Flight deck Shimano 105 sti 20



kaesark

New Member
Sep 18, 2007
5
0
0
Hi some help needed here, I have purchased a Giant TCR A2 with 105 Flight Deck. The problem for me is having short fingers, I find it all very bulky and less than easy to reach the levers. What are the alternatives for us stumpies.
Thanks for any Ideas:)
 
If 9-speed, you want to check out the Shimano ST-R600 short-reach shifters. If 10-speed, it's the ST-R700 short-reach shifters that you want. Available online or through your LBS.
 
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.cfm?SKU=24751

Use above link to purchase ST-R700; is on sale today for $US 309.96 (if Team Performance Member; otherwise $329.99) . You can get 20% off TODAY (5/12) ONLY with code 0043100000001113, which knocks it down to $247.97 (if member) or $263.99 (if not). Membership is only $20, so pays for itself on this one purchase. Plus, Team Perf members get free 2-day shipping upgrade also.
 
kaesark said:
Hi some help needed here, I have purchased a Giant TCR A2 with 105 Flight Deck. The problem for me is having short fingers, I find it all very bulky and less than easy to reach the levers. What are the alternatives for us stumpies.
Thanks for any Ideas:)
Go on-line & locate a TERRY Bicycle dealer that is close to you ...

Terry has a special handlebar which is designed to allow for a shorter reach when you are in the drops ...

Of course, you can order on-line, too.

OR (try this first), you can get in the habit of simply using your brake levers from the tops of the brake levers ... THAT's one of the beautiful bonuses that came along with the advent of the aero brake levers back in the 80s -- the ease of using the brake levers when your hands are on top of the hoods in addition to using the brake levers when your hands are on the drops.

With the Shimano levers, you'll want to orient them so the back of the "horn" is almost vertical. Try a few positions ... with the levers on the bars as-is by loosening the stem's face plate, re-orienting the bars, & re-tightening the face plate. Figure out what position is most comfortable, un-wrap the bars & re-locate the levers, re-orient/re-position the bars, tighten the face plate ... re-wrap the bars ... and, go for a ride!
 
alfeng said:
Go on-line & locate a TERRY Bicycle dealer that is close to you ...

Terry has a special handlebar which is designed to allow for a shorter reach when you are in the drops ...

Of course, you can order on-line, too.

OR (try this first), you can get in the habit of simply using your brake levers from the tops of the brake levers ... THAT's one of the beautiful bonuses that came along with the advent of the aero brake levers back in the 80s -- the ease of using the brake levers when your hands are on top of the hoods in addition to using the brake levers when your hands are on the drops.

With the Shimano levers, you'll want to orient them so the back of the "horn" is almost vertical. Try a few positions ... with the levers on the bars as-is by loosening the stem's face plate, re-orienting the bars, & re-tightening the face plate. Figure out what position is most comfortable, un-wrap the bars & re-locate the levers, re-orient/re-position the bars, tighten the face plate ... re-wrap the bars ... and, go for a ride!
Excellent the replies have really been of help, thinking I will get back to the bike shop for a fitting and take it from there. Regards Terry
 
alfeng said:
...you can get in the habit of simply using your brake levers from the tops of the brake levers ... THAT's one of the beautiful bonuses that came along with the advent of the aero brake levers back in the 80s -- the ease of using the brake levers when your hands are on top of the hoods in addition to using the brake levers when your hands are on the drops....
Is this true? I've been riding drop handlebar bikes since the early 70s, before the eve of aero style brake levers and I - and everyone I knew and rode with - have virtually always ridden on the hoods, braking from the hoods. We hardly ever (if ever) used the brakes from the drops. Just like today. In my mind, when the aero style brake levers came out the only significant difference was the hidden cable. It's always been my favorite look in brake levers aesthetically though.
 
Camilo said:
Is this true? I've been riding drop handlebar bikes since the early 70s, before the eve of aero style brake levers and I - and everyone I knew and rode with - have virtually always ridden on the hoods, braking from the hoods. We hardly ever (if ever) used the brakes from the drops. Just like today. In my mind, when the aero style brake levers came out the only significant difference was the hidden cable. It's always been my favorite look in brake levers aesthetically though.
Oh, you & your friends must have started with something other than MAFAC levers & MAFAC center-pull calipers OR your hands were much stronger than mine way-back-when!

I started with "naked" MAFAC levers & their mushy center pull brake calipers, and because of the extraordinary frame sizing (thanks to my indifferent LBS), I always rode in the drops AND necessarily (because of the MAFAC calipers) braked from the drops.

So, even when I had Campy levers (and, more importantly Campagnolo or SunTour calipers), I still braked from the drops -- the difference the stiffness & geometry in the Campy Nuovo Record levers when compared to the MAFAC levers may be small, but it is significant, IMO.

Regardless, the geometry of the PULL on the aero levers makes them significantly easier to use from the hoods than pre-aero levers UNLESS (I suppose) you actually wrapped your hands along the side of the lever in the fashion that Eddy Merckx often gripped his brake levers.