Mountain Biking - Anyone here use low-normal?

Just ordered my low normal rear derailleur and shifter set. Upon reflection, it was quite a chunk of change just to reverse the spring action. But I'm very attached to low-normal shifting. I'm currently running SRAM shifters with a SRAM X7 on the back--probably won't get much $ out of those if I try to sell them, but it should help offset some of the cost.

Anyone else here attached to low-normal? And if so, what are your thoughts on the way the market is going now? It seems as if there will not be any low-normal options for 10 spd drive trains.

I run XTR rapid-rise on one bike and XO on the other. I prefer the RR, but if it doesn't get continued I won't be that worried about it. Market has been going this way for a while. Not likely to see dual-control again either....they just weren't big sellers.

I notice a significant performance increase with RR while shifting under load. After using it, it's hard to be content with top-normal when hitting steep climbs, knowing that there is a a much better product out there. I've purposely avoided 10spd drive trains just so I can do the RR conversion.

What I don't get is why it doesn't catch on? Is is simply lack of product exposure since bicycle manufacturers don't use it stock on their bikes?

Why take something that's worked really well for so many years and make it work backward?

Trad rise works well shifting under a load...it just depends on the direction you're shifting.

What I don't get is why it doesn't catch on?Because it sucked?

Because it sucked?

Lies

What was your motive in asking the question in the first place? Are you a fanboi trying to drum up some validation or do you really want to know why it never caught on?

What was your motive in asking the question in the first place? Are you a fanboi trying to drum up some validation or do you really want to know why it never caught on?

Well, I was open to opinions more articulate than "It sucked"

OK: "It proved to be the wrong idea at the wrong time answering the wrong questions for the wrong reasons."





"It sucked" is much more succinct, though.

http://weknowmemes.com/wp-content/gallery/haters-gonna-hate/haters-gonna-hate-monkey-big-balls.jpg

I feel under equipped.

I switch between RR and HN on my two bikes, I can;t see where perfomance in shifting suffers, or is better on either. They both work great when in proper working order.

One word of caution to those who want to use the Deore LX low-normal. I read some messages saying they didn't work well with rapidfire shifters. I saw the XT model on the Shimano website and I never read a complaint against that one. Of course, the LX was discontinued but I found and bought one on eBay. I intend to use it with Ultegra 8 speed bar end shifters mounted on Paul Thumbies for a future project. And I want to use them in friction mode which I believe would be more compatible with the LX model anyway.

I always thought that easier climbs and being able to downshift more quickly at the bottom of a hill would be more convenient. I'm just glad someone still had some on eBay. :)

One word of caution to those who want to use the Deore LX low-normal. I read some messages saying they didn't work well with rapidfire shifters. I saw the XT model on the Shimano website and I never read a complaint against that one. Of course, the LX was discontinued but I found and bought one on eBay. I intend to use it with Ultegra 8 speed bar end shifters mounted on Paul Thumbies for a future project. And I want to use them in friction mode which I believe would be more compatible with the LX model anyway.

I always thought that easier climbs and being able to downshift more quickly at the bottom of a hill would be more convenient. I'm just glad someone still had some on eBay. :)

My road bike uses friction shifters, but also a rather old style derailleur. Not sure if I could use a standard mountain low-normal derailleur on it. I wouldn't mind converting it, though, if possible.

I'm running a Deore LX low normal on my fitness bike, with Deore trigger shifters. No problems there. Not sure if those are what you mean by rapid fire--not sure what that is.

My road bike uses friction shifters, but also a rather old style derailleur. Not sure if I could use a standard mountain low-normal derailleur on it. I wouldn't mind converting it, though, if possible.

I'm running a Deore LX low normal on my fitness bike, with Deore trigger shifters. No problems there. Not sure if those are what you mean by rapid fire--not sure what that is.

Yeah, rapidfire shifters, I meant trigger shifters. But, I don't know if those were just a couple of random people who weren't satisfied. I wish I could remember the name of the forum. But I believe the thread title was something like "Deore LX rd-m580 discontinued" or something like that.

You had it mostly right hybridbk.

RapidFire is from the olden days, replaced by RapidFire Plus. Cuz plus makes it better. Pretty sure all Shimano triggers are still called RapidFire Plus to this day.

I use both types of RD. I actually prefer the low-normal. I think that low-normal is better for inexperienced riders as it allows quick, multiple downshifts with your thumb rather than the one-at-a-time downshifts with traditional RD. With my XT stuff I can go down three gears with one press of the thumb. I've used that advantage more than once when underestimating the hill in front of me. I find now, however, that I don't use it so much as I have a better cadence and am better at judging upcoming terrain. Also, it is a pain to use both. I commute on a regular RD and I have to really focus on the reversed shifting when on my mountain bike. I've been dealing with it because I'm too cheap to put the money into the commuter and I like my mtn as it is.

Hmmm...that sounds backwards. Shimano trigger shifters will release cable tension one gear at a time or allow you to pull cable tension up to three gears at a time. With low normal, you can only downshift one at a time. But I still prefer that because it allows the derailleur spring (vs my thumb) to move the chain, and it shifts more smoothly for me under load.