sparks_219 

Took my beater out for a ride today, and can I can wow, does a rigid bike ever beat you up after riding full suspension!!

Anyways, my friend recently sold me a set of brake levers, and old 7spd shifters (STX-RC) for my beater, and I haven't ridden my beater since the upgrade. After my first ride today, I found out the rear shifter's engagement teeth are all WORN out! Most of the time when I push on the lower trigger, the thumb piece moves all the way into its travel without shifting a gear. It also feels very "loose", so I think the gears inside are worn out. This friend has helped me, and will still help me to do a LOT Of work on my bike, so I will not aruge with him over such a small fuss. He installed them and only charged me $50 CDN for the levers and shifters anyways.

It is difficult to find a nice 7 speed shifter now days, so I may just change this into a 9spd bike. Yesterday, I was comtemplating of getting a set of XTR flippy levers and shifters, along with a rapid-rise rear derailleur. Now it seems like a very viable option because if I do not like the flippy shifters on my Instinct, I can just move them onto my beater. The beater will mostly be used for road use, so I dont see any harm of going to flippers. I found a combo deal on a set of SRAM X9 triggers and rear derailleur for $99 US. The XTRs will probably go around the same price, maybe up to $20 dollars more, and they are slightly used.

Which route would you go with, and why?

Thanks

Ming

Raiyn

SRAM all the way. If you hate flippy levers in one level upgrading to more expensive versions won't change how you feel about them.

sparks_219 

I haven't tried the flippies shifters yet. It's just one of the options I'm thinking about.

sscyco

The gears probably are not stripped out. What happens is the stock grease that shimano uses on those plastic gears becomes thick or even solid. I fixed several shifters with the same problem by squirting a solvent (White Lightning Clean Streak is best) in right where you'd replace the cables. Flush it our real good then squirt a little tri-flow in there and they should work fine. Takes about 5 minutes.

Raiyn

Ahh missed the word "if" there. Personally I hate flippy levers and Rapid Rise with a passion. Once my M750 setup starts wearingout I'll be switching to SRAM. Heck the next MTB I build will likely be an all SRAM affair (SRAM, Avid, Rock Shox, Truvativ) with Chris King and Sun thrown into the mix.

sparks_219 

That is good news! I will try that after exams and see how it works out....

If this works, you just saved me a couple hundred dollars

sparks_219 

I haven't tried rapid rise or the flippers myself. I figured they cannot be that bad on a bike meant for mostly road use.

It is amazing to use good gear for a while, and then go back to medicore equipment. I can now truely say XTR derailluers are worth the money for how much better it shifts.. A lot of people have said good things about SRAM, so I am curious in finding out how they work.

For a while, I looked into getting Chris King ISO hubs, but I just cannot see how they are worth $450 for a set.

Raiyn

Take a look at the movies here and tell me they aren't sweet. I agree they are a bit pricey but oh momma!

seely

Rapid Rise was truly invented by Lucifer himself, forged in teh depths of fiery hell, but I do love the "flippy" (STI for future reference) levers. I hated them for about two weeks but for XC I think they are the way to go.

jallen

Sorry, for asking what appears to be an obvious question, but what ARE "flippy" shifters?

a2psyklnut

Shimano's solution to a non-problem. They are the integrated shifter/brake levers. Similar to road bike levers where the lever works in and out to brake and up and down to shift.

I've tried them, don't like them. A lot of XC guys LOVE them and swear by them.

It's always a topic of much debate. Definitely a LOVE em or Hate them situation. I'm in the latter group.

Raiyn

Have YOU had any experience with them? Didn't think so.

cryogenic

I'd go with the SRAM stuff, to be perfectly honest... I've ridden some X-7 stuff around and oh man it's like butter. Plus, take a look at this vid. It's been posted here before, but I mirrored it onto my site. It's about 28MB, so if you're on dialup, I wouldn't bother. However, it's a great indicator of why SRAM > Shimano. Plus look at it this way; if you go flippy, you're stuck with Shimano's brake levers and can't ever switch. I prefer to have my choice in ALL my components. I don't care for being "locked in" to one thing.

https://www.whatthe****.info/uploads/...r_ride_sm1.mov

Raiyn

I was asking you. You seem to have a lot of opinions on things you have no experience with.

sparks_219 

That video was pretty convincing. BUT, I have already spent the money on a new pair of Shimano shoes instead.

Also, the shifter problem seems easily fixable and I really should stop dumping money into a beater. Chances are, I wont ride it that much, and I will be getting a road bike this summer

No complaints about my XT/XTR drive train on my Rocky. So I will not be switching stuff on my good bike any time soon

Dirtbike

if hes your friend, why the hell would he sell you a worn out shifter? give it back

Raiyn

Sometimes people forget why they took a part off or upgraded something. Heck I've got enough spare parts to build a new bike except fork wheels and frame. It's probably an honest mistake that's already been handled with a quick phone call.

Dirtbike

totally agree with you. i love the "flippy" shifters but youre stuck with that setup.

say you had v brakes or mech discs and you got the cable version and then you upgraded to hydro discs, you would have to get the hydro pods and replace the shifters which you wouldnt have to, had you bought seperate shifters

sparks_219 

I actually have XT shifter pods right now. I do agree with you, but in my situation, I do have a little more flexability