My bike currently has grip shifters on it. I'm not entirely satisfied with them. I have fairly small hands and I find them bulky and somewhat uncomfortable. Also, I ride in the rain frequently and I find them hard to shift properly when they're wet.
My husband's bike has lever shifters and I liked using them a lot better.
Next year, I'd like to swap out the grip shifters for the lever type. Any advice on this? Is it reasonably straightforward or is it one of those thing best stayed clear of?
Originally posted by Brunswick_kate My bike currently has grip shifters on it. I'm not entirely satisfied with them. Next year, I'd like to swap out the grip shifters for the lever type. Any advice on this? Is it reasonably straightforward or is it one of those thing best stayed clear of? Thanks, Kate
Another problem with grip shifters, they are entirely plastic. When they decide to go, they go. I have had the right one on my bike just give up the ghost in the middle of a ride. It lasted just about a year. The left one was cracked during a very minor spill. They are about $40 installed for a new one.
As for "lever" type, are you talking rapid fires or the kind that are integrated with the brake levers? If the former, it is a fairly easy conversion. For the latter, if your bike now has grip shifters, it probably doesn't have drop bars, and the integrated brake/shift levers on any but a drop bar might be difficult to do and use. My advices is to go with the rapid fires.
As for "lever" type, are you talking rapid fires or the kind that are integrated with the brake levers? If the former, it is a fairly easy conversion. For the latter, if your bike now has grip shifters, it probably doesn't have drop bars, and the integrated brake/shift levers on any but a drop bar might be difficult to do and use. My advices is to go with the rapid fires.
Gee, goes to show you how much I know. I didn't know they came in two varieties. The ones on my husband's bike are the ones that have a two levers, top and bottom, on the assembly. To downshift you click the top one with your finger. To go up, you push the bottom one with your thumb. It's pretty quick and smooth, so I'm assuming these are the "rapid fire" ones.
Well, there ya go -- learn something new everyday.
Originally posted by Brunswick_kate Gee, goes to show you how much I know. I didn't know they came in two varieties. The ones on my husband's bike are the ones that have a two levers, top and bottom, on the assembly. To downshift you click the top one with your finger. To go up, you push the bottom one with your thumb. It's pretty quick and smooth, so I'm assuming these are the "rapid fire" ones.
Well, there ya go -- learn something new everyday.
That sounds like rapid fires. I sure wish my bike came with them, but now that I have replaced both grip shifters and plan to buy a new roadie mid-2004, it isn't economically feasible.
As to learning something new each day, I am 57 and have tried to do just that. The only problem is when you get to about 40 or so, your brain fills up. When you learn something new, something old falls out! The trail behind me is littered with random, disconnected, and spurious thoughts! Or, at least that is what my teenage daughter tells me! 😉
Originally posted by Babbar As to learning something new each day, I am 57 and have tried to do just that. The only problem is when you get to about 40 or so, your brain fills up. When you learn something new, something old falls out! The trail behind me is littered with random, disconnected, and spurious thoughts! Or, at least that is what my teenage daughter tells me! 😉
That explains the rest of the phenomenon -- I turned 40 in April.
