What !!!!!??????? !!!

[terryhfs]

.


Mine too. My fingers are above the bar. I have to move my fingers under the bar to change with the new kit. Give me thumb levers every time

How do you hold on with four fingers and your thumb over the bar?

 

[utahdog2003]

Thumbshifter bashing! Wha? :shock:

Where's all this "thumb placement" crap coming from? You only push the shifter with your thumb to move it into an easier gear to pedal, say before starting a climb, and NOT when you're holding on for dear life with your opposable digits. To shift for speed, you're using the side of your index finger to pull the thumbshifter toward you. I can't think of a time where I rode for any length of time or distance with all 5 digits above the bar because of some design weakness in my thumbies. :roll:

Thumbshifters are very ergonomically intuitive. To say otherwise, or to claim some baseless improvement in newer kit is simply gross generalization. In all reality, there are times for all three styles of shifter where you wouldn't reach for a new gear because you're doing something else in the name of controling the bike. No system is inherently better, just different.

That said, I kinda like twisties myself, but I'm not going to claim some crazy level of ergonomic superiority for the things. In all honsety, Rapid Fire triggers are more cumbersome to use for me as I always feel like I'm bumping the triggers while I move my hands around the bars...especially the left shifter, but I'll avoid generalizing that they would be more cumbersome for all.

Thumbshifters are one bit of retro goodness that does not nearly deserve the 'grouch' label as much as it gets it. :cry:

 

[silverclaws]

I wonder the preference for over bar shifters or under bar shifters has anything to do with style of riding. Me, I try to read the trail ahead and select the right gear for what is coming, hasten to say, my off road fun tends to be slow mud plugging in low gears, myself interested in just cross country riding. That is, staying on the bike, no matter what comes (within reason), thumbies work for me for my style. Speed, bombing down hills, tear assing across variable ground holds no interest to me, why I have never raced, but in those conditions where holding on for dear life, an under bar shifter would have it's advantages.

Any thoughts on riding style and style of cycle controls ?

 

[hamster]

I don't know about riding style, but certainly location.
All that click-click stuff is fine at a trail centre. When you are 80 miles from the nearest paved road, with camping kit and a couple of mountain passes in the way, thumbies and their reliability suddenly look a bit more appealing, even if you do need to rotate your thumb above the bar. :shock:

I've seen several generations of rapidfire fail, it's always catastrophic with a small cloud of flying springs and pawls.

Horses for courses. Thumbies are as simple as a knife and fork.

 

[philleeds]

Thats a shame for the bidder who paid £82 :shock:, i picked up a pair only the day before on ebay for £38.23 which i thought was steep at the time. But considering the price they where back in the 90's I'm rather pleased now.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Shimano-Deore-XT- ... 240%3A1318

 

[silverclaws]

I can't help thinking there, the high bidder got lead to that bid, but then perhaps they got into the frenzy of '' I must win'' and have only themselves to blame, as let's face it old thumbies are generally worn, side to side lever wear and detents where there should'nt be, as is the case with mine.

But indexing of gears, how easy is it to go haywire, do later shifters have a non index option ? I like the, '' oh bugger, the indexing has gone out of sync, just move to friction shifting and sort it out later ''

Just a thought, not anyone here who bought those thumbies on ebay was it, I bet they won't own up if they are here.

 

[Easy_Rider]

It's the advert. Good pictures and discription easily seduces people.
One reason why Halpoo gets away with selling poo

 

[Neil G]

I can't help thinking there, the high bidder got lead to that bid, but then perhaps they got into the frenzy of '' I must win'' and have only themselves to blame, as let's face it old thumbies are generally worn, side to side lever wear and detents where there should'nt be, as is the case with mine.

But indexing of gears, how easy is it to go haywire, do later shifters have a non index option ? I like the, '' oh bugger, the indexing has gone out of sync, just move to friction shifting and sort it out later ''

Just a thought, not anyone here who bought those thumbies on ebay was it, I bet they won't own up if they are here.

Often the way with e-bay..often people pay way over the price of what stuff is worth just to win an auction.

IMO one of the reasons I keep clear of the place lol

 

[terryhfs]

Thumbshifter bashing! Wha? :shock:

Where's all this "thumb placement" crap coming from? You only push the shifter with your thumb to move it into an easier gear to pedal, say before starting a climb, and NOT when you're holding on for dear life with your opposable digits. To shift for speed, you're using the side of your index finger to pull the thumbshifter toward you. I can't think of a time where I rode for any length of time or distance with all 5 digits above the bar because of some design weakness in my thumbies. :roll:

I've got both - my old bike has thumbshifters and my newer one has STI. My roadbikes have STI too.

What I find with thumbies is that I do this horrible wrist action to push them, which over the course of a day becomes really painful - especially as my 'old' bike is rigid. What I then end up doing is changing with the heel of my hand - I put my whole hand over the shifter, lever in the heel and then do an action like unscrewing a jam jar lid. It's not great for control.

When I finished my newer bike it was a revelation. I shift more often and without thinking and my wrists don't start doing actions they weren't designed for.

But as you say, each to their own - if they work for you then that's lovely! I like the look of the 6 speed XT ones on my old bike, they are after all pretty iconic as a mountain bike component - and shifts down into sprocket 5 or 4 are quite pleasant. Maybe thumbshifters work better on that bike as I've got fewer gears to choose from in the first place and so tend to shift less often?

 

[scant]

I don't know about riding style, but certainly location.
All that click-click stuff is fine at a trail centre. When you are 80 miles from the nearest paved road, with camping kit and a couple of mountain passes in the way, thumbies and their reliability suddenly look a bit more appealing, even if you do need to rotate your thumb above the bar. :shock:

I've seen several generations of rapidfire fail, it's always catastrophic with a small cloud of flying springs and pawls.

Horses for courses. Thumbies are as simple as a knife and fork.

that was true 12yrs ago maybe.. not anymore