At the bike exchange we get a lot of bikes in with broken or warn grip shifters. We have a box of cheap Sram shifters but I refuse to use them as they are very stiff and hard to shift. Normally I will convert to Sunrace Thumbies as they are cheap and work well And are actually easier to use than twist shifters. I am wondering if there are better twist shifters that are easier to shift and more durable. Sometimes they are the only real option.

We've been happy with the Shimano units, even with their cabling complexity. We've joked about the sort of irony of using "Grip Shift" and "best" in the same sentence. Andy

A friend of mine has a set of SRAM X0 8 speed twist shifters on one of his mountain bikes. He let me try them one time when we were out on a ride. They were fantastic, much better than the SRAM X7 trigger shifters on my bike

There are plenty of good gripshift options out there.

You just don’t find them on trash bikes.

Any of the old ESP versions (5.0, 7.0, 9.0, 9.0sl) or the “x” versions (X5, X7, etc) are very good. And then you have the newer more pricey ones like X0, etc.

I use Sram Gripshifts nearly exclusively. If you go for cheap you will get crummy shifters no matter what type. Gripshift interior is not that complicated. You can principally soften the shifting if you want by adjusting the spring. The only other serious brands with twist shifters are Sunrace/Sturmey Archer and Microshift. I use the former on folders when space is limited. Shimano had some offering in the past but they pulled back to a minimum the last I checked.

The best grip shifter is the one you’ve taken off

When I went looking for a new bike in 2018, I did not want grip shifters. I wanted the ratchet thumb shifters like my friends bike I tried out. I was afraid they would constantly be shifting inadvertently and thought they would be less durable. Turns out I was wrong in both cases.

My Giant Sedona came with SRAM Grip Shift Max 3 x 7 speed. I researched them and found that they are not only one of the most reliable shifter, But get a nearly perfect score from users.

My experience with them so far, with 3,400 km is pretty much as those reviews suggest. While occasionally I have inadvertently shifted, Overal I'm very pleased with them.

I like the Shimano Revoshift in the RS45/RS47 variety. These have a softer shift feel to them than the cheaper RS35 and lower versions. I think you can generally spot them by the silver housing clamshell, vs. the standard black. I've had the SRAM Gripshift before, but prefer the Revoshift. I find the cabling dead simple, and prefer it to the SRAM design, but that's entirely personal preference.

I use the MRX and the ESP 9.0 and like both.

I put microshift on the kids bikes for ease of shifting. If an 8yo has no trouble with them then they're not too hard to shift. They couldn't more the old revoshift and gripshift MRX were barely better. I remember having a large box of grip shift x-rays, over a 100 pairs, that were tossed on bikes with busted shifters and those were amazing, the newer stuff at the low end seem to suck.

(Channeling Fietsbob) The one on my Rohloff. But seriously, I think the best quality twist shifters I ever owned were Sachs Quartz (or was it Plasma, I don't remember for sure) from before Sachs was taken over by Sram. I still have them in my parts bin and will likely use them for a build at some point.

I find the Shimano Revoshift (Tourney SL-RS45 Twist Shifter Set) shifters require the least amount of effort to shift. They are ideal for youngsters who may have difficulty shifting twist shifters as they are not as strong as adults. They are relatively inexpensive (retail for $25-$30 for a pair). They come with new inner cable and outer housing as well.

I'm going with this. I just had some shimano revo shifts replaced with thumbies. I find them an awkward way to shift even when they work well.

Both my bike and trike are equipped with SRAM twist grips, and I love them.

X rays were the best shifting grip shifters for me. Shame they are no longer made.
Easy positive shifts and quick cable change out.

If we don't have a salvaged shifter around, we use the Sunrace ones as well, inexpensive and easy to recable.