Why does nobody like gripshift?

[Sithlord]

Marin man wrote :

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

Cheers fella.. ,, yep they are all rubbish to use. send them this way I'll take them off ya hands and dispose of ..

 

[marin man]

I generally give mine away

 

[Sithlord]

Good man...

BTW.. on topic.. if anyone needs any spare parts to keep there's going ,, just drop me a line..

 

[Pogo]

Good man...

BTW.. on topic.. if anyone needs any spare parts to keep there's going ,, just drop me a line..

Thanks for the offer, but yet to break mine-
they seem pretty bombproof

 

[gerryattrick]

Just bought a 97 Rockhopper complete with gripshift (original I think). Without trying them I was prejudiced against them, and already looking to replace them with some RFs, but on reading this post will deffo keep them on to see if I get to like them.

Most people on this post who have tried them seem positive about them, with most (not all) negativity due to perception rather than experience e.g. they remind people of BSOs, whereas I thought most BSOs went for cheap versions of Shimano RFs & mechs & used the name Shimano as a selling point.

Anyway I'll reserve judgement until I try them over a longer period. I think this probably sums up much of the negative comment including mine.

I quite liked them on a town bike I had a while back, but not on my MTBs thank you very much. Surely cool grips are more important!

 

[sylus]

For me it is just purely location

The thumbies seem to be right were I need them where as the grip means moving the hand whilst I'm doing other things.

Doesn't mean they are bad just thumbies work better for me

 

[yagamuffin]

I just never got on with them.
Fine on a smooth, dry road but otherwise just no good.
Thick winter gloves/mud/wet/rough terrain. Just rubbish.
You just can't beat RF or Thumbies for ease of use in all conditions.

 

[Pino]

I like them (when ESP, not with Shimano). Simple and elegant. On the tandem they are the only shifters that keep getting a good signal to the rear.
Drawback: they are not very compatible with the Gravity Droper remote.

 

[FluffyChicken]

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.

The irony, The introduction of RapidFire and the backfire to them that this caused is what gave SRAM's Gripshift the space it needed to gain acceptance and a stronghold in the market back in the early 90's. Now look where that small company making so plastic twisting shifter is. Taken the place Suntour left.

I believe Shimano quite smart marketing, that even it thought was not the way to do it in the early '00 , and only bringing out 'TwistGrips' into its budget and town range and as such marketing them as 'not cool' has helped and put that image into a lot of late 90's cyclists heads.

 

[silverclaws]

They make a lot of good sense, but I guess it is just down to individual preference.

But was wondering at those who run motorcycles and ride atb's, do they run gritshit, sorry gripshit, doh grip shift shifters and how do they find them, with hand action knowledgeable with the throttle on a motorcycle ?