Is this story true

tintin40

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Under bar levers came about because Pro rider David Baker turned his thumb lever up side down. So its him i've got to blame for being forced to use underbar when i want to use standard thumb shifters. Or would underbar come about any way?
I still ride as if i use thumb shifters. I have to keep moving my fingers down to the levers.
 
tintin40":25tq89dj said:
Under bar levers came about because Pro rider David Baker turned his thumb lever up side down. So its him i've got to blame for being forced to use underbar when i want to use standard thumb shifters. Or would underbar come about any way?
I still ride as if i use thumb shifters. I have to keep moving my fingers down to the levers.

I've heard that same rumour applied to greg herbold. he certainly had product development ties with shimano.
 
I remember doing that with my pre-indexing suntour xc shifters back in the 'late 80s and remember a lot of other guys doing it then. That pre dates the XT thumbshifters by a few years so I'd guess it was something that has evolved in many ways naturally rather than one person being responsible (although that said, it only takes one pro to make something widespread!)
 
Isla Rowntree did it too - pretty early on. I have an article on her bike somewhere which I promised to scan in for someone. Will do so when I manage to find it...!
 
mike kloser did it at the xc avimore race in scotland in 1989/90. i remember watching it on telly :D he was on an alpinestars.

underbar shifters came about because shimano wanted us to have "piano" style shifting! according an ad in mbuk at the time..
 
scant":3sf6wg82 said:
I've heard that same rumour applied to greg herbold. he certainly had product development ties with shimano.
He's changed ship!

gregh_old.jpg
 
sylvain":3hazykmq said:
scant":3hazykmq said:
I've heard that same rumour applied to greg herbold. he certainly had product development ties with shimano.
He's changed ship!

gregh_old.jpg

:shock: :shock: NOT A GOOD ADVERT. Guess who ate all the pies :LOL:
 
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