Hi fella's and ladies,

I need to change my handlebars and controls due to increasing arthritic pain in both thumbs and right wrist. After much reading I think the trekking bars will offer me some changes in positions for my wrist...but I'm not sure which direction to go for my shifters.

I currently have drop bars with a bar-end shifter for rear derailler and friction for the front. This is the first bike I've ever had with bar-end shifter and like them a lot. I can use them with no difficulty or pain at all. I also like the indexing aspect. The friction shifter is history...I hate them and always have.

On my Trek I have regular index shifters and when moving up in gear size ( tensioning the cable ) I have the trouble with thumb pain. So that sort of shifter is out of the question for this redo on my Surly.

I have a three chain ring front with a Shimano Sora front derailler. On the back I have a ten speed with a Shimano XT derailleur.

1) Can you's offer suggestions for compatible shifters and brake controls that might ease the pain for shifting?

2) Would it be crazy to consider using bar-end shifters on the trekking bars? I would be using them as bar-end shifters inserted in a traditional manner. They would be slid in the ends of the trekking bars. Would they fit being end to end and be usable between the opening of the trekking bars?

3) I would also be greatful for any other suggestions or help.

4) I've looked at a ton of pictures on this site but have never seen a set-up like I'm suggesting.

Thanks, Tony

AFAIK bar end shifters are made for the bigger diameter of the drop bar family of bars, and won’t fit the smaller diameter of a trekking/butterfly bar, which belongs to the flat bar family of bars.
If it was me really wanting to put bar ends on a trekking bar, I could probably make some adapter sleeves.
I also think I’ve seem some TT bar end shifters that go over - as opposed to inside - the bar. Shimming these to fit a narrower bar wouldn’t be that difficult.
A Sora front front derailer won’t index cleanly with a MTB front shifter.

Then there are Paul’s Thumbies, which would allow mounting bar ends on flat bars but in a thumb shifter position.
How do you feel about GripShift?

As far as wrist pain. Do some pushups. Nothing fancy, hands flat on the ground, pushups. I did not think of that on my own. I asked a Chinese doctor. He recommends 4 sets of 25 pushups each day.

These are 3x7 Shimano RF shifters. Perhaps they make something similar for 3x10?

The Novara Safari was previously setup with trekking bars and grip shifters. You might be able to consider that as a possible setup.

I used to have a Novara Safari with trekking handlebars, which will readily accept mtb shifters and levers. Later I installed those same bars on my Jamis Renegade, along with changing the drive train to 2x11 mtb gearing using SRAM shifters. I absolutely love it. The trekking handlebars are so comfortable that it's worth changing whatever it takes to reach a working solution. I have the same set up on my folding bike. I hope you can solve your pain problem.

1. look for some cowhorn or moustache bars in 23.8 road diameter.

2. maybe could find some aerobar attachments you could cut down.

3. or....consider down tube shifters or stem shifters.

4. velo orange crazy bar has 22.2 ends with 23.8 horns.

5. microshift bar-ends fit "Clamp Band19.0 - 22.0mm"
(dunno if that means will fit 22.2 bars...)
the T09 version has offers friction/index on the rear.

BS-A09 / BS-T09 ? microSHIFT ? Cycling Transmission Manufacturer

Gripshift? Do they still make those?

I've ridden a lot of bikes with trigger shifters, and I have to say that both xt and deore level trigger shifter sets have very light actions, and of course, cable and housing condition, housing routing, as well as shifter grunge factor (gummed up dirty derailleurs pivot points), all play a part in how much force is needed to shift. I guess all I can say is to go to a bike store and try some new bikes with diff levels of shifters and see how this compares to your mtb with triggers.

if the lightest action shifters are similar to your present mtb and cause a problem for your condition, then I guess grip shifters are the way to go, although your wrist issue could be a problem---all answers that only you really know.

good luck finding a solution that works for you.

as mentioned- move your bar end shifters to your new bar with these- pauls thumbies




sticking the shifters into the new bar wont work as the diameter of the hole is too small for your bar end plugs.

Barends won't work.

When you say "regular index shifters" do you mean trigger shifters, or thumb shifters? I'd recommend the other. As others have mentioned, grip shifters are also an option if you have the dexterity to operate them and are running 9 speed or less.

My mother-in-law has arthritis in her hands, and couldn't use the deore thumb shifters anymore. Pushing against the lower thumb shifter caused her a lot of pain. So I upgraded her to drop bars/105 shifters (5700), this meant using the full hand of fingers to change gear, regardless of going up or down. No more thumb problems, and she can shift gears easily, no problem.
Other wise, look at gripshifters. But the only decent ones about are Sram X9 (I believe?)

Sram Who had Gripnshift brand product, in the 80's, is still going, they Sued Shimano to get their nose under the tent
of the big OEM component Specification Market sector.. where the real money is..


grip shifting is an option on many Gear hubs , most 1 cable, pull against a spring,
NuVinci and Rohloff have 2 cables.. pull - pull.

and for derailleurs..




....

$16 on amazon........

https://www.amazon.com/MicroShift-Tw.../dp/B00FSRTEXO

$33 for sram...

https://www.amazon.com/SRAM-Centera-...TBEZSNM2K5C5DX

I know its not what you asked but wonder is some of these oddball drop bars would help relieve the hand and wrist pain, the Soma Condor bars with a shorter stem with some rise might get you into a trekking bar position or at least reduce much of the weight on your hands... also the flare on the hoods rotates your grip so its not so upright. Would be super easy to flip your old levers/shifters over.

dabac,

That's a lot of great information there. I'm retired and don't work in an industrial setting any more, so making adapters and the such isn't an option for me. But you gave me some great info for things I can look into.

I've never used grip shifters to any extent but didn't really like them too much. They don't seem very durable to me...at least the couple that I tried.

Thanks, Tony

chris,

I'm not sure how pushups will help my wrist but they will help with my triceps. Maybe it's the flexing of the wrist that might help the wrist pain. It sure can't hurt me trying it.

Thanks Tony

Happy,

That's a clean looking setup you have there.

dabac mentioned below that a Sora front derailleur won’t index cleanly with a MTB front shifter. I'm not sure about this so I can't really say for sure. But I suspect he must know from experience.

Thanks Tony

Arvadaman,

Someone below mentioned grip shifters and the couple I've tried weren't very sturdy feeling. Maybe there's a better quality of grip shifter I need to try.

Thanks, Tony

DeadGrandpa,

I'm not really sold on grip shifters. I do agree with you on doing what needs to be done to make this change over work for me.

Thanks, Tony

Saddlesoars, That's the first time I've heard of moustache. Thought you might have been pulling my leg. But there they were on Bikeparts.com.

Although I couldn't find he velo orange crazy bars on Bikeparts.com.

I did follow your link to the microshift bar ends. They look nice. I'll need to find out for sure if they'll work with the trekking bars and with my front and rear derailleurs.

That's a big help. Thanks, Tony

djb,

Maybe a better upper level trigger shifter might work better than my other mtb shifter. I could try a few other bikes to find that out.

But below someone wasn't sure about a MTB front shifter indexing cleanly with my Sora front derailleur. Do you know anything about that??

Thanks, Tony

I think those thumbies look okay. I need to do a little research on them. Are they durable??

Thanks, Tony

jefnvk,

Yes, I meant trigger shifters. That's what I have on my Trek 950. The tensioning of the cable as I move up in gear size on the cog set is when I have the thumb problem. Or, actually, even on the chain rings...the same pain.

I'm not crazy about grip shifters but I didn't know they only handle up to a 9 speed. I have a ten speed cog set on my Surly. So I guess they won't be an option.

I do like the bar end shifters though. But it seems I have some more homework to do to make them work.

Thanks, Tony

checoles,

I looked up the 105 shifter and couldn't find any info on it. I did however find the 5700 and that was a front derailleur. Does the 105 shifter have a name or other designation for it? And what did you MIL use for the rear derailleur?

Thanks, Tony