Rear gear shifter on the left?

[CraigCCW]

I recently injured my right arm and have got a severe case of tennis elbow, and unfortunately it is going to take at 6 to 8 months to heal.

 

I have been off my MTB for about a month now, and rode again this weekend, only to find that changing the gears really hurts my arm alot. I have adjusted the gears every which way possible, but unfortunately the action of slightly twisting the wrist to change the gears really hurts my arm.

 

I then thought what if I change the gears around, and put the front on the right shifter, and the rear on the left.

 

It may take a bit of getting used to, but at least I can then continue riding pain free.

 

Anyone done this before, any advice?

[NotSoBigBen]

Is that physically possible ? Just thinking the way it is designed it may well be difficult ....

[deonkretch]

Have you though about using a grip-shift? Should be able to install this on either side.

[CraigCCW]

Is that physically possible ? Just thinking the way it is designed it may well be difficult ....

 

Not physically possible with the shifters themselves, but surely one could just move the cables from one shifter to the other?

[NotSoBigBen]

Not physically possible with the shifters themselves, but surely one could just move the cables from one shifter to the other?

 

But then won't you only have 3 gears?

[CraigCCW]

Have you though about using a grip-shift? Should be able to install this on either side.

 

Thought about that, but I was hoping to avoid spending alot of money on this.

 

SRAM are the only ones who do grip shifts, would those work with Shimano XT gears?

[Vangar]

Theoretically yes I suppose, it'll be upside down but with the rapidfire+ multi release you'll stll be able to push to downshift put an awkward pull for upshift....

 

Best option would be a sram gripshift option, worst that could be is the wrong way around.

[Donovan Le Cok]

You could swop the shifters around by putting them upside down on the bars. It would look a bit stupid and break if you crashed but would be the simplest solution.

[Vangar]

Thought about that, but I was hoping to avoid spending alot of money on this.

 

SRAM are the only ones who do grip shifts, would those work with Shimano XT gears?

 

Theoretically, and someone should correct me if I'm wrong. It should work for up to 9 speed as the pull ratio's were the same up until then according to what I understand.

 

Another ludicrous option might be to stick on a road bike STI if the pull ratio's are the same for road and MTB

 

Or, friction shifters, since they don't really care which side they are.

 

http://static.jensonusa.com/images/Default-Image/Zoom/887/SL400A02.jpg

Edited August 18, 2014 by Vangar

[patches]

The answer is simple...

 

just get a whole new bike! (Like a Trek Ticket SS or a Nukeproof Rook)

 

Then you can mount the shifter on your downtube

 

http://fstatic3.mtb-news.de/f/t8/u6/t8u6ewc5akoi/large_IMG_9538.JPG?0

 

Trek Ticket SS

 

http://p.vitalmtb.com/photos/users/109/photos/61714/s780_joy_v8a9313.jpg?1376818225

 

(Brandon Semenuk's bike)

 

http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p5pb8587134/p5pb8587134.jpg

 

Nuke Proof Rook

 

 

I see this as a win-win!

 

Not only will allow you to shift with your left hand...

But it will also improve your tail whips

 

http://www.nsmb.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/joyride-morgan-taylor-3137.jpg

 

http://spokemagazine.com/files/2011/07/9M3G7698-632x371.jpg

 

Or... if you're not into spending another 20k+ on a new setup, but you don't mind going all old-school-10sp-racer when it comes to your shifting, maybe you can just Macgyver something for your shifter to mount to your bottle cage bolts (easy enough if you're running X0 or X9).

 

Otherwie, like others said, Gripshift is your best option.

Edited August 18, 2014 by patches

[CraigCCW]

I may have found the solution, a bit pricey, but may solve my problem:

 

 

http://www.buycycle.co.za/images/thumbnails/280/280/product/1/3_thumbnail_STM775PA_XT_Dual_Levers_VBrake.jpg

http://www.chainreac...ke/rp-prod25712

 

http://www.buycycle....rs-shimano.html

 

With this lever, you use the brake lever to adjust the gears.

 

Edited August 18, 2014 by CraigCCW

[Cruz Addict]

The answer is simple...

 

just get a whole new bike! (Like a Trek Ticket SS or a Nukeproof Rook)

 

Then you can mount the shifter on your downtube

 

http://fstatic3.mtb-news.de/f/t8/u6/t8u6ewc5akoi/large_IMG_9538.JPG?0

 

Trek Ticket SS

 

http://p.vitalmtb.com/photos/users/109/photos/61714/s780_joy_v8a9313.jpg?1376818225

 

(Brandon Semenuk's bike)

 

http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p5pb8587134/p5pb8587134.jpg

 

Nuke Proof Rook

 

 

I see this as a win-win!

 

Not only will allow you to shift with your left hand...

But it will also improve your tail whips

 

http://www.nsmb.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/joyride-morgan-taylor-3137.jpg

 

http://spokemagazine.com/files/2011/07/9M3G7698-632x371.jpg

 

Or... if you're not into spending another 20k+ on a new setup, but you don't mind going all old-school-10sp-racer when it comes to your shifting, maybe you can just Macgyver something for your shifter to mount to your bottle cage bolts (easy enough if you're running X0 or X9).

 

Otherwie, like others said, Gripshift is your best option.

Thought about that, but I was hoping to avoid spending alot of money on this.

 

SRAM are the only ones who do grip shifts, would those work with Shimano XT gears?

i dont think gripshift is an option, if memory serves SRAM use a 1-1 ratio where shimano use 1-1.1.

i have no idea what that means in reality but i suspect it is the distance each click moves the derailleur.

there was a thread a few months ago about offsetting the shimano gears to work with SRAM shifters or something like that.

[popcorn_skollie]

I'm very inexperienced. But if there's one thing I've learned from a few upgrades, its that in the rear, sram and shimano shifters and derailleurs parts are NOT compatible. Or at least, not meant to be since they have different indexing systems. (I'm sure a few mad scientists out there have managed to make it work in certain cases though) Sram have however made a line of shifters called 'attack' that came in 8 and 9 speed some time back. They were entry level shifters that were meant to work with the shimano derailleurs only.

 

Anyways if it were me, I would run a single ring upfront and go the gripshift route for the left side of the bar. You wont need to run a longer cable as you are simply switching sides. its also way easier to become accustomed to shifting in this way as apposed to fiddling with your thumbs or fingers with a shifter which is either going to be the wrong way round or upside down

 

Edit: I forgot to mention. Shimano have a line of gripshifters called revoshift. So sram are not the only ones. its worth looking into.

Edited August 18, 2014 by popcorn_skollie

[FC&P2C]

just swop swifters around and change with your left hand the upside down controls. No Problem!

However if you swop your rear brake all of a sudden to the left you might loop out a few times!!!!!!

[Tuxstir]

just swop swifters around and change with your left hand the upside down controls. No Problem!

However if you swop your rear brake all of a sudden to the left you might loop out a few times!!!!!!

or just go S/S

[deanbean]

Easiest and cheapest solution, get rid of the gears, and ride single speed

 

 

 

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