Originally Posted by
69chevy
I know what you mean. I also learned to work the tube shifter (crank one was frozen on my first bike) and ride one handed.
The problem isn't that simple. These shifters are the twist kind. The kind MTBs have fitted next to the grips.
Trying to shift them (not to mention the brake cables often get grabbed) steers the bike. If these bikes had tube mounts, I'd keep em.
The entire bar/shifter/brake lever combo is basically fine for beating around the block, but the boys wanna rack up miles with us.
For long rides, I don't think this setup is safe.
Yowsers, I see what you mean, that's a crowded cockpit right there.
Have you considered replacing those twist-grips with some Sunrace barend or bar-top-thumb shifters? Would open up a lot of space on those handlebars, and would be a safer solution than the twisters.
I had a hybrid with twisters once, and the accidental-shift-due-to-pothole became such a nightmare I just used to keep my hands off them.