Brifters for small hands?
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,079
Likes: 1
From: Potashville
Bikes: Reynolds 531P road bike, Rocky Mountain Metropolis, Rocky Mountain Sherpa 10, Look 566
Brifters for small hands?
I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this question, but here goes.
Last summer in the Pyrennees I rented a road bike that had Campagnolo brifters and liked the way they fit and worked. Unfortunately the bike itself was too small so I took it back and got another, this time with Shimano Sora. My hands and forearms were aching like crazy by the time I returned the bike a few days later. The brake levers were huge and it seemed like I had to go through this huge range of motion to shift gears.
Now I have a new touring bike that came with Sora brifters. Same problem - too much range of motion and too big, so I swapped out for Dura Ace bar end shifters. They work really well, but I occasionally wonder if the brifters that I like on that first rental bike would work with my Shimano 9 speed system. Changing the whole cassette/derailleur/shifter setup would be a bit out of my budget.
Last summer in the Pyrennees I rented a road bike that had Campagnolo brifters and liked the way they fit and worked. Unfortunately the bike itself was too small so I took it back and got another, this time with Shimano Sora. My hands and forearms were aching like crazy by the time I returned the bike a few days later. The brake levers were huge and it seemed like I had to go through this huge range of motion to shift gears.
Now I have a new touring bike that came with Sora brifters. Same problem - too much range of motion and too big, so I swapped out for Dura Ace bar end shifters. They work really well, but I occasionally wonder if the brifters that I like on that first rental bike would work with my Shimano 9 speed system. Changing the whole cassette/derailleur/shifter setup would be a bit out of my budget.
#3
Galveston County Texas
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 33,335
Likes: 1,286
From: In The Wind
Bikes: 02 GTO, 2011 Magnum
I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this question, but here goes.
Last summer in the Pyrennees I rented a road bike that had Campagnolo brifters and liked the way they fit and worked. Unfortunately the bike itself was too small so I took it back and got another, this time with Shimano Sora. My hands and forearms were aching like crazy by the time I returned the bike a few days later. The brake levers were huge and it seemed like I had to go through this huge range of motion to shift gears.
Now I have a new touring bike that came with Sora brifters. Same problem - too much range of motion and too big, so I swapped out for Dura Ace bar end shifters. They work really well, but I occasionally wonder if the brifters that I like on that first rental bike would work with my Shimano 9 speed system. Changing the whole cassette/derailleur/shifter setup would be a bit out of my budget.
Last summer in the Pyrennees I rented a road bike that had Campagnolo brifters and liked the way they fit and worked. Unfortunately the bike itself was too small so I took it back and got another, this time with Shimano Sora. My hands and forearms were aching like crazy by the time I returned the bike a few days later. The brake levers were huge and it seemed like I had to go through this huge range of motion to shift gears.
Now I have a new touring bike that came with Sora brifters. Same problem - too much range of motion and too big, so I swapped out for Dura Ace bar end shifters. They work really well, but I occasionally wonder if the brifters that I like on that first rental bike would work with my Shimano 9 speed system. Changing the whole cassette/derailleur/shifter setup would be a bit out of my budget.
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Fred "The Real Fred"
Fred "The Real Fred"
#4
Thanks, 10 Wheels. Good link.
I don't know if it's a useful observation, but I had a big problem getting a good reach on the brake levers, except when using the drops. Finally, we went to a moustache bar and the horizontal arrangement of the levers totally solved the problem. Suddenly, my hands were big enough. This was on the touring bike. Someone else might not care for it on a straight up road bike. Anyway, it was definately cheaper than changing brifters.
I don't know if it's a useful observation, but I had a big problem getting a good reach on the brake levers, except when using the drops. Finally, we went to a moustache bar and the horizontal arrangement of the levers totally solved the problem. Suddenly, my hands were big enough. This was on the touring bike. Someone else might not care for it on a straight up road bike. Anyway, it was definately cheaper than changing brifters.
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Some people are like a Slinky ... not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you shove them down the stairs.
Some people are like a Slinky ... not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you shove them down the stairs.





