Grip Shifters

"Chuck" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:2bYve.177$Iv6.118@trnddc03...

Quoted message said:

I've recently worn through the rubber coating/cushoning on my rear
shifter. My LBS has no solution but to buy new shifters. Normally this
isn't much of a problem but with this heat and all I get so sweaty that
my hand slips and I can't get a good enough grip to shift. Anyone have a
cheap fix? I thought of taping them. Thanks.

Don't know how long it would last but how about McNett SeamGrip?
I'd suggest multiple thin layers as thick ones will drip before drying.

Might also wrap with thin twine in a colour of your choice - it'll give
something for the SeamGrip to soak in to and add some abrasion resistance.

I'd be shocked if you couldn't find a replacement rubber grip for the
shifter. Contact the manufacturer if your LBS isn't willing or capable of
tracking the part down for you.

If you want something done right...

On Mon, 27 Jun 2005 19:10:54 GMT, Chuck <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I've recently worn through the rubber coating/cushoning on my rear
shifter. My LBS has no solution but to buy new shifters. Normally this
isn't much of a problem but with this heat and all I get so sweaty that
my hand slips and I can't get a good enough grip to shift. Anyone have a
cheap fix? I thought of taping them. Thanks.

A friend of mine used to cut sections from an old inner tube and slip
it over the GripShift.

jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3

Chuck said:

I've recently worn through the rubber coating/cushoning on my rear
shifter. My LBS has no solution but to buy new shifters. Normally this
isn't much of a problem but with this heat and all I get so sweaty that my
hand slips and I can't get a good enough grip to shift. Anyone have a
cheap fix? I thought of taping them. Thanks.

Yeah, try taping them with something, doubt you'll find replacement
rubbers. If that doesn't work, try finding some compatible shifters other
than the gripshift style, which was a bad idea from day one. I remember
riding a prototype of them that a friend was trying out for the
manufacturer a few years ago and remarking to him how incredibly clumsy
and uncomfortable they were, then they took over the market. Go figure.

I'd try some hockey or tennis racket tape on 'em, and replace the grips
with full length ones to get some comfort. 😉

Chuck said:

I've recently worn through the rubber coating/cushoning on my rear
shifter. My LBS has no solution but to buy new shifters. Normally this
isn't much of a problem but with this heat and all I get so sweaty
that my hand slips and I can't get a good enough grip to shift.
Anyone have a cheap fix? I thought of taping them. Thanks.

I could almost swear I've seen replacement GS grips -- for really cheap,
too -- that just slip right on the mechanism. Look around for some...OR
just tape 'em or even rough 'em up for friction. (Good gloves can also help
the slipping problem.)

Bill S.

"Bill Sornson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Chuck said:

I've recently worn through the rubber coating/cushoning on my rear
shifter. My LBS has no solution but to buy new shifters. Normally this
isn't much of a problem but with this heat and all I get so sweaty
that my hand slips and I can't get a good enough grip to shift.
Anyone have a cheap fix? I thought of taping them. Thanks.

I could almost swear I've seen replacement GS grips -- for really cheap,
too -- that just slip right on the mechanism. Look around for some...OR
just tape 'em or even rough 'em up for friction. (Good gloves can also
help the slipping problem.)

Bill S.

I've also seen them, but don't remember brand names or where and when.

"di" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:j2_ve.22017$mC.15364@okepread07...

Quoted message said:

"Bill Sornson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Chuck said:

I've recently worn through the rubber coating/cushoning on my rear
shifter. My LBS has no solution but to buy new shifters. Normally this
isn't much of a problem but with this heat and all I get so sweaty
that my hand slips and I can't get a good enough grip to shift.
Anyone have a cheap fix? I thought of taping them. Thanks.

I could almost swear I've seen replacement GS grips -- for really cheap,
too -- that just slip right on the mechanism. Look around for some...OR
just tape 'em or even rough 'em up for friction. (Good gloves can also
help the slipping problem.)

Bill S.

I've also seen them, but don't remember brand names or where and when.

Look at these

http://www.cambriabike.com/shopexd.asp?id=16712

The link that "di" posted looks like the answer, but, if you need a
temporary fix, or just like to do it yourself, Shoe Goo might work. It's a
clear rubbery product which squeezes out of a tube, for repairing shoe
soles.

maxo said:

Chuck said:

I've recently worn through the rubber coating/cushoning on my rear
shifter. My LBS has no solution but to buy new shifters. <snip>

<snip>

I'd try some hockey or tennis racket tape on 'em, and replace the grips
with full length ones to get some comfort. 😉

Sorry to hijack the thread, but how is tennis/hockey tape different than
what comes on bikes? I can't tell a difference and I've never
re-gripped my bars.

--
Paul M. Hobson
Georgia Institute of Technology
http://www.underthecouch.org
..:you may want to fix my email
address before you send anything:.

Paul Hobson said:

Sorry to hijack the thread, but how is tennis/hockey tape different than
what comes on bikes? I can't tell a difference and I've never re-gripped
my bars.

most bars these days come with synthetic cork/foam type stuff and though
it usually has a low tack adhesive strip on the back, it's really held in
place more with tension as you stretch it a bit when putting it on. Old
fashioned cotton bar tape, hockey, or tennis tape has more adhesive and
would be a better choice for a something undergoing torque such as a grip
shifter.

The difference between hockey/tennis tape and old fashioned bar tape, as
far as I know, is simply the weave and the material, cycle tape's got more
cotton (or is all cotton).

If you really wanted to go old school on the grip shifters, wrap
them with cotton twine or bar tape, then shellac them.

😄

di said:

Look at these

http://www.cambriabike.com/shopexd.asp?id=16712

good find and the right price to be sure!

maxo said:

Paul Hobson said:

Sorry to hijack the thread, but how is tennis/hockey tape different than
what comes on bikes? I can't tell a difference and I've never re-gripped
my bars.

most bars these days come with synthetic cork/foam type stuff and though
it usually has a low tack adhesive strip on the back, it's really held in
place more with tension as you stretch it a bit when putting it on. Old
fashioned cotton bar tape, hockey, or tennis tape has more adhesive and
would be a better choice for a something undergoing torque such as a grip
shifter.

Not that it matters, but when I used to play and wrap my tennis rackets,
most tape didn't have any adhesive at all, it was kept from unraveling
by a thin and very sticky vinyl sticker up top. Hockey tape was
definately adhesive tape though.

Quoted message said:

The difference between hockey/tennis tape and old fashioned bar tape, as
far as I know, is simply the weave and the material, cycle tape's got more
cotton (or is all cotton).

Looking at it more closely now, the bike grip tape seems to be corkier.

Quoted message said:

If you really wanted to go old school on the grip shifters, wrap
them with cotton twine or bar tape, then shellac them.

😄

Thanks for the response!

On Mon, 27 Jun 2005 19:51:50 GMT, maxo <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Chuck said:

I've recently worn through the rubber coating/cushoning on my rear
shifter. My LBS has no solution but to buy new shifters. Normally this
isn't much of a problem but with this heat and all I get so sweaty that my
hand slips and I can't get a good enough grip to shift. Anyone have a
cheap fix? I thought of taping them. Thanks.

Yeah, try taping them with something, doubt you'll find replacement
rubbers. If that doesn't work, try finding some compatible shifters other
than the gripshift style, which was a bad idea from day one. I remember
riding a prototype of them that a friend was trying out for the
manufacturer a few years ago and remarking to him how incredibly clumsy
and uncomfortable they were, then they took over the market. Go figure.

I'd try some hockey or tennis racket tape on 'em, and replace the grips
with full length ones to get some comfort. 😉

I like the grip shifts on my commuter. It's really the only kind that
I can use in the winter with mittens on my hands. And mittens are the
only things that allow me to get through those cold days.

dgk said:

I like the grip shifts on my commuter. It's really the only kind that I
can use in the winter with mittens on my hands. And mittens are the only
things that allow me to get through those cold days.

I guess that makes a bit of sense, I just think sacrificing grip area for
a stupid uncomfortable knurled thing is silly. I've got big hands which
makes me biased.

I did my Chicago winters using a thumbshifter (for a Nexus 7) and I doubt
a grip shifter would have worked better. Of course Nexus moved to a grip
shifter for their next incarnation. :maxo rolls his eyes:

I do understand that they come with most bikes--so my criticism is leveled
at the manufacturers, not the folks choosing bikes.

maxo said:

Paul Hobson said:

Sorry to hijack the thread, but how is tennis/hockey tape different than
what comes on bikes? I can't tell a difference and I've never re-gripped
my bars.

most bars these days come with synthetic cork/foam type stuff and though
it usually has a low tack adhesive strip on the back, it's really held in
place more with tension as you stretch it a bit when putting it on. Old
fashioned cotton bar tape, hockey, or tennis tape has more adhesive and
would be a better choice for a something undergoing torque such as a grip
shifter.

The difference between hockey/tennis tape and old fashioned bar tape, as
far as I know, is simply the weave and the material, cycle tape's got more
cotton (or is all cotton).

If you really wanted to go old school on the grip shifters, wrap
them with cotton twine or bar tape, then shellac them.

😄

I ended up trying the friction tape. I only tried the right side. After
25 sweaty miles, my right hand was a sticky black mess. At the 45 mile
mark, it started cleaning up and the tape wasn't as sticky. I'll give it
another 100 miles before I try anything else. If it doesn't clean up, I
may try the friction tape with an inner tube over it.

Chuck said:

maxo said:

Paul Hobson said:

Sorry to hijack the thread, but how is tennis/hockey tape different
than what comes on bikes? I can't tell a difference and I've never
re-gripped my bars.

most bars these days come with synthetic cork/foam type stuff and
though it usually has a low tack adhesive strip on the back, it's
really held in place more with tension as you stretch it a bit when
putting it on. Old fashioned cotton bar tape, hockey, or tennis tape
has more adhesive and would be a better choice for a something
undergoing torque such as a grip shifter.

The difference between hockey/tennis tape and old fashioned bar
tape, as far as I know, is simply the weave and the material, cycle
tape's got more cotton (or is all cotton).

If you really wanted to go old school on the grip shifters, wrap
them with cotton twine or bar tape, then shellac them.

Quoted message said:

D

I ended up trying the friction tape. I only tried the right side.
After 25 sweaty miles, my right hand was a sticky black mess. At the
45 mile mark, it started cleaning up and the tape wasn't as sticky.
I'll give it another 100 miles before I try anything else. If it
doesn't clean up, I may try the friction tape with an inner tube over
it.

So spending 3 bucks on new covers ain't gonna work for you?

:-D

Bill Sornson said:

So spending 3 bucks on new covers ain't gonna work for you?

You're a guy too, right? Don't tell me you don't understand the challenge!

max "baling wire and duct tape" o

Bill Sornson said:

Chuck said:

maxo said:

On Tue, 28 Jun 2005 00:30:44 -0400, Paul Hobson wrote:

> Sorry to hijack the thread, but how is tennis/hockey tape different
> than what comes on bikes? I can't tell a difference and I've never
> re-gripped my bars.

most bars these days come with synthetic cork/foam type stuff and
though it usually has a low tack adhesive strip on the back, it's
really held in place more with tension as you stretch it a bit when
putting it on. Old fashioned cotton bar tape, hockey, or tennis tape
has more adhesive and would be a better choice for a something
undergoing torque such as a grip shifter.

The difference between hockey/tennis tape and old fashioned bar
tape, as far as I know, is simply the weave and the material, cycle
tape's got more cotton (or is all cotton).

If you really wanted to go old school on the grip shifters, wrap
them with cotton twine or bar tape, then shellac them.

> D

I ended up trying the friction tape. I only tried the right side.
After 25 sweaty miles, my right hand was a sticky black mess. At the
45 mile mark, it started cleaning up and the tape wasn't as sticky.
I'll give it another 100 miles before I try anything else. If it
doesn't clean up, I may try the friction tape with an inner tube over
it.

So spending 3 bucks on new covers ain't gonna work for you?

:-D

I'd break down and buy new shifters in a minute if I could find some 9
speed Deore thumb shifters. I'm close to taking the 7speed Deore
thumbshifters off another bike and just using them in friction mode.

As somebody said earlier in the tread, grip shifters suck. I've had so
many accidental shifts with these things, I can't see putting any more
money into them than the $.97 friction tape.

Quoted message said:

"Chuck" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:vuvwe.6477$Iv6.3179@trnddc03...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

So spending 3 bucks on new covers ain't gonna work for you?

:-D

I'd break down and buy new shifters in a minute if I could find some 9
speed Deore thumb shifters. I'm close to taking the 7speed Deore
thumbshifters off another bike and just using them in friction mode.

As somebody said earlier in the tread, grip shifters suck. I've had so
many accidental shifts with these things, I can't see putting any more
money into them than the $.97 friction tape.

Quoted message said:

9-speed thumb shifters are available everywhere, are you sure you want a
fix?

di said:

"Chuck" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:vuvwe.6477$Iv6.3179@trnddc03...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

So spending 3 bucks on new covers ain't gonna work for you?

:-D

I'd break down and buy new shifters in a minute if I could find some 9
speed Deore thumb shifters. I'm close to taking the 7speed Deore
thumbshifters off another bike and just using them in friction mode.

As somebody said earlier in the tread, grip shifters suck. I've had so
many accidental shifts with these things, I can't see putting any more
money into them than the $.97 friction tape.

Quoted message said:

9-speed thumb shifters are available everywhere, are you sure you want a
fix?

The *old fashioned* thumbshifters? Not the rapidfire type.