Shifting Preference

[dbmtb]

Do I have to choose?

Sorry... I can't.

I like all of them.

But if I had to uninvent all of them except one and have to choose one, then it would be thumbies for the friction trim adjustment on the front mech, and the friction option on the rear.

 

[Lysander]

id rather jump off the bike , dust myself off and physically move the chain between sprockets with my bent and broken fingers while having people throw rear mechs at me covered in poo than consider riding a bike with gripshite

Shimano Total Integration explained...........

 

[yo-eddy]

.. uhhhhh, Rohloff maybe :roll: , in my case with a twist shifter

 

[gump]

For proper old school - XT thumbies look great and work well. Amazingly reliable.
I used thumbies for years after STi - main reason being when your gears go to shit in a race, you could always get all your gears, when you wanted. Especially good in mud. When a cocked gear change can cost you a win, these things were important to me.


Having used the new push-pull Shimano lately, they work very well. Though I always set them up to use my thumb and flick the release lever instead of finger.
Low and behold, the latest shimano push, push-pull (?!) shifters are even better suited. Though they have missed a few shifts..

 

[dirtjumper_dmr]

for retro i was always thumbies but now prefer the deore dx push push on my karakoram. best shifters overall deffo sram they just feel right

 

[JustKev]

Always loved the look of Gripshift but never got on with them, a real PITA to set up. Push-pull for ease of use, preferably in M900 flavour

 

[makster]

I use bar-ends so thumbies all the way for me. My first mountain bike had thumbies too so proper retro imo

 

[Pickle]

Always loved the look of Gripshift but never got on with them, a real PITA to set up. Push-pull for ease of use, preferably in M900 flavour

Agree ok both counts Kev.

Always used push/pull STI, but decided to have a pop with Gripshift as I though X-Ray looked sweet. Its ok, but I dont like having narrow grips.

However, I have always lusted for thumbies and have now got some. Cant wait to use them in anger.

 

[Wold Ranger]

Sifty

Toss up between Gripshift for fast shifting, lightweight and no sore Thumb knuckles on long rides, as with Triggers and Dual Control for the pure think and its done action and the clean look on the bars.

 

[stevek]

Thumbies on the Yo and push pull STI's on my geared bikes. I prefer the STI's but of course both rarely used as I'm a one gearer.