How to position your shift levers on MTB?

[Skylark]

What's the underlying basis/starting point for where to position your shifters relative to your grips/hands on a MTB, I know personal preference is a part of it but when they design shifters where do they assume they will typically be placed relative to your hands, the brakes, the grips etc?

 

I'm looking for info perhaps like shifter 45 degrees from brake lever and longest shift lever 10mm in from the edge of the grip, if that is how its specifed. Whenever I setup a new set of shift levers I tend to eventually find a spot that feels ok but I've never actually found out when the correct methodology is, there must be a method becuase shifter setup is relative to the overall bike setup say if you get a professional bike fit done etc.

[T-Bag68]

Hay there Skylark... 

 

I just put them at the angle that my arm and hand is coming onto the bar and grip. That way there is no kink from my arm to the wrist if that makes sense :-) then I have the brakes lined up so i can get onto them quick if need be, with the triggers just below or easy access. I like to ride with lowering my centre of gravity rather than sitting more up right. That is where the angle of my arms come in to it. 

[shaper]

what ever position feels natural and comfortable when you hands are on the bars

[Long Wheel Base]

I once read an article saying that while seated with your fingers on the brake your wrists should be straight. 

BUT I often try set mine up so that if the bike falls and my bars turn then the brake lever doesn't hit my frame, which for me unfortunately means my wrist needs to be slightly bent. I have never had issues with sore wrists though, granted The longest I have ridden my mtb is a marathon and never multi day.

Also I think rule of thumb is there must be about a finger width between the grip and the brake. So don't put brake right next to grip.

[Kalahari Vegmot]

Apart from a bike fit/ergenomic perspective, I doubt there are any "guidelines".

 

A bit like cleat/saddle setup IMO-set it so it looks about right, and the fine tune.

[Skylark]

what ever position feels natural and comfortable when you hands are on the bars

That's all very well but I've noticed before with other things that what you are a rider assumes is the most comfortable natural isn't actually the best way, there may be a better way, many ways to skin the cat.

 

Sometime counter-intuitive things work or a better way may not be totally obvious. Started the thread just to see if there were any tricks people have found. Like where is the best place to be pushing on the lever pad, I find more contact feels more comfortable but then I find the lever is too far into the grip and can get in the way when things get bumpy.

[Kalahari Vegmot]

Well I think as a good guideline: Grips, then one finger between grip and brake clamp, and one finger between brake clamp and shifter clamp.

[i24]

I once bought a bike that was setup by the ex pro rider who ran the shop. His setup, as I understood it, went like this:

 

Set the brake leavers just touching your fingers when you have your hands on the bar and fingers outstretched, so you don't have to bend your wrist to brake.

 

Then move the leavers inboard so that you can comfortably operate them with a single index finger. This leaves three fingers and a thumb to hold the bar. There is a couple between the tendons on your middle and ring fingers which makes it more difficult to control the brake with 2 fingers on the brake and 2 fingers and thumb on the bar than 1 finger on the brake.

 

Then move shifters next to the brakes, otherwise they are a bit too far away to reach with your thumb.

 

I have used the same setup ever since, but I must admit I don't always use single finger braking.

[porqui]

Apart from a bike fit/ergenomic perspective, I doubt there are any "guidelines".

 

A bit like cleat/saddle setup IMO-set it so it looks about right, and the fine tune.

 

Not quite !!

 

Do a google search

And youtube

Many brake with index finger only - I need middle finger too but rest are clear

[Nuffy]

Well I think as a good guideline: Grips, then one finger between grip and brake clamp, and one finger between brake clamp and shifter clamp.

 

Hm. Mine is grips, then two fingers, then shifter clamp, then brake clamp. If I could move by shifters inboard by about 3 mm I would. On my other two bikes, both singlespeeds, I have grips, two fingers, then brake clamps. But the grips on those two are much wider.

 

I think it’s dangerous to generalise here, though, as brake lever shapes and length vary so much, and so do shifters, probably to a lesser extent.

 

I really think that most people have their brakes too close to the grips, and just about every bike I jump on (not my own) feels wrong to me, with so little space for my hands. But I do have big hands. I also think that unless you’re using cantilever brakes, one finger should be all you need.

 

I think so many people just go with what they think is right, without actually realising that there is so much room for adjustment, and thinking about what actually feels most natural and comfortable to them when riding. So, I would suggest that it’s actually better to start with a blank slate and not any sort of defaults, as that should force you to actually think a little bit about what’s best for you. With a bit of time on the trails you’ll notice if shifting or braking feels difficult or uncomfortable, and then you adjust accordingly.