# Could I ever like gripshift?



## Sheffield_Tiger (10 Aug 2010)

Mind is turning to upgrading my MTB next month as on all my other bikes I'm spoiled with 8 or 9 speed cassettes and my MTB is still on a 7sp (though the hub will take a 9) and a fairly wide ratio (forget the sizes offhand) and I'm growing to dislike the significant changes in gears - how did I ever manage to pootle around on an SA 3-speed? - oh right, yes, that was in lovely, flat Hull where they built a railway flyover just so they could have a bit of a hill 

I'm just wondering....could I ever grow to like gripshift? To be honest I've never really tried it apart from quick goes on cheap BSO clunkers and a part of me still yearns for my old 6sp Mountain LX thumbshifters....though I have grown to like my old STX rapidfire pods.

I wonder..am I just being an old stick-in-the-mud?

Anyone else changed from rapidfire to gripshift and liked it or hated it and changed back?


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## TheDoctor (10 Aug 2010)

I've got bikes with rapid fire, gripshift and road STIs. To be honest, they're all fine. Once you get away from BSO-style gripshifters to SRAM or Shimano ones, they work nicely, and you can change the cable when needed.


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## Muddyfox (10 Aug 2010)

Cheap gripshift are rubbish but i rode an MTB with Sram X0 gripshift and it was lovely much much nicer than trigger shift and lighter with less maintenance 

Simon


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## CounterfeitKelly (10 Aug 2010)

Get the X series Sram kit - easy to set up and maintain, very forgiving of awkward, cable routing frame designs and harsh riding conditions. Try opening up a Rapidfire unit and watch all the bits fall on the floor...

Sheffield Tiger, you used to work at Orbit with Simon Gershon? I was down in the 'pit' at West Street till 97 so we may have met (or at least know some of the same people). I'm Mike Owen if we have met. If not, nice to meet you.


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## Sheffield_Tiger (10 Aug 2010)

CounterfeitKelly said:


> Get the X series Sram kit - easy to set up and maintain, very forgiving of awkward, cable routing frame designs and harsh riding conditions. Try opening up a Rapidfire unit and watch all the bits fall on the floor...
> 
> Sheffield Tiger, you used to work at Orbit with Simon Gershon? I was down in the 'pit' at West Street till 97 so we may have met (or at least know some of the same people). I'm Mike Owen if we have met. If not, nice to meet you.



I was thinking along the lines of X0 if I was to go to gripshift.

I don't think I've met you personally or if I have then apologies, I'm terrible with names but I'm Alan Hood if that rigs any bells, though most likely we have probably met the same people (Chris"Fish", Mcgill and "Clunes" spring to mind) though I was only on piecework building the wheels around 96-97 so never got the exotic jobs like riding tandems solo down Granville Road to deliver them to West St.


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## Simba (11 Aug 2010)

Whats wrong with rapidfire? 

I use sram x4 trigger system and had no problems with it


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## Muddyfox (11 Aug 2010)

Fluffy said:


> Whats wrong with rapidfire?
> 
> I use sram x4 trigger system and had no problems with it



Nothing wrong with trigger shift, i use Sram SX5 on my Cannondale F5 but a well set up gripshift like Srams X0 is simply superb

Simon


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## Spokesmann (11 Aug 2010)

Haven't used a twist grip since riding an SW16 in the 1970s, the old Sturmey Archer one was OK. My Chopper Mk3 has one, although its never been ridden...


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## martint235 (11 Aug 2010)

Ok complete newbie question. Ok been here for a while but.....

On gripshift, when you stand up doesn't the gear change with your change in hand position?

I've ridden rapidfire for a while (6 years ish) and shimano 105 (road) for a couple of years


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## Mark82 (12 Aug 2010)

martint235 said:


> Ok complete newbie question. Ok been here for a while but.....
> 
> On gripshift, when you stand up doesn't the gear change with your change in hand position?
> 
> I've ridden rapidfire for a while (6 years ish) and shimano 105 (road) for a couple of years




If your hanging on the grip like ya life depended on it then i guess it would but i never had any problems shifitng gears by mistake


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## marzjennings (12 Aug 2010)

I've ridden with SRAM X0 for years and love 'em. I like the direct feel in shifting, the fact that I can drop through the entire ranges of gears in one shift, that there are no triggers to snap off in a crash and it's hard for any mud 'n' grim to get into the shifters and clog them up.

On the downside, you can't shift while braking and..... we'll I can't think of any more downsides.


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## CounterfeitKelly (12 Aug 2010)

Sheffield_Tiger said:


> I was thinking along the lines of X0 if I was to go to gripshift.
> 
> I don't think I've met you personally or if I have then apologies, I'm terrible with names but I'm Alan Hood if that rigs any bells, though most likely we have probably met the same people (Chris"Fish", Mcgill and "Clunes" spring to mind) though I was only on piecework building the wheels around 96-97 so never got the exotic jobs like riding tandems solo down Granville Road to deliver them to West St.




Hello Alan, the name rings a bell though I can't put a face to it to match up. I remember Chris, ah 'happy' days.

I googled Orbit Gold Medals a few weeks ago and found a post you put up about what had become of Orbit, so thats how I'm here now. I had some news off Gareth Rainford who used to come down from Leeds to sort out the computers. Simon sold Orbit to JD's in Ilkley (they are tandem specialists) and I'm not sure what happened to the Gerashift side of the business. Apparently Simon is currently walking the ROcky Mountains trail...

Better to ride a Tandem solo down Granville Road than up it!


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## jethro10 (12 Aug 2010)

Muddyfox said:


> Cheap gripshift are rubbish but i rode an MTB with Sram X0 gripshift and it was lovely much much nicer than trigger shift and lighter with less maintenance
> 
> Simon



Thats what I have and love it.

My wife is a weakling, and was struggling with a sore thumb on the front gear change, someone on here recommended trying twist shift. She is Shimano and I fitted Sram Attack twisters.
It worked great for her, and I kinda liked it so changed mine also but got Sram XO as I am Sram. 

Jeff


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## jethro10 (12 Aug 2010)

martint235 said:


> Ok complete newbie question. Ok been here for a while but.....
> 
> On gripshift, when you stand up doesn't the gear change with your change in hand position?
> 
> I've ridden rapidfire for a while (6 years ish) and shimano 105 (road) for a couple of years




Are you assuming the twister bit is the full length of a normal grip?

It's not, it's perhaps 25mm long so you change with your thumb and one (usually) or two fingers (Wife - small hands!), and the rest of the grip is normal er, grip ;-)
So it's unlikely to change by mistake, I never have.

Jeff


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## Kirstie (24 Aug 2010)

I ran X0 for a few years on my race bike and ditched it, mainly because my hands are just too small, but also because I found an excessive amount of twisting was needed to change on the front chainrings. On longer races (12 hrs +), when your hands go numb from all of the vibration, I could barely change gear. I'm on X0 triggers now and they are much better IMO.


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## Will Rowling (17 Apr 2013)

marzjennings said Gripshift means you can't change gear while braking ...

In 17 years of virtually nothing but Gripshift, on various bikes, that has never ocurred to me.
However, I use mostly the back brake. In the UK, that's the left hand.
Mostly, I will be changing the rear derailleur. That's the right hand.

Countries where they have the brake levers the "wrong" way round will struggle.
I see marzjennings is in the USA. Are the brake levers the "wrong" way round there ?


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## GrumpyGregry (17 Apr 2013)

I love X0 gripshift. I love X0 triggers. I have one of each on my hardtail. (It was X9 but I upgraded)


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## 02GF74 (18 Apr 2013)

I am not a fan of gripshift although many are. Gear shifting is achieved by gripping the twisty part with thumb and 1st/2nd fingers and rotating it, which means you are not able to brake at the same time.

Athough it is not often you need to do that, I don't like losing that ability - but you can adjust your riding style to compensate.

Secondly I found it would shred my mittens.

SRAM shifters are nice but the Shimano shifters with 2-way release *absolutely rule*


2-Way release allows the upper shift lever to performs the same Multi Shift function but swings in either direction allowing it to be released by the thumb or index finger


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## subaqua (18 Apr 2013)

on long rides with lots of changes i found it rubbed me a little . might have been technique though


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