Windows ?

[dyna-ti]

Or no Windows ?

I am of course referring to gear indicators rather than operating systems, but then gear shifters are .....nevermind


On the commuter I've a set of alivio rapidfire with indicators, which I like. I like the glance down to see the gear im in. And how close to the top of the cog. Fronts easy to guage but the rear is guesswork, and it takes too long to glance back there, specially when you need to look forward to avoid hitting things.

Other shifters im using are the sram xo dont have them and tbh i wish they did.



Thoughts ?, reasons ?, missing them ?, glad theyre available without ? What is your preference :?

 

[tintin40]

i always remove. I go by the feel. Windows always reminds me of children bikes.

 

[dyna-ti]

Aren't they

 

[xerxes]

Re:

I predate windows, both the operating system and the sifter type, I predate indexed gears as well.

Even when I have shifters with widows I tend to forget they are there and never look at them. I will occasionally glance down between my legs and look at the cassette, but mainly I just go by feel and work on the principal that there is one right gear and somewhere between 6 and 26 wrong ones depending on what combination of chainrings and cassette cogs the bicycle I'm riding has.

 

[ishaw]

Re:

Windows are helpful, though my main bikes have xo or xtr without them and you get used to using feel rather than sight. Ultimately it doesn't matter what gear you are in by number, as long as it is the right one for the given situation

You can get inline gear indicators, they came with xtr gears and replace a section of the cable. You could in theory use these with your xo gearing?

 

[cherrybomb]

Re:

Without for me, but I don't really have anything against them, just think the bar looks neater without.

 

[FluffyChicken]

I see no point in them, I can ride fine and sort of tell what gear I am in when riding.
I don't need to know the actual gear.

They are on some bikes but I don't notice them.

 

[mk one]

I kind of prefer the look of the bars without windows, even though I do have shifters with them on which doesn't really bother me that much. I go by feel mostly, steep hill change down, go faster change up, well nowadays any slight incline change down

 

[mattr]

Re: Re:

You can get inline gear indicators, they came with xtr gears and replace a section of the cable. You could in theory use these with your xo gearing?

Don't think so, cable pull is completely different for SRAM. The little bobbin in the indicator would hit the end about half way through the gear range.

For me, i used to use them in 3x8 and 3x9. And they were fitted to the wifes 3x10.

Since we've almost all gone 2x now, there is really no need. And also running brakes inboard of the shifters means it can be difficult to get the shifters and brakes where you want them AND to fit the window in........

 

[davidj]

I run 1x11 XT but still like the window, approaching a busy junction and braking hard it lets me select the gear I will need to accelerate away with just a glance at the bars.