Grip vs Triggers

[Catrin]

I didn't realize that grip shifters are available for all of the top levels of SRAM. What are the advantages? Might they be a little easier on my hands, or is that simply a matter of adjustment? Just curious if someone has experience with them.

[spokewench]

I've used grip shift and triggers as you call them; it really depends on what you like the best and what you are used to. I've ridden both enough that I can ride either. Actually one bike has triggers one old bike has grip shift. Grip shift works better for me because I have problems with my thumb joints so pushing with my thumb is painful.

If I were completely honest, I think that I like grip shift best, but like I said, I use both and as long as the bike is shifting well and maintained well, it doesn't really matter that much.

I've had bike shops tell me that grip shift takes more maintenance, i.e. fine tuning to keep it shifting well. Don't know if that is really true or not.

spoke

[Catrin]

Sometimes I do have problems with my thumbs...perhaps this would be a good thing for me to check into. I need to test-ride a bike with SRAM off the trainer anyway, so it sounds like a good idea that I also test one with grips. I wonder how different the handlebar set-up would be? hmmmm thanks!

Edited - I guess I should call them "twister" rather than grip shifters.

[Cataboo]

Twister shifters are actually less maintenance than triggers - there's less to break. Twisters are also friction shifting, which means you can trim the front derailleur and have less issues with cross training.

I know I used to hate them on my cheap bikes from however long ago, shifting was hard and hurt my hands - but I imagine that quality grip shifters don't require that much effort.

[TsPoet]

Can't stand twist shifters. They are hard on my wrists, I have to move my hands away from a comfortable position on the HB to use them, and they are extra hard to use with sweaty hands.
Just another point of view :rolleyes:
I have paul thumbies on 1 bike (replacement for twisties, but I honestly don't have the bike yet, so don't know what I think of them), rapid fires on another (replacement for the twisties when I couldn't take it any more), and bar ends on my last bike. I like the bar ends the best. None of these are mt bikes, I don't ride them anymore, I'm too old and boring now. But, I had rapid fires on my Mt bike and loved them over the twisties they replaced.
On a mt bike, I'd go with rapid fires (do they still make them?).

[Catrin]

Twister shifters are actually less maintenance than triggers - there's less to break. Twisters are also friction shifting, which means you can trim the front derailleur and have less issues with cross training.

I know I used to hate them on my cheap bikes from however long ago, shifting was hard and hurt my hands - but I imagine that quality grip shifters don't require that much effort.

I did not know they are friction shifters, that is something to keep in mind. Then again, my long experience with friction shifting were those terrible bar-ends on my Surly before I converted her to indexed triggers. Nothing that a good test ride won't help me decide...thanks for the information!

I do appreciate all of the different perspectives - I do LIKE triggers - so I will really have to like the twisters to change.

[7rider]

I have Grip Shift on my mtb, and triggers on my commuter.

I really like the Grip Shifts. I find them to be more intuitive than triggers, easier to slam through multiple gear changes, and generally easier to deal with. No straining reaching thumbs. I do NOT find I mis-shift or shift accidentally when I have a death-grip on the bars in scary sections. (not that I ever mtb in "scary" sections anymore!)

The downside is when you ride 2 bikes with different shifters...I tend to get all be-fuddled, trying to learn how to shift again.

But, maybe that's just me. :o

[Catrin]

Please forgive if this is a silly question, but I am trying to picture how twisters are installed - at the end of the bars? I can't think of any other way they could be, but what do I know? If they are indeed at the end of the bar, then that would free up room on the bar...

[Cataboo]

I only have one bike with grip shifters, which I'm not sure how I will like. I picked it up cheap on craigslist a month or so ago for a 2nd mountain bike. And it was cheap enough that I was just thrilled it had nice quality components and was 9 speed (the craigslist listing had no details)

But this is where grip shifters are:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WfCe0A3iU1c/TTlSQytxhjI/AAAAAAAAcPg/3bo9Zw28JHU/s720/P1170430.JPG

[Catrin]

I only have one bike with grip shifters, which I'm not sure how I will like. I picked it up cheap on craigslist a month or so ago for a 2nd mountain bike. And it was cheap enough that I was just thrilled it had nice quality components and was 8 speed (the craigslist listing had no details)


Awesome, I like that better than what I was envisioning - thanks! I just need to find one to test ride when all of this ice goes away. I have 3-4 weeks or so before I have to decide on my final build...

[Cataboo]

Awesome, I like that better than what I was envisioning - thanks! I just need to find one to test ride when all of this ice goes away. I have 3-4 weeks or so before I have to decide on my final build...

Chainlove has had some of the sram pieces up periodically - they had the x-o twister shifters a week ago for $42 + shipping. So if you keep an eye out, you might be able to pick up pieces for your bike cheaper than what your bike shop can buy them for.

The bf loves sram grip shifters - he doesn't have any problem with it and likes that they're pretty much no maintenance and he can adjust the trim on the front derailleur to get rid of any cross training issues.

I've only test ridden that mountain bike for a bit, but not long enough to tell how I will like it long term. It did work much better than I remember my costco hybrid with grip shifters worked. Yes, if you have sweaty hands, it can be hard to shift - but I always ride with gloves, so that's not an issue for me. Gloves probably will solve the issue of me remembering grip shifters hurt my hands on the costco hybrid (it was more the friction on it)

[JennK13]

I have grip shifters on one bike and trigger shifters on my commuter and mountain bike - while I do like being able to trim with twist shifters, I LOVE and prefer trigger shifters and find I don't have a need to trim on them. Especially in the cold or the rain when I can't really grip or feel my hands, trigger still works.

[laura*]

I think trigger shifters have more mechanical advantage. The triggers might be two inch long levers with the cable spooling around a one inch spool.

With twist shifters, the grip might have a one inch radius and the cable is also being wound onto a one inch spool. Thus the twisters will need twice the force of triggers. Of course this action is also done with different muscles.

[Catrin]

Interesting comparison. I have found that I need to trim my triggers on the LHT rather frequently. I must also say that they are not mountain bike triggers, but a special trigger shifter that Shimano makes to work with a road crank/road bike. I don't have to trim as much as I used to, but it still requires a good amount. I will need to re-learn how to shift regardless on whether I go with SRAM (trigger or twister) or XT.

So I am hearing that twisters can take more effort to shift, though of course different muscles are used, and sweat can be an issue but gloves should take care of that. I can have problems with my thumbs, but can also have wrist problems depending upon position. I will see what I can do about a test ride on a bike with a twister shifter.

[ridebikeme]

I have used both for many years, and definietly can say that I prefer gripshift over trigger. With that said, I 'll also say that quality wise they are pretty equal, it's simply a preference. The only mechanical diiference is that on a mtn bike if I come around a corner and see a monster hill where I have to shift a lot in a hurry, I can shift the entire range with gripshift and with triggers shift 3-4 at a time until I get where I need to be.. which means that I'd be off the bike. Now, that truly isn't a big deal, and one that only applies when I'm in the woods and on a trail that I don't know the course.

Do any of your freinds have bikes that you could ride to see if you'd prefer one over the other? Demo rides at your shop?

Have fun figuring it out, and building yuor new bike... it's very exciting!!:D

[Catrin]

I have seen some interesting photos on the MTBR forum where they have a twist/grip shifter for the front and a trigger shifter for the rear. This makes sense to me since it does require more effort to shift the front into a harder gear and, for me, I have more thumb issues with with left and hardly any with my right. If it turns out that a twister is easier on my thumbs this might be a good way to go - especially since it sounds like twisters are friction and not indexed - it would be nice to keep the indexing for my rear cassette...

Has anyone here mixed shifter styles in this fashion?

[Cataboo]

The bf really wants to do that, because he thinks that's the ideal combination, he hasn't put money into the idea yet.

[Catrin]

The bf really wants to do that, because he thinks that's the ideal combination, he hasn't put money into the idea yet.

I just spoke with my LBS and instead of poopooing the idea, they said this mixture works well for a lot of people. Grips come either indexed or friction, depending on your choice, but regardless this mixture makes it easier to tweak the front if you are are even mildly cross-chained yet you keep the finesse of the triggers for the rear.

I really need to find a bike with twist shifters to test!

It is fun exploring my options, and this is the one I need to really check out as much as I can - it is too expensive to change later :eek:

[Cataboo]

IF you come visit me, you can try my bikes out. You're even around my height.

Truthfully it's not all that expensive if you find the parts yourself.

[Catrin]

IF you come visit me, you can try my bikes out. You're even around my height.

Truthfully it's not all that expensive if you find the parts yourself.

No, but there is a discount from getting all my parts through my LBS. I don't have to pay full price if I get them all through them. I am also not confident that everything would be compatible if I were to get them myself. I might make a different choice in the future, but this time it is worth it to me to pay for their expertise.

I wish you were close enough for me to drive out on the weekend and check out your bike(s) :)

[laura*]

It is fun exploring my options, and this is the one I need to really check out as much as I can - it is too expensive to change later :eek:

Changing the shifters wouldn't be super expensive. You wouldn't have to change the other major parts.

Personally, I'm insistent upon trigger shifters. I can't use grips* and thus twist shifters would be really weird.

* Squirmy rubber grips pinch my skin which makes my hands go numb almost instantly.

[Catrin]

Changing the shifters wouldn't be super expensive. You wouldn't have to change the other major parts....

Ah, I see what you and Oak are saying - in case the shifters themselves don't work out it wouldn't be all that expensive to change them out as nothing else would need to be changed. In this case I COULD find them online and have my LBS install/adjust them for me.

I must admit that I really like the idea of mixing twister and trigger, but I need to test ride one with twisters to see what my hands think of them.

[Becky]

Lots of good advice here, so I'll just add two quick things:

Pay attention to the amount of force required to grip the shifter in order to twist. I've worked with some customers with arthritis, and the ability to operate a twist shifter seems to vary greatly, depending on how their hards are affected.

Not all indexed left/front twist shifters have trim, and it makes them a nightmare to ride with or wrench on. The nice ones, IME, are "micro-indexed" and almost infinitely trim-able. Cheap twist shifters seem to be worse for setting up than cheap thumb shifters.

My 2 cents, of course.

[Catrin]

Lots of good advice here, so I'll just add two quick things:

Pay attention to the amount of force required to grip the shifter in order to twist. I've worked with some customers with arthritis, and the ability to operate a twist shifter seems to vary greatly, depending on how their hards are affected.

Not all indexed left/front twist shifters have trim, and it makes them a nightmare to ride with or wrench on. The nice ones, IME, are "micro-indexed" and almost infinitely trim-able. Cheap twist shifters seem to be worse for setting up than cheap thumb shifters.

My 2 cents, of course.

Thanks Becky - if I go this route it will likely be a SRAM X9 twister for the front and an X9 trigger for the back, this is pretty high up the food chain for SRAM. I do know my LBS mechanics love to work on them as they are so easy to work with so that, to me, is a good sign. Will have to see what my hands think of them though - I tend to have more problems with my thumb and palms than anything, so will just have to see.

[Becky]

X9....good stuff :)

[Catrin]

Had an interesting talk with my fitter today on all of this - come to find - the X7 twisters are much better for women's hands than X9 - they are smaller in circumference.

[Cataboo]

Had an interesting talk with my fitter today on all of this - come to find - the X7 twisters are much better for women's hands than X9 - they are smaller in circumference.

I think it depends - you can get X7 in small grips, but it comes in 2 versions.

[Catrin]

I think it depends - you can get X7 in small grips, but it comes in 2 versions.

Yes, apparently X9 and X0 doesn't have this option - he really thinks the grips that come with X0 would be too aggressive/large for my hands.

If nothing else, my fitter will bring in his bikes that have several high-end SRAM triggers and twisters - at least we can put it on the work stand and let me feel how it shifts. He is much too tall for us to even put it on the trainer. He is also going to see if one of his clients might have one small enough and would be willing to bring it in so I can take it around the parking lot a few times.

Sadly bike manufacturers don't currently put high-end twisters on production bikes so it makes it difficult to find one to test.

Cataboo, just which part of the country do you live in? :)

[Cataboo]

ha. DC area. I will have to open the box that arrived last week. There's x7 on the novarra I picked up, so I bought the xo twisters on chainlove for $42. I haven't opened the box figuring that really I don't need the upgrade... But wanting it because it's a simple not so expensive one. I haven't even managed to ride the bike with the ice on the ground! But I've changed the stem & handlebars, put ergo grips on and it might be getting a new fork. I just like to tinker :(


One of R's mountain bikes has old school flat bar handlebars with twister shifters on it, the bike would fit him and probably ride much better if we stuck a modern set of riser bars on it... But the screw holding his x9 twisters in is stripped. So we're going to have to drill that out and hopefully have the shifter still be usable afterwards - but if not, I figured he could have one of my x7's when I switch to the x-os. But if my hands aren't going to like the x-os, that's a different story ;)

[Catrin]

....But if my hands aren't going to like the x-os, that's a different story ;)

I will be interested to hearing what you think of the X0s, especially if you get a chance to check them out before I finalize my build list and place the order next month. I can't know what to budget before I make my mind up... I am SO thankful my LBS does layaway on all bike purchases, including custom... I do have a ballpark, but as that ballpark varies I need to tie it down by the first of March. Plenty of time, thankfully.

DC area? Yeah, just a little far for a day's drive for a visit, sadly.

[SpeedyChix]

Been riding mtb for 25+ years so have used thumb shifters, Shimano RapidFire, SRAM trigger and SRAM gripshift. My favorites are still the gripshift. They make a version to mate with Shimano 2:1 ders and there's the SRAM 1:1 pull version (rear der). I've got issues with my left thumb/wrist and I still stick with 'twisties' over triggers. The lower level SRAM triggers are a bit 'heavy' in their action. I don't have overly large hands and am happy with gripshift.

I've taken the grip portion off some SRAM Attacks in the past to use on the SRAM XO shifters. They have a little less 'knob' to them. SRAM may sell those separate and then you could combine that smaller shifter grip on the XOs. Think those smaller grips are called Amy from the Shorty shifters. See if your dealer can order up those replacement shifter grips. I know you can buy the XOs that way.

The other sweet combination with the gripshifts is to use the ESI Chunky grips (rather than the stock SRAM stuff)
http://www.esigrips.com/Silicone_Grips_Shock_Absorbing.htm

If you're up around mid-Michigan before you are locked in you're most welcome to try mine. Likely be on the pavement as the trails are all under snow ; )

[Catrin]

If you're up around mid-Michigan before you are locked in you're most welcome to try mine. Likely be on the pavement as the trails are all under snow ; )

Thanks for the offer, I wish I could make it up there. Though I really need to put my hands on a high-level SRAM twister to make certain, I suspect from all I've read that it will likely work for me. My fitter is far more comfortable with going this route rather than their triggers if I don't get a chance to test ride something before I have to decide. If nothing else he is going to bring his bikes to the LBS so I can at least check both grips and triggers on the work-stand - he is so tall that we can't even put his bike on the trainer. The SRAM triggers I did check out on their trainer were much lower level and it wasn't a fair comparison.

My two main problems with my hands are my thumbs and the palms of my hands. I need to make certain the grips won't get my palms into THAT position - though I am pretty sure they won't.

[Catrin]

I did have the opportunity to feel what the high-end SRAM twisters felt like and fell in love! I REALLY like not having to use my thumbs at all, and I love how the shifting feels just as much. It isn't a quiet shift - but a very easy shift and if you need to do so, you can go jump ALL of the rear gears in a single shift without a problem (rear, of course). You also know exactly how many gears you have jumped. I can jump a few gears in the rear with my LHT, but I pretty much have to guess how far I've gone unless I am staring at the indicator.

I've decided to go with the X0 shifters, which is the highest level SRAM has. I think my fitter was a little surprised to find that I like the "tread" on them, and they are not too large at all - indeed they fit my hands well. He tells me that the X0 grips are less aggressive this year, so that no doubt explains it.

An X0 drive-train would be over-kill for asphalt application with the occasional gravel/limestone - it really is meant for mountain bike racing - so I've gone with an X7/X9 drive-train. Cassette will be 11-34 with a 22-32-44 crank.

I am really excited, in case that isn't obvious :)

[SpeedyChix]

I did have the opportunity to feel what the high-end SRAM twisters felt like and fell in love! I REALLY like not having to use my thumbs at all, and I love how the shifting feels just as much. ..

I've decided to go with the X0 shifters, .... not too large at all ...

I am really excited, in case that isn't obvious :)

That's super news! Glad you could at least get your hands on some before you committed. Enjoy that new ride!