Why would you use anything other than thumbies?

[mk1Matt]

I love my thumbshifters. Bought them new in '95 and still use them now! STI pods are better technically, but I hate the way the lever sticks into my finger - I just find it uncomfortable after a while.

 

[clockworkgazz]

All great comments but are you suggesting a singlespeed ziggy? I have never riden one (exepting my striker when I were a lad) but can you really ride offroad with one cog??? :shock: Or would the technical term for that be walking

 

[Ziggy]

All great comments but are you suggesting a singlespeed ziggy? I have never riden one (exepting my striker when I were a lad) but can you really ride offroad with one cog??? :shock: Or would the technical term for that be walking

Singlespeed is great! I wouldn't want to ride it all the time (hence having bikes with RF+ & thumbies too!), but it certainly makes a change & it's so simple & fun!

 

[ededwards]

.... can you really ride offroad with one cog???

Yes you can!

Surprisingly I can ride almost everything ss that I can geared (not much then) and it is amazing at first what is possible with no gears to choose from. Not better or worse than gears, just different and definitely my preference when as muddy as now due to less to clean/maintain. Not everyone's cup of tea though and I guess it depends on where you live/ride.

 

[Agency_Scum]

I've mothballed me drivetrain for winter but when I do use cogs it's got to be the nightriders' choice of thumbies.

 

[yo-eddy]

Allways used the good old XT thumbshifters, very reliable parts, good working STI (M900) or GS are faster but not half as reliable,
my new GROOVY will be Rohloff Speedhub geared though,
never tried it out but the concept is just 100% my style :roll:

 

[SeeingisBelievingGTMuseum]

I love my thumbshifters. Bought them new in '95 and still use them now! STI pods are better technically, but I hate the way the lever sticks into my finger - I just find it uncomfortable after a while.

Time for updating. The newest XTR levers are adjustable so they wouldn't hit.

 

[FSR-Si]

Ive binned the 7spd sti's off my alpinestars and put some nice Deore thumbshifters on it, They brought back memories

 

[messiah]

I like them all... but I've yet to try the new one that's been out for the last three years.

Kona = Singlespeed
Balfa = 9spd Rapidfire Plus
Trek = 8spd Rapidfire Plus
Lloyd = XCPro 8spd Thumbies
Nicolai = Gripshift (Rholoff)

 

[Andy R]

Well, I'm now using 8 speed Rapidfire Plus shifters on my '88 Kona Explosif (with 7 speed drivetrain) after using thumb shifters until 3 years ago. If I didn't actually ride the bike I'd put the thumbies (and some other stuff, like that lovely (?) Biopace crankset) back on for the sake of authenticity, but while I'm still able to ride it half reasonably I'll stick with what I've got. In fact, I must get round to getting a rear wheel with an eight speed hub one of these days......