Originally Posted by
Timbos
...BTW, I don't race but I favor LX rear shifters on three of my bikes; 1991 Cherry Compte Rockhopper (sans biopace), Novara Nova hybrid touring rig (avec chrome fork; it's a tank in the front), and a Univega Alpina (sans biopace)); the front shifters on each bike is different, the only stock one being on the Rockhopper (thumb, over the bar, sis). I may well have added another 91 to the stable with the punctuated resurrection of this eccentric Colorado…
Rapidfire and Papidfire Plus are great for recreational riding but I actually preferred thumbshifters for racing due to the index or friction option. I was in a race once where a branch got caught and stretched the cable, thowing the indexing off. There wasn't enough adjustment in the barrel adjusters and I spent the rest of the race hunting for a gears. It was the only time I finished last. I wanted to switch to thumbshifters but the sponsor wouldn't let me. Of course, these days there's no option.