Shifter ideas to overcome partial thumb amputation
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Shifter ideas to overcome partial thumb amputation
I have a partial amputation of the left thumb. My road bike has brifters and I am confident with my control of the bike. My touring bike has bar ends and I am okay on paved roads but unpaved roads and trails have made me a bit nervous at times. The issue is when I have to make an adjustment with the rear derailleur and the right hand is relocated from the top of the bar. I've been startled several times by surprise bumps, dips, soft spots, etc... The bike is equpped with TRP HY/RD brakes and levers, along with 3x10 Deore derailleurs. Brifters would be okay but I don't think Shimano offered any 3x10 brifters in the MTB line and I've read that the road brifter will not play well with the MTB front derailleur. A thumb-shifted front derailleur mounted next to a brifter on the right side seems like a decent solution but I have not been able to find anthing like that. I don't know if Shimano even offered a 3x MTB thumb-shifter. I've looked at the Gevenalle but the front shifter looks like it may a challenge for me to operate. Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciate.
#2
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Are you looking for something for drop bars or flat bars? If drop bar, maybe both a brifter and bar end shifter on the right side, both operated with the right hand with the bar end controlling the front derailleur?
#3
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I'd use flat bars and Grip Shift. Some people hate them, but a number of us prefer them to the alternatives.
#4
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I assume the problem is when using the right hand (left thumb can’t fully grip bars) so maybe what you say but on the left side?
#5
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What about a SunRace 3sp thumb shifter? They work very well. As to 10sp, I shift over them with an 11sp Sram, just not using the extra stop.
#7
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I have a partial amputation of the left thumb. My road bike has brifters and I am confident with my control of the bike. My touring bike has bar ends and I am okay on paved roads but unpaved roads and trails have made me a bit nervous at times. The issue is when I have to make an adjustment with the rear derailleur and the right hand is relocated from the top of the bar. I've been startled several times by surprise bumps, dips, soft spots, etc... The bike is equpped with TRP HY/RD brakes and levers, along with 3x10 Deore derailleurs. Brifters would be okay but I don't think Shimano offered any 3x10 brifters in the MTB line and I've read that the road brifter will not play well with the MTB front derailleur. A thumb-shifted front derailleur mounted next to a brifter on the right side seems like a decent solution but I have not been able to find anthing like that. I don't know if Shimano even offered a 3x MTB thumb-shifter. I've looked at the Gevenalle but the front shifter looks like it may a challenge for me to operate. Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciate.
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Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
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Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
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Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
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#8
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I have left thumb issues (pain) when shifting on a flat bar mtb with triggers. I went with an old Suntour XCD 6000. It is so enormous I can shift with my palm. It is friction and you'll have to modify the clamp for road bars, but it has eliminated using my thumb for shifting. FYI, Grip Shift didn't work.
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#9
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@Jwhite_00
Is there a reason you aren't looking at electronic shifting? Lots of options there including extra shift buttons in different locations on the bars.
Check out this blogpost from a friend with a similar issue:
https://ccorlew.blogspot.com/2017/08...ranks-and.html
Is there a reason you aren't looking at electronic shifting? Lots of options there including extra shift buttons in different locations on the bars.
Check out this blogpost from a friend with a similar issue:
https://ccorlew.blogspot.com/2017/08...ranks-and.html
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#10
Senior Member
Gonna echo DiabloScott, the sram rival axs is great for this kind of thing. Get the xplr version which uses the standard shifters but a wider range cassette and in a 2x12 system will match your 3x10 system. What's nice with them is you can pair in 2 sets of wireless blips, I do dislike that they're 100.00 a set and the batteries aren't replaceable though I'm hopeful a workaround develops for that, but it lets you have two extra sets of shifters anywhere on the bar you want. My 8yo can effortlessly shift his bike with an easy press of a finger without removing his hands from the brake levers which is just a sweet setup. The rival shifters come with disc brakes which in my experience work better than the hy/rd, actually hoping to change my single speed's hy/rd to hylex brakes since the calipers have not survived the abuse of cyclocross very well and have seized up twice this year while training and racing.
If you don't want to change over you can look at Microshift levers. They offer a 3x10 set of brifters, make sure you get the ones that say they're tiagra 4600 series compatible, those will be compatible with your mtb rear der not certain how well the front der will mesh.
If you don't want to change over you can look at Microshift levers. They offer a 3x10 set of brifters, make sure you get the ones that say they're tiagra 4600 series compatible, those will be compatible with your mtb rear der not certain how well the front der will mesh.
#11
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I would do a brifter and bar ends on the right side. We've done some custom things for some folks with similar issues.
#12
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Bar end on the right side would also mean lifting the wrong hand off the bars wouldn’t it? Shouldn’t those both be on the left?
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#13
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and I just stumbled across the Paul Components Thumbies that would work with the Microshift shifters that I already have.
Thanks to all.
#14
I was going to suggest e-shifting. So I will second that suggestion. If ever there was a perfect excuse for an upgrade.
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#15
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Maybe, depends on the specific situation. My preference would be to keep the hand with the functional thumb on the bar, and figure out how to and what is required to shift with the other, but everyone knows their capabilities and preferences.
#16
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Yeah exactly - I think that's what he said he wanted to do
#17
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@Jwhite_00
Is there a reason you aren't looking at electronic shifting? Lots of options there including extra shift buttons in different locations on the bars.
Check out this blogpost from a friend with a similar issue:
https://ccorlew.blogspot.com/2017/08...ranks-and.html
Is there a reason you aren't looking at electronic shifting? Lots of options there including extra shift buttons in different locations on the bars.
Check out this blogpost from a friend with a similar issue:
https://ccorlew.blogspot.com/2017/08...ranks-and.html
#18
I picked up used, a Shimano road 11 front derailleur, the spring is softer, and, the lever on the derailleur is 1.5-2 times as long a leverage ratio but then needing a longer wire pull. Why the bike shop said, "Only works for shimano road 11." But here is what I want to do: Mount it for my double crank, driven by a grip shift, shifting from 1-3, twice the wire pull. Only hiccup in trying this is, the linkage on that derailleur (double-shear, more durable), interferes with my front derailleur mounting adaptor. They make newer adaptors that may work. My current (high force) derailleur, the linkage is not double-shear, but a more compact cantilever arrangement, fits the current adaptor.
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I like the elec shifting option - know of one guy that recently purchased a bike with elec shifting due to significant issues with use of his hands and fingers - he has been very satisfied
also feel grip shift option has merit - was not a grip shift fan back-in-the-day but acquired a few old MTBs with grip shift and I was pleasantly surprised when riding them and have no immediate plans to change them
the one issue I had / have with grip shift was remembering which way to twist the grip … for me it was sorta / kinda counter intuitive
also feel grip shift option has merit - was not a grip shift fan back-in-the-day but acquired a few old MTBs with grip shift and I was pleasantly surprised when riding them and have no immediate plans to change them
the one issue I had / have with grip shift was remembering which way to twist the grip … for me it was sorta / kinda counter intuitive
#20
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I installed electronic on my my bikes due to issues using my damaged thumbs trying to push levers on trigger shifters. My thumbs were too weak to get into bigger cogs and rings (when I ran triples). Di2 and AXS are easy button pushes
#21
With a mighty wind
Are you ignoring the electronic shifting ideas on purpose? SRAM, shimano, or Archer all have exactly what you’re looking for.
#22
#23
Funny you mention; Dahon folders used to come with their "compact" rear derailleur, mounted forward of the axle, worked poorly, especially onto the large cog with terrible ramps on the cog, nothing like hyperspaceglide. But ALSO, it was setup like "Rapid-Rise", the cable pulled to upshift, so the grip shift worked backwards from 99.999% of the bikes on the road. Fortunately, when I changed the derailleur to a conventional style, mounted aft and pulls to downshift, I was able to use the same gripshift, they are the same, just labeled different. So shifter now works like it should, but says 7 when on 1, and vice-versa.
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Ritchey Beacon Handlebar with the brifters angled inward. I have 2 bikes set up like this. It has taken my badly arthritic thumbs almost out of the equation. They are short reach and shallow drop with 36 degree flare. I bought the first one on sale, liked it so much I acquired another. At first, I thought the flare was going to be too much, but, for me, it is not. I actually made the change to help alleviate spine and shoulder issues, the relief on the thumbs was a very pleasant surprise.