Front shifter for damaged left hand rider
 

She's got Skier's Thumb from a wreck last year. Wants to ride her DA STI bike, but can't shift the DA STI front lever for very long before it won't work. Spends lots of time on her aero bars resting her thumb/wrist and I think she can go a long way except for needing the front shifts. Any idea for an optimal setup for front shifting?

Rapidfire seems not to wear her out too fast, but still takes thumb pressure.

Has a grip shifter bike, good for 10 miles then her grip goes.

Any success stories? I can fit bar end, levers here or there, etc.

I would vote for a good old-fashioned barcon, which would put very little stress on the thumb. If even that is too much, try putting it on the right handlebar during her recovery.

+1 I've seen a rider on various event rides here locally that has quite a disability on one hand, to the extent that there's not much more than an opposable pincher (for lack of a good description) on the one hand. I noticed that his bike is set up with an STI (hooked to the front brake and rear der) and a barcon on the same side to manage the front.

I saw a paraolympic rider's bike (lost her left arm) and she had a standard sti on the right, with a bar end in the right side to do the front shifting. The left shifter was gutted.

I've set up a couple bikes with same setup mentioned above, STI & barcon on the same side.

That seems a great compromise. I may even have a barcon in the junk pile. Will present that option to her. She's getting over the resistance to getting back on her fast bike. I caught her touching it the other day, fondling the sleek carbon, so I think she's ready.

Thanks!

Steve

When a nasty bout of arthritis robbed me of the ability to use barcons I set up a pair of DT shifters on Kelly Take-Offs. Even with minimal wrist and finger flexibility I could still 'paw' at the levers to shift.
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(the right pills solved the problem...)

This would be the best option. Probably the cheapest as well. Depending on the stress on the left hand might find it best for a fixed lever for the mechanical advantage by replacing the left lever with a standard brake lever. Good luck.