*visi*filter*dot*.com>...

Quoted message said:

Is there a decent shifter out there that is designed or easily modified for small hands? I've seen
D/A levers with some kind of shim placed in them to tilt the lever closer to the bar- is this
possible with Campy? How does one do it? I'm researching for a friend who doesn't like her current
Ultegra 8sp STI (said the reach is too long) and liked the hood position of my old point Campy
levers but still has problems with grabbing the levers while in the drops. How is the
durability/functionality of the Sora with the reach adjustment?

Thanks,

Seng

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Keeper Of The M
[B]Is there a decent shifter out there that is designed or easily modified for small hands? I've seen
D/A levers with some kind of shim placed in them to tilt the lever closer to the bar- is this
possible with Campy? How does one do it? I'm researching for a friend who doesn't like her current
Ultegra 8sp STI (said the reach is too long) and liked the hood position of my old point Campy
levers but still has problems with grabbing the levers while in the drops. How is the
durability/functionality of the Sora with the reach adjustment?

Thanks,

Seng

Seng, the problem isn't the shifters, it's the handlebars. There are bars made with shorter drops and a tighter radius the bring your hands closer to the levers (not the other way around). Any shop that sets up a lot of bikes for women (who usually have shorter hands) will have these bars.
]

Quoted message said:

Originally posted by Keeper Of The M (Seng?)

Quoted message said:

Is there a decent shifter out there that is designed or easily modified for small hands? I've seen
D/A levers with some kind of shim placed in them to tilt the lever closer to the bar- is this
possible with Campy? How does one do it? I'm researching for a friend who doesn't like her
current Ultegra 8sp STI (said the reach is too long) and liked the hood position of my old point
Campy levers but still has problems with grabbing the levers while in the drops. How is the
durability/functionality of the Sora with the reach adjustment?

ProfTournesol said:

Seng, the problem isn't the shifters, it's the handlebars. There are bars made with shorter
drops and a tighter radius the bring your hands closer to the levers (not the other way
around). Any shop that sets up a lot of bikes for women (who usually have shorter hands) will
have these bars. ]

That's true and helpful. The "feature" to which you refer is just a pad between brake lever arm and
brake lever body which keeps the brake lever arm from returning all the way. Sometimes helpful,
maybe not.

Also note that a front upshift, which seems the more cumbersome to small hands, can be done in a
couple of short passes with Ergo, not one long reach under the lever as in STi. Definitely test ride
the levers and the bars at your LBS, noting brake command and shift response too. (All these issues
are exacerbated by handlebars too low/far away).

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971