JanMM

I've broken my addiction to twist-shifting; changed out the Tailwind's seven-year old Gripshifters (7.0) for SRAM SX5 trigger shifters. Definitely mid-range black plastic but they seem to work nicely with the old SRAM 7.0 RD and Shimano FD. No more click, click with each shift. I've lost the ability to trim the FD but that's not generally an issue with a long wheelbase 'bent.
I'm either a very lucky boy or I already had the derailleurs adjusted just right because both front and rear shifted correctly when I first hooked up the new shifters. Does this new gear mean that it is now easier to pretend that I am one of ".....the GC boys...." in the TDF? No way. It's a damn recumbent and I'm not getting any younger! (I did blast past a youngster on one of those ridiculous Schwinn Chopper things in a nearby neighborhood yesterday).

Jet Travis

Pulling the trigger on trigger shifters--is that something that can only happen in the bizarro world or can that be done in Newton's universe?

ang1sgt

I like the SRAM stuff a lot! I just built my new bike up with the X.7 Shifters and rear derailleur and the stuff just works so nice. I also like the way the rear cable housing is a very short STRAIGHT piece due to the SRAM design. Only problem I had was with the cable housings I made and "I" used the wrong ferrules on it. That caused some ghost shifting, but it's much better now.

My Bars on the Rans are pretty awkward and the twist shifters seem to work best on that.

Chris

maddmaxx 

I have liked SRAM equipment for years. It doesn't hurt thats its made here. I'm even changing the road bike over to SRAM slowly, cassette and chain for years but now brakes and eventually drive train.

The trigger shifters are wonderful machines but I am so used to twisting the gripshifters (X.9) that I may not want to change. Where I ride you can go around a corner and suddenly be in soft stuff. I really like to be able to change a lot of gears with both hands all at once.

SRAM's 1:1 ratio means that shifter cables move about twica as much per gear as other brands. This has the advantage of minimizing the effects of cable stretch and other small errors. Once the drivetrain is set up you are pretty much trouble free for quite a while.

Enjoy the new shifters!.....

Bud Bent

I have Sram trigger shifters on my Nimbus, and like them better than any other shifter. If they would work on the tweener bars on my Corsa, I'd have them on it, too.

John E

I still like old-school nonindexed thumb shifters for your application (and for my mountain bike).

JanMM

My 2000 7.0 requires the more traditional long loop of housing. The 2003 5.0 RD on my Novara hybrid takes an almost-straight, shorter housing.

JanMM

SunTour XC Power Shifters. That takes me back! Racheting downtube SunTour Power Shifters were great, too. But I can't imagine non-indexed shifting on a recumbent or a tandem, where you can't ever look at the rear cluster.

Dogbait

I have the X-7 grip shifters on my F5. They are my first indexed shifters ever and, other than the noise, I think I will like them. That will be a good thing because I don't think anyone makes clamp-on downtube shifter bosses for a 2" tube.

By the way Jan what kind of wheels are those on your Tailwind? They look like biopace.

solveg

Just make sure you can trim your gears. I can't on mine and they're driving me freaking crazy, even after being adjusted. They are cool when they're quiet, though....

The Weak Link

Help me with the lingo see voo play.

Does "trim" mean to make little adjustments with things like barrel adjusters so the gears shift quietly and smoothly? Or does it mean something else?

JanMM

You don't like Biopace wheels???? Actually, I messed with the picture.......they are really kinda squarish 406 wheels.https://render2.snapfish.com/render2/.../of=50,362,442

JanMM

Close but no cigar. It means making little adjustments to the position of the front derailleur cage with the shift lever/trigger/gripshift/etc. "en route".
On my first ride with trigger shifters on this bike today (17 mi. mostly flat with some hilly) I didn't notice a problem but also couldn't tell for sure whether or not I could trim the front. Chain rub on a long wheelbase recumbent is generally much less of an issue than on bikes with "normal" proportions. The angle of the chain coming out of the FD is less/closer to a straight line the longer the distance to the rear wheel.

Dogbait

Oh, I see. They're for doing trackstands.

Yen

I chose a bike with trigger shifters over the grip shifters, thinking they'd be easier for my wrist to maneuver. It turns out the left trigger stresses my thumb which is still recovering from tendon repair surgery last year. Otherwise, I love the trigger shifters and would chose them again.

maddmaxx 

SRAM grip shifters have always been trim friendly having 9 positions (same mechanism as the rear shifter) to cover the 3 chainwheels with the front derailleur. If you hear the chain rubbing you just click one more or less and the derailleur moves a small amount.
For some reason (I think its good) SRAM is releasing the next version of twist shifters with a FRICTION left (front) shifter. This will apear at least in the X.9 family. For those who still prefer friction for the front on a road bike this may feel very comfortable on an MTB or Hybred.