Viich

So, I'll start with the brag - yesterday I swapped in a wheel with a Shimano Nexus Inter-3 hub. I pulled it from a bike I'll re-sell with a single speed. A little cold-set, a couple cable ties, swap the hand grips and shifter, and we're golden.

To the question - The only shifter Shimano sells, and even the microshift options, are all grip shift. I hate grip shift personally, and my son has trouble getting into third gear - and since I reduced the gearing, the swap has pretty much only given him a gear lower than he had, and a super low. Anyone have any experience with young kids and twist shift?

Thanks.

mel2012

That's surprising to me, because when I had my kids in front bike seats (Bobike Mini and the front saddle on my Workcycles Fr8 bike), they had no trouble changing the gears using the grip shifter for my Nexus 8 even when I didn't want them to, from 18 months onward. Is it possible the shifter cable is kinked or damaged?

Viich

It's absolutely possible. It's funny that it's only to 3rd - he can shift back and forth between 1st and 2nd no problem, 3rd just seems to require a little more oomph.

I'll take a look, may just replace the inner cable pre-emptively. It's a better theory than I've got.

On the plus side for the wallet, I sold the donor bike for the same price I paid with a single-speed coaster hub wheel on it. Still a nice bike, I feel like I got a good deal on the purchase, not that I ripped anyone off.

fietsbob

Dont have one.. Have had a 94 AW3 metal trigger shifter was harder to get into Low .
[3rd is default, with no cable it goes there, 2nd and 1st are cable Pulls].

... than my current Brompton BSR(another 3 speed) with Its plastic trigger shifter

Maybe a thumb* or bar end shifter from S-A-sun race-microshift will work better ?

Thumb shifters can be gripped like a Faucet handle to turn.

Whatwhat

@mel2012 did you happen to see my private message?

mel2012

I don't see it in my inbox.

tds101 

Will this Shimano trigger shifter be compatible? If it is, it helps me out as well,...

Shimano Altus SL-M310 Rapid Fire Shifter - Left, 3-Speed

I have the twist shifter, and I'm personally not too fond of it. I'd gladly go with left side shifting, as long as it works.

Oh, yeah,...and it's not TOO difficult for me to shift into 3rd,...YET!!!

PS: my youngest son, who just turned 12 yesterday, is still happy with a single speed bike. I've yet to have him test out some gears.

PPS: after searching the interwebs, I can't find a definite answer as to if this shifter works or not. Only the Sturmey-Archer thumb shifter seems to be a viable alternative. How well that will work for a 5yo remains to be seen I'm afraid.

https://www.amazon.com/Sturmey-Arche.../dp/B0054ECMS0

https://forums.mtbr.com/internal-gear...er-838500.html

Darth Lefty 

That one is for the triple front rings of a mountain bike. It's definitely not supposed to be compatible. It might work but no one is going to guarantee it. Based on what little decent research I can find, it probably pulls too much cable. If it doesn't work then an equivalent road model (like Sora 3503 flat bar) might. Might! I sure wouldn't guarantee it to you without trying it myself.

References...
MTB front triple shifters like that one pull 19.5 mm total
Road bike front triple shifters pull 13.5mm total
https://web.archive.org/web/20120606...spx?TabID=4068
(Some sources take these numbers and divide by two but that doesn't seem correct, it definitely seems to me like the bottom-middle shift is bigger than middle-top. That way, it's slack in bottom gear position, and the FD's bottom position is set by the FD lower limit screw. The indexing only controls middle and high positions)

A Nexus 3 shifter pulls 14.2 mm total, and the middle-high shift is smaller.
Sheldon Brown's Internal Gear Hub Cable Pull Crib Sheet

I'd welcome corrections or checking on this post.

tds101 

Then, I'm guessing here, the Sturmey-Archer indexed shifter might be the only option the op has? It's not a bad option, provided it isn't too difficult for a 5yo to operate.

Viich

Actually, the little bugger has finally figured out the grip shift. I still don't like the grip shift, but unless I have an order with niagara, there doesn't seem to be anywhere reasonable to get the shifter. At $47 + tax for the thing, if he can operate it as is, I'll have to leave it.

For the comments about single speed - the real impetus was a couple steep hills he couldn't get a run at that he's having to go up just about every day. He can get up those in first, but otherwise can ride anywhere in any of the 3 gears (and will, and does....)

It's funny watching him shift to first to try to spin the pedals super fast.

tds101 

As long as he's figured it out, and you didn't spend $47+ needlessly, all is right in the universe (for the moment). Enjoy the fun times together,...