Twist Grip or Thumb Shifters
10-14-14, 07:45 PM
#26
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Very cheap and reliable.
cables are PITA to replace
Eventually, they crack
Requires grip strength
Consider re-profiling the shifter with SUGRU
cables are PITA to replace
Eventually, they crack
Requires grip strength
Consider re-profiling the shifter with SUGRU
Compare this 1999 MRX cable swap to a Shimano EZfire trigger cable swap, where you have to remove two tiny screws on each shifter to do the swap.
10-14-14, 07:46 PM
#27
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I deal with pain every day between Fibromyalgia and Osteoarthritis but, like most people, I've learned to push past or through the pain and this year, took up biking. LOVE the freedom that biking gives me however, because the blasted arthritis has recently aggressively attacked my thumb joints, I sold my mountain bike. Just couldn't ride as far / hard as I wanted to because of the thumb gear and the pressure on my hands that the mountain bike required. The main reason I chose the hybrid was the more upright position I can ride in - less pressure on my hands and I chose the twist grip shifters. BUT, NOW, I am reading very mixed reviews about the twist grip shifters. I still have the tags on the bike, haven't ridden except in the dealers lot and am now wondering if I should just deal with the pain and exchange the bike for thumb shifters? Taxes, new seat, etc., my new bike totaled less than $500.00 which, for me was the top of my budget. I can't afford to have costly repairs in a few months as some of the info I've read on the Internet suggests could happen. I realize we can't predict the future but, I'm wondering if you experienced riders have strong opinions one way or the other with the twist grip shifters. Thanks so much. I'm so glad I found this forum but man o man, now I wish I had thought to come here to ask about this before I purchased the bike this morning!
Or maybe some kind of porteur or northroads bar that will accept barend shifters, which you push down with the heel of your palm and pull up with your ring and pinky fingers (at least that's how I do it).
10-14-14, 07:50 PM
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My husband has been riding a hybrid with SRAM grip shifters for about 12 years. They've held up just fine. I just replaced the cables on them about a week ago. It didn't seem that hard to me, and I don't have much wrenching experience. Trust me, if I can do it with a little advice from my local co-op any half-way competent bike shop mechanic should be able to do it with her/his eyes closed.
10-14-14, 07:51 PM
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10-14-14, 07:56 PM
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Yup. Years ago I took my (then 13 year old) grandson with me to do tech support on a big cross state ride. The first thing that I told him was to always put a tarp under the workstand if you're working on grass. That way you have a chance of finding those itty bitty little screws if (when) you drop one.
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My greatest fear is all of my kids standing around my coffin and talking about "how sensible" dad was.
10-14-14, 08:03 PM
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My husband has been riding a hybrid with SRAM grip shifters for about 12 years. They've held up just fine. I just replaced the cables on them about a week ago. It didn't seem that hard to me, and I don't have much wrenching experience. Trust me, if I can do it with a little advice from my local co-op any half-way competent bike shop mechanic should be able to do it with her/his eyes closed.
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My greatest fear is all of my kids standing around my coffin and talking about "how sensible" dad was.
My greatest fear is all of my kids standing around my coffin and talking about "how sensible" dad was.
10-14-14, 08:10 PM
#32
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Yeah, those wraparound ones are really hard your first few tries. I think my first cable replacement on my SRT-600 took about 3 hours! 
Now I can do those in about 20 minutes usually. Still have those 1996 SRT-600s, and they have a LOT of hours on 'em but still shift nicely. Have a nice pair of SRT-800s and some Sram Attacks, also. That should keep me in 8-speed shifters for the rest of my life.
Now I can do those in about 20 minutes usually. Still have those 1996 SRT-600s, and they have a LOT of hours on 'em but still shift nicely. Have a nice pair of SRT-800s and some Sram Attacks, also. That should keep me in 8-speed shifters for the rest of my life.
10-14-14, 09:06 PM
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Yes, exactly. I guess I didn't explain it that well. Those stock shifters that come on the Trucker will fit on a happier place for me on top of the 48cm Nitto Noodle with some cross levers also right beside them. I think the stock shifters are friction optional? I guess I haven't really looked because I plan on also replacing them. I test rode a Trucker in my size and found the top of the bars to be the most used for me, unlike my road bike with riding the hoods more.
10-15-14, 04:56 AM
#34
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My Rohloff hub came with twist shifters and I really would prefer rapid fire thumb shifters. For me it's a matter of personal preference.
Since the original poster has health issues, I think the choice should be that which is easier to use.
Since the original poster has health issues, I think the choice should be that which is easier to use.
10-15-14, 02:31 PM
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Question: What kind of twist shfiters are we talking about? Is the whole grip a shifter, because I have revo shifters like this:
where you really only use your thumb and forefinger to shift. Is is comfortable and works very well. I can see a whole grip being a problem, like the rider's weight causing accidental shifts.
where you really only use your thumb and forefinger to shift. Is is comfortable and works very well. I can see a whole grip being a problem, like the rider's weight causing accidental shifts.
Halfpipe Gripshifts were pretty annoying to me, the twisty section was about 3" long. Such a bad idea.
The only full length twist section shifters I know of are on olde Sturmey Archer 3-speeds. They worked fine on upright city bikes that would have them. Usually don't have much weight on grips of an upright bike.
10-15-14, 02:37 PM
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^^ That's a good idea, @LesterOfPuppets (moving the grip shift in and replacing with full grip). My concern would be having the brake levers too far in though when in non-shifting riding.
I've never thought of that since I don't use or like grip shifts. Could be something to try sometime.
I've never thought of that since I don't use or like grip shifts. Could be something to try sometime.
Last edited by RatMudd; 10-15-14 at 02:42 PM.
10-16-14, 02:14 PM
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They aren't all the same. Early versions of the MRX Grip Shifter had to be disassembled to change the cable and, when you did that, a horseshoe shaped spring generally fell onto the floor. Then you had to wrap the cable in a figure 8 pattern and hold it with some tension while you reassembled the shifter. I used to advise folks to replace the whole shifter because new ones came with a new cable installed and didn't cost much more than just a replacement shift cable.
