Grip or lever shifters?

spdiers said:

I can't decide whether to use grip shifters instead of lever shifters on my MTB. Guys in the group are split, any big advantage of one over the other? 😕

I use grip shifters and like them a little better than thumb shifters. They are more convenient and do not clutter up the handlebar like thumb shifters. The only down side that I have seen is that once in a while I might have my hand on the shift part of the handle when I go to climb or do something else that requires me to put presssure on the handlebar, and I will cause it to shift.

kdelong said:

I use grip shifters and like them a little better than thumb shifters. They are more convenient and do not clutter up the handlebar like thumb shifters. The only down side that I have seen is that once in a while I might have my hand on the shift part of the handle when I go to climb or do something else that requires me to put presssure on the handlebar, and I will cause it to shift.

I hate grip shifters. Maybe it is because the derailleurs of the grip shift bike I had were not adjusted properly (at that time, didn't know about these things)...

Cool, just like the group, 50/50 so far. 😎 I think I'm leaning toward the grips, just to try 'em out. Thanks

I didn't like grip shifters on the mtb - every so often, I'd get an accidental shift when I was pulling hard on the handlebars.

One big downside with gripshift, you need to either cut down or get special bar grips- also you can't replace the rubber grips on the twist shifters.

David

Bump.

FWIW. I prefer grip shifts because you can shift more than one cog at a time AND "muscle" a downshift, if necessary.

I only have the "half-pipe" type, so the issues of accidental shifting OR fitting grips has not been a factor.

alfeng said:

FWIW. I prefer grip shifts because you can shift more than one cog at a time AND "muscle" a downshift, if necessary.

I only have the "half-pipe" type, so the issues of accidental shifting OR fitting grips has not been a factor.

I have LX shifters (new type) they work similar to road bike shifters. The brake lever is the shifting lever, move it up or down for shifting. I like them and prefer them. I don't like grip shifts. I've rode bikes with them for a while and didn't like them. A friend who had them said that with sweaty or muddy hands they sometimes sliped, the other type require less effort.

Solanog said:

I have LX shifters (new type) .

How much do a pair of shifters like that cost? Who produces them?

Dfreeman said:

How much do a pair of shifters like that cost? Who produces them?

I have no idea about the price (I have had them for a while, maybe 2 or more years). They are Shimano LX shifters. You can upsift up to three gears with one stroke of the brake lever (similar to road bike shifters only that this one is only one lever) and downshift one by one with each stroke of the brake lever but moving it the other direction.

They are similar or the same as these>

http://www.beyondbikes.com/bb/ItemDesc.asp?IC=QLD5804

Thanks

I don't ride a mountain bike, but I do ride a comfort bike with grip shifters, and they work fine. I have also wanted to try other shifters, so I do have a set of Rapid Fire shifters I haven't mounted yet that I am waiting to try.

Now I need to add the LX shifters to my list of shifters to try... although I am a cheapskate, and will probably not buy a set, I would like to try a pair out if they were available on a bike I was interested in buying.

dgregory57 said:

I don't ride a mountain bike, but I do ride a comfort bike with grip shifters, and they work fine. I have also wanted to try other shifters, so I do have a set of Rapid Fire shifters I haven't mounted yet that I am waiting to try.

Now I need to add the LX shifters to my list of shifters to try... although I am a cheapskate, and will probably not buy a set, I would like to try a pair out if they were available on a bike I was interested in buying.

These shifters work very well, the only issue I've had is when going in rough terrain where the bike vibrates a lot I've hit the shift lever (brake lever) and have shifted without being aware of it. Just a little care and they are fine.
They are available also in XT, I don't know if Deore and XTR have the same system.

I started with cheapo triggers...then about five years ago went to grip shift. Just this week I put SRAM Attack triggers back on. Wow. I liked the gripshift because it was something new when I put it on. Now I REALLY know which I like. (no, it's not just because they're the new ones now). You get alot better grip on the bars with triggers. I found myself only really gripping with my outer two fingers, reserving the other two for shifting and braking. But hey, just my opinion.