Kids of today just don't get it...

[Arran]

... & neither do the majority of adults.

I've built myself a custom 2015 Cannondale Trigger 27.5 Carbon 2 with XTR & a nice WTB i23 KOM/XTR/Lefty wheelset. Because the bike runs handlebar mounted levers for the rear shock travel reducer and the dropper post, with rapidfire shifters, the bars look ridiculously cluttered & it looks crap!

I've been lucky enough to come into possession of a couple of sets of 10-speed Shimano Dynasys compatible thumbies & adding them to the new rig in place of the rapidfire units has really tidied up the bars. The couple of retrogrouches that have had a look at the set up have been impressed but EVERY other twat has given me crap about them. If only they knew...

 

[jimo746]

I see what you mean about the bars being less cluttered now, but do they work as well as the Rapidfire ones you took off?
I couldn't imagine going back to thumbies (even 10 speed ones) on my modern bike, the XTR shifters I use are so light and quick, and the double change by pushing the "pull" lever has come in pretty useful too (I was sceptical about that feature at first).

At one point I had brakes, shifters, remote fork lockout, and dropper post controls on my bars, any more would have been silly... I've now ditched the remote lockout, but at least modern bikes have bars that are plenty wide enough to place all these gadgets... can you imagine trying to cram all that lot onto a set of 540mm wide flat bars??!

 

[iamkeith]

Wait! I got stuck right at the beginning of your post, on:

...10-speed Shimano Dynasys compatible thumbies ...

What are they? Please share details! Do they have a friction option?

I totally get it, for what it's worth. You just have to learn to pity the critics for their Naïveté rather than let them get to you. Clutter aside, what's not to like about mechanical simplicity, reliability, rebuildability, weight savings, good ergonomics, better aesthetics and, presumably, lower cost - all rolled together?

The lack of a thumbshifter option has been the main reason I've refused to make the jump to 10 speed. (That and the non-reusable master-link thing.) I'd sure like to try the clutch derailleur and larger cogs, though. 10 speed bar ends shift levers on paul's thumbie mounts - my standby hack - obviously wouldn't work with mountain derailleurs, due to the pull ratio differences. Sounds like someone has come up with a solution though????!!!...

 

[Arran]

... do they work as well as the Rapidfire ones you took off?

... the double change by pushing the "pull" lever has come in pretty useful too...:

The rear shifter has really positive shift clicks & the front shifts from low to high rings (& back again) with a really short throw. They're super-snappy. I was sold on XTR's 2-gear downshift feature too, BUT remember that with thumbies you can shift the WHOLE cassette in 1 go!!!

Wait! I got stuck right at the beginning of your post, on:

...10-speed Shimano Dynasys compatible thumbies ...

What are they? Please share details! Do they have a friction option? ...

Yep, they're made for Dynasys (clutch type included). Friction is an option on the rear too.

Here's the link to Microshift's thumbie page.

 

[Arran]

Re:

I've also got a 10s thumbie on my Fatty, set up as a 1x10 with an 11-42 wide range cassette. It's a sweet setup...

 

[iamkeith]

Re: Re:

I've also got a 10s thumbie on my Fatty, set up as a 1x10 with an 11-42 wide range cassette. It's a sweet setup...

YES! That's exactly where I would have used them, had I known they existed - on my fat bike. Thumbies are particularly superior when you ride in the winter with gloves, or when your hands get sweaty and slippery, inside of pogies.

Good find!

 

[minor_LEGEND]

People get too hung-up on what looks right or wrong nowadays.

If it works & you are happy with it, I say it's all good. I'm inclined to agree that when it comes to handlebar layout etc where it's right under your nose, sure aesthetics do mean something but I don't see anything out of place.

 

[Raging_Bulls]

Re:

Hang on ... so those work with an MTB mech? Weird, I have a Microshift 3x10 set which didn't want to work with my M780 mech and turned out to be specific for road mechs.

Time to order some new thumbies then ...

 

[mattr]

Clutter aside, what's not to like about mechanical simplicity, reliability, rebuildability, weight savings, good ergonomics, better aesthetics and, presumably, lower cost - all rolled together?

FWIW I don't think anything 10 speed mtb is really rebuildable! Also you might want to look up the meaning of ergonomics, as thumbies certainly aren't! They have their place, but the ergonomics and ease of use of RF (except in certain specialised applications) is far superior.

Time to order some new thumbies then ...

Same here, stick them on my training/play/snow bike, which (eventually) will go 1x10. Just make sure i get the ones with the MTB pull ratio!

Seems they do 10 and 11 as well. Hmmmmm. Spendy.

 

[superstar1]

What's that alter type pedestal thing your bike is fixed to? It looks like some sort of shrine, is the bike ever ridden, or is it fixed to that effigy for all eternity?