Slowbee Posted April 1, 2011 Posted April 1, 2011 In doing some reading the for the freedom challenge, a few bloggers mentioned being happy with grip shifts. In terms of doing a long ride like the freedom challenge, are there any advantages of grip shifts over normal lever shifters? Possibly less to go wrong in the cold and wet ? Easy to replace cables ?
Robrider Posted April 1, 2011 Posted April 1, 2011 I was once considering grip shifts, until I did the barberton marathon (about 20 river crossings in a row) and passed a guy who was pulling leaves off the bushes and using them to try and get a grip on his wet grip shifts... That was enough to put me off them, despite also seeing pretty good reviews.
Slowbee Posted April 1, 2011 Author Posted April 1, 2011 I was once considering grip shifts, until I did the barberton marathon (about 20 river crossings in a row) and passed a guy who was pulling leaves off the bushes and using them to try and get a grip on his wet grip shifts... That was enough to put me off them, despite also seeing pretty good reviews. do you think that over a 23-26 day period that it will be an issue ? I suppose it is going to be winter and it does rain a bit in the cape winter
Spinnekop Posted April 1, 2011 Posted April 1, 2011 In a word...... NO. The long story...*$)*^%$&*^T*$%(#@&%^T*)$%^($@%^ piece of *()_%*()&*$)%^8@$(*%$#*% You don't want to hear the EXTRA long story.
kosmonooit Posted April 1, 2011 Posted April 1, 2011 (edited) Less levers to break in case of a fall? And I've never had a traction problem .... changing cables is easy enough. Edited April 1, 2011 by kosmonooit
Slowbee Posted April 1, 2011 Author Posted April 1, 2011 In a word...... NO. The long story...*$)*^%$&*^T*$%(#@&%^T*)$%^($@%^ piece of *()_%*()&*$)%^8@$(*%$#*% You don't want to hear the EXTRA long story. , i have time. its friday afternoon !
AndreZA Posted April 1, 2011 Posted April 1, 2011 Less levers to break in case of a fall? How do you fall? None of my shifters have ever touched the ground in a fall.
Slowbee Posted April 1, 2011 Author Posted April 1, 2011 I am going to ask on the blogs why grip shifters are prefered over triggers. Maybe something to do with the longevity?
Slowbee Posted April 1, 2011 Author Posted April 1, 2011 MBP, easy to change cables in the middle on nowhere on the way to somewhere when its -12 degrees ?
kosmonooit Posted April 1, 2011 Posted April 1, 2011 How do you fall? None of my shifters have ever touched the ground in a fall. Not me, I don't use them: my team mate in LotCR last year broke his on a downhill tumble.
Danger Dassie Posted April 1, 2011 Posted April 1, 2011 Down to a personal preference as well, especially since it's a contact point on the bike. I realise thats probably too objective for some folk though, so, my personal preference for them is down to reliability being a large factor. They really are bomb proof and work well, can get a bit slippery but generally only in the muddiest of conditions and/or worn grip covers. I heart grip shifts!
Slowbee Posted April 1, 2011 Author Posted April 1, 2011 Danger D, if you had to rate grip shifts over triggers for a ride like the freedom challenge, which way would you go ?
Sawdust Posted April 1, 2011 Posted April 1, 2011 My training partner had to pull in next to me a few times on a ride, so that I could shift the front derailleur for him. He wasn't wearing gloves and could not get a proper grip to twist the shifter. It should be ok with gloves and a new cable.
Spinnekop Posted April 1, 2011 Posted April 1, 2011 Epic 2006.Day 1.Rain, mud, etc. They were NEVER the same.By the end of the 100km+ stage I had to use BOTH hands to change a gear. Try doing that riding a Lefty. Made for a lot of blisters and eina.
Shebeen Posted April 1, 2011 Posted April 1, 2011 In doing some reading the for the freedom challenge, a few bloggers mentioned being happy with grip shifts. In terms of doing a long ride like the freedom challenge, are there any advantages of grip shifts over normal lever shifters? Possibly less to go wrong in the cold and wet ? Easy to replace cables ? I'll step in here. I used to be laaank anti gripshifts, due to a very plastic set i had on a circa 98 giant rincon. isolated story, ....but i managed to break one of the internal plastic pieces on my xt triggers during my fc race. was frikking cold and the damn water ingress had frozen in my shifter cables. i didn't even know it was possible, i tried forcing it and kaboom i was now riding a three speed bike (FD only). admittedlt they weren't exactly new and it was a pretty freak break. managed to half fix them a few days later, and eventually got a new set sent out by post.here is the fix, courtesy of Dr Rudi De Wet (Caitlin's old man) and a bit of chicken wireMy link i was leant a zula with X0 grips the other weekend for the stargazer. picked it up pretty quick, and was very happy with them.forgot a few times which way the Fd shifted, but that's just getting familiar with it. i'm not sure which is more durable, there will be stories supporting both theories.grip/comfort wise i would think they are better than triggers for the simple reason that you can wear mittens and still shift.mittens are frikken awesome when it is minus pisscold and the windchill has gone cryongenic. i wouldn't necessarily spend cash swapping out from working triggers, but if you're upgrading anyway then i'd seriously consider it.
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