Grip-Shift vs. Triggers

[Brick]

Took the rigid on a 20 mile road jaunt this AM (bee-yootiful morning for a ride btw), and realized just how much I missed my old SRAM grip-shifts. Intuitive to operate, add or dump all the gears you want with the flick of the wrist.......simple. My hardtail has a set of Deore triggers mounted, which I've now deciced I just can't break fast enough.......

I researched shifting systems a lot prior to buying the hardtail, and triggers made the most logical sense, so when I bought the bike, I left the triggers on figuring I'd just get used to it. The system just hasn't "clicked " for me.

Just curious as to what thoughts and opinions folks have had that have used both, what you settled on, and why.

[Panman]

I like triggers myself. I just think there is more of a chance of accidental shifting with grips. And, if your in the middle of shifting and you come up on an obstical you might go over because your hands arn't in a good position. Just my thoughts. I've ridden only a little grip shifted bikes but enought to know this.

[ppgc]

I have fat hands and the triggers get in my way. :( Grip Shifts for me! I also like them because it is really easy to drop gears quickly...

[grizzly adam]

I'm running the SRAM. Greatest thing ever I think. I've never had a missed shift due to going over an obstacle or anything like that. There's a definate twist action thats needed to turn the grip, not just an upward motion. Besides, the clicks are prominent enough that it takes the right amount of effort to get the next gear.
When I was working in my dad's shop I saw lots of Shimano shifter pods come in damaged or not working and there were a couple that we opened up to try to fix - holy cow there are some moving parts in there! There's just too much potential in my mind for something to go wrong inside there. KISS.
Just until 2 years ago I was running XT thumbshifters - in friction mode - with great success. I have another pair, new, in a bag somewhere. Maybe next year I'll swap those out for the SRAM just for fun!

[Magic]

Sram trigger shifters are the only way to go for me. Sram forever!!!!!!!!

[homebrewbiker]

I had a hard time getting used to the thumb shifters at first, but now that I am used to them I really like them. The system I use is that you think opposite depending on which chain ring you are shifting on. Pushing the shifter away from you moves you onto a bigger ring (that's whay it's harder). And shifting into the wrong a gear a couple of times while climbing is a good teacher.:shocked:

[Aaroneous]

I had Grip Shifts on my old bike, and never missed a shift. Plus, it's way easier to dump a steaming load of gears and jam on the brakes at the same time... Now I got the triggers, so every time I crest a steep hill it's *clickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclick* to get from the 34 to the 11... It makes my finger tired. :cryin:

[Magic]

Try the Sram trigger shifters. You can dump all the gears you want, also take as many gears as you want. They work great.

[grizzly adam]

I had Grip Shifts on my old bike, and never missed a shift. Plus, it's way easier to dump a steaming load of gears and jam on the brakes at the same time... Now I got the triggers, so every time I crest a steep hill it's *clickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclick* to get from the 34 to the 11... It makes my finger tired. :cryin:
Ha haa - I love that sound! I like to think that it freaks the rider out in front of me and makes them think that I'm gonna be passin soon!

[berrywise]

I just think there is more of a chance of accidental shifting with grips. And, if your in the middle of shifting and you come up on an obstical you might go over because your hands arn't in a good position.
From someone who has ridden Grip Shift for about ten years now I can say that this really isn't a problem. It might be right when you are first trying them out but it's been so long I can't remember if I had such problems.

I did run the the downhill specific model for awhile with the longer shifter body on it (took up about 3/4 of the grip) and I did have misshifts with that and got rid of it after a year. The smaller, normal shift bodies are out of the way enough that you don't have misshifts and on the better models the amount you actually have to twist your wrist is quite small so you really are never in a bad hand positition. In fact I appreciate being able to have more of a grip on the bar instead having extra fingers out on the trigger pods.

[grizzly adam]

In fact I appreciate being able to have more of a grip on the bar instead having extra fingers out on the trigger pods.
TRUE DAT!

Plus - a lot of the weight is on the outside of your hands, not your pointer and thumb fingers.

[drakh]

I still run Sachs grip shifters on my ridgid bike. While they work well, they just can't compare to the SRAM impulse triggers on my new bike. Yeah, there is a lot of clicking when i want to upshift, but i normally do that slowly anyway. When i need to downshift to go up a big hill, i can dump 3-4 gears each push. Not quite as fast as my grip shifters but plenty fast for me. And i never have to move my hand or take fingers off of the brakes/grips. Much nicer, IMHO.

Michael

[Shickdawg]

My Wahoo came with Shimano EF29 triggers, which I had a really hard time getting used to, coming from some really old Shimano SIS thumb-shifters on my 13+ year-old Schwinn. It took a good 3 or 4 rides until I felt remotely comfortable with them. But even two months later, riding at Battle Creek on Friday, I went shifting the wrong way up a climb and got totally stuck.

My EF29's are set up so that I can dump about 3 gears per shift, if I want. So in that respect, I don't see much advantage in grip shifts.

[corey]

I had triggers on my Giant when I bought it, and I thought they where the greatest thing since sliced bread. The more I used them the more I disliked them. I probably used them for 3-4 years, and then switched to grip shifts, and I'll never go back. I love my grip shifts.


Thank you, that is all.

:crazy: corey

[Brick]

But even two months later, riding at Battle Creek on Friday, I went shifting the wrong way up a climb and got totally stuck.

My EF29's are set up so that I can dump about 3 gears per shift, if I want. So in that respect, I don't see much advantage in grip shifts.
I'm still blowing shifts with the triggers....not as much as I was, but always at what seems the WORST time, and a lot more than I think I should be at this point in the season. Being able to dump 3 is nice (the Deores work the same way), but being able to dump ALL of them is better.

Methinks I have an upgrade plan for next season.....

[Tetreves]

TRUE DAT!

Plus - a lot of the weight is on the outside of your hands, not your pointer and thumb fingers.
Yeah, but your gripping strength is on your pointer and thumb fingers. I'll shift with my index, brake with my middle, and have my index finger back on the bar fast enough to get a strong grip for bunny hops. See Shad's thread on bunny hopping where we discussed "torquing" the bar. I would think this would be harder with a grip-shift.