Quote Originally Posted by lph View Post
Shifting is not a question of hand strength!
Well, yes and no ... None of us has actually tested the OP's hand strength. Most people, even sedentary people, have plenty hand strength to operate shifters that are working properly. But on a board like this one we know for sure that there are lots of people on either end of the bell curve on whatever variable you want to name.

Hand size is definitely an issue, and obviously women statistically have smaller (and differently shaped) hands than men, and one definitely does wish for smaller levers. On the other hand, by making them smaller, you decrease the leverage, and then you either have to generate more force at your hand, or add additional complications of gears and pulleys that would increase the risk of failure.



My feet are very very weak. It's not something to be ashamed of, and it's also not something to demand equipment to coddle them (in fact, it was all those stupid orthotics that MADE my feet so weak). It's something to work on. No shame. No sexism. Just work.