Are my Sram hoods incomplete?

[Mr Farley]

Hi, just received my new Planet x bike the other day which has Sram red shifters.  Obviously with these being top of the range I was expecting them to be really comfortable!  So I was suprised that when I took the bike out for its maiden voyage the other day the hoods felt quite strange, like there was something missing.  The problem is when I'm riding with my hands on the hoods (especially going up hills) it feels like there is a gaping big hole under the rubber where my thumbs goes on the inside of the bar.  Almost like there is a blanking plate missing or something?  If you pull the rubber back from underneath you can see all the internals of the shifters etc.  Compare this to my Shimano 105 shifters which feel very solid.  Has anyone else got sram shifters and noticed this? or is there something missing from mine?  Maybe it's a weight saving ploy?  I'd be grateful on any opinions, will upload a picture later to show what I mean.  Thanks.


Sram hoods, squishy part where thumb goes


 




Shimano hoods






I'm probably just being paranoid, but was expecting them to be more ergonomically designed. 

 

[Garz]

You have every right to query this mate, the builder could have forgotten to cover them before shipping it out.

 

[Mr Farley]

You have every right to query this mate, the builder could have forgotten to cover them before shipping it out.

Yeah it's very odd as they really don't feel right at all,  this is supposed to be part of a £900 groupset!!   although the shifting between gears is impressively smooth.

I've now had a reply from Planet x and they say they've checked a few sets and apparently they're all like it, they even admitted themselves that it does seem a bit weird compared to the Shimano ones!  Which leaves me wondering if they got a dodgy batch or something as I can't believe they should feel like it.

I'd be grateful to hear anyone elses experiences with Sram shifters.

 

[e-rider]

you simply need to compare with another picture - surely there must be thousands of pics. of these on the web?

I just looked on the web (which you could easily do) and the SRAM RED ones I have seen (all with black hoods though) have a slightly different design to yours. It is not so easy to find a shot of the inside though, most show them from the outside.

Are there several versions of SRAM RED? And is it updated every year?

Stick with Shim or campy next time!

 

[Mr Farley]

you simply need to compare with another picture - surely there must be thousands of pics. of these on the web?

I justed looked on the web (which you could easily do) and the SRAM RED ones I have seen (all with black hoods though) have a slightly different design to yours. It is not so easy to find a shot of the inside though, most show them from the outside.

Are there several versions of SRAM RED? And is it updated every year?

Stick with Shim or campy next time!

You said yourself, it's hard to find a shot that shows whether or not the thumb area has anything underneath it! I've already looked and couldn't tell, which is why I was asking on here. I don't know anything about different versions of the Sram shifters, If I did I wouldn't be asking !

 

[e-rider]

well, all I can say is I did see 2 sets with black hoods on youtube with close-up pics and they looked slightly different to yours.

 

[Mr Farley]

well, all I can say is I did see 2 sets with black hoods on youtube with close-up pics and they looked slightly different to yours.

Ok, well thanks for looking. Ive also looked but finding it hard from pictures which is why I thought it best to ask for some first hand experience.

 

[l4dva]

Go into a local bike shop and they must have a few demo bikes on show with sram red hoods, see if they have the same bits 'missing' as yours?

 

[amaferanga]

Just looked at my SRAM Red shifters (from Planet X) and there is also a hollow bit on the inside of the hood. For me its obviously not where my thumb or fingers sit because I haven't noticed it when riding. I'd be interested to know if there's anything missing, but I suspect not.