Shifter question

[SadieKate]

Location of the shifters usually has to do with comfort and reach. You need to find what is optimum for you and beware that some bars "meld" better with some shifters.

Until the new Dura Ace came out, general consensus was that Campy required less pressure to shift. I can't remember though, does the new DA have as many trim points as Campy?

WAY bad bar and shifter positions*
http://www.terrybicycles.com/cycling...fastwoman.html

OK bar and shifter positions
http://www.terrybicycles.com/cycling_savvy/isispro.html

Mo' bettah bar and shifter positions
http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkM...?sid=07Roubaix

Generally, you want the top of the bar to be level from the side and the hood to seamlessly meld into it. You don't want the divot that your hands slide into because it puts pressure on the wrong places.

With each bar/shifter combo you sort of have to experiment to find this place and look for the optimum reach at the same time. I also set up my shifters to point inward a hair as it is more comfortable for my wrists.

*Both hubby and I saw this in the new Terry catalog and were rather horrified. What was Georgena thinking?

[GLC1968]

SK - I don't know if this is true as I'd never be able to ride this way due to my super short legs...but a couple of the guys I used to work with had shifter locations similar to the ones on that Fast Woman you posted. I asked how that could be even remotely comfortable and they insisted that it was... When I next saw them riding, I knew why. They had their seat significantly higher than their bars. This meant that their bodies and arms were already somewhat angled downward over the bars and level bars and shifters would have cocked their wrists up. They had to have them tilted that way to be comfortable. Maybe Georgina displays the Fast Woman that way as their 'race' bike? I agree that it looks totally awful, but I also ride with my saddle and bars almost level like 90% of the people I know!

Oh, and I agree that Ultegra shifters are worth $75 and while you are at it, I'd also ask about an Ultegra front deraileur. I switched from 105 to Ultegra with my last bike and it felt worlds better. Personally, I'll definitely stick with Ultegra going forward (for the zippy road bike).

[SadieKate]

Yeah, if you look at a lot of the pro-racer boys they're riding very small bikes for their size which does mean exactly what you say -- their torsos are much farther forward over their bars than the average rider. Of course, they also spend the entire race on the hoods and have the core strength to do that.

And these guys are about, what, less than 0.5% of the population?

And you also notice that it is the rare race that goes over 5 hours in the saddle.