Wrong choice

[Laterider21958]

After trying, and never mastering the old lever type shifters of the 1970's vintage racer I still have, I am really happy with the Shimano EF29-24 speed digit shifters on my Avanti Pioneer 2006 (hybrid) bike. It took me a little while to get used to moving the correct lever, (keep thinking right means rear and I'm OK) but now I am quite confident in their use. My bike felt great right from the first ride, and now that I am a better and stronger rider I have put the seat up higher and changed the tilt, which has made it even better.

Perhaps your new bike just needs a bit of tweaking to make it fit you.

[Livin the Dream]

If you like the bike with the exception of the shifters, I'll bet you'll get used to it in time. Just this past weekend, I went from a Trek 7100, also with the grip shifters, to a Trek Pilot with the not-grip shifters (I don't know what they're called ). Going to the shifting on my new bike has been an adjustment, too. I took a 15 mile ride tonight and purposely changed gears a lot, and it's already starting to feel natural.

About the weight of the bike -- if the 7300 is the same weight as the 7100, I'll agree that the bike is heavy and clunky. I didn't think so until I started test-riding some lighter bikes. The tires on the 7100 were 35mm, my new bike has 28mm tires. The LBS recommended to DH that he switch to 28mm tires on his 7100 to get a little more speed. So, the LBS thinks narrower tires will make a difference. His bike is still there, so we don't yet know if the narrower tires will make much of a difference.

Hope this helped and hope you find a good solution.

[Eden]

I can't help but wonder if you are reaching too far or if the shifters are too big for your hands? I've never had a bike with grip shifters, but I had, for a little while, a scooter with a throttle that you had to turn, and brakes that you had to squeeze, kind of like a mt. bike. My hands are quite small and I found that especially with gloves on, and I was a bit chicken to ride it with no hand protection... that when I would squeeze the brake I would also be turning the throttle!!! A little scary to say the least and I had to be very, very careful.