Brifters for small hands?
06-18-11, 08:36 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Potashville
Posts: 1,079
Bikes: Reynolds 531P road bike, Rocky Mountain Metropolis, Rocky Mountain Sherpa 10, Look 566
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Brifters for small hands?
I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this question, but here goes.
Last summer in the Pyrennees I rented a road bike that had Campagnolo brifters and liked the way they fit and worked. Unfortunately the bike itself was too small so I took it back and got another, this time with Shimano Sora. My hands and forearms were aching like crazy by the time I returned the bike a few days later. The brake levers were huge and it seemed like I had to go through this huge range of motion to shift gears.
Now I have a new touring bike that came with Sora brifters. Same problem - too much range of motion and too big, so I swapped out for Dura Ace bar end shifters. They work really well, but I occasionally wonder if the brifters that I like on that first rental bike would work with my Shimano 9 speed system. Changing the whole cassette/derailleur/shifter setup would be a bit out of my budget.
Last summer in the Pyrennees I rented a road bike that had Campagnolo brifters and liked the way they fit and worked. Unfortunately the bike itself was too small so I took it back and got another, this time with Shimano Sora. My hands and forearms were aching like crazy by the time I returned the bike a few days later. The brake levers were huge and it seemed like I had to go through this huge range of motion to shift gears.
Now I have a new touring bike that came with Sora brifters. Same problem - too much range of motion and too big, so I swapped out for Dura Ace bar end shifters. They work really well, but I occasionally wonder if the brifters that I like on that first rental bike would work with my Shimano 9 speed system. Changing the whole cassette/derailleur/shifter setup would be a bit out of my budget.
06-18-11, 08:42 AM
#2
Senior Member
I would think that Campy would make short reach shifters. I know that Shimano does. Short reach shifters are for people with smaller hands.
06-18-11, 08:48 AM
#3
Galveston County Texas
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: In The Wind
Posts: 33,260
Bikes: 02 GTO, 2011 Magnum
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1355 Post(s)
Liked 1,251 Times
in
627 Posts
I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this question, but here goes.
Last summer in the Pyrennees I rented a road bike that had Campagnolo brifters and liked the way they fit and worked. Unfortunately the bike itself was too small so I took it back and got another, this time with Shimano Sora. My hands and forearms were aching like crazy by the time I returned the bike a few days later. The brake levers were huge and it seemed like I had to go through this huge range of motion to shift gears.
Now I have a new touring bike that came with Sora brifters. Same problem - too much range of motion and too big, so I swapped out for Dura Ace bar end shifters. They work really well, but I occasionally wonder if the brifters that I like on that first rental bike would work with my Shimano 9 speed system. Changing the whole cassette/derailleur/shifter setup would be a bit out of my budget.
Last summer in the Pyrennees I rented a road bike that had Campagnolo brifters and liked the way they fit and worked. Unfortunately the bike itself was too small so I took it back and got another, this time with Shimano Sora. My hands and forearms were aching like crazy by the time I returned the bike a few days later. The brake levers were huge and it seemed like I had to go through this huge range of motion to shift gears.
Now I have a new touring bike that came with Sora brifters. Same problem - too much range of motion and too big, so I swapped out for Dura Ace bar end shifters. They work really well, but I occasionally wonder if the brifters that I like on that first rental bike would work with my Shimano 9 speed system. Changing the whole cassette/derailleur/shifter setup would be a bit out of my budget.
__________________
Fred "The Real Fred"
Fred "The Real Fred"
06-18-11, 03:17 PM
#4
Senior Member
Thanks, 10 Wheels. Good link.
I don't know if it's a useful observation, but I had a big problem getting a good reach on the brake levers, except when using the drops. Finally, we went to a moustache bar and the horizontal arrangement of the levers totally solved the problem. Suddenly, my hands were big enough. This was on the touring bike. Someone else might not care for it on a straight up road bike. Anyway, it was definately cheaper than changing brifters.
I don't know if it's a useful observation, but I had a big problem getting a good reach on the brake levers, except when using the drops. Finally, we went to a moustache bar and the horizontal arrangement of the levers totally solved the problem. Suddenly, my hands were big enough. This was on the touring bike. Someone else might not care for it on a straight up road bike. Anyway, it was definately cheaper than changing brifters.
__________________
Some people are like a Slinky ... not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you shove them down the stairs.
Some people are like a Slinky ... not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you shove them down the stairs.
