Grip vs Triggers

[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_Gri..._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.