Rapid fire or Grip shift?

[aquawife]

Okay ladies. I'm finally getting my dream bike built and I have a decision to make. Rapid fire (clickers) or Grip shift (twisties)? I currently use rapid fire and have for a very long time. Bike shop guy wanted to put SRAM 9.0's on my bike but I want to keep my XTR rapid rise derailluer (love it!!!). So he's suggesting a twist shift. Frankly I'm not in love with that idea. I've never used grip shift but I don't think I'd like having to move my hand on the handlebars to shift. I like the idea of being able to hold on while clicking away.
So do any of you have any preferences one way or another?

Thanks!!

[mimitabby]

I think grip shifters are great for people with no other experience, but I am not sure i would want to go back to them. If you love what you have, i can't figure why he'd want you to go to something so different!
Maybe you could try out a bike with grip shifters on it?

[kerrybelle]

I know a lot of people don't like them, but I love my XTR dual control shifters. I even converted my husband over to them!
You'll have to tell us all about the bike, too. Good luck with it.

Kerry

[7rider]

I always had GripShift on my mtb and loved it. Very intuitive, I thought.
When I got a new mtb, I had the shop swap out the rapid fire for GS.
Then I got a flat bar road bike with rapid fires, which I ride tons more than my mtb (as my commuter). Now, on those rare times when I find I got back to riding the mtb, I have trouble "remembering" how to shift!
It's very awkward to go back and forth b/t the two.
So...I'd say pick one and stick with it. If you have and like rapid fires, stay with it. If you have another bike that you ride that uses one or the other, I'd say get both bikes with the same!
Or, maybe those issues are just me!

[tattiefritter]

Gripshift is just wrong!



Tried them once on my commuter (for about 3 months, 3 times a week) and hated them.

[Adventure Girl]

On my last two mountain bikes I had grip shift for my front derailleur and rapid fire for the rear. I couldn't use a rapid fire for the front because my hands are very small and I didn't have enough leverage with my thumb to get into the big ring. I personally didn't like the grip shift because I had to take my hand off the brake to shift.

On my current bike I have dual control levers (shift and brake with the same lever). I really like it. I have heard complaints from some people about this system, but it works for me. There must be enough complaints about them because Shimano has brought back the option of separate levers.

The nice thing about the 2007 XTR dual shifters over the 2006 is that now you can shift multiple gears in either up or down at once. It would be nice to "throw away" 2 shifts at a time.

I thought it would take a while to get used to a different shifting system, but after a few rides, it's second nature.

[spokewench]

I've ridden with both and to tell you the truth I do not have a preference. They both work perfectly well, both of them you don't have to move your hand much to shift; If you like one type of shifter, and it is your bike you are having built up, just tell you LBS guy what you want. For some reason, LBS guys are always trying to get me to do something different than I ask for. I've never been able to understand that?

Even tho I like both grip shift and rapid fire, my bike shop owner does not like grip shift - I think he has more maintenance issues with it and that is why he does not like it. I just have not had this happen to me personally.

spoke