Grip Shifters - never again
02-11-20, 08:14 AM
#51
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+1 "air-shifting", perfect description. And yes, with everything downstream working right and minimal resistance, trigger shifters can be a pleasure to use. I'm on my second full winter using original Shimano triggers on my '92-ish HardRock. I was fully expecting them to get sluggish or just "air-shift" in the cold, but they've been flawless. They do lack the "cool old MTB" factor that thumbies have, though.
02-11-20, 08:37 AM
#52
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Good trigger shifters feel great, IMO. And I've brought a few back from their 'air-shifting' ways via lots of Tri Flow. Can't say that about grip shift unfortunately. I'm all road though, so it's STI/Ergos, downtubes, or bar-ends for me on my bikes.
Like I said earlier, I'd give these a try. So sleek and integrated! Killer photo, too.
Like I said earlier, I'd give these a try. So sleek and integrated! Killer photo, too.
02-11-20, 10:14 AM
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02-11-20, 11:15 AM
#54
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Sharing the hatred!
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02-11-20, 11:46 AM
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Stealing (steeling?) this!
02-11-20, 01:57 PM
#56
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Who actually invented the thumb or finger bar shifter? Was it Sturmey Archer? I can imagine the evolution of the S/A to a mountain bike thumbie, but somone on the forum must know.
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02-11-20, 03:02 PM
#57
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If you look at those Grip Shifters and then look at the ones we see on MTBs etc, you'll immediately notice a difference in how the cable exits the mechanism. MTB GS's have that ugly 90° appendage that offsets the cable routing from the main mechanism. That is not so in these gen 1 road GS's. The gen 1's cables exit exactly like bar-end shifters do--right off the main mechanism, right by the bars. This is no different an ergonomic situation than bar-end shifters apart from a larger diameter section. It's really well integrated. Of course, I can't find a SRAM catalog, nor any information other than being called "Grip Shift" in Cannondale's 1991 catalog for their SR/SC1000 and 900 (though they began in 1987 IIRC).
02-11-20, 03:09 PM
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02-11-20, 03:19 PM
#59
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If you look at those Grip Shifters and then look at the ones we see on MTBs etc, you'll immediately notice a difference in how the cable exits the mechanism. MTB GS's have that ugly 90° appendage that offsets the cable routing from the main mechanism. That is not so in these gen 1 road GS's. The gen 1's cables exit exactly like bar-end shifters do--right off the main mechanism, right by the bars. This is no different an ergonomic situation than bar-end shifters apart from a larger diameter section. It's really well integrated.
02-11-20, 08:47 PM
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02-11-20, 09:38 PM
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I had grip shifters on one of my MTBs that I rode on rough trails. I took them off and put on thumb shifters because far to many times I'd hit a bump or something and the twist grip shifter would shift to a harder gear and that'd bring me to a stop a lot of the times and then I'd have to push the bike up the hill. I think decent thumb shifters are the simplest and most reliable shifter for an MTB.
Cheers
Cheers
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02-11-20, 09:56 PM
#62
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The Original GripShift story - pretty cool. I have a set that came on a Miyata 1000. Haven't yet decided if they will stay or go.
https://www.bikemag.com/blog/exclusi...ged-the-world/
"I remember this one time at Mont Sainte Anne,” recalls Herbold, “when the pack started up this steep climb and all you could hear out there was the click, click, click of Grip Shifts—fully 70 to 80 percent of the pros were on them.”
https://www.bikemag.com/blog/exclusi...ged-the-world/
"I remember this one time at Mont Sainte Anne,” recalls Herbold, “when the pack started up this steep climb and all you could hear out there was the click, click, click of Grip Shifts—fully 70 to 80 percent of the pros were on them.”
Last edited by sdn40; 02-11-20 at 10:01 PM.
02-11-20, 10:08 PM
#63
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I had grip shifters on one of my MTBs that I rode on rough trails. I took them off and put on thumb shifters because far to many times I'd hit a bump or something and the twist grip shifter would shift to a harder gear and that'd bring me to a stop a lot of the times and then I'd have to push the bike up the hill. I think decent thumb shifters are the simplest and most reliable shifter for an MTB.
Cheers
Cheers
Only baby hands can avoid accidental shifts with the shorties...
02-11-20, 10:27 PM
#64
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^^^^ Fine idea, IF you have enough real estate on the handlebar. May not work on a bar with a slight rise or bend. Even on a fairly straight flat bar, you start pushing the shifters and brake levers inboard, and you may not have room for a light, horn, bell, camera, etc. YMMV.
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02-11-20, 11:06 PM
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^^^^ Fine idea, IF you have enough real estate on the handlebar. May not work on a bar with a slight rise or bend. Even on a fairly straight flat bar, you start pushing the shifters and brake levers inboard, and you may not have room for a light, horn, bell, camera, etc. YMMV.
02-12-20, 08:30 AM
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I hate Grip Shift with all my heart, mind and soul. My home currently has only one bicycle with Grip Shift, the mountain bike my daughter rides to school. We wanted to make the bike appear as horrible as possible, so it wouldn't be stolen off of the bike rack; hence the Grip Shift.
So there it is, the only good use for Grip Shift, to keep others from coveting your bike.
So there it is, the only good use for Grip Shift, to keep others from coveting your bike.
02-12-20, 08:48 AM
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^^^^^^ The bicycle anti-theft analogue to leaving a banana peel on the dashboard.
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02-12-20, 09:57 AM
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The only bike I've ever bought new is a '92 Schwinn Crosscut...still have it.
First set of grip-shifters were SRAM, and they worked flawlessly for about 15 years.
Replaced them with the pictured SRAM's, and have yet to have any problems.
Mileage on the bike is medium, and I rarely shift during high crank torque.
I believe a well-timed easing up while shifting is important to the longevity of the drivetrain components.
First set of grip-shifters were SRAM, and they worked flawlessly for about 15 years.
Replaced them with the pictured SRAM's, and have yet to have any problems.
Mileage on the bike is medium, and I rarely shift during high crank torque.
I believe a well-timed easing up while shifting is important to the longevity of the drivetrain components.
02-12-20, 02:08 PM
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The Sturmey Archer grip shifter from the 1960s sucked, too. Their trigger shifters are excellent.
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02-12-20, 02:16 PM
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02-12-20, 03:08 PM
#71
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Sachs also produced grip shifters in the early 90s. Power Grip Extreme!
02-12-20, 04:10 PM
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^^^^^^
"How do you like that new grip shift system?"
"Sachs."
"How do you like that new grip shift system?"
"Sachs."
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02-12-20, 06:34 PM
#73
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Not so surprisingly, Sram wound up buying Sachs, IIRC.
02-12-20, 06:47 PM
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