Why does nobody like gripshift?

[Anthony]

I'm a newcomer so when I first got into cycling it was the year, I think 97, when the manufacturers made the big mistake that twist shifters were going to take over. So vast numbers of new bikes were twist equipped and the market rebelled. Shops couldn't sell twist-equipped bikes and had to retro-fit RF in order to sell their bikes. As a consequence you would find brand new Gripshift for sale for £3/4 in the bargain box or in adverts. That's always been my image of them, even though I'm sure they have improved the design since then.

The only one I ever tried was ridiculously stiff and on a day like today would have been a joke with numb hands, compared to just having to click for a front downshift with RF.

 

[silverclaws]

I think of them as Gripshit.

Hahaha, you beat me too it, but I agree, used them for a bit and they annoyed the hell out of me. For some reason I got the shifting direction wrong with them, I would shift up instead of down and vice versa, they ain't natural.

With that was the accidental gear shifts caused by desert disease ; wandering palms on the bars, the grip space being too limited for big hands.

Yeah, and I noticed cable didn't last long either and gummed up rather quickly.

 

[kaytronika]

Asked myself the same question earlier in the week... The conclusion I came to was 'I don't know, I've never used them'

Maybe one day I'll try them, but it's a lot of faff to take the STX RC shifters off the Timberline, fit grip shift and then find a pair of brake levers.

BSOs have 'Twist Grip' shifters and generally they spin round on the bar before they actually shift gears.

 

[Stick Legs]

I went 8 speed for the first time on my Dyna Tech Quantum (1992 ish)

Fitted a Ultegra Freehub Body to my Deore DX hubs, got an 11t cog and slipped it into my 12-28 cassette and had no money left for XTR RF+ shifters or XT Thumbies....

So I went and got some SRT800 Xrays.

They worked great for me. But then I always was the kind of guy who would strip and re bild bikes for the hell of it, so nothing I own probably gets more than 6 months running one set of kit without some sort of felttling.

 

[tintin40]

If you can't use such an easy sytem then their must be some wrong with your hand coordination.

 

[T'boo Ted]

I got some on a bike i bought years ago. wjile i didn't eun them for long, they are now in the spare parts bin, I didn't ahve a problem with using them, jsut prefer rapid fire much more...

I actually used the front shifter on my DH bike for about a year (when DH still had triples) as I didn't have a spare RF shifter to run with V brakes (wost thing about the lever/pod things), worked fine, and they were totally inboard of the brake lever...

still prefer rapid fire though

 

[Sithlord]

I hated these with a passion years ago,, not through mis-shifting or ghost shifts or indeed any maintenance issues.. just they felt awkward to use after running rapidfire units..

However after actually giving them some time,, I find they are fantastic and just feel so much more natural and virtually maintenance free..

I must agree I find the Sach's wavey's give a nicer crisper shift,, seconded by the X ray SRT800's..

The nicest one I've used though is the Betsy shifter and mech , never had any issues with mis-shifting or needing to strip for servicing etc.. and the shift is just far far nicer to use than the shimano units..

The added bonus is they give the bike a cleaner look, and less bits to get damaged during a spill and a added bonus is they are really light..

In fact I like them that much,, I have a rather 'large' collection of these :

I think people dismiss these , due to actually not giving them time to re-adjust there shifting habits having used shimano's rapidfire systems for years.. , which is good for me

 

[marin man]

I will have the stars and stripes ones please si

 

[Sithlord]

I will have the stars and stripes ones please si

The betsy's fella... No chance dude.. they are going nowhere I've got three sets now, 2 x 8speed and 1 x 9speed, and they will be used as backups (if I ever need them) for my P20 fella..

 

[marin man]

I could easily hate you you know

Would look lovely on my marin...all red white and blue

Anyway back on topic,nice to look at but crap to use